Breeder of third generation Minuet cats, the pride of cat lovers, and the kings and queens of the cat world.
Tiny Lions Napoleons is committed to promoting the Minuet breed among cat associations. In May of 2016, Minuets were accepted into Championship status in The International Cat Association (TICA). Although the two US associations that accept Minuets (Napoleons) are TICA and Cat Fanciers Federation (CFF), we are more active in TICA because of our geographic location. CFF is mainly in the Northeastern region of the United States, while we are located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Therefore, we attend TICA shows.
In order to continue advancing Minuets among cat associations, it is important to enter these beautiful cats in association-
We started showing locally in 2015, at Denver’s Romo Cat Club, with Bing and Josie entered in the Advanced New Breed (ANB) Division. At that time, Minuets were in the ANB Division, which is an experimental time to see if Minuets could hold their own in showing. It was important for Minuets to show in this experimental phase so they could be advanced to Championship status. In May 2016, that happened. Standard (short leg) Minuets can now show in championship! But there’s more work to be done with Minuets in showing. The next step is to get TICA to accept the regular leg version to show in championship.
Tiny Lions Napoleons will be at the following shows:
Showing is a costly and time-
We are looking into what shows we can go to. The following are shows that we are considering, although they are not exclusive:
March 12-
International Feline Showcase
March 20-
United Cat Club
April 24-
Mission City Cat Club
Garden of the Cats
We have our own cat club that is also a nonprofit organization to promote animal welfare in Southern Colorado. Once Covid-
To view TICA’s show calendar, click here.
Sunflower State Showdown, Wichita, KS, September 10th to 11th, 2016
Claude and I went to the Sunflower State Showdown in Wichita, KS on September 10-
He also proved that he’s a good little traveler, provided that he doesn’t have to spend all that time in his carrier. He loves riding in the car and exploring the hotel room, but he missed his dad. We also returned Riddler to his mom, who was attending the show. Claude was sad to see him go and so was I.
Claude’s next show will be in Oklahoma City, OK, on October 15-
Red River Rascals Kitty Roundup at the OK Corral, Oklahoma City, OK, October 15 -
The whole family gang went to Oklahoma City to attend the Red River Rascals, Kitty Cat Roundup at the OK Corral on October 15-
It was the kittens’ first road trip and they did extremely well. Kubi and and Gidget had to stay in a travel playpen at the hotel–flipped over, since Kubi proved to be a quick study at escaping. He climbed up the side in an instant and tried to tumble over the top.
Claude’s next show is not so far away, in Denver, which is only two hours away, a blessing.
Rocky Mountain Cat Club Spooktacular at Denver, CO, October 28th to 30th, 2016
My husband went to Denver with me, Claude, and Bing to attend the Rocky Mountain Cat Club Spooktacular on the weekend of October 28-
We got some positive feedback from a few judges after the fact and that was encouraging. Claude’s next show is far away, in Corpus Christi, TX, on Thanksgiving Day weekend. My son, Kyle, will be going with me. Claude only has two more shows before he becomes old enough to compete in adult championship, which starts when a cat is eight months old.
Catmas on the Beach in Corpus Christi, TX, November 25th to 27th, 2016
My son, Kyle, accompanied me with Claude, Bing, and Josie to Corpus Christi, TX for the Catmas on the Beach show. Claude had his best show ever, finaling five times. I was so proud of him. Despite busting my lip open on the glass door of the hotel, I had a great time with my son and cats.
Coatamondi Cat Club in Tucson, AZ, December 2nd to 4th, 2016
My husband and our four dogs went with me and the cats to Tucson, AZ for a Ragdoll congress cat show. Coming off his best show in Corpus Christi, we were truly disappointed with his results. He had to go up against 51 ragdolls, along with all the other breed kittens (101 entries), and he did not final even once. I shouldn’t make excuses for him, but we were benched next to a female cat that proved to be in heat. That got Claude’s hormones raging and he was a little rambunctious, which didn’t make the judges happy. The good new is that he appears to be all male.
Claude’s failure to final in Tucson meant the end of his showing as a kitten. His next show appearance will be as an adult, and no doubt, much tougher competition. He’ll be showing against the big boys now.
Chili Cats in Racine, WI, January 14th, 2017
Claude’s first show in adult championship was also his first show in 2017. We made a trip out of our region, to the Great Lakes region, so we could return Riddle Me This (Riddler) to his owner, Samantha McConnell, of Pawcity Cattery. A friend who raises Norwegian Forest cats, Brenda Mosal, went with us and we had a blast.
My goal with Claude was to get him used to being in the show hall and around other cats, to make him more comfortable. He showed more ease with the judges and amid all the hoopla. Our next show is in Deer Park, TX, January 28-
Feline PAW Foundation in Deer Park, TX, January 28th to 29th 2017
Claude and I went to Deer Park, TX (Houston area) for his second adult show, on January 28, 2017. He did relatively well on his own, finaling four times, which got him his champion status! The show was fantastic, one of the best ever, and Claude was stellar with the public. He is developing a fan club all on his own.
Claude’s tolerance with other cats is slowly getting better. We either walked around among them, or he stayed on the benching table, where people could get to know him better. Our next show is in Brighton, CO (Denver), on the weekend of February 4-
We would love to see you at these cat shows. If you are in the area of any of the shows listed, don’t hesitate to stop by and mention that you’d like to see our cats in person. Keep an eye out for the shows that we are definitely going to.
Claude had his third adult championship show in Brighton, CO. It was great because we didn’t have to travel far, just two hours away. Our friend, Brenda Mosal, was there as well, with her Norwegian Forest Cat, Nyx. We had a great time, despite some car trouble. Claude behaved very well, getting better with his growling habit. Some trouble with the microphones and speakers gave a lot of cats anxiety, including Claude, but that’s just part of the process.
The accompanying picture is Claude the day after the show, just chilling out.
Our next show is on February 11-
Econo Cat Club, Love in the Rockies, in Brighton, CO, February 4th to 5th, 2017
Thunderkatz, Happy St. Catrick’s Day, in Oklahoma City, OK, March 17 to 19th, 2017
Claude and I went to Oklahoma City for his fourth adult championship show. It was a three-
Our next show is a one-
Romo Cat Club, Mile High Madness, in Denver, CO, March 25, 2017
Denver was another local show for Claude and me, a one-
I didn’t expect good results with Claude at this show, since the judges that day had never finaled him before, but we were surprised when Claude finaled twice that day. With those finals, he should have gained enough points to make Double Grand Champion. Go Claude!
We have a break for a while, as the show season is coming to an end for the year, but our next show before that is Nashville, TN. It will be a hard show to final in, as that region is tough on Minuets, but we’re going for the fun. Brenda will be bringing Reagan and traveling with us.
!!! Breaking News !!!
Clawed Lemieux of Tiny Lions (Claude) received his triple grand champion status on April 22, 2017. We are so proud of him. His next title to shoot for is quad grand champion. Go Claude!!!
Claude, Josie, and I went to Nashville with Brenda and her Norwegian Forest Cat for this wonderful show out of our region. It took us two days to drive there but we had a great time, and seeing the country is always a pleasure. I brought Josie, hoping she would go into heat for Claude, but no such luck. Still, we had an outstanding time.
Claude finaled twice during this weekend, an eighth place and a second. A second! His highest place ever, and out of 51 cats. What an accomplishment. I was so proud of him.
The picture to the left is one I took of Claude after several judgings and two jars of turkey baby food. He’s hopped up on triptophan.
Our friend, Brenda, really cleaned up with finals. She was showing a beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat in Alter Class (not competing against Claude) and placed first four times. Congratulations, Reagan. Reagan supremed over the weekend, the highest title to achieve in showing. So proud of you, Brenda and Reagan. Thanks for sharing the weekend with us.
Claude’s next show is in Albuquerque, NM on May 13-
Music City Cat Club, 50’s Sock Hop Bash, in Nashville, TN, April 28-
!!! Breaking News !!!
Clawed Lemieux of Tiny Lions (Claude) received his quadruple grand champion status on May 1, 2017. We are so proud of him. His next title to shoot for is Supreme Grand Champion. Go Claude!!!
Enchanted Cat Club, A Feline Fiesta, in Albuquerque, NM, May 13-
In a rare occasion, my husband accompanied Claude and me to the Albuquerque show. The dogs and other cats, including little Jasper, came as well. We had an amazing time together and Claude was able to interact with Jasper, his baby, for the first time. The two became fast friends and ran around the hotel room as they romped and played. There was a downside to that, though, since Claude had to leave his newfound friend behind to go to the show hall. He didn’t like that one bit. However, Claude did manage to final an amazing six times: three times in third place in special breed, twice in second place in special breed, and taking a fourth place in all breed. I was so proud of him, but also frustrated, because he was like a teenager who wanted to get his way.
Thanks, Scott, for coming along. We loved having you and wished you would come more often.
Fort Worth Feline Fanciers, Texas in Bloom, in Dallas, TX, May 20-
Claude and I were back alone on the road when we went to Dallas, TX for a Pet Expo show. Still, as always, we had a great time and met new friends. Claude did well, finaling three times on this two-
!!! Breaking News !!!
Clawed Lemieux of Tiny Lions (Claude) received annual regional awards for the best longhair Minuet (chocolate mackerel tabby and white) of the South Central Region, 2017, and best Minuet kitten and best Minuet cat of 2017, South Central Region. You go, Claude!!!
Summer Holidays, Econo Cat Club, in Aurora, CO, June 17 -
Claude and I went to the Aurora, CO Summer Holidays cat show on June 17 -
Claude finaled multiple times. He finaled fifth once, fourth once, and third three times in special breed, and tenth twice in all breed. We were very happy with the outcome. In the meantime, we tried our hand at vending. Because there’s a lot of downtime during a show, I’ve been thinking of what I can do to keep busy. I came up with the idea of vending some homemade products, and we tried it for the first time in Aurora. Although there wasn’t a lot of public traffic (given that it was Father’s Day weekend), we still did a modicum of business. More importantly, I was kept busy. We’re going to try it again at the Cheyenne show.
Claude is always exhausted after a show, as you can see from the picture.
Wild West Herding Cats Show, Prairie Winds Cat Club, in Cheyenne, WY, July 8 -
The whole family took the opportunity to go to Cheyenne, WY for the first show ever of the newly minted cat club, Prairie Winds. Hubby came along, which means all the dogs and cats–including Bing’s two little kittens, joined us. It’s part of our socializing training with the kittens to get them travel happy, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. Both Buster and Brinn enjoyed the new experience and got a chance to meet all the dogs.
As for the show, Claude didn’t do well. There was no air conditioning in the building and he had a horrible time dealing with the heat. In the picture to the right, he’s laying on an ice pack wrapped in a towel and spreading his legs for air from a fan. He was cranky when he was taken away from his only relief and not appealing to the judges. He also had his routine mixed up a bit, because I was conscripted to clerking, while my husband ran him to the rings. Still, he finaled third with one judge, which is more than I expected.
Aside from the heat, Prairie Winds did a spectacular job putting on a friendly, well-
Headed for the Beach, Fort Worth Feline Fanciers, in Cleburne, TX, August 5-
One thing we learned in showing one cat is that there is a lot of downtime between rings. So, to combat boredom, we decided to make a few things out of wood from our property and homemade cat toys and see how they sell. We received great praise for our crafts and have been invited to several other shows, so we feel like we’ve found a niche to fill. This gives us something to do while showing Claude.
Claude finaled twice in the Cleburne show, taking 10th out of 42 cats and 4th out of 15 long hair cats. He probably could have done better without the attitude, but he still grumbles when the judges take him out of the judging cages. I don’t understand it, because he’s a doll with spectators at the show and a sweetheart everywhere else. It’s just in the judging ring that he changes his tune, and this is why I’m looking for another cat to show. Once I have one, I’ll retire Claude from showing. It’s a shame, because he hasn’t supremed yet–and probably won’t because of his attitude–but he’s not having fun with the judges. However, he really does love traveling. He has a blast at the hotels and in the car.
Inaugural Show, High Country Cat Club, in Denver, CO, August 19th -
High Country Cat Club is a new cat club based in Denver, CO, which we at Tiny Lions are founding members of. Our inaugural show was on August 19-
Claude didn’t do very well at this show, mostly because I was clerking on both days and running him to rings when I could. I didn’t have a lot of time to play with him, so I blame myself for his lack of high finals. I didn’t mind much because it was about making a good first impression with the public for our first show and I believe we did. This show was in conjunction with the Denver Pet Expo, where there were tons and tons of dogs walking around among the cats, which probably had an effect on Claude’s performance as well. I certainly wish I had the time to go through the vendors to see what was there, but alas, I barely had time to breathe.
Claude did final four times, all in special breed. He took fifth once, fourth twice, and third once. With his showing days coming to a close soon, I hope he will get a first at least once to end as a supreme.
Chisholm Trail Fall Roundup, Austin Cat Fanciers, in Temple, TX, Sept. 30th -
Ellie is my new show cat. Her first show was in Temple, TX, on September 30, 2017. I was so excited to bring her, along with Claude, and show her off to the public. While Claude is usually a grump when it comes to showing, Ellie is a little doll. She was nervous at first but then she became curious about everything going on. She even hammed it up with the judges. She was the little darling of the show, drawing attention from spectators and other exhibitors throughout the weekend.
Ellie didn’t final during this show, which is not unusual. Cats, even kittens, are judged according to their conformation to the breed standards. At four months old, a kitten has not developed into their breed standard. Ellie was up against some older kittens, which looked more like their cat counterparts, and those were more likely to final. Still, Ellie was gorgeous and is likely to take many finals as she grows.
Claude, even being a grump with the judges, finaled once, fifth in special breed. He is an amazingly beautiful cat that should final more if it wasn’t for his poor attitude on the table. Several judges have said that they would have finaled him if he hadn’t been grumbling. He loves traveling but he is not a fan of being judged (who is?). I think his last show will be the Denver show in October (2017) since he is not enjoying the circuit. By then, Katy will be able to show and can keep Ellie company.
Ellie and Claude’s next show will be in Oklahoma City, on October 14 -
Spooktacular, Romo Cat Club, in Denver, CO, October 20-
A lot of things happened this weekend, and not all of them were good. What was great was that we had plenty of Minuets show up at the Denver show. Lynn Brown, of 406Paws Cattery, brought three of her Minuets and agented another one. I brought three myself: Claude, Ellie, and Katy–her first show–for a total of seven Minuets in the show. Unfortunately, Claude proved to be unhappy to be there and I pulled him after only a few rings on the first day. He had finaled once, seventh out of forty-
Ellie and Katy went up against some serious competition with Lynn’s kittens. Lynn’s kittens were much larger and more developed in age than Ellie and Katy. Lynn took a few finals, which was awesome, since it made an impression for Minuets. I was thrilled for Lynn and I’d love to show with her again, especially when my kittens grow up.
!!! Breaking News !!!
Clawed Lemieux (Claude) will be retiring from showing. He is too interested in breeding with his girls than showing off his handsomeness. I will be showing Ellie (Gabrielle Landesclaw) and Katy (Catrice Purrgeron) from now.
Christmas in the Desert, Coatimondi Cat Club, in Tucson, AZ, December 1 -
This was my first show without Claude and it was rather bittersweet going without him. But I had Ellie and Katy with me, and we had a great time traveling. However, something in the hotel got Katy sick, causing her eyes to water and for her to sneeze atrociously, so we left early, not showing on Sunday. She miraculously got better after a few hours on the road, proving that something had been in the room that bothered her. She did final once on Saturday, taking eighth out of forty-
Some of the events of this weekend made me realize that I have to choose my shows more carefully. For the time being, we will be limiting our shows to those in the state of Colorado.
Valentine Show, Econo Cat Club, in Brighton, CO, February 3 -
Katy, Ellie, and I went to Brighton, CO (Denver) on the weekend of February 3 -
I didn’t think Katy had much of a chance of finaling, since her tummy was a little swollen for some reason, but she surprised me. She finaled five out of six times the first day: twice in fifth place, once in fourth place, once in second place, and a best kitten!! First place. On the second day, competing against many more kittens, she finaled three out of six times, once in tenth place, once in eighth place, and once in fifth place. I was amazed and delighted.
Check out her adventures on her Facebook page, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/142238163163429/
I had hoped to go to more shows, but they are proving few and far between until the end of April. Our next show will be in Denver, CO, on April 28 -
Feline Fiesta, Enchanted Cat Club, in Albuquerque, NM, May 12-
I took Ellie and Katy to the Feline Fiesta cat show in Albuquerque this weekend, where they competed against each other in adult cat championship for the first time ever. Katy did great, finaling eight times, while Ellie finaled five times, more than I thought she would, seeing as though she still needs to beef herself up. Although she doesn’t have the bulk that Katy does, she has a fabulous face and structure. Katy got two seventh and a sixth best cat in all breed, and a third, three seconds, and a best cat in special breed! Ellie got three fifth, one fourth, and one third best in special breed. This means that Ellie would have made champion and Katy would be a grand champion.
Katy was a little grumpy on the first day, but she was fantastic on the second day. Ellie was always in a ring with a boy that tried to woo her, but she was having none of it. She definitely wants only Claude.
5 Tribes Cats, MuskogeeCats Cat Club, in Shawnee, OK, May 26-
Ellie and Katy joined me in Shawnee, OK, for a show put on by the Muskogee Cat Club. There were more cats competing against them than usual, so it was tougher competition (around 50 cats). Katy got four finals: tenth, sixth, fourth, and third, while Ellie didn’t final this time. She was given best of breed a few times, but those judges didn’t final her. There were more longhairs in this competition, but the judges were overall in favor of the shorthair cats. Boo! It’s tough to show longhairs, given the grooming, but so go the breaks. Can’t do much to change opinion.
I was very happy with Katy’s results. She is truly an amazing girl, although Ellie has–in my opinion–a better face. The judges like heftier cats, and Katy is more bulky than Ellie, ergo why she doesn’t final over Katy. But we work with what we have.
Still, we had a great time. The girls love the different hotels and spend a lot of time running around the room, chasing each other. They also like to wake me up in the middle of the night for some play time. As long as they love traveling, we’ll keep going to shows.
Cat Roundup, Wild West Cat Fanciers, in Salt Lake City, UT, June 2-
Katy and Ellie joined me at the cat show in Salt Lake City, put on by the Wild West Cat Fanciers. I couldn’t go last year, even though I’d entered the show, because Bing was due with kittens that weekend. However, I got to go this year with my two new girls and it was a great weekend. Not because of the show, but because my wonderful husband had set up a surprise for me. He arranged for my son and his family to drive in from Seattle to spend the weekend with me. What a wonderful surprise!! And my son brought Ceviche, one of our kittens, to see how he’d grown.
The last time I’d seen Ceviche in person was when I’d sent him home with Ryan at 12 weeks old. Now, Ceviche is a year old and looks amazing. Half his face looks exactly like Bing, his mom, and the other half looks like his dad, Claude.
Oh, how did my girls do, you ask? Katy finaled only two times, tenth and sixth. She wasn’t in her best mood, so I’m sure that had a lot to do with it. I certainly hope she changes her attitude so I can keep showing her.
Ellie, unfortunately, didn’t final, which is just wrong. She got a few best of breeds over Katy but she didn’t final in those rings. She needs to gain some confidence in the ring and beef up.
(Left picture: Ceviche in the hotel)
Katy on the ride home from Salt Lake City. Just too exhausted.
Cat Show in the Rockies, High Country Cat Club, in Aurora, CO, June 16-
We did something different at the Aurora show. I asked to show my son’s cat, Nygma. Because Nygma is a nonstandard Minuet, he could only show in Household Pet. He did well, but who took the show was Duchess, one of Claude and Bing’s kittens. Sadly, she had to show in Household Pet as well, being a nonstandard Minuet, but she wiped up the competition with six best cats, one second, and a third. William did an excellent job grooming Duchess, but she is a stunning cat all on her own. The judge even knew she was a Minuet and gave the best compliment ever. She was saddened that Duchess had been spayed because she was an excellent example of a Minuet that could have passed on perfect genes.
On our part, Katy was having a bad weekend with her heat cycle coming upon her and making her cranky, so she didn’t final. However, Ellie did. She finaled five times. I’m so proud of her. She’s going to give Katy a run for her money.
At the right is Duchess getting her first best cat ever, with William, her dad. He was so proud of her. Needless to say, so was I.
Yellow Rose Cat Club, in Denver, CO, July 14-
Duchess and William joined us for a one-
South Central Regional, Econo Cat Club, in Denver, CO, August 11-
I showed my son’s cat, Nygma, in this show, as a household pet since he’s a nonstandard pedigree Minuet. I also showed Ellie, although I didn’t have much hope that she would final. I believed that she was pregnant, which made her a little off for the show.
As expected, Ellie didn’t final at all, but Nygma did very well. He finaled 10 out of 12 times, getting a first once. He truly is a beautiful cat and should be allowed to show in championship, if the rules would be changed. As for Ellie, this will be her last show for a while, until her kittens go to their new families–if all goes well with the pregnancy. I guess her taking over first place internationally is not in the cards.
!!! Breaking News !!!
Clawed Lemieux (Claude) received two awards from the South Central Region for last season (2017): Best Minuet Cat of the South Central Region and the fourteenth best long hared cat in the region. Katy received an award as well, the best Minuet kitten in the South Central Region. Congrats, Claude and Katy!
Sunflower Show, KansasKatz Cat Club, in Wichita, KS, September 15-
A friend and neighbor, Mary Rish, joined me, Katy, and Nygma in our travels to Wichita, KS for a cat show being put on by KansasKatz Cat Club. We were vending as well, with Mary’s help, and there was going to be several Minuets in attendance. Samantha McConnell and her mother, from Pawcity Cattery, were there with five Minuets, of which two were competing against Katy. Another Minuet was competing against them as well.
Katy did not do well with the competition and I will not explain why. Suffice it to say, politics played a part in it, and it was a frustrating weekend. However, Mary and I had a great time with Sam and her mom, and Janet Hayes from Windemere Napoleon/Minuet Cattery showed up as well. We discussed our intentions of trying to get nonstandard Minuets into championship, even though there are others who are working against it.
Mary and I vended as well and did a modicum of business, but it was all about good times with good people. Mary and I did some networking for our new club, Garden of the Cats, in our preparations for our first show in March 2018.
With Katy moving towards becoming an alter and Ellie missing out on critical shows while tending to her beautiful babies, it is unlikely that either will receive an international award. But it is more important to take care of the health of our cats than to chase awards. We’ll let other people have them this year. We can’t lose sight of our program.
Chisolm Trail Roundup, Austin Cat Fanciers, in Temple, TX, October 6-
I had the pleasure of taking Claude out of retirement in order to show a cat in Temple, TX. Since Ellie was with her babies and Katy was still recovering from anemia, that left me only Claude. I must say, he looked spectacular. His hair was like rabbit fur and he was behaving well. However, fate wasn’t in his favor–and I have no idea why not–but he only finaled once. A tenth place. Not impressive. I truly believed he was going to knock it out of the park with the way he looked. But shows are fickle and there’s no telling how well a cat will do in a show, so those are the breaks. It was just disappointing that he wasn’t viewed any better than he was. I do have to say that the show was fun and well done, so no complaints there. As always, we had a great time with far-
Our friend, Mary, came with us and kept us company. She also helped us vend. Mary is an invaluable asset in all aspects. She is a great friend and a wonderful help.
Claude was the perfect little traveler as well. He enjoyed the drive and settled into the hotels like they were home to him. He can adjust to absolutely anywhere and hasn’t lost his knack for traveling.
Feline Fall Fest, Thunderkatz, in Stillwater, OK, November 10-
I took Katy and Josie to Stillwater, OK on November 10-
Our drive home was less wonderful, hitting a snowstorm in Pampa, TX, where we stayed over on the way home. What a traumatic drive the next day, which should have only taken five hours. Instead, it took eight hours, crawling across frozen roads. But we made it home safely, even after spinning out twice on black ice. White knuckle driving.
Our next show will be in Waxahachie, TX, on December 10-
Turkish Van Cat Connection, in Waxahachie, TX, December 8-
I took Ellie and Katy to Waxahachie, TX with me on December 8-
Our next show will be in Denver, February 2-
Garden of the Cats, in Colorado Springs, CO, March 23-
This was my show with our own new cat club in Colorado Springs, bringing it closer to home! My first attempt at putting on a show and it went really well. Although I was super-
By the way, my cats all finaled. Congrats to all of them. This is the end of the 2018 show season.
Enchanted Cat Club, in Albuquerque, NM, May 11-
Here’s the start of the 2019 season and I have my eyes set on an international win. Why not, right. I have some pretty good prospects.
Mary Rish and William Feigt joined me for the weekend in Albuquerque. We were vending and showing four cats, my Sydney, Katy, and Josie, and William was showing Duchess, one of Bing’s babies. We all did amazingly well, but Katy did the best of mine. Little Katy, my “kitten” with a big heart. She was best cat in alter twice. I had tears in my eyes when she was called that. Who would have thought that my little kitten, who was on her death bed so many times and wasn’t expected to live, would be best alter cat in a show. She is my miracle baby.
Sydney showed for the first time in adult championship and did very well, especially since she just turned 8 months old and was competing against more mature cats. I have high hopes for this one.
Josie was showing in Household Pet and was a little shy, which goes against her. But she finaled half the times. Unfortunately, she was always beat by Duchess, who is a very hard cat to show against. Duchess is absolutely stunning.
Our next show is the following weekend, in Lenexa, KS. My same three cats will be going, as well as my son’s cat, Nygma. Good times!
Kansas City Cat Club, in Lenexa, KS, May 25-
Mary Rish and William Feigt joined Katy, Sydney, Josie, Nygma, and I when we went to Lenexa, KS for a first-
The weather was frightening, with tornados in other parts of the state, but we only had severe thunderstorms. Driving home was a nightmare, but we got back safely, and that’s all that matters. Our next show is in Salt Lake City.
Wild West Cat Fanciers, in Salt Lake City, UT, June 1-
Mary Rish and my daughter’s son, Maison, came with us to Salt Lake City, UT for the Wild West Cat Fancier’s yearly TICA show. I brought Katy, Sydney, and Josie to show, and agreed to take Duchess for William. My girls did great. Josie got a much needed best cat in Household Pet to get her supreme! Duchess did amazing–of course–and she’s on the road for an international win this year. Even best international household pet, shall we dare? Of course.
It was a wonderful trip. The weather was great and the drive was absolutely beautiful. It is my favorite drive to make to any show simply because of the scenery. Not a large show but very well put on. Plenty of good people and good times.
Our next show is in Amarillo, TX in a couple of weeks.
Yellow Rose Cat Club, in Amarillo, TX, June 15-
The trip to Amarillo, TX for the Yellow Rose Cat Club show was a fantastic time. Mary Rish and William Feigt rode with my cats and me in the car (with Duchess Noel, of course), and my husband and daughter, and her son, followed in the RV with the boy cats. That made a total of 7 cats coming to Amarillo, as well as my dog Kodiak and my husband’s dog, Jenny. Good times.
It was a great show and we racked up finals. My biggest accomplishment was catching my white whale–Claude’s Supreme Grand Championship. He finally got it! I was almost in tears. I brought him out of retirement for this show because I did have a way to get him to Amarillo without being around the girls and he was able to room with Mary during the weekend. So it was more than worth it.
As always, Katy did wonderfully well, finaling in all rings. Claude got three finals and Sydney only one. But Sydney was up against Claude, so that really wasn’t fair. I forgot to enter Josie, so she fell behind in her points, which means I have to take her to Las Vegas for the Annual. My daughter showed her cat, Banksy, in Household Pet–his first show. Banksy finaled in every ring and is vying for best HHP of the show with Duchess. We’ll see who wins when the report comes out.
Our next official show is Reno, NV, but I might send Josie to Temple, TX with William Feigt to catch up for the missed show in Amarillo.
Austin Cat Fanciers, in Temple, TX, June 29, 2019
We didn’t have any intention of going to Temple, TX for a one-
It was a good time with good people. Plus, Josie got a chance to pick up some points that she didn’t get in Amarillo because I forgot to enter her in that show. Our next show is Reno, NV, where there are big points at stake. I’m the only one going with William, but it should be a fun time.
Sophisticats Cat Club, Reno, NV, July 13-
Our trip to Reno, NV, the Midwest Regional show, wasn’t the best weekend I’ve ever had. I had extreme tendonitis in both knees from some stupid running in the mountains and I could barely walk, which made it a very painful time. But I had several cats entered in the show and I wasn’t going to miss it. I was taking Katy, Sydney, Josie, and Nygma. William Feigt was coming as well with Duchess, and I was driving. Imagine my surprise when I woke up on Thursday and started getting ready for the day, when William texted me and said he was on the way to the house. I had totally forgotten that we were leaving that day for Reno. I hadn’t even bathed my cats, which I had planned to do that day.
I got the car packed in record time, and by the time William had arrived at the house, we were pretty much ready to go–sans the cat baths. We were planning on staying over in Salt Lake City that night and that’s when I had to bathe four cats in the hotel. Not fun, kneeling on a hotel floor for hours with tendonitis. And a trip to Home Depot to snake out the bathtub after hair clogged it. Another 45 minutes on the bathroom floor while making sure that hotel tub was in better shape than we’d gotten there.
Anyway, we did relatively well in Reno, even though it wasn’t as good as I expected. We were out of our region and the one thing we realized from that weekend was that we truly love our region, the South Central region. People are different in our region, much more tightly knit, and family oriented. That wasn’t the case in the other region we showed that weekend.
Nygma on the way back from Reno, NV.
Red River Rascals, Stillwater, OK, August 3-
A bunch of us friends went to the South Central Regional show on August 3-
If you ever think about showing, a regional banquet is a must to attend. That’s where the year’s awards for the best cats are given and a communal atmosphere of friends and acquaintances is shared. I have met many friends in my career of showing and the people of the South Central region are amazing.
Jazzy Cats Cat Club, in Las Vegas, NV, Aug 31-
Our whole family went to Las Vegas, NV for the TICA Annual show, and having the whole family for the weekend in Vegas was absolute fun. We got to walk the strip and shop and play around, but then there was the show on Saturday and Sunday. One thing I learned about the Annual show is that politics plays a big part. The show was huge and there were a lot of beautiful cats, but it was our worst show ever. Katy, at the time being the number 1 Alter in the world, didn’t even final once. I was truly disappointed with the politics and learned that I will never go to an annual again. Because of that show, Katy fell from her number 1 position and probably won’t recover it. We will stick with our regional shows, as the experience with the people from our region is much more fun. If it wasn’t for the presence of my family, it would have been a miserable weekend.
Josie managed to final three times, which surprised me. Josie is being dismissed a lot lately because she shows in Household Pet class and the judges can tell that she is a pedigreed Minuet. Josie has to show in HHP because her great-
KansasKatz Cat Club, Wichita, KS September 14-
Going to Wichita, KS on September 14-
The next day, since William was clerking, I had to run five cats to rings, while vending, and dealing with a mobile mechanic who came to the show hall to fix my trailer lights. Our luck had turned and I had one of the best shows ever. Sydney did amazing, taking best cat out of 40 competing cats. It was the turn of her show career from getting only the occasional final to sweeping the board. She had finally hit her development burst and started to look like an adult Minuet.
Austin Cat Fanciers, Temple, TX, October 5-
William, Mary Rish, and I went to Temple, TX the week before our own show, to campaign for our show. It was a busy weekend, with our own showing looming. I was doing a lot of paperwork during that weekend on my laptop and trying to get people to come to Colorado Springs for our show. It worked, as we got a lot of last minute entries. We had a great showing with the cats and Sydney even Supremed! You go, girl. Unfortunately, my new Supreme girl and my Supreme stud (Claude) hate each other. I don’t think we’ll ever get them to breed. Just my luck.
Garden of the Cats, Colorado Springs, October 12-
Finally, our own show in Colorado Springs. It wasn’t a huge show, but it was modest and it was quite a feat to pull off. We had a great time. We were in costume and the decorations were on point. We had a lot of games and some wonderful vendors. I had all my cats except Bing, who had a new litter born only three days earlier. I tried Claude out but he was too much a boy and I had to send him home with my husband. His show career is over, at least until I end up neutering him in several years and might try him out in Alter class. But that’s years from now, I hope.
Sydney and Katy did really well with finals and Josie didn’t do too bad. I broke out Ellie for the show, since she wasn’t pregnant, but she isn’t as well defined in the body as Sydney, who she was competing against. Still, Ellie managed to get three finals, most likely because she has an amazing, surreal face. I hope she can still breed, but if she can’t, she will be spayed and I will start to show her in Alter class. Before that happens, I will take her to a reproductive specialist in Denver to see if her breeding days are over. She only had two litters and I’m afraid that the vet might have ruined her during her C-
Feline Paw Foundation, Midlothian, TX, November 9-
William Feigt and I took Duchess, Katy, Sydney, Josie, and Banksy to Midlothian, TX (outside Dallas) for a cat show on November 9-
Katy got a number of finals but they weren’t good enough to drop any of her previous ones. The Alter cat count wasn’t high, which made the points low. Plus, she wasn’t feeling her best, I imagine. She was cranky this weekend.
This was a Veterans Day show and it was very much evident in the show hall. There was a great tribute to veterans both past and present and as a daughter of a WWII veteran, I was thrilled to see. I brought my own patriotic cat. Sydney is a red point, which means she is red, white, and blue (eyes).
We got to meet Lynn and Stefan Hill, who also showed a Minuet. They are great people and Stefan is a Vietnam Veteran (Marine). It was wonderful to have them at the show and their little black smoke Selkirk Rex kitten was absolutely adorable. It won #1 Fan Favorite!
Thunderkatz Cat Club, Stillwater, OK, November 23-
I got a chance to get back to my roots of showing, going by myself with just three of my girls, Katy, Sydney, and Josie. It was probably for the best, since the drive was treacherous and I wouldn’t have wanted to put anyone else in danger. We left on Thursday to get there in time on Friday to set up vending, but when I woke up on Friday morning in Ellis, KS, my car was buried in snow. I was faced with a 99 mile drive across a snow laden I-
All my girls finaled, but since it was a small show, Josie’s and Katy’s finals didn’t earn them many points they could use. But Sydney did well again against 40 other cats and picked up 8 out of 12 possible finals. She will be dropping several of her lower finals from her past shows with some of the finals she got in Stillwater.
As for the show itself, it was a great time with good people. The girls loved the Residence Inn, where we stayed in a studio suite. Very nice place. The drive home was a lot better, with decent weather. Overall, worth the horrible drive to the show.
Our next show is on December 14-
Due to Covid-
Turkish Van Cat Club, Waxahachie, TX, December 14-
Sadly, the weekend of the show in Waxahachie, TX, by the Turkish Van Cat Club, was a nightmare. Not with showing–that was a success. But I got within miles of the show hall on Friday afternoon to set up and my car engine light went on. Long story short, it looks like my fluids hadn’t been checked as well as they should have been (Scott). Something about radiator fluid, which I checked when I got to Waxahachie, and there was none. I got up early the next morning to get radiator fluid and put it in the reservoir for a temporary fix, then went to the show with five cats (Sydney, Josie, Katy, Banksy, and Duchess). During the show, while also vending (why, oh why, was I vending), I had to deal with getting my car–and trailer–towed to a shop. After the show, I had to hitch a ride back to the hotel with another exhibitor–with my five cats.
Turns out, the radiator fluid had overflowed and corroded the seals. Luckily, the shop was able to fix the problem and I picked up the car Saturday night, which meant I had my own transportation back to the show on Sunday and home, which was hundreds and hundreds of miles away.
Sydney did great at the show, finaling seven times, with a best long hair cat among her finals. Katy did even better, finaling nine times, with a best long hair alter. Finally, Josie did good as well, with seven finals. I was showing Duchess for William, who couldn’t make it, and she did great–as always. Banksy is always a hit at shows in Household Pet, and did awesome. He’s my daughter’s cat.
So not too bad of a weekend, when you think about it. If that was the end of the story. But as I tried to make my way home, fifteen miles south of Fort Worth–a far cry from Divide, Colorado–my engine light went on again. I had to pull over and stay the night in Fort Worth, then tried to find a shop Monday morning. After several attempts to get my car into a shop pronto, I managed to have a mechanic check out the problem. More seals were corroded but it could be fixed that day. I asked if I could stay at the shop because checkout at the hotel was noon. And oh, by the way, I have five cats with me. Thankfully, the people at the mechanics shop liked cats, so I got a ride back to the hotel, packed all my belongings (a bunch) and the cats, and headed back to the mechanic shop. The cats and I–and my luggage–occupied their waiting room for five hours, while the car was fixed. It was a great relief when it was and we were able to pack up and head on home again. Thankfully, no further problems happened.
That weekend might have been a great show weekend, but it ended up costing over $2400 in car bills. Boy, what a nightmare that was.
Gulf Coast Feline Foundation, Deer Park, TX, January 24-
William and Duchess came with me to Deer Park, Texas for our next show, the first show of 2020. Does anyone know where Deer Park is? It is otherwise known as Houston, down on the Gulf Coast. A looooong two-
It wasn’t Sydney’s best show, but she finaled five times. She didn’t final as high as she normally does, but she was beautiful. Josie did great, with seven finals, one being a best cat in Household Pet. Katy wasn’t feeling well. She kept overheating and I had to pull her out of the show shelter so she could cool down. Still, she finaled five times. Something just wasn’t right with her. I planned to take her to a vet when we got home to check her blood levels.
After the nightmare of a show in Waxahachie, this show was a pleasant return to normal. Good friends and an easy time. William did a lot of socializing with the exhibitors after the show but I hung out with the cats in the hotel, taking it easy. I’m not big with people or groups, so it wasn’t a bad time. The cats and I got to watch Forensic Files late into the night.
Our next show is going to be in our neck of the woods, in Brighton, CO (Denver), in February.
Econo Cat Club, Brighton, CO, February 1-
It’s so nice to go to a local show, even if it is two hours away. But I took my crew of cats to the Econo Cat Club show in Brighton, CO, otherwise known as Denver. I was vending as well. Why not, since it was so close to home. Great friends showed up and it’s always good to see Colorado local exhibitors. The weather was amazing–70s–with a blizzard set to hit on Monday. Typical Colorado weather.
I took Sydney, Katy, Josie, and Banksy, my daughter’s cat. This was to be Sydney’s last show, since she was newly pregnant, and once a female cat starts breeding, it’s hard to get her back to show condition between breedings and nursing. But since Sydney was already the number one Minuet LH in the world for this show season, which was set to end April 30, I wanted her to get as many points as possible before she had to stop showing.
Sydney finaled six times that weekend, although none were enough to get her very many points. Pregnancy must have been taking its toll at that point. Josie did great, with six finals, but at this point, she was dropping these finals. Katy did the best, by far, finaling eight times. Boy, she is an amazing cat, even with all her internal health problems.
Our next show will be in Corpus Christi, Texas, a huge show, in March 13-
Note: I could not go to the Corpus Christi show, as expected, even with all our fees paid. Sydney was due the same day I was supposed to leave. I was hoping she would have her babies a day early, so I could see if it was safe to leave her with my husband; but that Thursday I was supposed to leave, she wouldn’t leave my side and kept crying. I canceled my plans and stayed with her until she had her babies that night.
Our next show is our very own show, Garden of the Cats, on April 25-
Breaking News
March 16, 2020, Covid-
Breaking News
June 25, 2020: The 2019-
RW SGC Clawed Lemieux of TinyLions: Best Chocolate Mackerel Tabby/White Minuet Longhair (SC Region)
Second Best Minuet Longhair (SC Region)
QGC Judyscuties Gabrielle Landesclaw: Best Chocolate Silver Mackerel Tabby/White Minuet Longhair (SC Region)
Third Best Minuet Longhair (SC Region)
IW SGM Queen Josephine: Fifth Best Household Pet (SC Region)
RW BW SGCA Blueskies Catrice Purrgeron: Best Minuet Longhair Alter (SC Region)
Sixth Best Alter (SC Region)
RW BW SGC Blueskies Sydney Clawsby: Best Red Lynx Point Minuet Longhair (SC Region)
Third Best Longhair Cat (SC Region)
Seventh Best Cat (SC Region)
Best Minuet Longhair (SC Region)
Breaking News
It is with immense regret and copious tears that I inform you of Katy (Catrice Purrgeron) passing. Her health steadily declined after her last show and she was not responding to the old medication or a new course of treatment. She passed away at home with her family beside her on May 25, 2020. I still grieve for her and will probably do so to my dying days. She was an incredible cat. Katy never made it to her third birthday.
June 21, 2017 -
I love you, Katy, and miss you every day.
Breaking News
July 8, 2020: The 2019-
RW SGC Clawed Lemieux of TinyLions: Best Chocolate Mackerel Tabby/White Minuet Longhair of the Year (2020)
RW QGC Judyscuties Gabrielle Landesclaw: Best Chocolate Silver Mackerel Tabby/White Minuet Longhair of the year (2020)
IW SGM Queen Josephine: Fifthteen Best Household Pet of the Year (2020)
RW BW SGCA Blueskies Catrice Purrgeron: Best Minuet Longhair Alter of the Year (2020)
RW BW SGC Blueskies Sydney Clawsby: Best Red Lynx Point Minuet Longhair of the Year (2020)
Best Minuet Longhair of the Year (2020)
Tiny Lions’ Show Diary
Econo Club Cat Club, Denver, CO, February 2-
Me with Claude and Judge Joe Edwards after Claude got his Best Cat for his Supreme Grand Championship title. Yes, I’m crying.
Blueskies Catrice Purrgeron of Tiny Lions
The first show of the new season that I went to was well into the 2020-
I took Ellie, Josie, and my new kitten, Lexie all the way down to Sequin, TX, a two-
The show was great, even though we had to do the silly social distancing and mask wearing (doesn’t work!). Ellie wasn’t in the best of shape for showing, after her kittens, but she finaled once, an eighth place. Josie did well, as she always does, finaling in half the rings. I don’t know how long I will continue to show her, as she is becoming a grump at the shows.
My biggest success was Lexie. She finaled in half the rings as well, but it was her first show! There were 42 kittens and she got two tenth places, a seventh, sixth, fifth, and second place. She was only 5 months old, and usually, young kittens don’t do well against older kittens. She was fantastic. It was a little overwhelming for her but she adjusted to the process very well. Our next show is in Waxahachie, TX next month.
Mission City Cat Club, Sequin, TX, November 7-
Turkish Van Cat Club, Waxahachie, TX, December 12-
December 12-
Ellie was up against Sydney and Sydney has always done better than her, but Ellie didn’t come home a loser. She got a seventh in long hair championship cats. I’m glad Ellie got recognized because she is a beautiful cat. She just doesn’t have the bulk that judges like.
Josie did great as well, but because she is a grouch during shows, I am thinking that this will be her last trip with us. She finaled nine times, taking best HHP LH twice. A good end to her showing career but it won’t be enough to get her a regional award. Maybe I will continue to show her a few more times this season so she can get an award.
Lexie was the reason why I was going to shows at all this season, even though she was a kitten. Kitten showing is training for when they become adults, so this was important. And the competitor in me really wanted to try to get her to be best Minuet LH kitten this season. She finaled an amazing 10 out of 13 times and I was giddy with excitement. Two judges paid high complements to her, including one saying that she was the best Minuet she’d seen in five years. Very thrilling to hear. Lexie took two best kittens in specialty and was overall the fourth best kitten in the show. She also finaled ninth, seventh, sixth, fifth, third, and second, and a fifth in specialty. There were 39 kittens showing. Amazing!
My hopes that she would be the best Minuet LH Kitten of 2020 were dashed when they canceled the Gardland, TX show, which would have been her final kitten show before she turned eight months old. Covid ruined her chances and another kitten who currently occupies the first position (having shown in three shows this season), will hold on. Lexie only needed 750 points to usurp that position and Garland would have accomplished that. Booooo! Our next show will be Lexie’s first show, and I have to take her all the way down to Deer Park, TX. Ho boy, two and a half days of driving all the way down to the Gulf Coat. That will be at the end of January.
(Above left) Josie’s ribbons, (above right) Ellie’s and Sydney’s ribbons, respectively, and (center) Sydney’s ribbons.
Gulf Coast Feline Foundation, Deer Park, TX, January 29-
After a long wait between shows, I took Lexie and Bing to a three-
It was only an eleven hour drive from Deer Park, TX to Anniston, AL, and I had four days to do it in, so the girls and I stayed in New Orleans for a couple of days. Unfortunately, because of COVID, most places were closed and Mardi Gras was canceled, so I got to do only a little bit of sightseeing. Went to Marie Lavoueax’s Voodoo shop in the Quarter and toured some cemeteries, which was pretty cool. But then we headed to Anniston for our next three-
Upper left, Lexie relaxing in the hotel after a busy show day.
Bottom left, Bing’s ribbons from her first show. She showed in Household Pet and was a hit.
Bottom right, Lexie’s ribbons from her first adult championship show. She did great!
Alabama’s Paws and Claws, Anniston, AL, February 5-
The two girls and I went from the Deer Park show in Texas to the Anniston show in Alabama, without going home. It was a long trip on the road but I had a fantastic time with my ladies. The two, Lexie and Bing, were great traveling companions and adapted well to the change in plans. We had to stay in many hotels along the way and put in several hours on the road, but it was pure fun. Bing enjoyed sightseeing at times, then napping inside her open carrier on the front seat. Lexie was a little more mobile but mostly let me do the driving while she napped.
As for the show, we had a great one. I clerked as a trainee in the program and ran my girls in between rings, but it really passed the time quickly. Clerking is a great experience and I need to do it if I am going to advance on to Master Clerk, which my own club needs.
Due to the lack of shows, many of our friends showed up in Alabama as well. It’s always fantastic to have friends to share your experiences with, and this weekend was no different. For anyone who doesn’t appreciate showing cats, it is a great social experience. I’ve never learned so much about cats than I have at shows. And now I have friends across the country.
Our next show is a month away–eeek! Corpus Christi is a three-
Above left, Bing enjoying some drive time through Louisianna. Not much of a navigator, though. She’s facing the wrong way.
Above right, Bing napping in my suitcase. Of course, unexpectedly being on the road for two weeks, I had to do laundry, and wouldn’t you know, she decided to nestle in clean laundry.
Bottom center, Lexie’s and Bing’s ribbons, respectively. Lexie did better during this show than in Deer Park. I’m so thrilled for her.