Story and photo by Kim Restall      |         Sept. 28, 2009

This year the American Cat Fanciers Association chose Sooke as the host location for its Annual North West Regional Awards Ceremony and Cat Show, held at the Sooke Community Hall September 26 and 27, 2009.

For any and all cat lovers, this show was the place to be. With a broad assortment of cat breeds, several vendors offering cat toys and the like, and a striking arrangement of attractively adorned cat cages, there seemed to be something for everyone.

Sooke appears to be home to many a cat lover, as a fairly large crowd turned out to support the appropriately named Sooke Safari Cat Show. On Sunday afternoon about 30 or 40 people were making their way around the displays. Whether they were perusing the beautifully decorated homes (cages draped with decorative fabrics and some with props like parasols) of these fancy felines, admiring the cats as they were shown, or even browsing the assortment of creative cat wares, visitors seemed to be enjoying their time at the show.

In addition to enjoying their time as spectators, the public was also offered a chance to participate in the show by voting for their favourite cat. This provided each person with an apparent incentive to take part attentively as they made their way purposefully up and down the rows of cats, trying to single out their favourite from the number of appealing candidates.

Not only was this a show for serious cat lovers it was also an interesting opportunity for the cat novice to be exposed to a wide variety of cat species that people don't normally see. One could also gain considerable information and fun facts if they chose to take the time to strike up a conversation with one of the knowledgeable cat breeders.

Whether for an hour or the full weekend, those who attended were exposed to a rich array of cat species and their owners.    MM

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