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The Maine Coon
About Cheeptrills
Meet the Cats
Meet the People
Meet our Graduates (Some of the cats we've sold)
Finding a Kitten
Tips for Cat Owners
Our Sales Contract
Origins of the Maine Coon
Great Maines of the Past
Of Cats and Queens
The Rainbow Bridge

The Joy of Cats
Panic in the Night
Homecoming
Cats 'n' Consequences
On the Road
My First Show
For Better or Worse
Life in South Texas

Oh, lordy - my first show, that was an experience! My mom was campaigning a Siamese alter for a National win, and talked me into taking Virgil (red macktabby 2-year-old shorthaired household pet with a club-tail) to a show with her. I thought that, since Virgil was hubby's special cat, and hubby was on a six-month overseas deployment (US Navy) it would be neat to get those red-white-and-blue ribbons (which all well-groomed, healthy household pets get) and hubby would be so proud of his kitty. Little did I know what I was getting myself into.

First thing: Get Virgil bathed. Virgil doesn't want to be bathed. Mop blood (mine) off floor. Give Virgil a vet-supplied tranquilizer in order to try to bathe again. Virgil gets stoned. Put Virgil in tub. Virgil climbs tile walls and me. Mop blood (mine) off floor. Give up.

Second thing: Virgil (who by this time is thoroughly pissed and scared) rushes out open front door and disappears into tall grass. Catch muddy, grass-stained Virgil. Comfort him and tell him I'll never do it again.

Third thing: Make cage curtains (using measurements provided by show committee).

Fourth thing: Go to show, using cardboard carrier bought from pet store.

Drive to San Francisco. Virgil (who has never been in a carrier or a car) panics in the carrier and messes himself. Stop in Golden Gate Park to rub Virgil's nasty butt on the wet grass and throw away carrier. Give sheepish grins to other exhibitors who drive by and wave at us as we rub Virgil on the grass.

Fifth thing: Arrive Hall of Flowers (San Francisco) with Mom holding Virgil out in front of her under his arms, dangling (Virgil, not Mom). Mom says "I know he's not in a carrier, and I DON'T WISH TO DISCUSS IT!

Sixth thing: Carefully handmade curtains aren't long enough. Fake it.

Seventh thing: Virgil is not impressed with showing, but doesn't kill anybody. He also has a slightly green tinge.

Eighth thing: Mom's campaigner makes one final. Virgil makes six (including one Best). I was upset because he didn't make eight. (He did, however, win six bottles of wine [one for each final], which helped make up for the disappointment of the two missed finals [although eight bottles of wine would have been better].)

Ninth thing: Met wonderful people who encouraged me to stick with it. Virgil was never shown again, but the experience was so much fun that I've been doing it for the last 14 years!

10th thing: Met Calicoon Hooligan and Lynne Sherer who sold us our first Maine Coon (the wonderful Calicoon Applejack of Cheeptrills who started our madness :-)))

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