I attended the Catstravangza at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center on June 22 and the cat convention seemed very exciting.
You could adopt cats everywhere. There was even a sign when you first walked in saying adopt, don’t buy.
Each section had its own breeds such as Sphynx, Maine Coons, Bengals, Ragdolls, British Shorthairs and many more. There were sections to pet cats, cat shows and even play areas.
There were vets and vendors everywhere, along with a cafe. The whole event was very well planned out.
I tried to talk to some of the cat “foster” parents or breeders and they wanted to keep their names confidential. I thought it was weird that someone who is putting cats up for adoption wouldn’t want people to know about them.
But they allowed me to ask questions. Some of the breeders said, “for sale” when I asked if they were up for adoption.
They talked like they were selling an exotic car. The British Shorthair cats were imported from Europe, and were bred here in order to make sure they are top quality.
Hearing those words took the smile from my face. I started to feel sad for the cats. They are sitting there waiting to be bought.
Pets should be considered, there were no signs of abuse but it felt soulless. The cats were treated like circus animals, paraded around for everyone to see.
Some cats after being shown seemed frightened. Some hid as soon as they got back to their stations.
I have rescued many cats and even fostered them before. I’ve had cats my whole life. I know each cat is different, some can be very sweet, some are attached, some are high energy, some don’t like to be pet. But most cats have energy.
Most of the cats at this event looked tired, and the setting was very hot because there wasn’t any AC.
The event’s idea of finding a home for cats seemed sweet, but the way some of the breeders did it made it seem like an auction.
I have never been a fan of cat shows, they put cats in a spotlight as someone examines their body and people watch. I was excited to see different breeds and pet them but I didn’t expect them to be a part of shows.
All cats are meant to be loved, their worth shouldn’t be decided based on their fur pattern or breed.
