We started taking part in shows with our Maine Coons because we thought it would help us widen the demand for our kittens and let us choose carefully the families we entrust our kittens to. I, Carla, have the occupational bias of someone who works in recruitment: I know that quality depends on the pool of candidates. The wider it is, the better your chances of making the best choice.

So, having had kittens in the summer, and fearing we wouldn’t find them a deserving family, we signed up for the first show in September. As it turned out, we had already placed all the kittens, but we were registered by then, and we had promised Francesca, our client and the lucky mum of Biagio, that we would take her new companion along for a spin. There was a certain attraction from the start, but if we hadn’t met Monica and Chiara (of Joycoon Venice), we would never have taken that first step.

To be honest, some of our assumptions proved right and others less so, but on one thing, years after that first time, we are certain: there is nothing nice about going to a show with a cat that isn’t show quality.

For a start, you get targeted by a whole cast of characters who, seeing your disappointment over an EX2, offer to help you understand how to present your cat, and end up convincing you to buy one from them. (We exaggerate, of course.)

The most interesting part is meeting people who share the same passion, exchanging experiences and knowledge, comparing notes and learning, learning and learning.

And even if someone did it purely for commercial purposes, which has never been our case again, standing there while the judge tells you that your cat could be taller here, longer there, stronger here and sturdier there... well, it’s no fun at all.

So, having been lucky enough to have litters with one or two show-quality kittens, we now present ourselves to the world as breeders of show cats too. If we hadn’t had numerous confirmations, not even a generous cheque would have been enough to send one of our Leones to be told that it was in the wrong place!

We have worked hard: I became a FIFe International Judge, we studied the Standard in detail, and we can confirm that going to a show with a competitive cat is the only way to go to a show and enjoy it.

And, forgive the immodesty, in 13 years our cats have won 65 Best in Show titles and 216 Nominations for Best.

Numbers never lie!