Cats To Vie At Raga-Ma-Catz

PLANT CITY - Fancy and not-so-fancy cats and kittens will vie for prizes and praise this weekend at Raga-Ma-Catz, an all-breed and household pet show sanctioned by the American Cat Fanciers Association.

Persians, Maine Coons, Ragdolls and RagaMuffins from as far away as Austria will participate in the event, which is being held for the first time in Plant City.

The show is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Florida National Guard Armory, 4004 Airport Road.

'Some of the fiercest competition is among the household pet owners. They're a fun bunch,' said Janet Klarmann of Valrico.

Unlike the breed classes, there are no specific criteria for evaluating house cats. Health and condition are major factors. So is personality, disposition and 'whatever the judges see that they happen to like,' said Klarmann, president of the RagaMuffin Associated Group.

'The object,' she said, 'is to encourage people to learn how to take care of their cats.'

The RagaMuffins are co-hosting the event with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

RagaMuffins are relatively new, officially recognized as a breed since 1994. They are 'a very special breed of kitty, very large and fluffy and wonderful,' Klarmann said.

Bred for their personality more than anything else, they are laid-back, soft-pawed and very people-oriented, she said.

Visitors to the show will be able to see a number of breeds, including Pixie Bobs, Sphynxes, Bengals and crowd-pleasing exotics.

It is too late to register an entry in the show, but cat owners are welcome to bring their felines to be microchipped in time for peak hurricane season. For $25, Lakeland veterinarian Chris Carrier will implant the identification tag and register it for tracking by the AVID system.

Admission to the show is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and military personnel, and $3 for ages 10 to 18. Children 9 and younger are free.

For information, call Klarmann at (813) 215-7034.