Whiskers, tails, claws and meows abound during weekend cat show

The claws were out and the tails were flicking this weekend during the Triple Crown Cat Fanciers all breed cat show.

More than 200 cats strutted their stuff for cat enthusiasts who came to Lexington from as far away as Pennsylvania. The walls of Kentucky Indoor Sports were filled with cats in crates, judges inspecting the hairy felines, and cat paraphernalia, such as cat toys and cat climbing towers.

While many visitors had to look and watch the cats from cages or carriers, one popular cat was lounging on a table, completely unrestrained. The cat, Smudge, was accompanied by her owner, Dawn Strosko. The 7-year-old cat drew an interested crowd when she jumped to her master’s hand for a piece of dried chicken.

Strosko, from the Pittsburgh area, said she couldn’t quite put her finger on why she likes cats.

“I started out with one when I was a kid,” she said. “My dad brought one home and we moved somewhere where a female came around, she had babies, and I’ve just been interested ever since.”

One of Smudge’s many visitors was Jessica Brewer. Brewer, from Nicholasville, owns six cats herself.

Brewer said she wasn’t crazy about pets growing up, but as she matured her opinions on the domesticated animals changed. Pets also helped her cope with grief when her parents died.

“Pets (were) my go-to thing,” she said.

The cat show also featured an area where cats could show off their agility. One cat, Scamp, a brownish ocicat, could be found Sunday afternoon running around the fenced-in area, jumping over hurdles to get a treat.

This story was originally published July 9, 2017 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Whiskers, tails, claws and meows abound during weekend cat show."