New-York tribune., 1906-01-04
JUDGING THE CATS.
Yictory of Omar II OUer argent
.SpLendor Causes Mid Sensation

There were crowds of people at the cat show,
bald IN conjunction With the poultry show, in
Madison Square Garden all yesterday after
noon Men hung around the cages with just as
much interest as women. and every little boy
and girl seemed TO find the counterpart to "our
old cat" in one or another of the luxurious, en-
Eaging little pets.
One white five-months-old kitten reposed his
email form gracefully on blue satin mattress
On dolls brass bedstead. But then. his whole
apartment was in baby blue. So irresistible
were the little things that missed the
twenty which. after being entered. were taken
out on account of sickness. among them being
seven of the nine entries made by Mrs. W. S
Hofstra, the president.
There IS a great deal Of distemper and
Eastro-enteritis among cats this year." said Mrs.
Hofstra, by way Of explanation. II lost four
under a year old last week Before being ac-
cepted this morning each cat was examined by
the veterinarian and it's temperature taken. SO
we are quite certain there IS no disease in the
exhibition.
But three days is too long for a cat show, /"
she added "If the Atlantic Cat Club were strong
enough TO hold its exhibitions independently Of
any other organization It would limit the dura-
ton Of the show"
Boston is not represented. the Boston fanciers
having held back their cats for the Boston show.
at the end Of January. In fact, the growth Of
the fancy in one way initiates against the i'm
portance and size Of the individual shows, as
each distinct club wants to hold its own show.
It is likely IL the cat passion keeps on growing
that the shows held in New-Yorl viii narrow
down to New-York cats eventually.
The sensation of yesterdays judging was the
victory of Miss Ava L. Pollards Omar II over
Mrs Champions Argent Splendor in the open
class for chinchilla males Mrs. Charles H
women in the fancy" and said to be high
authority IN the delicate points which make or
mar the regulations Of silveTS, smokes. chin
chillas and the other fashionable breeds, was
the Judge. Had less prominent fancier been
responsible for the judging more would probably
have been said by both victor and vanquished.
The decision came particularly hard to the
Champions, as Argent Splendor was judged the
best cat In the show Of 1905 and the best long
haired in the Chicago show of 1905, and his
career has been one long triumph since kitten
hood He needed only a first in the New York
show of 1906 to give him the three points neces-
sary TO make him champion chinchtlla of Amer
3ca Great was the CONSERVATION and dtsap-
rJointnent of Mrs. Champion and her daughters,
but they would not say whether they would
lodge protest
When the tired cats closed their bright eyes
In sleep late last night there was one exhibitor
who breathed a sigh Of relief Mrs. A H
Baker of Chicago, knew that while he slept
her black cat, Hawthorne, could not run away
again. In transit from the judging room to the
nall IN the morning Hawthorne escaped from
Mrs Bakers arms and was absent for two long
anxious hours They found him at last. cover
ing half dead with fright in an upper room, but
not before they had moved three hundred chairs
booking for him.
The cats remain on exhibit to-day and to-