The cat show is back on this weekend

The annual Canadian Cat Fanciers Club cat show is taking place this weekend, for the first time since 2019.

I hemmed and hawed about going, wasn't sure how I'd feel, but in the end went down for an hour or so this morning.

It was harder walking in than I anticipated, and I just let the tears come. I find it pointless to try to suppress my emotions, it only makes things worse. I was okay after 10 - 15 minutes, so walked around for a while, disappointed in the small number of vendors and the lack of (rescue) housecats. They will have the "ordinary" housecats this weekend at some point, but I didn't see any while I was there, just various purebreds.

I watched a bit of the judging (four rings going at once), but wasn't interested enough to sit down and watch for any length of time.

There were a lot of kittens, obviously at their first show, many seemingly very scared and overwhelmed. I can't blame them, poor babies. 

I ached to have my hands in kitty fur, but didn't ask if I could touch any. As I wrote, most seemed scared to me, and those that were really calm were curled up sleeping in their carriers/cages, waiting their turn.

I saw in the program that the Gananoque & District Humane Society was supposed to have had a table. That's the shelter from which I adopted both Nicki and Derry. They weren't there this morning, though our local shelter was. I stopped and chatted with the volunteers, who had really terrific items to sell, like gorgeous knitted cat/pet beds, awesome, sturdy cat tents, etc. These volunteers were the crafters/artisans who make items for fundraising. I saw several things I would love to have purchased, if I was sure I would adopt again at some point.

I did, however, buy this from them, below. (The fellow who does the wood burning was not there at the show.)

I couldn't resist the sweet, happy face. I think it needs a "frame" of some sort, so if anyone has ideas about that, feel free to leave a comment.

The show is on tomorrow too, though I'm not planning to go back. Still, it was nice to do something I hadn't done in several years (I don't think I went in 2019 and maybe not even 2018), even if it was bittersweet.

It's probably a good thing that no rescue had cats for adoption there, the temptation might have been too much!

Even if I were emotionally/financially ready, I could not adopt now, as my mom, on the east coast, is in kidney failure and my dad, on the west coast, has just been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I'm stretched pretty thin right now, and likely will be spending most of my vacation time travelling this year. It's definitely the wrong time for another fur baby, no matter how much I miss four-legged companionship.

But down the road...Well, who knows?  :-)