Perfect Sunday for cat lovers, with over 500 felines parading in Vashi | Mumbai News

MUMBAI: It was a perfect Sunday for cat enthusiasts in the city as they witnessed Asia’s largest cat show organized by the Feline Club of India (FCI). The event featured over 500 cats, making it the largest cat show organized by the FCI. “We are all cat lovers who have come together to form this club,” Fakhruddin Motiwala, president and secretary of FCI Mumbai, told HT. For the past four years, FCI has held cat shows across the country. “Mumbai has the largest cat population, based on cat food consumption,” says Motiwala.

The feline show was organized at the CIDCO exhibition center in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, which saw over 13 different breeds on display including the classic longhair, classic shorthair, Persian, exotic shorthair, Siamese, Bengal cat, Maine coon, sphinx and British short hair. Judges evaluated the cats based on appearance, temperament, cleanliness and other physical aspects.

Among the cats participating in the show was 1.4-year-old Nayla, an all-white, blue-eyed indie cat. “I wanted her to leave,” says Naziya Sayyed, the human accompanying Nayla. “Apart from the vet, the only time she goes out is to the shows I take her to.” While Nayla sleeps peacefully amidst the noisy and lively event, Naziya spends her time talking to other cat lovers and learning more about them. “I was able to understand cats better and learn which food is of the best quality,” she says.

Sayyed refers to the many stalls on site, some selling cat food, while others offered cat collars, toys and other accessories. One of these stalls had paints and drew tattoos on children’s faces, while another had cars on display. The hall was buzzing with a bustling crowd and excitement at the number of cats present.

While the competition was taking place on stage, many people took their cats for a walk, not registering them as competitors. Several visitors who came without a pet were busy petting the many cats around them.

One of the many cats people were gravitating toward was another contestant, 5-year-old Mimi, a classic Serbian longhair cat. She was busy observing her surroundings while her human father, Danish Choudhary, rested his hand on her back. “My friend brought her but couldn’t keep her. So, I adopted her,” says Danish. It was the first time the duo participated in a show like this. Danish had already seen videos on Instagram and was eager for Mimi to experience the event. “It’s like a cult of cat lovers,” says Danish. “I’ve spoken to so many cat lovers and the energy here is exhilarating. Seeing so many cats together in one place is incredible.”

A few steps below was Simba, resting peacefully on top of his box, being watched over by Fazal, 64, Ruqaiyya, 50, and Abbas. The 2.4-year-old Persian cat is a regular at these events and has been participating for three years. “I like the way they organize it. The judgment is very fair”, says Fazal. “We can also see more variety and learn what’s new in the cat world in terms of foods and brands. We also meet other cat lovers and new cat breeds that we observe,” he adds.

Stepping away from the boxes and laughing excitedly was 30-year-old Gaurav Chavan, who had seen posters of the event on social media. He doesn’t have a cat, but his house, he makes a point of telling me, is always open to stray animals. “I saw so many cats today. It’s good that such events are happening in the city. But this is the first time I’ve heard of it. There needs to be more awareness,” he says.

Chavan is accompanied by 21-year-old Lakshmi Shikhawat, who immediately tells me she has ailurophobia (fear of cats). She was persuaded to come here by Gaurav and she didn’t seem to mind. “After today, I might even touch a cat,” she says.

Cat enthusiasts coming together to build a community is the reason behind the formation of FCI. Like-minded people came together and founded the club to promote the feline subculture, which involves cat lovers engaging in activities such as cat appreciation, breeding, adoption and showing. “We organize shows all over India,” says Motiwala, explaining that FCI is a national organization with over 30 regional clubs, including Pune, Kolhapur, Kolkata, Delhi, Surat, Bangalore and Chennai.

FCI also hosts grooming sessions and workshops to educate cat owners on how to properly care for their pets. They also hold conversations with veterinarians and researchers to discuss how to avoid skin problems and other problems when caring for a cat. “Our main goal is to unite felines and spread awareness about cats. We intend to cover more and more areas across the country,” says Motiwala.