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Pampering makes prrrrrrrfect for cat owners preparing for upcoming CFA show

The 41st Annual CFA AllBreed Cat show will be held March 24 and 25 at the Jacob Building in Chilhowee Park.

Fancy felines from all over are competing to be the best at the Cat Fancier's Association show in Knoxville this weekend.

Laura Jo Barber is a familiar face at these shows since she started bringing her cats in the 80s.

"My first round with cats was 1983 when I adopted a Himalayan Persian out of a newspaper," Barber said.

Today, Barber shows and breeds Selkirk Rex cats, a breed known for having curly fur.

"I started showing them and doing well with them. They were less maintenance than the Persians, so here I am today," Barber said.

She's preparing a 9-month-old cat named Otto for his first adult competition after he was named national champion as a kitten.

"Kitty cats who are getting ready for shows usually have to have a normal bath routine. You can't just take a cat and dust him off, give him a bath, and put him in the show. They have to have routine baths weekly and maintenance of cleaning eyes and ears," she said, adding that she trims Otto's nails weekly to make sure they don't snag any of the judges.

"For this little guy, I'm going to use a shampoo that will whiten and brighten his coat and a shampoo that's designed for people with curly hair, so it will help his coat get curlier and fluffier and not straighten out," Barber explains.

After Otto is finished with his bath and his fur and nails are trimmed, it's time to dry him.

"So, this little fellow doesn't have to have serious drying. His coat is so that we can just towel him off and put a dryer on him. This breed can drip dry. Many of the short-haired breeds can," Barber said.

She expects Otto to score highly in the upcoming show given is previous kitten title.

"This particular little kitty enjoys being up there so that helps. The judges will remember him from his kitten class and say, 'aww nice to see you again,'" Barber said.

The 41st Annual CFA AllBreed Cat show will be held March 24 and 25 at the Jacob Building in Chilhowee Park. Tickets to watch are $5 for students and $7.

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