Massive Cat Convention Coming To Tampa In May

Photo by Loving Cats Worldwide Group

Feisty, cuddly, soft, and snuggly, cats hold a special place in the hearts and homes of many people. As “a crazy bunch of cat-crazed individuals doing our part to increase the visibility of all cats”, Loving Cats Worldwide (LCWW) is calling all cat lovers to come to the Tampa Convention Center on May 18 and 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a weekend of feline-forward festivities at the Tampa CATstravaganza.

Featured events will include an International Cat Competition with both pedigree and household cats, a CATwalk, a shopping village, charities, rescues, and a presentation stage. This video from a Seattle CATstravaganza last year is a montaged exemplification of the event.

The International Cat Competition will award prizes like Best Cat, Best Kitten, Best Alter, Best Household Pet Cat, and Best Household Pet Kitten. In addition, a Best In Show Presentation will be held at the conclusion of the CATstravaganza weekend. 

Judges of the competition include Steven Savant, Dora Castillo, and Linda Jewell. Steven Meserve, founder of LCWW, will be personally judging the Very Important Cat class on the presentation stage as well.

According to a video posted to the LCWW website featuring one of its previous CATstravaganzas, the CATwalk will be an informational runway-style showcase of different cat breeds. The host will bring out pedigree cats one by one, show them off to the audience, and walk with them down the runway while talking about their breed.

Adult one-day tickets start at $20 per person. For children ages 5 years old to 17 and seniors, one-day tickets are discounted to $17 per person. Children under 5 years old enter for free.

In addition, Lifetime Superfan Passes are available as an upgrade to any ticket purchase. The upgrade costs $50 and includes perks like full weekend access, the ability to skip lines, reserved seating, an annual gift, meet and greets with Steven Meserve, and access to all future Loving Cats Worldwide events.

Would you like to get your cat a ticket to this CATstravaganza too? If you enter your cat into the International Cat Competition by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, then you can bring him or her along, whether he or she is of pedigree or not. However, only cats who are officially competing at this CATstravaganza can enter into the Tampa Convention Center.

To sign your cat(s) up, fill out this form for each cat you would like to have at the competition. There is a $25 operational fee per cat to cover the cost of your table, chair, and cleaning. This fee is waived for entrants with Lifetime Superfan Passes.

This entry will include a standard 4 feet by 2 feet long benching space fit for two cats. Tables and chairs are provided, but entrants will need to bring their own show tent or sturdi for their benching area. A double benching space can be requested for $20. 

Other, larger benching space options can also be purchased for additional fees if you need more space or have more cats. For a $50 fee, entrants with Lifetime Superfan Passes can also bring non-competing cats or kittens as companions for their competing cat(s) and/or kitten(s). 

Check out the LCWW website for additional information about the Tampa CATstravaganza and about entering your cat into the International Cat Competition.

Article by Ema Tibbetts