As in all types of livestock exhibition, beauty of conformation and presentation inevitably play a big part. Breed points must obviously play a large part but it is when these come into conflict with soundness and health that problems arise.

Functional attributes play a variable part in livestock showing; cats are pretty low on the list, as are rabbits and cage birds, when it comes to function. All stock must be sound as to reproductive function otherwise propagation of the breed or strain is in jeopardy. The Cat Fancy is thus mainly concerned with beauty, and the main aim must be to see that health does not suffer in the development of particular breed points. What then is the main role of the show veterinarian?

•  Prevention of spread of infectious disease

•  To deal with accidents, injuries and illness developing during the course of the show

•  To examine for certain congenital abnormalities which may be specified by the governing body of the fancy concerned

•  To be available to a limited extent to discuss with exhibitors in general terms problems which may be worrying the fancy

•  To act in cases of suspected faking

To deal with these in more detail:

Infectious disease   

Since most exhibitors will not risk presenting an obviously sick animal at a show where they know a veterinary surgeon is on duty, the mere presence of a veterinary surgeon is a pretty effective deterrent. However, each exhibit is subjected to a brief clinical examination which will be sufficient for the experienced veterinary surgeon to detect any departure from normal health. It must be emphasised that the veterinary surgeon need not make a definite diagnosis; genuine suspicion of an infectious condition is enough to warrant exclusion of any exhibit.

Parasitic infestation is undoubtedly contagious and is a cause for rejection. Infestations of ear mites, or ears in which there is sufficient wax to suspect that ear mites maybe present although they are not visible, are seen in quite a few exhibits. Lice, while not common, have also been seen. Fleas, or evidence of their presence, are often seen at vetting in.

Clearly, detection of the exhibit incubating infection is often impossible, but clinical signs of illness may develop in an exhibit during the journey or during the course of the show. The latter means that it is necessary for the veterinary surgeon to remain for the duration of the show.

Cats are less prone to a rise in body temperature caused by excitement and/or fear than dogs, hence an elevated rectal temperature may reasonably be interpreted as probable evidence of infection; the temperature will, of course, only be taken if the cat gives some cause to suspect that it is not completely healthy. The cat will usually be allowed to settle, and the temperature taken again about half an hour later, if time permits, before a cat is rejected for this reason alone.

Equally, cats are less prone to travel sickness than dogs, so evidence of recent vomiting must be viewed with suspicion. On the other hand, dribbling is a frequent sign of emotion and fear in cats, so if no ulceration of the mouth tissues is found on examination, the benefit of the doubt may be extended.

As ringworm is viewed with considerable concern in the Cat Fancy, any cat which shows skin lesions which would possibly be caused by ringworm is rejected from shows; this means that any cat with broken or missing hair, with or without scabs, risks rejection. As some ringworm infections do not fluoresce under a Wood's lamp, the absence of fluorescence does not necessarily mean the absence of ringworm and further tests are required to prove the cause of such lesions.

Illness or injury arising during the course of the show   

Inevitably the occasion will arise when some form of first aid treatment is required during the course of the show. First aid is all that is called for and the show vet will act on the assumption that the owner will seek further attention from his or her own veterinary surgeon as soon as is practicable.

Should an exhibit develop signs of illness after admission, the duty veterinary surgeon will be required to examine it and may decide that its removal from the show is desirable, either in the interests of the patient itself or because of the risk of the spread of infection. In the latter case, all exhibits belonging to the owner of the sick animal will also be removed, even if they have not yet been judged.

Congenital abnormalities   

The main congenital abnormality which the veterinary surgeon will look for on examining a cat entering the show is cryptorchidism in entire male cats. Cryptorchidism denotes the absence of one or both testicles from the scrotum and is a serious unsoundness of the reproductive system. The other condition which results in exclusion from a show is polydactyly (the presence of extra toes) in pedigree cats.

The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy Standard of Points booklet includes a list of abnormalities which preclude the awarding of a certificate; all of these may also be checked for at vetting in and cats which display gross malformation may be excluded from the show.

Most veterinary surgeons officiating at livestock shows are only too willing to discuss with exhibitors in general terms the genetic problems associated with breeding. All veterinary surgeons deplore developments in any species which render it in any way unsound or prone to disease, furthermore, they see the results of certain adverse trends in their practices.

Some points about the veterinary surgeon  

Exhibitors often do not seem to consider the veterinary surgeon's point of view. To them the veterinary inspection is a necessary evil to be suffered, although most do recognise its desirability. The outsider naturally thinks of a livestock show as an exhibition of animals in peak condition and it is, after all, a beauty competition. Yet some exhibitors still chance taking cats badly out of coat (sometimes even with patches of skin disease readily visible), or with streaming nose and eyes, or with a heavy infestation of parasites, to a show. But let the veterinary surgeon so much as draw attention to these and we are hot in defence of our actions, offering sometimes quite extraordinary alibis! Is it any wonder then that show veterinarians are a bit sceptical and even cynical?

For a veterinary surgeon officiating at a show, it is an additional duty to be fitted into an already tight schedule, often on the busiest day of the week. But it is one of the obligations most veterinary surgeons feel a duty to accept, although it can be very difficult to juggle the time to care for the practice's patients and the show work.

Suspicious clinical signs must be a cause for exclusion - a sneeze, a watery eye, a watery nose, the huddled-up miserable cat or kitten - there may be an ordinary explanation for any of these things, but the show veterinary surgeon cannot take the risk of exposing other animals to the slightest danger.

Improperly prepared exhibits   

The veterinary surgeon also has the duty, if an accusation of improper preparation is made, of examining the exhibit against which the accusation is made, and of taking such specimens as are necessary for a proper forensic examination to be made. He or she will not pronounce upon matters of faking there and then, unless a very blatant and amateurish job has been done. Hairs may be taken for laboratory detection of dyes etc. and, in cases where any form of clipping is prohibited, a microscopical examination can be made. The use of drugs to dilate a cat's pupil or the use of sedatives are other matters which cause occasional problems. Tranquillising drugs are so variable in their action in cats that hopefully no one would be foolish enough to try to mask faulty temperament by their use.

When specimens are taken from a suspect exhibit, the owner has a perfect right to ask for part of the sample for themselves so that it can be submitted for independent examination. In some cases the owners have inadvertently dyed the coat by using a shampoo which contains a colouring matter, so great care must be taken to avoid any such shampoos when bathing cats.

At present the situation in regard to veterinary inspection at cat shows is far superior to that which prevails in the dog fancy. Long may it remain so. The Governing Council is very wise to maintain strict standards and hopefully it will never give way to pressures which have led to the abolition of veterinary inspections at dog shows. Quite apart from the risk of spread of disease, it is very distressing for the owner of an exhibit which has sustained injury or become ill during the show to be unable to get prompt veterinary attention; repeated calls for a veterinary surgeon go unanswered because the on-call veterinary surgeon just isn't available or one may not even have been appointed.

Show managers must make certain that all the veterinary surgeons officiating at their shows possess copies of section 5 of the GCCF rules and are familiar with the procedure to be followed for rejection. A duty veterinary surgeon must be appointed at each show and all concerned with the vetting-in must know who is to be the duty veterinary surgeon; the duty veterinary surgeon has the task of examining any exhibit which is in dubious health or condition and countersigning any rejection forms. If a decision is made to admit any such exhibit to the show, the duty veterinary surgeon will be able to keep an eye on the cat or kitten, to watch for any sign of deterioration.

The rules regarding the quarantine period for various diseases are found in detail in the declaration to be signed on every show entry form. The signing of this declaration is a matter for the conscience of each exhibitor, but anyone proved to have made a false declaration would become liable to disciplinary action. The Governing Council is way ahead of the dog fancy in its attitude to the health of cats and to veterinary inspection at shows. Veterinary surgeons want to help keep it this way.