What is better than one Maine Coon Cat? Sixty-five of them with their two-legged valets and chambermaids all convened at the Steel City Cat Club’s annual show in Pittsburg, Pa., 20-21 of October!! I could hardly believe my eyes. Here in the Rocky Mountain area, I seldom see more than two Maine Coons at a Show- Mine! For two days we had an international Maine Coon convention. Coonaphiles and Coon cats from 14 states CT.,N.Y.,VA., PA., CO.,N.H.,ME.,MI.,CA., TN., OH., MO., N.J., and MA; plus Dee Dylan from Ontario, Canada, and Barbara and Gunter Simon from Berlin, West Germany.
The Simons (with their Clarissa) won the «who came the farthest award», but I’m going to claim the «who brought the most cats» distinction. My whole Heidi-Ho Herd (15 adults plus 6 new babies born the evening before the show) were in my trailer in the motel parking lot along with Carla and Keiki, their dogs. We had open house all week end! The Herd wants me to tell you that they never met nicer folks.
I’d like to give a detailed account of the show, but I can’t too busy meeting new people and renewing old friendships. The weekend is a blur of faces, some with whiskers, some without! If you can, take an autumn vacation some year and spend those two special days in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania in October is an artist’s pallet and garnished with Coon Cats it deserves to be on your «must visit» list. The Steel City Club members have earned a big thank-you for a memorable weekend for all of us.
Since the last Scratch Sheet, I’ve had two letters I’d like to share one sad and one happy. The sad news, I pass along as a word of warning. Thanks to lethal advice from a «Know-it-all» pet store owner in Florida, Socrates is dead at 11 years. This so-called expert advised Sock’s folks to use a DOG flea collar. Two months later, Sock died a very painful death due to absorption of the toxic chemicals from the collar! ‘Nuff said!
To close on a more cheerful note, here’s a bit from a letter from a fancier member in Iowa about her «obscenely large kitten» – quote from a judge who handled him at 6 monthes old and 15 pounds. «I also swear he understands every word I say. After me explaining, laughingly, to a friend how you can train a cat to use the people toilet, I woke one night to a strange sound. Being a single lady, I was astonished to hear what sounded like a gentleman using the toilet. Knowing this was unlikely, I dashed for the bathroom to see a very satisfied Maine alighting from the (used) toilet.» Personally, I think «Peavine» has figured out a way to beat inflation- what is saved on litter can be spent on food!
Connie