The first Disqualify is Extreme nose break.

Because the terms nose break and nose stop both discribe the intersection of the nose bridge and the forehead, where the two angles meet, it must be understood what it means in the Selkirk Rex standard.

The Selkirk Rex standard calls for a nose stop.

"Profile reveals a nose stop" A Selkirk Rex should have a nose stop. It is the point at which muzzle length is measured from. A measure is taken from the nose stop to the tip of the nose.The length is equal to 1/2 the width.

An extreme break as it relates to the Selkirk Rex disqualification, is that which has an indention into the forehead at the intersection of the meeting angles of the nose bridge and the forehead.

These drawings show the extreme nose break indention and a nose stop without the indention.

The disqualification for "No Evidence of Curl"

No evidence of curl means straight coated cats.

Selkirk Rex curl is affected at all ages by seasonal coat changes, hormones, climate and age. Less curl does Not require a disqualification. Only straight hairs should be disqualified.

As far as possible, be on good terms with the other exhibitors, for you never know whose slides will appear in "On the Road Again" in June.

Surround yourself with that which is pleasant by assuring that you will always be benched next to someone who brings goodies from home.

Always plan on good weather, for the distance from the car to the showhall is in inverse ratio to weather conditions.

Be pure and clean in all actions so you will be allowed to stay in the show hotel next year.

Be kind to the dull and ignorant, for they are PETA's most treacherous disciples.

Nurture your strength of spirit so you can face being dumped after getting Best Cat in the previous ring.

Never be cynical for down that path lies eventual disillusion and a tendency to calculate just how much each rosette has cost.

Waste not your natural resources and save all klingons for some future, unspecified use.

Be one with nature and avoid the hotdogs provided by show vendors. Remember, you cannot spend all day Sunday in the rest room.

Be at peace with yourself, knowing that if cats wanted to talk, they would. Until they do, assume that they appreciate your efforts.

Above all, keep your purrspective.

Let me begin by saying that for those of you who are looking for an article which will give the 10 conditioning and grooming secrets to be assured of a top 5 final in every ring you put your cat into .... please let me know when you find it :)

This is a post of the "broader sense" with my own (possibly unique and very likely skewed to the ridiculous) definition of success.

Rule # 1 --- So you think you have a show cat .......

You know that goose pimply feeling you get when you see that jaw dropping kitten or cat? Maybe you bred him (or her)... maybe you purchased him (or her) ... Your heart beats a little faster, your eyes widen a bit, your skin gets tingly ..... THIS IS IT. You know in your heart of hearts that THIS CAT is OBVIOUSLY next season's (or this season's) Cat of the Year!!!!

OK .. you're right .... but take a moment to realize that somewhere else in this great organization .... throughout the world ... others have this SAME FEELING ... and maybe just maybe they too are right ... that's the great thing about CFA --- the cats get better and better and better. So bring out your cat of the year and accept that others will bring out THEIR cat of the year and rejoice in the quality of the competition .... Oh --- and don't take a judge who might just mistakenly have not recognized YOUR cat of the year as the TRUE cat of the year as a personal indictment.

Rule # 2 --- When all is said in done ---- year after year --- all you have is your honor

Keep your word and don't break your commitments. If you promise something --- DO IT. If you CAN'T DO IT (and that doesn't mean it is no longer convenient to do it or you no longer like or need the person you made your word to) then TELL THEM ... honestly and immediately ... Don't let your friends discover that their word to you means more to them than your word to them means to you. Wins come and wins go ..... when it's all over but the shouting .... what you have in life is the ability or lack thereof of knowing you have done the right thing.

Which leads into Rule # 3 --- If Mama (or Papa) ain't havin' fun ... NO ONE is having fun!!!!

I have yet to have a cat disappointed in only bringing home 1 or 2 or 3 .... finals in the show or even GASP ----- NONE!!! All the cats care about is the attention, the sparkly toys, and the ability to explore a new hotel room or show hall. They revel in YOU and YOUR adoration of them. If YOU are happy, they will be happier, more relaxed and enjoy the weekend. If YOU are grouchy, paranoid, suspicious, or evil tempered ... guess what ..... Neither you nor they are having any fun.

Rule # 4 --- Even Paranoids have Enemies ....

There are people in the cat fancy who are simply not very nice ... oh, they may ACT nice sometimes .... If they need you or want something from you, and they may very well stab you in the back as soon as you become competition. Remember EVERYONE loves you until you beat their cat. DO NOT LET OTHER'S BEHAVIOR dictate how your weekend will be. If you know someone who once acted as your friend and then clearly demonstrated that the only person they are TRULY friends with is themselves .... take it as a lesson learned, pick yourself up, brush yourself off and realize that the GOOD PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE. If someone actually has the ability to poison your weekend simply do NOT put yourself in their way to allow it --- even if it means going to different shows.

Rule # 5 --- Don't get caught up in the numbers

If you have a friend you truly enjoy traveling with and seeing at shows and you show the same breed ... and you BOTH plan on campaigning next year, you need to make a hard choice .... do you go head to head against each other, which has a chance of adversely affecting BOTH cats' chances ..... or do you simply resolve to go to different shows and therefore lose the enjoyment of being with your friend and slowly drifting apart .... or do you work together .... resolve to rejoice in BOTH of your cats ... realize that EVERYONE'S money entitles them to show where they want and maybe ... just maybe if their cat is winning over yours more than yours is over theirs or vice versa .... and the season is wrapping up .... SOMEONE makes a decision .... MAYBE shows in another class ... MAYBE you both agree that what happens, happens and there is nothing you can do about it, so you try for the best, expect the worst and realize reality is something in between. NO ONE REMEMBERS what place you got 5 years from now .... COTY possibly, but other than that .... the NW is the NW and the RW is the RW and 26th - XXX is just that. If the enjoyment of your entire season is wrapped up in what letters you can attach to your cats name then there is a very real chance you will wind up disappointed. If 1000 cats show in a given class in a given region in a given year ... only 25 of them are going to wind up with extra letters. That doesn't mean the others weren't good cats ... so be happy for the successes you do achieve and be happy for the successes others achieve and realize that a win tastes better when it is done by achieving what your cat CAN achieve, not by going out of your way to prevent someone else's cat from achieving what it can achieve.

Rule # 6 --- Revel in the Ridiculous

Go to shows to have FUN. Enjoy the people, the parties, the Saturday night dinners, the laughter, the fuzzy navels and the chocolate martinis!!!! Introduce yourself to someone new. Make a new friend. GO find someone who looks a bit shy --- maybe new and introduce them to YOUR friends. Talk to the gate. Listen to their stories. Check out the vendors ..... this is YOUR WEEKEND ---- make it memorable ... not notorious!

Rule # 7 --- Do Unto Others

Not BEFORE they do unto you, but as the original says ... as you would HAVE them do unto you. Think about what you say and what you do. Is it going to hurt someone's feelings? Is it necessary to be said? REALLY? No matter what THEY have said or done .... people will remember you for what YOU do ... no matter what provocation you think you have ... and maybe just maybe they think THEY "have some provocation" which leads to Rule # 8.

Rule # 8 --- Nothing Good EVER Comes From Gossip

"... and its all perfectly true" ..... A simple rule of thumb is if someone says something about you and it concerns you ... go to the source ... as directly as possible ... Maybe it was taken out of context. Maybe they DID mean it and you need to find out what is going on with them. CALMLY give them the chance to explain ... maybe something YOU did was taken out of context ... maybe it wasn't and you really do need to apologize ... or maybe you really meant it and again you need to discuss like adults and decide what to do. However ---- NEVER pull the "protect my sources" card .... If you are going to claim that "someone told you" this person was "doing something" but you won't tell them who because you are protecting your sources .... why should that person give it any credence. If your source needs so desperately to be protected then MAYBE your source's credibility isn't quite what you think it is. If someone is willing to tell you something about someone else they should also be willing to face that person. If not, their claim is worth only the credence you give it and you may have just decided to ruin a friendship.

Rule # 9 --- It's nothing personal

If a judge uses your cat one week and doesn't the next .... it's nothing personal.
If a judge picks your cat as breed one week and another the next ... it's nothing personal.
There are only so many slots in a final and only one brown ribbon ... and if cats are good, there will always be weekends where one shines a little bit brighter ... IT'S NOTHING PERSONAL.

and finally

Rule # 10 --- Will it really matter next week? next month? next year? in 5 years?

No matter how bad, what happened happens ... will it be something that is life affecting? Will it be a bullet point in your eulogy? Did anyone get physically hurt? If you can answer no to these questions and your cat still loves you, then it's probably going to be OK. SO have a good cry if you like. Look yourself in the mirror and realize in life you pay as you go.

OK, so this is WAY too long and probably a bit preachy, but every once in a while I need to dust off my soap box. I can say that if you follow these rules ... honestly .... your year will be successful in cats and life.

but rule # 11

there are no guarantees!