Lana O’Neill
A female kitten belonging to Benoni resident Heila Brophy made quite the impression on judges at a Rand Cat Club show recently.
It was little Ruby’s first show and at just six months old she was registered into the Household Pet Kitten class.
Not only did All Breeds judge Ingrid de Wet declare Ruby her Best Household Pet Kitten for the day, but after coming under the scrutiny of judges several more times that day Ruby was also named the overall Best Household Pet Kitten of the day.
De Wet said the announcement was made to thunderous applause.
But what makes Ruby’s story so special is not these accolades alone.
It is the fact that she was born to a stray cat and could very well have ended up living in a stormwater pipe somewhere.
Instead, Ruby’s mom chose to shack up with one of Brophy’s work colleagues, who lived in Atlasville at the time and whose twin girls were all too pleased to now have a pet cat.
The family soon discovered their new pet was pregnant and on August 29, last year, Daisy, as they named her, gave birth to four kittens, three males and one female (Ruby).
Two kittens were pitch black, one was white and ginger and Ruby was ginger … well, so the family thought.
According to de Wet, Ruby is actually a red marble tabby bicolour.
Brophy fell in love with little Ruby and adopted her when she was 10 weeks old.
A self-confessed cat fanatic, Brophy has two Abyssinians, a Burmese and rescue cat at home too. She has shown the Abyssinians and her Burmese for the past 20 years, very successfully.
“It was obvious from the first day we brought Ruby home that she was used to a lot of love and affection, and that she was a special kitten,” Brophy said.
“We thought Ruby a fitting name for this beautiful girl, who has settled in with our other four cats very well – in fact, she kind of rules the roost.”
Brophy made the decision to introduce her precious gem of a kitten to other cat lovers and the public and entered her into the Rand Cat Club show.
De Wet explained that at this show she judged the usual championship classes with the registered pure breeds and also the class with the Household Pet Kittens.
“This class is notorious for making All Breeds judges nervous, because choosing a winner is so difficult.
“As our household pets compete on the yearly Cat of the Year event, this section is hotly contested.”
“One of the many beautiful kittens I judged was Ruby. In a group of pretty kittens, she immediately caught my eye.
“She is a red tabby with the most vibrant, deep rich red pattern on a lighter red ground colour, stylishly ‘accessorised’ by her white paws, chest and facial blaze.
“Her classic tabby pattern was so clear and striking, it seemed to be painted on.
“In addition to her striking looks, Ruby has a delightful, confident nature and was head butting and purring all the time she was being handled.
“By the end of the day, she was chosen as my best Household Pet Kitten and I was thrilled that she went on to be judged the overall favourite too!”
“I sincerely hope we see more of her at shows in the future.
“Cats and kittens like Ruby play such an important role in showcasing the value of cats as companionship animals.”
De Wet added that cat shows are not only “beauty competitions”, they are also vehicles for showcasing different breeds and household pets.
“These shows also serve a broader educational purpose, with regard to things like cat care and responsible pet ownership, for example.”
* The governing council of the Southern Africa Cat Council and its member clubs have decided to cancel or postpone all cat shows until such time they can be assured of the health and safety of their exhibitors and visiting public.
Also read: https://www.citizen.co.za/benoni-city-times/327482/a-puurfect-day-for-felines/
