One of the advantages of the Kitties Sweeter Than Wine Cat Show at the Seattle Center Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday is that spectators won't have to hang around all weekend to see big wins.

"At this style cat show, each judging ring is like its own mini-show," Shirley DeLong explained to me. She's the president of the Pacific Northwest Outlaws Pixiebob Breed Club, which sponsors the show. "Over the course of the day, every cat in competition comes into each judge's ring (we have six rings running each day). By the end of the weekend, each cat has the opportunity to be ‘Best Cat' 12 times."

Most of the 200 cats are measured against a Standard of Perfection but winning comes down to the personal preferences of the judge. It's all about unpredictable outcomes, instant gratification and second chances. A benevolent Survivor set on a kitty litter island. I like the sound of that.

I also like the sound of this: Non-pedigreed cats compete, as well, in a Household Pet class that will feature some gloriously groomed fur balls available for adoption through Purrfect Pals. Here's the group I want to see (this will be my first-ever cat show), because according to DeLong, most judges say the Household Pet classes are the toughest to judge.

Allergic? You can appreciate the hard work, Goop and hair conditioner that goes into achieving the feline Standard of Perfection from your allergen-free home. Check out the documentary Show Cats. A couple years back, Australian filmmaker Mark Lewis turned his camera on some pretty eccentric cat fanciers. It's like Best in Show, but with catnip and for real. (The Seattle Public Library has three copies.) In an interview with BBC , Lewis -- who has also documented the worlds of show cattle and show ferrets -- nipped the hand that fed him by saying about cat shows: "It all seemed so arbitrary and crazy. Who cares? I enjoyed making the film but I thought it was a somewhat pointless task going to so much trouble and preparation to have a champion cat." Mee-oow!

From dogsledding in Fairbanks to tracking down lost pups with a pet detective in Fresno, Pet Dish blogger Lisa Wogan explores the world of dogs and their people for Bark magazine, other publications and in books such as Unleashed: Climbing Canines, Hiking Hounds, Fishing Fidos, and Other Daring Dogs. In her forthcoming book, Dog Park Wisdom (May 2008), she shares grass roots canine-care advice from seasoned dog folks around the country. She lives in Seattle with rescue dogs Lulu and Renzo.

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