Cat Fanciers’ Association’s Photo Contest Reaches Successful Conclusion, Puts Focus on Rescue Felines
The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) and Zymox report that their partnership with rapper-turned-trapper Sterling “TrapKing” Davis in the virtual cat competition The TrapKing From Feral To Fancy Contest featuring 10 internet-celebrity judges, attracted more rescue cats that anticipated – more than 85 percent of the 850 entries were rescues. It is a significant turnout given that CFA is best known for its focus on pedigreed cats.
Cats from the US, Canada, Europe, even as far away as South Africa battled it out to win their share of 150 prizes sponsored by ten prominent cat-related businesses: Zymox and Oratene, Kitty Poo Club, CUDDLY, Hauspanther, Yeowww! Catnip, Purrniture, Catalyst Pet, Tomahawk Live Trap and even Tabby Dates, “the cat person’s dating app.” Judges included cat product designer and author Kate Benjamin of Hauspanther, talk show host and columnist Arden Moore, Laura Moss of Adventure Cats, cat experts and brand parents The Two Crazy Cat Ladies, Sunglass Cat, Nathan The Cat Lady (aka Nathan Kehn), the Cowboy Cat Wrangler (aka Bob Lynch), the Mad Catter (aka Angelo Ruffo), Dobby the Sphynx and Lobo the Lykoi from South Africa and of course, TrapKing himself. Cats competed in categories such as “Beautiful Eyes,” “Purrfectly Impurrfect” and “Where’s Your Cat At?” First place winners’ photos in each category will be featured on a 23-story-tall Times Square billboard in New York on March 11-12, 2021.
Davis is thrilled by the virtual cat contest’s success. “This event was so amazing!” he said. “I loved all of the cats’ pictures and looked at each and every one of them. I wish everyone could have won a prize.” He believes the contest has helped fulfill his dream of uniting cat people, “no matter if they’re feral or pedigreed, we all come together for the sake of cats. And you don’t lose cool points for compassion.”
The event will help support cat rescues all across the country through TNR education or directly for spay/neuters of feral cats to prevent cat overpopulation.
According to CFA Marketing Director Desiree Bobby, “Davis is on a mission to bridge gaps between contrasting groups of cat lovers. Men and women, supporters of rescue/TNR programs and responsible breeders, we’re all connected by our love of felines and our dedication to doing right by them.”
Supporting his efforts reflects CFA’s policy of promoting equal participation without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or disabilities. It also shows CFA’s commitment to preserving, protecting and celebrating all varieties of domestic felines.
Founded in 1906, CFA is the world’s largest and most influential registry of pedigreed cats and registers companion cats through its Companion Cat World program. The nonprofit organization promotes education, responsible cat ownership and proper care to millions of cat owners around the world.