Scottish exhibitor Karen Shepherd-Best

We at Premium Cat Supplies were delighted to speak with Karen Shepherd-Best, an experienced Scottish exhibitor at National and International Cat shows around Britain including the prestigious and Internationally renowned LCWW exhibitions.

 This February she gained the title of Supreme Grand Alter with her stunning 8 and half year old, all white Norwegian Forest cat Nieve at the LCWW show in Carlisle where Premium Cat Supplies were able to catch up with her career in showcasing cats. Karen has been competing with her stunning cats for over 9 years with winners across 3 registries including FiFe Supremes, GCCF Grands and TICA Supremes.

 She currently has 12 cats, all of whom are winners and titled except for 2 which are strictly pets to be loved and adored at home. She has 6 Maine Coons and 5 Norwegian Forest cats along with her affectionate and loving domestic house cat named Zeyny, but Karen, like all true cat people, confides to us she longs for another kitten. And who can blame her? 

Love for Competing

We asked Karen what began her love for competing and with a huge smile we are told, “ My second Maine Coon really was a stunner, so we decided we had to show him. And that’s where it all began.” She referred to Horatio aka Big H, a stunning boy with a truly magnificent coat.

Karen then showed us pictures of the most beautiful cats which she is clearly and rightly very proud of. We agreed it would have been wrong not to show them off.

After that, she bought 3 Norwegian sisters. The intention was to buy 1 kitten but of course, like most avid cat fans she came back with the 3 adorable beauties that were also absolute show quality and so Karen did what was right by them and allowed the world to enjoy their stunning beauty through competing.  With competing comes to a certain pride for your cats and their show quality and the feeling can become addictive, Karen explains to us. This is what allows more and more cats to be able to be showcased, making it wonderful for all of us cat fans who seldom get a chance to see true pedigrees and for cat owners alike.

Extra Care

The extra care that goes into looking after shows cats must also be considered if you want your cats to look and feel their best which is why Karen uses Premium Tofu Cat Litter for all of her cats and due to its flushable and brilliant odour control finds it especially good for shows. It is soft on cats’ paws causing no discomfort or trailing.

Our anti-anxiety doughnut-shaped cat beds are also a must for showtimes when a cat can feel nervous and looks for a secure spot to cuddle up to and hide. The clever doughnut design and soft fabrics make a cat feel secure, nestled in the middle allowing the outer folds to snuggle her in and feel protected. While Karen’s Maine Coon Freya and Nieve, her Norwegian Forest cat were fully confident at the Carlisle show, we did get to see them relaxing and stretched out in their anti-anxiety calming beds between showings and they looked extremely content.

“I couldn’t be a Breeder”

When asked why she wasn’t a Breeder,  Karen replied, “ I wouldn’t be able to part with the kittens. I think I would end up divorced”

 She refers to the unbreakable bond she shares with her husband David when it comes to their cats. Karen is clearly very close to all her 13 animals and the protective instinct is strong.

“They’re just like family,” she explains and looks slightly distressed at the thought of parting with any of them. “No! I simply couldn’t.” 

We nod in understanding and are totally able to empathise. Have you ever seen a Norwegian Forest or Maine Coon kitten? We wouldn’t want to let them go either.

Competition Entry with LCWW

Did you know you could enter your cat for competing in the household pets section of the LCWW competition too and bring your fur baby the fame and recognition they deserve?

 Imagine your pet gaining a recognised title in the world of competing cats!!

 They deserve it and you never know, it may be the beginning of something new in your life and your gorgeous feline friends. Some cats are just natural-born show cats so, for more information visit  www.lcwwgroup.com where you can get all the information you need. We look forward to seeing Karen again and hopefully yourselves at the next LCWW show where she will be exhibiting more of her show stopping cats and taking home more well-deserved titles. We hope to see you there.

Scottish exhibitor Karen Shepherd-Best