The Cat Show - Whiskers

As Zephirine and others have said, so often we choose animals that look like ourselves. Sometimes in colour - like yesterday's Italian lady.

Or today's cat - notice the sweep of the lady's chin and how it matches the shape of the cat's face. Happily not the whiskers - and aren't they beautiful whiskers!

I used to breed and show Old English Sheepdogs but really I didn't look like one - then I realised the truth. My husband at the time - long hair, cuddly like a teddy bear - that's why I got my first Old English Sheepdog! We are still great friends.

The Cat Show - the Italian Lady

This Italian lady is waiting to have her cats judged. I get the feeling something has made her cross.

Most of the exhibitors at the show were beautifully dressed - many were Italian and so therefore no surprise with their sense of style - it's in their genes to dress well.

Regardless of nationality though, it seemed to me that exhibitors at a cat show dress far better than those at a dog show. I suppose it's easier - you don't have to deal with a large muddy dog and then get him clean.

The Cat Show - Indignity

There were around 350 cats exhibited at the show with 8 international judges. Here is one doing her stuff, which as you see involves examining the cat from just about every angle... That the cats don't object says a lot for how well they've been trained by their owners.

The Cat Show - Could you love a face like this?

This strange looking creature is a hairless cat, know as a Sphynx cat. In 1966 a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten in Toronto, Canada. It was discovered to be a natural mutation and the Sphynx cat came into existence. This cat and a few other naturally hairless cats have been found worldwide. These have been produced by Mother Nature and are the foundation for this unusual breed. Cat breeders in Europe and North America have bred the Sphynx to normal coated cats and then back to hairless for more than thirty years. The purpose of these selective breedings was to create a genetically sound cat with a large gene pool and hybrid vigor. This is a very robust breed with few health or genetic problems.

The Sphynx is not always totally hairless; there can be a fine down on the body, which makes the cat feel like a warm peach. Of course this cat breed feels the cold and couldn't live in a cold climate unless it was well wrapped up. Some people who are allergic to cats can tolerate being around this breed, but even then the allergies sometimes win.

(Not quite as sharp a pic as I'd have liked. Bear with me whilst I learn how to use this new camera...)

The Cat Show - Beauty

As a past breeder, exhibitor and judge of Old English Sheepdogs, I appreciated the amount of work that has gone into the coat of this beautiful cat. And I was astounded at how well-behaved all the cats were. They had to be handled by complete strangers - ie the stewards and the judges - and they didn't turn a hair, pardon the pun. Nothing like the cats I know around here...

The Cat Show - Over My Shoulder

This weekend there's a cat show at the Palais de l'Europe in Menton, so a good opportunity for me to practice with my new camera - a Panasonic Lumix GH1, which is a micro four thirds with a 14-140 lens - my first interchangeable lens camera and almost (not quite) a 'big girls' camera' - and it's light enough to carry around for hours. Much to learn tho with all the bells and whistles...

This superb little camera is a Panasonic variant of the Olympus micro-four thirds concept that would seem absolutely right for anyone who wants a light, small and seemingly perfect system. If you think I wrote the previous sentence, I didn't (!) - of course it was my mentor, Chuckeroon (see below) who I think secretly works for the Olympus publicity department)

This cat is waiting to be judged. I like the way the cat's eyes seem to match the colour of the trees outside in the Jardin Biovès.

So a beautiful pussy cat and a dedication to Chuckeroon of Richmond upon Thames Daily Photo who has now helped me choose my last two cameras and nursed me through the teething troubles and a million questions each time. What a friend! Thank you, dear Chuckeroon.

And a thankyou also to Richard from Zurich who was in on early discussions as to which camera to buy and approves the choice.

I knew neither of these great people before City Daily Photo - how fabulous and fortunate it is to have such valued blogging friends.

Walk to the Monastery of l'Annonciade - the Cats' Shrine

Copyright 2009 Menton Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

At first glance it appears this old lady, this exceedingly old lady, is praying at the shrine or tending flowers, albeit false ones. Not so.

There is a large hole in the corner of the wire netting and she is filling bowls with food and water for the wild cats in this area.

On the wall above her head, two of them are waiting...

Ventimiglia - the Wild Kittens

Wild kittens under the footbridge we saw the other day. Mother cat looks up, never taking her eyes off them.

People had thrown down food and one lady stood for at least half an hour just staring at them.

The Cat I Forgot

Copyright 2009 Menton Daily Photo. All rights reserved.

A boy and his kitten. How proudly and tenderly he holds her. She's called Mimi and is 3 months of age.

They were at the recent Blessing of the Animals in Gorbio - I showed the horses and a dog and forgot the kitten - so this is for the cat lovers out there.

"Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet."
~ Colette

The Cat in the Olive Tree

This olive tree stands in the square at the top of Gorbio village. You can see the restored Château through the branches. At the top, a look-out with a to-die-for view of the Mediterranean. From the look-out, you see Italy to the left. Look right and there is Monaco. Spread out below is Menton and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.

Meanwhile, the cat is content in the olive tree.

Summertime in Menton - the Cat

Had enough of the beaches? Too many Fete Days? Want to get away from the August crowds?

Then take a walk in the Old Town. Just wander - take little alleyways, don't worry, you won't get lost - and anyway, exploring is all part of the fun. And a promise - you'll see lots of cats.

This lovely cat often sits here, appreciating caresses from locals and visitors.

On the prowl

Gorbio, like all the perched Medieval villages, has many cats. Here's one beauty prowling the old streets.

Lucky Black Cat

This black cat sleeps all day on the rocks just the other side of the wall near to the Bastion. I've often seen him there and have photographed him and all I ever get is a silhouette because, as here, the light is wrong. I was watching him, looking at his world and thinking his cat-thoughts, when suddenly he got very animated when a lady and dog came along. The cat obviously loves the lady, the lady brings him food - her little bichon is quite happy about it all. And once our hero had finished his treats and been made a fuss of, he took himself off and sat a short distance away.

This was taken on my first day with the new camera, so I apologise for the shadow but it was 9 in the morning with the sun in quite the wrong place and I'd not yet mastered what this clever camera can do - still learning... That's Italy you see in the background, by the way.

Have you noticed we seem to be on a 'Wall by the Sea' series?

If you've been following the Art Series in the Casino Gardens on Monte Carlo Daily Photo - today is the final day. If you like gardens and if you like words, you'll love it! This is my absolute favourite of all the installations.