The Westminster Dog Kennel Club Show is including three new dog breeds this year and adding a few feline friends into the mix.
But if you imagined various cat breeds parading across the stage at the actual dog show, you were wrong.
Excited to announce that cats will be back at this year's @akcdoglovers Meet the Breeds. #WKCDogShow pic.twitter.com/lI7slCuWeI
— Westminster Dog Show (@WKCDOGS) January 30, 2017
The cats won't compete in the actual show, but will be part of a "Meet the Breeds" event on February 11, the Westminster Kennel Club announced at a press conference Monday.
" Meet the Breeds isn’t just dogs lined up and you play with them, there are booths that depict the country and origin of the animal and people decorate the booths," Brandi Hunter VP of public relations for the AKC said in a phone interview. "So cats are joining that and many will be dressed up and have their booths."
The cats will also take part in an agility competition.
"Excited to announce that cats will be back at this year's @akcdoglovers Meet the Breeds. #WKCDogShow," the Westminster Dog Show tweeted Monday.
The Westminster Dog Show takes place in New York City on Feb. 13 and 14, and is expected to feature nearly 3,000 dogs.
In addition to the news of cats at the dog show, three new dog breeds were added to the 2017 show. This year the American Hairless Rerrier, the Pumi, and the Sloughi will take part in the show for the first time.
As you can image the news of cats at a dog show didn't go over particularly well on Twitter.
internet: the westminster kennel club dog show will feature cats
me: pic.twitter.com/HLmBoFFCDL
— Alex Lawson (@AlexxLawson) January 31, 2017Westminster Dog Show is allowing cats? What will they be graded on, which cat can ignore their handler the longest?
— Nur Osman (@Nur_Osman27) February 1, 2017
Upon hearing the news of cats being included at Westminster, @AGoldFan called it a “travesty.”
— Joe Ovies (@joeovies) January 31, 2017
Others offered up their cats for the Meet the Breeds event.
read cats can be in Westminster dog show. Freehan says he'd like to give it a shot. pic.twitter.com/7dyr9nLL0f
— Bob Holt (@BobHoltADG) February 1, 2017
The Westminster Kennel show will now also feature cats: should I enter my Birman Twins Huxley and Harpo? pic.twitter.com/PcwHMuZjND
— Paolo Paciucci (@PaoloDoc1) February 1, 2017
Follow Mary Bowerman on Twitter: @MaryBowerman
