142 years ago, on July 13, 1871, the world’s first cat exhibition was held at the Crystal Palace in London. It was organized by Harrison Ware, a renowned animal illustrator.2 张照片

142 years ago, in the London Crystal Palace, the world’s first cat exhibition was held. On July 13, 1871, Harrison Ware, a renowned animal illustrator and expert on felines, organized this event. Ware developed the exhibition’s concept and rules, established standards for breed recognition, and defined criteria for evaluating coat color and length. A total of 170 cats of 25 different breeds, as well as a disabled wild Scottish cat that had lost a leg in an accident, were displayed at the show. The judging panel consisted of Ware himself, his brother John, and amateur biologist Reverend John MacDonald. The following day, all London newspapers reported on the success of the exhibition, and pictures of the cats surpassed reports on high society scandals in terms of popularity. In 1887, the first cat lovers’ club was established in England, and later the European organization “International Federation of Cat Lovers” was founded. Since 1987, feline studies have also begun to develop in Russia. Today, there are hundreds of cat clubs throughout the country, where scientific research is conducted, breed standards are established, kittens are registered, exhibitions are organized, and the most beautiful cats are awarded prizes.