Your letters to Viewpoint are invited, as always, and each one will be considered for our new “STAR LETTER” spot. The author of the letter chosen to be the “STAR LETTER” in each issue will receive a super prize - a hard backed copy of Celia Haddon’s book “Chats with Cats” - subtitled, “how to read your cat’s mind”.

The kind of letter we are looking for is one that will entertain, inform or perhaps set off a debate. It could be an exhibitor’s tip on show preparation, a favourite recipe for your cat’s dinner, a suggestion for an article... etc! The list of possible content is endless! So, please get writing!

The usual guidelines for letters apply. We are still receiving anonymous letters, and these are not accepted for publication. Your full name and address must be included in any letter - A “nom de plume” can always be assumed or your name withheld if you wish.

GCCF “Supreme” Show Report
CONGRATULATIONS to Miss May (Show Manager) and all her “team”, to my three stewards, Mrs L. Clark, Mrs C. Davies and Mr M. Pearman, thank you for your attention to detail throughout a busy day.

Regretfully, I am unable to present the usual reports due to “copy” being to feint to rear (award slips were put on pens on show day) thank goodness.
With sincere apologies.

Rosemary E. Gowdy

Cat tails
AT A show late last year, a Judge withheld an award on one of my cats because, in the Judge’s opinion, he had a “fixed deviation to the tail tip”.

My Veterinary Surgeon subsequently examined this cat and one other and found no abnormalities.
The veterinary reports are included below:

Janet Rouse

I HAVE today, Tuesday, 4 November 2003, examined ‘Champion Voyager Van De Elegance’, a three-year-old Golden Persian entire male cat belonging to Mrs Rouse (my client) of ‘Fox Cliff’, Nealsgate, Holbeach St Johns, Lincolnshire.

This request came as a result of an abnormality in the tail being reported at a recent show. On physical examination I found no evidence of such an abnormality anywhere along the entire length of the tail. Following this, I took lateral and dorso-ventral radiographs of the tail, again, no abnormalities or defects were evident in either the anatomical structure or positioning of any of the caudal vertebrae.

J. N. Metcalfe BVSc MRCVS

I HAVE today, Tuesday, 23 November 2004, re-examined ‘Champion Voyager Van De Elegance’ a four-year-old Golden Persian entire male cat belonging to Mrs Rouse (my client) of ‘Fox Cliff’, Nealsgate, Holbeach St Johns, Lincolnshire. I have also re-assessed radiographs that I took of the tail of the said cat 12 months ago. Once again I can find no evidence of any conformational deformities in this tail.

J. N. Metcalfe BVSc MRCVS

I HAVE today, Tuesday, 23 November 2004, examined Villiers Marco Polo, a five-and-a-half year old male entire Chinchilla cat belonging to Mrs Rouse (my client) of ‘Fox Cliff’, Nealsgate, Holbeach St Johns, Lincolnshire. I found on physical examination no conformational deformities and based on this felt there was no need to radiograph to confirm.

J. N. Metcalfe BVSc MRCVS

obituary

Malcolm Wood

SADLY, I write to report the recent death of a friend to many folk in the Cat Fancy, Malcolm Wood.

Malc was a well known stallholder at many Midlands and Northern shows. Malc sold quality fleeces for bedding, throws and blankets. After a two-year battle with cancer at a hospice in Huddersfield, Malc slipped away.

He was a “straight-talking no-nonsense” Yorkshire man, who would do anything for anybody. Stallholders at shows are like a little family - helping one another. Malc, for instance, would mend my broken table, change someone else’s tyre or do anything to help anyone, whenever he could. As to his stall, he was very generous, especially if he knew you did welfare work - there was always a big bag of bedding, given away free of charge to be sold to raise funds for cat charities.

Malc got on well with everybody and will be greatly missed; he was always so cheerful. He had a cheeky line in patter as he sold his ‘straight from the factory northern value’, soft bedding.

I last saw him at Bingley in August. We had our usual chats and talked about a forthcoming hospital appointment, which he feared would not be positive. Many people will not have known how ill he was - he just lost weight so rapidly. As we said goodbye at the end of that lovely show, we knew we would not meet again. We spoke on the phone, as did some of the other stallholders in September, just after he was out of hospital. However, he put himself in the hospice just before Christmas and died on Friday, 14 January.

I had met his wife once or twice at shows and she phoned to let me know that he had died.
Shopping at shows will not be quite so much fun from now on, but, good news for people who liked the bedding, as Sharon Wood (no relation) a neighbour, has taken over the stall, and will be out and about at shows all year carrying on Malc’s tradition.

Liz Mills