KYODO NEWS - Apr 23, 2017 - 22:26 | Lifestyle, All

A Himalayan feline was unanimously ranked the best kitten at an international cat show in Taipei on Sunday.

The 4-month-old male kitten was praised by Judge Kurt Vlach of Austria for its beautiful blue eyes and nice coat.

"What's very important is its excellent straight profile, short nose but open nostrils, no problem with breathing," Vlach said.

The long-hair kitten was also ranked best kitten by two other judges during the morning and afternoon sessions at the 8th Cat Show organized by the Taiwan Cat Club, a member of the International Cat Association.

The association is the world's first and largest genetic registry of pedigreed cats as well as household pet cats and kittens.

Sunday's event attracted the entry of 44 cats of all breeds. Each competitor was judged in six rings by three judges who independently chose his or her best cat of each category: best kitten, best cat, best alter (spayed or neutered purebred), best household pet cat and best household pet kitten.

The Himalayan feline was ranked the best kitten by all judges in all rings during the morning and afternoon sessions.

A 4-month-old Sphynx was chosen by Judge Haruyo Tomonari of Japan as the best short-hair kitten. The owner of the male hairless kitten, Chang Yi-sheng, said although his cat looked unhappy, it was mainly because it was a little bit shy and felt uncomfortable in a strange environment.

Tomonari, who has been a judge for over 30 years, is the proud owner of 14 cats herself. Her favorite breeds are short-hair, black Burmese and Bombay.

A 9-month-old Himalayan was ranked first in the best cat category by all judges in the different rings. The long-hair male cat, nicknamed Little Curry, was praised for its beautiful fur and nice temperament.

"It seems she's born to win," Vlach said.

Her owner, Amy Wu, an owner of a cat hotel in Tainan, southern Taiwan, said she spends a lot of time taking care of Little Curry, although she also has four other cats, one dog and three children who keep her extremely busy.