What: 36th Annual Championship and Household Pet Cat Show

Where: Exhibition Hall at the River Centre, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul

When: Jan. 28- 29

Cost: $4 for adults, $3 for children and seniors     

YouTube, if you are doing YouTube right, is basically a giant cat show. But any cat can be cute while wearing mittens and sitting in teacups from the comfort of its own home.

This weekend, the Saintly City Cat Club will bring a much-needed competitive edge to the world of cat cuteness with the 36th Annual Championship and Household Pet Cat Show. It is time to put up or shut up, cats.

OK, that may be overstating it a little bit. Anxiety may be high for exhibitors who tour the country, entering cat shows along the way and collecting national points throughout the year. But show manager Linda Mae Baker said: âÄúI think this year it will be fairly laid-back. WeâÄôre going to have a good time.âÄù

Baker expects the show, which will bring 123 cats from across the country to Exhibition Hall at River Centre in St. Paul, to have a community feel. It is held in conjunction with the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

âÄúI did a survey of spectators and found that itâÄôs repeat people that come year after year,âÄù Baker said. âÄúYou have young and old people, single people and people with families. People from all walks of life. ItâÄôs a big mixture. A lot of these people come year after year, so we get to know them very well.âÄù

Humans, while somewhat important, will not be the focus of the event.

Cats will be evaluated by six different judges over the course of the weekend.

âÄúThereâÄôs a written standard for each breed, so we look for that first,âÄù said Beverly Wood, returning as a judge of the show. âÄúThere are times where it can come between two cats and you have to go with what you think is most important as a judge.âÄù

Most things that judges look for are physical, though personality does play a part.

âÄúIf theyâÄôre going to attack the judges, theyâÄôre not going to do well,âÄù said Baker. âÄúJudges donâÄôt like to get bit.âÄù

Attendees will get to do some of the judging as well. A SpectatorâÄôs Choice award will be given to the cat that the fans choose. The highest honor of the weekend, however, will go to another cat.

âÄúWinners in the household pet category are made king and queen and get special crowns and capes,âÄù Baker said. âÄúThey put on a great show. It usually draws a crowd.âÄù

Exhibitors and spectators travel from as far away as Texas and California to be involved with the Saintly City Cat Show, but they are not the only ones.

âÄúVendors come from several states to sell all kinds of things,âÄù said Baker. âÄúCat food and vacuums for cat hair. This year weâÄôll have someone selling cat jewelry.âÄù

It may sound too cat-centric for a casual fan, but the cats themselves will not be complaining.

 âÄúYou can tell that many of the cats like the attention,âÄù said Baker. âÄúTheyâÄôre kind of hams.âÄù