Four Things I Learned From Cat Walk on Netflix
I'm not a cat person. They make the roof of my mouth itch and my nose run. However seeing cats in memes and on screen away from my body is a-okay. Now that we have that dichotomy out of the way have you heard of the show Cat Walk? Yes, it is on Netflix. No, it doesn't involve models, unless you consider cats models.
A one sentence description is Best in Show but with cats and more calm, skewing normal, people, specifically Canadians. I don't know if this pervasive and vicious stereotype is true but the featured Canadians are middle aged which usually equals more chill.
People name their cats crazy names.
My personal favorite is Oh La La. She seems generally not excited about participating while also winning all the points. (Spoiler!) She is a giant orange Persian with a face demanding Fancy Feast, to be left alone and also a nap. She amuses me greatly. In an alternate universe where hypoallergenic Persian cats exist I would want one like Oh La La with a fun French phrase name like Je Ne Sais Quoi maybe.
Even if you are a devoted cat enthusiast you should have other hobbies.
Sharing hobbies with your significant other is great but sometimes you need a break from the barrage of cats. One of the cat judges takes time to cultivate and nourish his other passions like car meetups where probably no one would guess where his main passion lies. Giving each other space in your relationship to pursue other hobbies is important. Just think of him as your pseudo Canadian therapist.
You can be a cut throat competitor and still be nice.
Surprise! Even if you don't like the breed that won and constantly talk about it to the camera but not to the person’s face. Drama.
Cat retirement parties are a thing.
The first time I saw Oh La La's adorable smushed face was the last time she was ever competing. Cue the retirement party! Finger foods galore and glitter everywhere. Oh La La's retirement party rivaled most corporate ones, if movies and TV shows aren't lying to me, also some Facebook posts. Her owner gets genuinely choked up even though she still gets to take her cat home. If my boss ever gets that choked up over me leaving I will know I've lived my best life.
I learned all this from watching twenty minutes of the first episode. I can't imagine what other pearls of wisdom are waiting to be gleaned in the future. Also my husband was watching this show before I jumped in. And we tried to watch a dog documentary next which while fascinating was putting us to sleep. Nothing like a cat show to elevate your expectations.
