Anyone who knows me knows I’m a crazy cat lady. Ever since we welcomed a tiny kitten into our home when I was 7 years old, I’ve loved cats. So, it comes as no surprise to learn that I was really excited when I heard that the Cat Show Live was coming to Birmingham. I’ve been to Crufts several times over the years, but I always thought that something similar was needed for cats. Finally, it’s here!

What is the Cat Show Live?

Cat Show Live was organised in order to unite cat lovers from the UK and across the world for one purr-fect day. The event was designed to be both an inspiring and educational experience and featured a variety of interactive exhibits. There were Cat Registries and Organisations from the World Cat Congress, the Cat Village which featured over 150 pedigree cats and the event was hosted by Iwan Thomas MBE. Over 3000 cat lovers came together at the NEC to celebrate all things feline.

The Cat Village

Having never been to a cat show, I was worried that it might be quite a stressful environment for the cats. Luckily, I was so wrong. Each of the cats that were in the Cat Village were so well looked after, their owners were so caring. I did several laps of the Cat Village and on each one I’d see different cats. This was because cats were regularly put away for a rest. Whenever I spoke to anyone about their cats they were always so friendly and knowledgable. You could just see how passionate they were about their pets. It was so lovely to see.

I was really pleased to be able to meet so many different breeds of cat that I’d only ever seen on the internet before. One of my favourite breeds of the day was the Lykoi – also known as the wolfcat. This unusual looking breed is well known for having a natural mutation which causes hair loss and gives them a werewolf like appearance. I thought that they were absolutely adorable and got to meet a mother and her kittens. It was great to see that the cats were so relaxed and happy.

Hope Alley

If you headed down Hope Alley, you could learn about some great cat rescues and charities. We spent some time here learning about cats who needed a home and donated towards some good causes. I got to learn a lot about the Big Cat Sanctuary which is located in Kent but you may have seen it on the telly. It was great to learn more about these rescues and charities and has given me some ideas for when I’m ready to adopt.

Shopping

If like me you have cats of your own, this was the perfect time to treat them. There were so many stands selling everything from specialist cat food to cat trees to super potent cat nip toys. I managed to get Bertie some of his favourite treats from Scrumbles, some new food to try from Catit and I even got a couple of catnip toys to put away for Christmas. If you wanted to spend money on yourself too, there were also some treats for humans!

How do you get to the Cat Show Live?

The Cat Show Live is located at Birmingham’s NEC, right next to Birmingham airport. If you’re arriving by car, then you can find the car park with the postcode B40 1NT. If you’re travelling via train, then you just need to head to Birmingham International train station and it’s a short walk away.

Is The Cat Show Live worth it?

Overall, I had a wonderful day. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and will definitely make sure I visit next year. If you’re a crazy cat lady like me, I’m sure you’ll love it too. The VIP goody bags were fantastic, I took home so many treats for Bertie. There was also a lot of activities catered for children. Tickets for The Cat Show Live 2025 are available here.