CFA Feline Agility

What is Feline Agility?

Feline agility is a new and exciting sport for our feline friends. For many years, people have seen dogs dominate the agility arena. Now cats are giving dogs a run for their money and steeling the spotlight with their amazing agility and goofy antics. Much like dog agility, cats run through a course that looks much like a miniature version of a dog agility courser. A basic course is of about eight (8) to ten (10) obstacles consisting of hurdles, an A-frame obstacle or stairs, tunnels, one or more hoop jumps, and weave.

poles. This is a beauty contest nor is it a personality contest - all that matters is how long it takes the cat to run the course and how many obstacles it completes. However, the one of best parts of feline agility is seeing the goofy, silly antics of each cat. It truly is a joy to watch!

Can I Participate With My Cat?

Of course! Entries may include pedigreed cats, household pets (HHP), shelter cats, and cats that have been declawed or have a deformity. However, cats with wild ancestry may not be entered. A household pet could be the overall winner as easily as could a top winning grand champion or perhaps a cat who does not do well in the conformation classes but is a star in the agility class. All HHP over 8 months must be spayed or neutered. Their ability to run the course and eagerness to try are all that counts. We encourage the running of cats from all walks of life: the favorite pet, the kitty living in a shelter (temporarily, we hope) or the top conformation show cat — all are equal in agility competition.

Does My Cat Need Special Training?

At the San Diego Cat Fanciers 2024 annual agility competition, only two of the top three award winners were trained in agility and that was their very first competition. As you can tell, feline agility is open to all cats, trained or not. All cats are gifted runners, jumpers, and climbers. For some cats no training is required. Others may need a little coaxing or training. You can find information on cat agility training and equipment on the CFA agility website.

Where Can I Find Shows With An Agility Competition?

You are in luck! The San Diego Cat Fanciers annual show, The Food & Water Bowl, includes an agility competition. It is held every January at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Keep an eye on the club’s website and social media pages for more information. If you are truly interested feel free to reach out to us.

Links & Resources:

Cat Fanciers’ Association Feline Agility: https://cfa.org/agility/

San Diego Cat Fanciers (SDCF) Club: https://sandiegocat.org/