NYC Cat Championship includes Obama and McCain

The votes are in: The people want Barack Obama, a Bombay cat, to lead them in a purr-fect presidency. The winner beat Renegade the Republicat, a British Shorthair, by 65 percent in the "vote for your favorite DemoCat or RepubliCat" competition at the Cat Fanciers' Association-Iams Championship at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

History was made this weekend in New York City as Platina Luna Blade Runner, a year and a half old male with a shimmering blue-gray coat and emerald green eyes triumphed over 248 other cats in 41 breeds to become the first Russian Blue cat to win the Cat Fanciers’ Association title of Best Of The Best.

While a few cats exhibited diva-like behavior, mewing indignantly at the judges who were doing their best to appraise the furious felines’ finer points, most of the cats hammed it up for the cameras and the crowd, scratching the sisal-and-satin wrapped judging platforms and excitedly leaping at proffered feathers and cat toys to the delight and choruses of oohs and ahhs of adoring onlookers.

Cats at the Championship spend much of their time outside the ring in the benching areas resting or being groomed and brushed for their moments in the spotlight. But one competitor who needed no show preparation was Good Golly Miss Molly, a petite but energetic 8-month-old Sphynx.