Tasmania’s cutest cats of 2022 as voted by Mercury readers
After hundreds of nominations from smitten cat parents, we’ve announced the winners of our 2022 cutest cat competition. READ THEIR STORIES + SEE THE PHOTOS
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After hundreds of nominations from smitten cat parents, we’ve found our winners of the 2022 cutest cat competition.
Read their stories and see their photos below:
Claudia
Having never owned a ragdoll, Amanda Thompson knew it was the breed for her after falling in love with her niece’s cat.
Miss Thompson swiftly visited Kookla Ragdolls where she first laid eyes on Claudia, the feline who now has her heart.
“I got her when she was 12 weeks old,” Miss Thompson said.
“She’s super sassy, but very gentle and really cuddly.
“She gets a bit nervous sometimes when she meets strangers, but then she warms up to them.”
Claudia, 1, was voted as one of Tasmania’s cutest cats by Mercury subscribers, and it’s easy to see why.
The playful terror is one of numerous cats Miss Thompson has owned.
“Cats in general are pretty low maintenance,” she said.
“I love dogs as well, but you can keep cats indoors and they are nice, warm companions.
“I’m happy with just her at the moment, she’s too much of a princess to have another cat.
“You’ll never own a cat though, a cat will own you.”
Miss Thompson began viral Facebook page ‘Pets of Isolation - What’s Your Pet Doing Today?’ in 2020 so she could see photos of her friends’ animals during lockdown.
The page now has over 8000 likes with people from more than 40 countries sharing photos of their pets.
Gregory
Cath Whyte already has three “playful” cats ruling the roost at home but is determined to expand her kitty kingdom, though convincing the king of the jungle could take some work.
Mrs Whyte’s silver tipped British shorthair, Gregory, was voted by Mercury subscribers as one of the state’s cutest cats.
While Tassie fell in love with Gregory, he’s just one of three pussies who is the apple to Mrs Whyte’s eye.
“I’ve owned Gregory since he was three months old. I got him from a breeder here in Tassie called Cromwell British Shorthairs,” Mrs Whyte said.
“I absolutely love cats, I’ve always had them. I also have Lawrence and Norman who are British shorthairs as well.
“They all get on beautifully, they are very placid animals. It was a very easy transition when the new ones come in because they are just so relaxed and laid back.
“Even when we introduced our new puppy Molly it was very easy.”
Gregory, 2, is the “middle child” of the family and the perfect companion according to Mrs Whyte.
“He is very affectionate and very placid, he’s the real smoochy one,” she said.
“He’s very playful because he’s still quite young.”
Mrs Whyte has her sights set on a fourth feline, though persuading her husband is an uphill battle.
“I would like another one, I just have to convince him.
“I can have four with the new council regulations, they are fully indoor, enclosed cats.
“I’m trying to talk him into it, but we’ll see (laughs).”
Elvis
From a champion show cat to winning hearts across the state in retirement, this four-legged star has certainly shown he has many strings to his bow.
Elvis, 7, is a former show cat who travelled Tasmania to compete in competitions, and often come out on top on his day.
Now happily retired, Elvis is lapping up life as a homebody after being voted by Mercury readers as one of Tassie’s cutest cats.
“His show name was Mr Darcy when we bought him three years ago,” owner Kristy Marshall said.
“We fell in love with him and he was about to retire, so we thought Elvis suited him as a name.
“He’s very relaxed and one of the most calm cats you’d come across. He loves to snore on the couch all day and eat.”
Miss Marshall said Elvis, along with his best mate Freddy, a fellow British shorthair, had made the transition for her into a cat mum role an easy one.
“I’ve always had dogs, but my partner when we met had a British shorthair so I fell in love with cats from there,” she said.
“The old cat passed away and that’s when we got Elvis and Freddy.
“They are like dogs, they can fetch a ball and love to be around people.
“I think cats are great pets that fit in with your life and they’re always around.”
Autumn
She may be the youngest of five, but this cute kitty has proven she can hold her own in the cat palace of Kingston Beach.
Rohan Goss wasn’t classed as a cat lover until he moved in with his partner Mackenzie, and since then he’s become a model cat dad.
“Mackenzie had two to begin with, I moved in last year and we’ve got another three cats in that time,” Mr Goss said.
The home is currently the playground of Archie, Lexie, Winter, Leo and Autumn, who was recently voted as one of Tasmania’s cutest cats.
Mr Goss said they’d had Autumn for four months and despite being the youngest, she’d fit into the family like a jigsaw piece.
“She’s a bit cheeky and she’s very loving,” he said.
“She gets up on the couch with us and she plays with the other four cats as well.
“The one that looks after her the most is the second youngest, Leo, he likes to groom her and look after her.
“They all hang out, they fight as well, but they’re usually pretty cushy with each other.”
With five the perfect number for the time being, Mr Goss didn’t rule adding further felines in the future.
“Our space is getting a bit limited at the moment, so we’re going to expand it out. There may be an extra one somewhere down the line.”
You can view all the beautiful cats who entered in the galleries below:
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