Shows are always held in protective venues such as community halls, school halls, hotels with suitable facilities, conference centres or exhibition halls. Venues are always chosen for their locality, attractiveness and proximity to residential areas for the ease of those wishing to enter an exhibit, officiate at the show or come along and enjoy the spectacle.

The Club managing the show will first have been given licence to do so from the CFSA Committee and the date will have been well publicised.

Entry forms, available from the National Cat Register office or from the Club concerned, must be completed in detail supplying all the information asked for in a clear format. All pedigreed cats must be registered with the official registering authority of CFSA, The National Cat Register. Show entry forms are usually available from two to three months before the show and closing dates for entries are normally three - four weeks before the show date. Closing dates are flexible, however, and confirmation of this should be obtained from the Show Management.

Judging will take place throughout the day and may be watched without comment by owners and spectators alike. When an audience is present the judge will discuss the cat being judged aloud.

All ribbons, rosettes and results are marked with each cat's identifying number and pinned to the individual cages.

On completion of Best in Show all exhibits are on display until the close of the show is announced usually about 5.00 pm, when owners are allowed to take their cats and their awards home.