WATCH: Vietnam holds first national cat show

HANOI, Vietnam — More than 60 cats and 40 owners participated in Vietnam's first ever national cat show in Hanoi on Sunday.

Different breeds of cats — ranging from Persians, to British Shorthairs and the massive Maine Coons — were gathered in the inaugural show organized by the World Cat Federation.

During the event, judges gently inspected the cats’ fur, poked their tails and interacted with the felines to observe not only their beauty, but also how their owners care for them.

There were different awards, including top 10 kittens and adult cats, as well as a $430 prize for the best cat in the show 

“This is an event for cat owners to show their love for cats, and how they take care of their cats,” Le Duy Anh, vice president of Vietnam Cat Lover Club, told AFP at the show.

Vietnam Cat Show went ahead amid concerns of COVID-19 outbreak, which has led to the suspension of all public festivals in the countries, and many participants donned face masks at the event.

But that didn’t stop them from enjoying their day.

“Not all participants come here not to win some prizes — they enjoy looking at beautiful cats, and to hear the judges give comments about their cats’ strengths and weaknesses,” participant Hoang Thi Phuong told AFP.

“I hope there will be more events like this in the future,” she added.