EXOTIC cats such as the hairless Sphynx and the mighty Maine Coon were admired and adored at a cat show at the weekend.

The Viking Cat Club held an International Cat Show at Perdiswell Leisure Centre, on Saturday and Sunday.

Hundreds of cats, including many unusual breeds, were at the show judged by international experts from Russia, Sweden, Holland and Finland.

Many of the cats themselves were international travellers, having been imported from as far away as the United States and Japan.

Breeds at the show included the Norwegian Forest Cat, a large cat originally indigenous to the Forests of Norway, the domesticated Bengal that descended from the Asian Leopard and looks like a miniature wild, Maine Coons, the gentle giants of the pedigree cat world, Japanese Bobtails and the hairless Sphynx.

The experts were also on hand to talk with visitors about the various breeds of cats, nutrition and their general welfare and a number of charity stalls were raising funds for cat welfare groups.