“This is their world, we just live in it,” the 4-H small animal judge told the young woman with a crossbreed Siamese cat.

Dr Patrick Fairbrother, a veterinarian who owns Alpha Vet Care Associates, was a judge on Monday, June 21 in the dairy and cattle show barn at the Henry County Fairgrounds in Cambridge.

Later in the week the barn would be filled with animals much, much bigger than a cat, but on Monday afternoon the barn was owned for a few minutes by Breeanna Olson’s Siamese cat.

Olson, a member of the Rough Riders 4-H Club, told Fairbrother that Molly was “very attracted to the attention.

The judge wanted to know what she was eating, how much and when.

Olson told her the cat eats when she wants, and that’s when the judge commented that it was cat world.

Although Molly stayed in Olson’s lap, she had to cede the limelight to Olson’s chocolate lab, 2-year-old Shooter. Olson was quick to say that the purebred lab came from a reputable breeder in Iowa.

The most important thing with a lab, Fairbrother said, was to keep them from getting fat, as being overweight can lead to hip problems.

People don’t normally say during Henry County Fair week that they’re cold, but that was the comment time and time again when the wind swept over the top of the hill. Some wore hoodies, others went to their cars for them, but Olaf, Miranda Reed’s cat, naturally wore a thick coat appropriate for the day.

Cambridge Champs member Reed said the cross-eyed Olaf was wandering before his parents brought him in. Olaf was happy to be inside but showed some interest in going out. As wonderful as it was to have a thick coat, the downside was that he shed a lot.

Mackenzie Olson, also of the Rough Riders, brought a red blue heeled cross that leaned across the table for the scratches on the chin of the judge and his wife Christine Fairbrother. Olson said she received the 8-month-old dog for Christmas and the blue heel loves to keep the cattle, horses and chickens on the farm.

Ashlynn Chamberlain of the Geneseo Jr. Leaders brought a cat, Lucky, who fed her litter of six kittens just before coming to the fair.

The judge looked at Lucky and interpreted his behavior.

“I’m nervous I have to go back to my babies,” he said. Lucky didn’t have to wait any longer.