A judge observes a British shorthair during a competition at the fair.

Bai Yusheng, secretary general of Cat Aficionado Association, which organized the Shanghai cat show, says the rise of cats as pets makes perfect sense in crowded cities.

"Cats are perfect house pets. They're independent, easy to take care of and don't need a lot of space," he says, adding that southerners tend to like longhaired cats, while northerners prefer shorthair varieties.

"Some of the most popular breeds in recent years are the British shorthair, the exotic shorthair and Scottish fold."

According to Bai, the average pedigree cat costs about 20,000 ($3,200) to 30,000 yuan, plus breeding costs.

Carole Barbee, former president of the American Cat Fanciers Association and a judge at the Shanghai show, says different breeds are popular in different countries. "The Maine coon, for example, is now very popular in the States, while not many Chinese have them here," she says.

The manager of Shanghai's Naughty Family Pets, Leo Liao, says the company buys Bengal cats from about 20 breeders. The cross between the house cat and Asian leopard cat is, Liao says, the future of China's high-end pet market.

"After four generations of cross- and selective breeding, the cat has acquired a gentle temperament," Liao says, adding the cost for a good specimen is from 50,000 to 70,000 yuan.

There is a dark side to raising pedigree cats. It often means inbreeding and passing on serious inherited health defects, such as bad joints.

One example of inbreeding is the Scottish fold, which - as the name suggests - has folded ears. But the gene that produces these crinkled ears also causes deformed cartilage in the joints.

The pedigree breeding industry is mushrooming, with online prices for mating ranging from a few hundred to thousands of yuan.

Beijinger Wang Yue, who owns a few British shorthair champions, says she doesn't believe that cat shows necessarily drive a need for purebred animals.

"Cat shows are supposed to promote cat culture rather than destroy it," Wang says. "It's not just a beauty contest that doesn't care about the cat's health in an attempt to create a certain breed."

Cat shows typically have prize sections for all breeds, including ordinary household cats.

The 63-year-old Xia Guilian rescued 13-year-old Dang Dang from the streets in 2000 and says she's happy for her pet to share the stage with purebreds.

Contact the writer at shiyingying@chinadaily.com.cn.

Eric Jou and Zhu Lingqing contributed to the story.