The inaugural Waipa Cat of the Year Competition
Every cat thinks they’re royalty. It’s time one of them made it official.
Waipa’s most prestigious* award, presented for the first time in 2026.
*prestige not independently verified
Key dates
8 September
Entries open
12 October
Entries close
17 October
Top 10 announced, voting opens
31 October
Voting closes
1 November
Winner crowned
How it works
Four steps between your cat and a gold collar.
The competition runs from 8 September to 1 November 2026. Entry is free and open to any cat resident in the Waipa district.
1Enter your cat
Entries are free and close on 12 October. You will need a photograph or a video, and a short written statement of your cat's merits.
2The top 10
The judging panel reviews every entry received and selects ten finalists. The shortlist is published on 17 October.
3The public vote
Voting on the ten finalists is open to the public from 17 to 31 October. One vote per person.
4Crowned
The winner is announced on 1 November and receives the gold collar and the title of Waipa Cat of the Year.
The judging panel
The judges take this very seriously.
Entries are assessed on character, presentation, and the strength of the written case put forward by the owner. Every entry received before the closing date is reviewed. The panel’s decision on the shortlist is final and correspondence will not be entered into.
Prizes
The prize schedule.
Awarded on 1 November 2026. Prizes are not transferable and there is no cash alternative to the non-cash elements.
First place
Waipa Cat of the Year
Free stays at Moggy Manor
Boarding for your cat any time across the following year, subject to availability.
$250 cash
Paid to the owner. The cat has no use for it.
The gold collar
Worn by the reigning Waipa Cat of the Year. Gold in colour, not made of gold.
A feature in the local paper
Photograph, name, and the full story of why they won.
$100
Second place, cash
$50
Third place, cash
Could your cat be Waipa royalty?
Entries are free and close on 12 October 2026. Entries must be submitted by the cat’s owner.
Enter
Put your cat forward.
One entry per cat. The cat must live in the Waipa district and the entry must be made by its owner.
Presented by
Presented by three Waipa businesses.
Waipa Cat of the Year is organised and funded by Moggy Manor, 3 Stone Vets and King Tide. There is no entry fee and no cost to vote.
Headline prize
Moggy Manor
Cattery boarding in Waipa. Every cat has its own room. Moggy Manor provides the headline prize and posts competition updates on its Facebook page.
Follow on Facebook
The family vet
3 Stone Vets
Veterinary care for Waipa pets, lifestyle blocks and farms, from the clinic in Te Awamutu. All competition enquiries go to them.
Email them
Websites and marketing
King Tide
Waikato web design and marketing. Built and hosts this site, and runs the entry and voting systems behind it.
Visit siteUpdates
Where announcements are published.
All competition updates, including the top 10 announcement and the result, are posted on the Moggy Manor Cattery Facebook page. Follow the page to keep up with the competition.
Everyone who enters is also emailed at each stage, so entrants do not need to be on Facebook to follow what is happening. Questions go to info@3stonevets.co.nz.