Picture of the top cats and a list of buyers.

Thanks for the info

Picture is deceiving. Width of Belly is now more important than Length ?? The one on his left looks like it was stretched on a Wire stretcher.

Very nice looking Cats !

thanx stiffrat26

It's all about width always has been, 36" A width will beat a 42" B most any day!

Not trying to be difficult here, just wondering if there is a new standard or is this just Eric’s preference. I’ve seen a picture of his yardstick with the widths marked. Let’s put that cat on one of Otis’s stretchers, does it still get High Cat ?

Before I explain more, any pic with Eric holding a cat is deceiving. Hes not a short guy.

But to answer the question.....Cats have a very complicated pelt, and there are many many factors that play into its value .Its been the same standard for years. Length is always important but width is as well. Everyone focuses on the clarity grade. "A grade" is not a cat grade. You need two letters in there. There's another letter for width of the white part of the belly. Monster Tom broke it down in another post and can correct me when I screw this up. "A" for 5" or more, "B" for 3-5" and "C" for under 3". I might have some of those numbers wrong. Top cats are going to be AA grade. Of course and AA 42" cat is going to be worth more then a AA grade 38" cat. But will a 42" AB cat be worth more than a 38" AA cat? Depends on what the buyer is looking for. The clarity and width of that oddly stretched cat may have been enough to overcome the lack of length.

Another point that gets over looked is fur softness and fullness. Its crazy the difference between a mid December cats and mid January cat. And that difference can be very difficult to see in a picture. The biggest place to notice this is where the leg cut meets. Earlier cats are going to be short here, and on later season cats it can be where the longest and best fur is located.

Its why its so tough to answer the questions people put in post "What will this cat grade" or "how much is this cat worth". Very tough to do unless you have the cat in your hands.

In my opinion the cat on the right is a better cat although both are excellent.Length of cat is not as important as the width of the of the white belly and the quality of the fur.That is what buyers are buying because the manufacturers want quality and maximum use of the belly.

I see cats that buyers get all goofy over ,,, and I wonder what in the world are they looking.
I think there is a certain amount of eye of beholder buying .

Correct, If a buyer wants it, he will pay for it!!

In a nutshell for the common western cat

4 1/4" or wider is an "A"
3-4 " is a "B"
2-3" is a "C"
under is a "D"

Now

The other letter
A- Popping white with distinct black spots
B- off white color, spots are "muddy" brown rings around a black spot.
C- Minimal white. Has the appearance someone spilt coffee on it and wiped it off. Spots are more blurry with an overall lack of character,
D- brown ugly minimal spotting.

Nice explanation MONSTER. Typed it up, laminated it and going in the shed!!

Good info guys !! Thanks. Just trying to stay ahead of the game.

Thats Awesome!!!

Nice.Could not imagine prices like that for a bobcat.

Has to be

That is the case with all fur buying. However, with raccoon that difference may be a couple of buck vs. a few hundred for cats.