Cats are the greatest animals on this earth. Please: do not fight this fact. With their sumptuous fluff and formidable minds, they reign supreme over all of us; dominating our homes and hearts with an unphased flick of the tail.
East London photographer Joe Hart also loves cats. That’s why he went to Birmingham’s Supreme Cat Show – the most prestigious event on the UK’s feline calendar – for his latest photography project. “I figured it would be a good day out,” he tells Huck. “Plus who doesn’t love flashy photos of fluff?”
Hart had a good time, and was impressed by both the array of cat breeds on display and the variety in their size. “It was pretty amazing to see such a wide range of the same animal in one large warehouse,” he says, in reference to Birmingham’s sprawling National Exhibition Centre. “It was like an IKEA for cats.”
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0010-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0255-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
The photographer adds that the project – which is worlds away from his typical portrait work – was an opportunity to get out of London and broaden his thinking.
“There was a real mixture of people there,” he says. “A few that I met had travelled from quite far away – proper cat fans – but then there were also a lot of curious types like myself. Unsurprisingly, there weren’t many sneezing, cat-intolerant allergic folk in the crowd. The real juxtaposition, though, was the vaping convention that was in the arena next door. Two of the most far-removed sub-cultures in the same spot on a gloomy Saturday in Greater Birmingham.”
He adds: “I love using photography as an excuse to get myself into strange situations and speak to people I would never get the chance to… I find so much joy in trying to capture the niche hobbies and passions that most people aren’t aware of; capturing something entertaining in the removed or mundane. Also, I just like cats.”
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0186-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0133-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0124-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0117-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0120-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0112-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0103-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0075-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0048-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0065-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0020-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0035-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
![](https://images.huckmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SUMPREME_CAT_SHOW_0033-copy.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
See more of Joe Hart’s work on his official website, or follow him on Instagram.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
Latest on Huck
![Meet the shop cats of Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/15_2025-02-07-140230_blyr.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Meet the shop cats of Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district
Feline good — Traditionally adopted to keep away rats from expensive produce, the feline guardians have become part of the central neighbourhood’s fabric. Erica’s online series captures the local celebrities.
Written by: Isaac Muk
![How trans rights activism and sex workers’ solidarity emerged in the ’70s and ’80s](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Huck_Illo_Shoulder_To_Shoulder_1920X1080_250114.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
How trans rights activism and sex workers’ solidarity emerged in the ’70s and ’80s
Shoulder to Shoulder — In this extract from writer Jake Hall’s new book, which deep dives into the history of queer activism and coalition, they explore how anti-TERF and anti-SWERF campaigning developed from the same cloth.
Written by: Jake Hall
![A behind the scenes look at the atomic wedgie community](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Lampshade-WedgieSelf-Portrait.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
A behind the scenes look at the atomic wedgie community
Stretched out — Benjamin Fredrickson’s new project and photobook ‘Wedgies’ queers a time-old bullying act by exploring its erotic, extreme potential.
Written by: Isaac Muk
![“Welcome to the Useless Class”: Ewan Morrison in conversation with Irvine Welsh](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Untitled.jpeg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
“Welcome to the Useless Class”: Ewan Morrison in conversation with Irvine Welsh
For Emma — Ahead of the Scottish author’s new novel, he sat down with Irvine Welsh for an in-depth discussion of its dystopic themes, and the upcoming AI “tsunami”.
Written by: Irvine Welsh
![“Struggle helps people come together”: Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Sharon-Van-Etten-The-Attachment-Theory-2025-01-please-credit-Susu-Laroche.png?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
“Struggle helps people come together”: Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
Huck’s February interview — To hear more about the release of the indie darling’s first collaborative album, we caught up with her and Devra Hoff to hear about the record, motherhood in music and why the ’80s are back,
Written by: Isaac Muk
![Nxdia: “Poems became an escape for me”](https://images.huckmag.com/tco/images/Huck/Nxdia-web-header.jpg?w=1920&q=75&auto=compress&format=jpg)
Nxdia: “Poems became an escape for me”
What Made Me — In this series, we ask artists and rebels about the forces and experiences that shaped who they are. Today, it’s Egyptian-British alt-pop shapeshifter Nxdia.
Written by: Nxdia