Spanning the globe to judge cat shows:
When Joan Apel-Klarner arrived in China this fall, she wasn't planning to spend her days taking in the tourist sights.She was there to look at cats.
For this 69-year-old Rockford native, her lifelong hobby of judging cat shows frequently rewards her with trips to foreign lands. This time, it was China for a show sponsored by the Cat Aficionado Association. But she also has checked out kitties in Japan, Hungary, Austria, Germany and Canada.
"It's exciting," she said. "Every Top 10 cat you pick out, you try to be honest. I try not to look when they bring their cats up, so even if I know the person, I won't let that influence me. It's nice to know you've done your best at the end of the day."