2023 世界貓咪博覽會 (二) / Chanchao Meow Expo 2023 (Part 2)
我和朋友們是在週末期間才過去逛展的，相對的人潮會較多一些，我們已經有預料人會較多一些，但我們到達現場時，發現排隊的人已經在入口處繞了好幾圈，人比想像中還多的，但是，我們也只能跟著人潮慢慢排隊進場，發現很多人也把貓咪一起帶來逛展，不少人也準備寵物推車或寵物提籃讓貓咪坐在裡面一起逛，朋友就趁排隊時，快快地研究等下要從哪裡先開始逛。
結果，進場後，我們就一陣頭昏眼花迷路中，一段時間後，才搞清楚我們在那裏後，我就跟著朋友們直衝他們的目的地，因為已經搞清楚要拿贈品大部分都是打卡、FB 按讚、分享、追蹤 IG、加 line、填問卷之類的操作，就會拿到贈品，路過某家廠商，先加 line 好友跟 FB 打卡，拿到貓倍麗肉泥一包，經過一家手作樂園，這是一家朋友們很喜歡的店家，在這家店逛了一下，他就買了一些好看的寵物服飾及配件，朋友說萬聖節快到了，他要買些特色服飾及配件好好幫貓咪裝扮一下，真是被他打敗了，有些店家，只要消費到一定份額，就可以獲得抽獎或扭蛋機機會，我們有時候會為了湊到抽獎或扭蛋機機會，多買了一些明明用不到的東西，只能說商人真的是好厲害。
路過一家販賣貓跳台的店家，朋友看上一組很有質感的貴妃椅跟貓沙發，因為認識不是一天兩天了，我們看得出來他已經心花怒放了，於是我們趕緊把他拉走，別讓他亂花錢，在某家店家，只要 FB 按讚，就可以拿到一些餐包試用包，朋友立刻試試看適口性如何，適口性簡單來說就是寵物們覺得好不好吃，就像人會挑嘴一樣，寵物主子們，有些也很會挑嘴，結果，他家的主子不喜歡那試用包的味道，嚐試一下就不繼續吃了，帶主子來的好處之一，就是假如主子喜歡的話，就可以放心大買特買，不會買到便宜，但主子不會動的東西。
幾個朋友相約來逛展的主要目標是想買主食罐頭，因為主食罐頭是消耗品，假如可以大家一起買，買大量的話會比較便宜，另外，像這種場合，廠商都會給比較大的折扣，不意外地，我們還有機會看到一些市面上還未上的新品，之前有看過海瓜子及西洋紅蝦口味的餐包，覺得好像比人吃得還好，所以，假如想給貓咪換換口味的話，這種場合可以看到多樣的商品，另外，還有免費的試用包可以索取，像是寵物用益生菌等，真的覺得很多人稱寵物為毛小孩，真是一點都沒錯。
雖然週末人潮比平日多，但是會看到很多同好帶著寵物們一同出遊，所以，放眼望去，可以看到別人家漂亮乾淨的貓咪們，假如，看到喜歡的貓咪的話，禮貌性地跟飼主詢問，通常飼主都會很大方的讓我們玩貓，順便可以和飼主交換彼此心得，會後，有機會的話，我們還可以相約到寵物友善餐廳聯絡感情，朋友們在這場活動就加了十多位同好的 Line。
My friends and I decided to visit an exhibition over the weekend, expecting a larger crowd. As we arrived at the venue, we noticed that the line at the entrance had already wrapped around multiple times, and there were even more people than we had anticipated. We had no choice but to join the queue and patiently make our way in. To our surprise, we saw many people bringing their cats along to the exhibition, with some even using pet strollers or carriers for their feline companions. While waiting in line, my friends quickly strategized where to start their exploration, knowing that most freebies required actions like checking in on social media, liking Facebook pages, sharing, following on Instagram, adding as Line friends, or filling out surveys.
Once inside, we got a bit disoriented for a while, but eventually figured out where we were. I followed my friends to their chosen destinations because I understood that most freebies required some digital interaction. For instance, passing by a certain vendor, we added them on Line and checked in on Facebook to receive a pack of cat food. At another booth, which was a handmade pet paradise, my friends couldn't resist buying some stylish pet clothing and accessories. They mentioned that Halloween was around the corner, and they wanted to dress up their cats in some unique outfits, which I found amusing. Some vendors offered the chance to win prizes or use a gashapon machine by reaching a specific spending threshold. Occasionally, we ended up buying things we didn't really need just to have a shot at these opportunities – merchants are quite clever, aren't they?
At one point, we passed a store selling cat trees and high-quality cat sofas, and one of my friends was tempted by a luxurious cat throne. Since we've known each other for a long time, we recognized his enthusiasm, so we swiftly moved on to prevent him from making an impulsive purchase. In another booth, liking their Facebook page earned us some sample pet food bags. My friends immediately checked the taste to see if it was palatable for their cats. Pet food palatability is essentially whether the pets like the taste or not, much like humans having their food preferences. Some pets can be quite picky, so one advantage of bringing your pets is that if they enjoy the samples, you can buy with confidence, avoiding unnecessary spending on things they won't eat.
Our main goal of being Chanchao Meow Expo 2023, as a group of friends, was to buy canned cat food. These are consumables, and buying in bulk can save you money, especially at an event where vendors offer discounts. Not surprisingly, we also got to see some new products that haven't hit the market yet, like sunflower seed and prawn-flavored cat food, which seemed almost better than human snacks. So, if you ever want to treat your feline friends to something special, these events offer a variety of options. Plus, you can also request free samples like probiotics for pets, making you realize why some people call their pets "fur babies."
Although the weekend crowd was larger than on weekdays, we noticed that many pet enthusiasts brought their furry friends along for the trip. So, looking around, we could see beautiful and well-groomed cats from other pet owners. If we happened to see a cat we liked, we'd politely ask the owner for permission to interact with their pet. Typically, pet owners were generous and allowed us to play with their cats, giving us the chance to exchange experiences. After such encounters, if the opportunity arose, we could make plans to meet up at a pet-friendly restaurant and further connect with fellow pet enthusiasts. My friends added over a dozen new friends on Line during this event.