8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations. Amongst the programmes that were chosen to be merged for the evening of specials, production teams on "Countdown" and "8 Out of 10 Cats" agreed to merge the two formats of their respective programmes together - the crossover between the two formats meant that "Countdown"s arrangement of games would be interspersed with "8 Out of 10 Cats"-style banter. As part of the merger, both Rachel Riley and Susie Dent assumed their roles from the programme, while Jimmy Carr took on the mantle of host, with both Sean Lock and Jon Richardson competing as
The Standard of Perfection: Show Cats reminded her of the 2000 mockumentary "Best in Show" with similarities in the owners' eccentricity. She noted the documentary's most interesting moment as a freaked-out cat in competition jumping into an audience. She concluded, "'Show Cats' is all about watching beautiful, fastidiously groomed animals looking their best for the cameras and the judges." Ranny Green of "The Seattle Times" writes that "Mark Lewis' "Show Cats" is a compelling mix of expressive close-ups from the giant show hall to the tiny playroom at home, plus revealing interviews with owners and judges." He adds, "Lewis captures a buoyant, playful camaraderie as competitors