The Tabbies?

Some of the losers had hissy fits.

Which was perfectly understandable for those up for honors handed out Tuesday night in Beverly Hills. Call it the A-Cat-emy Awards.

After all, what feline doesn’t fancy itself the finest--even when a panel of pet professionals has been assembled to pick the most glamorous, the bravest and the healthiest cats from more than 4,000 entrants?

The nationwide competition was organized by a cat food company and staged before a black-tie crowd at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in a ceremony marked with stretch limousines and red carpets.

Most finalists were clad in real diamond jewelry. All were wearing real fur coats.

“They’re wearing more than $2 million worth of jewels,” said Robert Bozora of Tallarico jewelers, which lent the cats glittering bracelets and necklaces. “That’s why I’m watching every kitty like a hawk.”

Gold-plated trophies and a year’s supply of Whiskas cat food went to the winners. When it came time for acceptance speeches, the cat got each of the winners’ tongues. So their owners offered Oscar-like thank-yous to everyone who made it all possible.

The big winner, it turned out, was the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles, which received a $10,000 grant from Whiskas.

At least one of the losers was a sourpuss. Jasmine, a contestant in the glamour category, was frightened by the excitement and tried to flee from owner Pam Wilson of Burbank and escape from the contest.

Wilson, struggling to hold on, said: “Maybe there should have been a scaredy-cat category.”