Cat Fanciers' Association
Encyclopedia
Cat registry
A cat registry is an organisation that registers cats for exhibition and breeding purposes. A cat registry stores the pedigrees of cats, prefixes or affixes of catteries, studbooks , breed descriptions and the standards of points for those breeds; lists of judges qualified to judge at shows run...
and the predominant pedigreed cat registering association in North America. Headquartered in Manasquan, New Jersey
Manasquan, New Jersey
-Government:Manasquan is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only...
and moving to Alliance, Ohio
Alliance, Ohio
Alliance is a city in Stark and Mahoning counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 22,322 at the 2010 census. Alliance's nickname is "The Carnation City", and the city is home to the University of Mount Union....
, CFA's stated mission is to preserve and promote the pedigreed breeds of cats and to enhance the well-being of all cats. CFA's first licensed cat shows were held in Buffalo, New York and Detroit, Michigan in 1906.
CFA has grown during the last century and celebrated its centennial in 2006. In May 2006, CFA recognized 39 breeds for its Championship Class, one in Provisional Class and one in Miscellaneous Class.
In 2011, Belly Molina became the president of the Cat Fanciers' Association. She has garnered international fame for her viral videos titled "Belly Doin' Weird Cat Things" in which she did weird things of the cat variety.
List of CFA recognized pedigreed cats
By alphabetical order according to breed division :- A - AbyssinianAbyssinian (cat)The Abyssinian is a breed of domesticated cat with a distinctive ticked coat. There are many stories about its origins, often revolving around Ethiopia, but the actual origins are uncertain...
- American BobtailAmerican BobtailThe American Bobtail is a relatively new and uncommon breed of cat which appeared in the late 1960s. It is most notable for its stubby "bobbed" tail about one-third to one-half the length of a normal cat's tail. This is the result of a cat body type genetic mutation affecting the tail development,...
- American CurlAmerican CurlThe American Curl is a breed of cat characterized by its unusual ears, which curl back from the face toward the center of the back of the skull. An American Curl's ears should be handled carefully because rough handling may damage the cartilage in the ear. The breed originated in Lakewood,...
- American ShorthairAmerican ShorthairThe American Shorthair is a breed of cat believed to be descended from European domestic cats brought to North America by early settlers to protect valuable cargo from mice and rats...
- American WirehairAmerican WirehairThe American Wirehair is a breed of domestic cat originating in upstate New York. As of 2003, though the breed is well-known, it is ranked as the most rare of the 41 Cat Fancier's Association breeds, with only 22 registered, down from 39 in 2002.-History:... - B - BalineseBalinese (cat)The Balinese is breed of domestic cat with long hair and Siamese-style point coloration. It is essentially a Siamese but with a medium-length silky coat, and a plumed tail.-History:The "Balinese" is not actually from Bali or any part of Indonesia...
(including JavaneseJavanese (cat)The Javanese is a breed of domestic cat recognized by cat fanciers as a show cat, more specifically an oriental longhair.-Origin:The Javanese cat is not from Java nor Indonesia. Genetically they are long-haired Oriental."....
) - BirmanBirmanThe Birman is a domestic cat breed. Also called the "Sacred Cat of Burma", it is not to be confused with the Burmese, which is a separate and dissimilar breed. The Birman has medium-long hair, a pale colored body and darker points with deep blue eyes. Even though the cat is pointed, the paws have...
- BombayBombay (cat)The term Bombay cat is used to refer to two different cat breeds, known as the British Bombay and the American Bombay.- General information :* Body: Medium sized, Muscular* Build: Heavy...
- British ShorthairBritish ShorthairThe British Shorthair is a domesticated cat whose features make it a popular breed in cat shows. It has been the most popular breed of cat registered by the UK's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy since 2001, when it overtook the Persian breed....
- BurmeseBurmese (cat)The Burmese is a breed of domesticated cats split into two subgroups: the American Burmese and the British Burmese . Most modern Burmese are descendants of one female cat called Wong Mau, which was brought from Burma to America in 1930... - C - ChartreuxChartreuxThe Chartreux is a breed of domestic cat from France and is recognised by a number of registries around the world. It is not recognised by the GCCF in the UK, ostensibly for being too similar to the British Shorthair, one of whose colours is a similar blue-grey. The Chartreux is large and...
- Colorpoint ShorthairColorpoint ShorthairColorpoint Shorthairs are the first cousins of the Siamese and the Cat Fanciers' Association is the only registry that recognizes them as a standalone breed. In all other registries, they are part of the Siamese and Oriental breeds. These cats are distinguished by their elegance in sixteen...
- Cornish RexCornish RexA Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat. The Cornish Rex has no hair except for down. Most breeds of cat have three different types of hair in their coats: the outer fur or "guard hairs", which is about 5 cm long in shorthairs and 10cm+ long in longhairs; a middle layer called the "awn hair";... - D - Devon RexDevon RexThe Devon Rex is a breed of intelligent, short-haired cat that emerged in England during the 1960s. They are known for their slender bodies, wavy coat, and large ears, similar to the Cornish Rex.-Discovery and relations:...
- Dragon LiDragon LiThe Dragon Li, also called Chinese Li Hua, China Li Hua, Li Hua, Li Hua Mau, Li Hua Mao and 狸花猫 , or simply Li Mao 狸猫 is a Chinese Cat breed originating from nascent Chinese folklore and dynastic culture.-Physical characteristics:The Dragon Li displays a unique golden brown, broken mackerel The...
(aka Chinese Li Hua) - E - Egyptian MauEgyptian MauEgyptian Maus are a small-medium sized short-haired cat breed. Along with the Bahraini Dilmun Cat, they are one of the few naturally spotted breeds of domesticated cat. The spots on an Egyptian Mau are not only on the coat; a shaved Mau has spots on its skin...
- European Burmese - Exotic - H - Havana BrownHavana BrownThe Havana Brown, one of the breeds tentatively identified as the 19th Century Swiss Mountain cat, is a breed of cat well known and shown in England in the 1890s....
- J - Japanese Bobtail
- K - KoratKoratKorats are a slate blue-grey shorthair domestic cat with a small to medium build and a low percentage of body fat. Their bodies are semi-cobby, and surprisingly heavy for their size. They are intelligent, playful, active cats and form strong bonds with people. Among Korats' distinguishing...
- L - LaPermLaPermThe LaPerm is a recognized breed of cat. A LaPerm's fur is curly , with the tightest curls being on the belly, throat and base of the ears. LaPerms come in many colors and patterns. LaPerms generally have a very affectionate personality....
- M - Maine CoonMaine CoonThe Maine Coon is a breed of domestic cat with a distinctive physical appearance and valuable hunting skills. It is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America, specifically native to the state of Maine, where it is the official State Cat....
- ManxManx (cat)The Manx cat , formerly often spelled Manks, is a breed of domestic cat originating on the Isle of Man, with a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail... - N - Norwegian Forest CatNorwegian Forest CatThe Norwegian Forest Cat is a breed of domestic cat native to Northern Europe, and adapted to a very cold climate, with top coat of glossy, long, water-shedding hairs, and a woolly undercoat for insulation...
- O - OcicatOcicatThe Ocicat is an all-domestic breed of cat which resembles a 'wild' cat but has no wild blood. The breed is unusual in that it is spotted like a wild cat but has the temperament of a domestic animal. It is named for its resemblance to the ocelot....
- OrientalOriental ShorthairThe Siamese cat was imported to Britain from Siam in the later half of the 1800s. According to reports, both pointed and solid colors were imported. The gene that causes the color to be restricted to the points is a recessive gene, therefore the general population of the cats of Siam were largely... - P - Persian (including HimalayanHimalayan (cat)The Himalayan cat is a breed of long-haired cat identical in type to the Persian, with the exception of its blue eyes and its point coloration, which were derived from the crossing of the Persian with the Siamese...
) - R - Ragamuffin - RagdollRagdollThe Ragdoll is a cat breed with blue eyes and a distinct colorpoint coat. It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat. Developed by American breeder Ann Baker, it is best known for its docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature...
- Russian BlueRussian BlueThe Russian Blue is a cat breed that has a silver-blue coat. These cats are known to be highly intelligent and playful but tend to be timid around strangers... - S - Scottish FoldScottish FoldThe Scottish Fold is a breed of cat with a natural dominant-gene mutation that makes its ear cartilage contain a fold, causing the ears to bend forward and down towards the front of their head, which gives the cat what is often described as an "owl-like" appearanceOriginally called lop-eared or...
- Selkirk RexSelkirk RexThe Selkirk Rex is a breed of cat with highly curled hair, including the whiskers . It is distinct from all other Rex breeds. Unlike the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, the hair is of normal length and not partly missing, and there are longhair and shorthair varieties...
- SiameseSiamese (cat)The Siamese is one of the first distinctly recognized breeds of Oriental cat. The origins of the breed are unknown, but it is believed to be from Thailand. In Thailand, where they are one of several native breeds, they are called Wichian Mat...
- SiberianSiberian (cat)The Siberian is a domestic cat breed that has been present in Russia for centuries. The full name of the cat is the 'Siberian Forest Cat' although sometimes referred to as the 'Siberian' or the 'Siberian Cat'. The cat is an ancient breed that is now believed to be ancestral to all modern...
- SingapuraSingapura (cat)The Singapura is one of the smallest breeds of cats, noted for its large eyes and ears, brown ticked coat and blunt tail. Reportedly established from three "drain cats" imported from Singapore in the 1970s, it was later revealed that the cats were originally sent to Singapore from the US before...
- SomaliSomali (cat)The Somali is a cat breed created from long-haired Abyssinian cats. The breed appeared in the 1950s from Abyssinian breeding programs when a number of Abyssinian kittens were born with bottle-brush tails and long fluffy coats...
- SphynxSphynx (cat)The Sphynx is a rare breed of cat known for its lack of a coat.The contemporary breed of Sphynx started in 1966, in Roncesvalles, Toronto when a hairless kitten named Prune was born. The kitten was mated with its mother , which produced one more naked kitten... - T - TonkineseTonkinese (cat)Tonkinese are a medium-sized cat breed distinguished by points as with Siamese and Burmese breeds. They are lively, friendly, often talkative cats, with gregarious personalities. But they are happy apartment cats if they have some exercise opportunity. They are commonly referred to as 'Tonks'...
- Turkish AngoraTurkish AngoraThe Turkish Angora is a breed of domestic cat. Turkish Angoras are one of the ancient, naturally occurring cat breeds, having originated in central Turkey, in the Ankara region...
- Turkish VanTurkish VanThe Turkish Van is a recognized cat breed that is known for its unusual love of water and swimming. They were created from the cats native to the Lake Van area of Turkey. The cats of this type are named in Turkish Van Kedisi , in Armenian vana katou or vana gadou and in Kurdish...
Services
The CFA offers a number of services to catteriesCattery
There are two types of cattery, boarding cattery and breeding cattery.A boarding cattery is where cats are housed temporarily when they can't stay at their owners' home...
, purebred
Show cat
A show cat is one that has been judged to be close to the physical ideal for its breed standard at a cat show...
feline owners, and the general public. One service the CFA offers is certified pedigree lists for registered cats. Registered cat pedigrees going back from three to six generations are available.
Other activities
CFA recognizes 40 pedigreed breeds for showing in the Championship Class and one breed as Miscellaneous (this became effective with the 2008-2009 show season). Since 1994, the CFA has hosted the CFA International Cat ShowCFA International Cat Show
The CFA International Cat Show is a cat show hosted by the Cat Fanciers' Association in the United States of America. It is a show that has been held on an annual basis since 1994 with the exceptions of 2007 and 2010. Considered the Rolls-Royce of international cat shows, it is the largest show of...
, described as the "Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
of cat shows", the largest of its kind in the USA. The 2008 event was held in Atlanta as will be the 2009 event.
Other activities of the CFA include setting breed standards and offering breeding guidelines, training show judges, promoting and inspecting catteries, supporting and publicizing research on cat health issues, influencing legislative issues, providing disaster relief and breed rescue programs, publishing books and magazines and informing the general public on topics relating to cats.
Description of CFA Cat Shows and Titles
While no two shows are identical, CFA cat shows follow certain procedures and guidelines:A CFA cat show actually consists of a number of simultaneous cat shows running at the same time within the same place. Depending on the size of the show, there are anywhere from 4 to 12 "rings" (or miniature shows) which generally run 1 to 2 days in length. Each "ring" has its own judge who independently scores cats and awards the top 10 places (or top 15 depending on the size of the show).
Rings are of two kinds:
- "All Breed" rings allow cats of every breed approved by the CFA to be judged... From Sphynx to Persian and everything in between.
- "Specialty" rings separate out cats into one of two types: "Long Hair" category include cats like Persians, Main Coons, and other long-haired cats. "Short Hair" include Burmeese, Sphynx, American Short Hair and other short-haired cats.
Points are awarded to cats based multiple of their placement within each ring combined with the number of cats that the cat has "beaten" in the ring.
- At the end of each show season, the top 25 cats in the country with the most points for the show season are awarded the coveted title of "National Winner" (NW).
- Cats in the top 25 of their "region" (usually several states) are awarded the prestigious title of "Regional Winner" (RW).
- Adult cats who are not neutered and achieve a point ranking of over 200 points are awarded the title of "Grand Champion".
- Neutered cats can be shown in a class called "Premier" and achieve the title of "Grand Premier".
- Cats which meet the standards of the breed as confirmed by six judges at one show are awarded "winners ribbon" by each judge and are awarded the lowest title of "Champion".
- Kittens from the age of 4 to 8 months compete in a separate "Kitten" class, and are also able to achieve the title of "National Winner" and "Regional Winner", but can not become Grand Champions or Grand Premiers until reaching adulthood at 8 months of age.
- Adult cats being shown at a show with no existing title are referred to as "Open".