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A cat registry or cat breed registry, also known as a cat fancier organization,
cattery A cattery means any building, collection of buildings or property in which cats are housed, maintained, and in some cases bred. A cattery can be anything from a state-of-the-art facility with CCTV, televisions and water features to a building at ...
federation, or cat breeders' association, is an organization that registers
domestic cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...
(usually
purebred Purebreds are "cultivated varieties" of an animal species achieved through the process of selective breeding. When the lineage of a purebred animal is recorded, that animal is said to be "pedigreed". Purebreds breed true-to-type which means the p ...
) of many breeds, for exhibition and for breeding lineage tracking purposes. A cat registry stores the
pedigree Pedigree may refer to: Breeding * Pedigree chart, a document to record ancestry, used by genealogists in study of human family lines, and in selective breeding of other animals ** Pedigree, a human genealogy (ancestry chart) ** Pedigree (animal ...
s (genealogies) of cats, cattery names, and other details of cats; studbooks (lists of authorized studs of recognized breeds),
breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...
descriptions, and the formal
breed standards In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include physical or morphological detail, genetic criteria, or criteria of athletic ...
(a.k.a. standards of points or SoP); lists of judges qualified to judge at shows run by or affiliated with that registry, and sometimes other information. A cat registry is not the same as a breed club or breed society (these are specific-breed organizations that may be affiliated with one or more registries with whom they have lodged breed standards in order to be able to exhibit under the auspices of that registry). Cat registries each have their own rules and usually also organize or license (sanction) cat shows. The show procedures vary widely, and awards won in one registry are not normally recognized by another. Some registries only serve breeders, while others are oriented toward pet owners and provide individual as well as cattery memberships, while yet others are federations only deal with breed clubs or even other registries as intermediaries between the organization and breeders.


History

The first cat registry was the National Cat Club, set up in 1887 in
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Until the formation of the
Governing Council of the Cat Fancy The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) is a cat registry, established in 1910 and the largest organisation that registers pedigree cats in the United Kingdom. It was formed from a small number of cat clubs which were registering cats a ...
in 1910, the National Cat Club was also the governing body of the
cat fancy The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
. A rival registry called the Cat Club was set up in 1898, but foundered in 1903 and was replaced by the ritishCat Fanciers' Association. Cats could only be registered with one or the other registry. These two fancies merged in 1910 and became the
GCCF The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) is a cat registry, established in 1910 and the largest organisation that registers pedigree cats in the United Kingdom. It was formed from a small number of cat clubs which were registering cats a ...
. In the United States, the 1899 Chicago cat show resulted in the formation of the Chicago Cat Club, followed by the better-organized Beresford Cat Club (named after noted British breeder Lady Marcus Beresford). In 1906, the Beresford Cat Club renamed itself the
American Cat Association American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
(ACA) and rapidly became the dominant North American registry for a short time. In 1908, the merican, and extant
Cat Fanciers' Association The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) was established in the United States in 1906. The CFA is currently the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats. Originally headquartered in Manasquan, New Jersey the CFA moved to Alliance, Ohio in 2010. ...
(CFA) split off, and both organizations continue to the present, with competition from
The International Cat Association The International Cat Association (TICA) is considered the world's largest genetic cat registry. Originally a North American organization, it now has a worldwide presence. The organization has a genetic registry for pedigreed and household pet cat ...
(TICA), also US-based, as well as more regional associations. ACA today accepts Canadian and Mexican as well as US registrations but remains primarily active in the northeastern United States. Both TICA and CFA are international, though the bulk of their pedigrees are issued to US breeders. In the intervening years, many cat registries have been formed worldwide. These range from international organizations or federations to national registries in one particular country. In many countries, independent registries have also been formed which may or may not be recognized by the main registries. The internationally broadest organisation is the
Fédération Internationale Féline The Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) (in English "International Feline Federation") is a federation of cat registries. There are currently forty-two member organizations in forty countries. Membership spans Europe, South America, and ...
(FIFe, founded 1949 in Paris, and presently based in Belgium), which is a worldwide federation of member cat registries, with a large European and South American presence. The
World Cat Federation The World Cat Federation (WCF) is an international association of cat clubs. It was founded in 1988 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and continues to have a strong presence in Latin America, Western Europe, and in countries of the former USSR. It ...
(WCF, founded 1988 in Rio de Janeiro, presently based in Germany), has a strong presence in Latin America, throughout Western Europe, and in countries of the former
USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
. It is organized on a similar basis to FIFe but has a much more permissive approach to new breed acceptance. Like CFA, WCF provides a cattery registration service (to "reserve" cattery names and prevent others from using conflicting ones). While some cat registries forbid the practice, it is now common to allow a cat to be registered by more than one registry. The
World Cat Congress The World Cat Congress (WCC) is an international confederation of the biggest international federations and national associations in the cat fancy. Purpose The purpose of the WCC is to promote better understanding and co-operation among the worl ...
(WCC) is an international coordinating organization of the largest cat registries. WCC operates an "open-door" policy by which cats registered with one WCC registry can be shown under the rules of another WCC registry. Going further, the
World Cat Federation The World Cat Federation (WCF) is an international association of cat clubs. It was founded in 1988 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and continues to have a strong presence in Latin America, Western Europe, and in countries of the former USSR. It ...
, a WCC member accepts half again as many breeds as it publishes standards for, because it accepting the standards of TICA, FIFe, and several other WCC-affiliated federations, though it has also produced some nomenclatural conflicts with some of them. Some independent cat registries specialize in particular types of cats that are ineligible for registration with a major registry due to breed restrictions or certain genetic traits. For example, The Dwarf Cat Association recognizes breeds derived from the short-legged Munchkin (a
cat body type genetic mutation Cats, like all living organisms, occasionally have mutations that affect their body type. Sometimes, these mutations are striking enough that humans select for and perpetuate them. This is not always in the best interests of the cat, as many o ...
) which are banned by FIFe and some other registries. The
Rare and Exotic Feline Registry The Rare and Exotic Feline Registry (REFR) is a cat registry founded in 1984. The organization specializes in cats "derived from (or alleged to derive from) hybrids with wildcat species". It has recognized unique breeds including the Desert Lynx, ...
specializes in cats derived from (or alleged to derive from) hybridization with wildcat species.


Recognition levels

Most registries offer several levels of recognition (often called registers). The actual designations differ between registries, but typically these are: ; Full: a breed that competes for championship titles at shows organized by, or affiliated to, that registry ; Provisional/Preliminary: the level of recognition of cat breeds until they demonstrate that they breed true to their registered standards; there may be several levels of provisional/preliminary recognition e.g. ''new'' or ''advanced'' as numbers and popularity increase ; Experimental: a provisional register for breeds in development; this may be separate from the provisional/preliminary register in some cat fancies ; Exhibition only: a new trait, new import or minority variety that does not compete, but is exhibited in order to attract opinion and/or potential breeders ; Registration only: status means cats of that breed can be registered, but do not have permission to be exhibited. Not all breeds achieve full (championship) status. In breeds known to carry recessive genes (e.g. long-haired cats born from short-haired parents, colorpoint cats born from non-colorpoint parents), cats that do not meet their breed standard might be registered as variants or they might be registered under a different breed name. These may sometimes be used to maintain a good gene pool, but not exhibited in championship classes for the parents' breed. A genetic register is used by some registries for breeds where a genetic test is required before cats can be bred. Cats that have not been cleared through testing remain on the genetic register unless negative test results are provided. There may also be active and inactive registers that denote whether a cat legitimately may be used in breeding and its offspring registered. A cat registry is at liberty to refuse to accept breeds if it feels the breed is not genetically sound; does not breed true to the standard put forward by the developer(s) of the breed (with allowances made for known variants); is not represented in sufficient numbers or is not sufficiently distinct from breeds already recognized by the registry. It may also expel breeders who do not conform to accepted standards of behavior and ethics, with the result that their cats may be disqualified from its shows. The rules as to what constitutes a new breed vary from registry to registry.
The International Cat Association The International Cat Association (TICA) is considered the world's largest genetic cat registry. Originally a North American organization, it now has a worldwide presence. The organization has a genetic registry for pedigreed and household pet cat ...
(TICA) is a relatively progressive registry that will recognize breeds derived from crossing existing breeds; mutations of an existing breed; naturally occurring breeds indigenous to a geographical location; a breed already recognized by a different registry; and experimental breeds that do not yet have a TICA-approved breed name.TICA Registration Rules
Relating to Breed Recognition and Types of Registration FIFe will register some new breeds imported from other registries but have set procedures for these breeds to gain full recognition. The GCCF is a more conservative registry and recognizes new color variations of an existing breed, but do not usually recognise other mutations of an existing breed e.g. spontaneous rexed fur, and is slow to accept new breeds. CFA takes a similar resistant approach, and has a position statement discouraging most attempts at new breed formation or even new coat colour patterns. What constitutes a breed at all also varies widely between registries. Some "permissive" organisations recognise as separate breeds what most "conservative" registries would consider several coat variants of the same breed. For example, the WCF treats all long-haired and short-haired variants as distinct breeds, and both WCF and CFA recognize a
Colourpoint Shorthair Colorpoint Shorthairs are a variety of domestic cats. Depending on the cat registry, they may be considered a separate breed of cat, or more often a variant of a pre-existing one, if accepted at all. These cats are distinguished by their confo ...
breed that others consider a Siamese cat with non-standard colouration. Similarly, the Cymric is recognized as a breed in some registries, considered under that name as a sub-breed of the Manx in some, called simply the Manx Longhair or Longhair Manx in others, and not recognized at all by a few. Registries may also use different names for the same breed, and the WCF has even been known to assign breed names that conflict with those other registries (i.e. are applied to completely different breeds). Various registries includes breeds not recognized (yet) by any others, either due to differences in relative progressiveness toward breed introduction and establishment, or due to geographical proximity to breeds unknown in other parts of the world.


Breed numbers, acronyms and codes

Registries allocate a breed number,
acronym An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
or a Code to the breeds they register. Most use a two or 3 letter acronym e.g. MK (
Munchkin A Munchkin is a native of the fictional Munchkin Country in the Oz books by American author L. Frank Baum. They first appear in the classic children's novel ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' (1900) where they welcome Dorothy Gale to their city in O ...
), JBT (
Japanese Bobtail The Japanese Bobtail is a breed of domestic cat with an unusual bobtail more closely resembling the tail of a rabbit than that of other cats. The variety is native to Japan, though it is now found throughout the world. The breed has been know ...
). This may be followed by numbers or lower case acronyms that indicate colour and pattern, these being subdivisions of the breed. For historical reasons, the British GCCF allocate numbers to breeds and the Black
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
Longhair is registered under a different breed number, and effectively as a different breed, to the Blue
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
Longhair. These lists may be found on individual registry websites (or in their printed publications where they do not yet have a website). All FIFe Member cat registries use the EMS (Easy Memory System) breed and variety code which consists of a breed abbreviation followed by pattern and colour letters and digits which are consistent across all breeds. Where a breed is already recognised by another registry, it is becoming increasingly common to adopt an existing acronym (with the possible addition or subtraction of a letter) in order to avoid clashes and confusion. Where 2 breeds with different characteristics have the same name, it is usual to prefix the name with the country/area of origin e.g. in the US the " Burmese" and "European Burmese" are different breeds with different conformation. In the UK, "Burmese" refers to the European form as the "American Burmese" is not recognised. A single breed may have 2 different breed names in different countries. In Britain, a cat of
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
type with the colourpoint pattern is called a Colourpoint
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
. In the USA it is called a Himalayan. The American-bred Serengeti was founded in 1992 by Karen Sausaman from Oriental x Bengal crosses to resemble the wild cats of the Serengeti plains but without the introduction of wild cat blood. In Britain, a Bengal x Siamese cross was originally called the Savannah, but was later renamed Serengeti because of an existing American breed called the Savannah. The American-bred Savannah resembles the
Serval The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, except rainforest regions. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in ran ...
and the first generation cross is
Serval The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, except rainforest regions. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in ran ...
x domestic. Where colours have been added to a breed through outcrossing to another breed, not all registries accept the new colours under the original breed name e.g. Chocolate
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
s and Lilac
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
s may be recognised under the name "
Kashmir Kashmir () is the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term "Kashmir" denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...
" as the two colors were introduced through crossing to Siamese cats during the development of the Colourpoint Persian (UK) and Himalayan (USA).


List of registries and related organizations


World co-ordinating body

*
World Cat Congress The World Cat Congress (WCC) is an international confederation of the biggest international federations and national associations in the cat fancy. Purpose The purpose of the WCC is to promote better understanding and co-operation among the worl ...
(WCC) – does not issue breed standards


International

*
Cat Fanciers' Association The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) was established in the United States in 1906. The CFA is currently the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats. Originally headquartered in Manasquan, New Jersey the CFA moved to Alliance, Ohio in 2010. ...
(CFA) – over 67,000 breeders/ catteries registered (not all are active members); over 2 mil. registered cats; about 400 shows per year; 600 clubs; 42 recognised breeds ( describes itself as "the largest registry of pedigreed cats" *
Fédération Internationale Féline The Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) (in English "International Feline Federation") is a federation of cat registries. There are currently forty-two member organizations in forty countries. Membership spans Europe, South America, and ...
(FIFe) – over 100,000 individual members, 3,000
cattery A cattery means any building, collection of buildings or property in which cats are housed, maintained, and in some cases bred. A cattery can be anything from a state-of-the-art facility with CCTV, televisions and water features to a building at ...
members, and 110,000 pedigrees (involving entire litters; over 200,000 cats are shown annually at FIFe events); 43 organisations (plus 1 provisional) in 41 countries; over 700 shows per year; 48 recognised breeds ( The 48-breed count includes a "Preliminary" category, and excludes "House Cats" (i.e.
mongrel A mongrel, mutt or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized Dog breed, breed and including those that are the result of intentional Dog breeding, breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometime ...
category).
describes itself as "the United Nations of cat federations" and "a leading international cat fancier society" *
The International Cat Association The International Cat Association (TICA) is considered the world's largest genetic cat registry. Originally a North American organization, it now has a worldwide presence. The organization has a genetic registry for pedigreed and household pet cat ...
(TICA) – over 3,000 individual members; about 200 shows per year; over 200 clubs; 75 recognised breeds ( The 75-breed count includes "Advanced New" and "Preliminary" categories, excludes "Household Pet" (mongrel) category. describes itself as "the world's largest genetic registry of pedigreed cats, and the world's largest registry of household pets" *
World Cat Federation The World Cat Federation (WCF) is an international association of cat clubs. It was founded in 1988 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, and continues to have a strong presence in Latin America, Western Europe, and in countries of the former USSR. It ...
(WCF) – over 10,000 breeders/catteries registered (not all are active members); 66 national organisations (plus 64 provisional); 370 clubs (over 500 counting sub-clubs) total pedigrees unknown (handled by clubs, not centralised); average of over 500 shows per year; 89 recognised breeds ( The 89-breed count includes the "Admitted but not Recognized" and "Preliminary" categories, but excludes duplicate listings of long-haired variants, and the "Household Pet" (mongrel) category; counting long-haired, the total list is 106. This registry classifies as "breeds" many varieties that other registries consider sub-breeds or coat variations within another breed. That said, it is the most permissive of the major registries in recognising new breeds, and accepts any recognised by other WCC members, and by LOOF. However, it sometimes uses names that conflict with other registries', and it confusingly lists several breeds as "synonyms", yet does not treat them consistently, listing some as separate breeds with different acceptance levels. WCF directly publishes only 61 breed standards, the rest being accepted from other specific registries. describes itself as "an international association of cat clubs ... working on the development of animal protection laws"


National

*
American Cat Fanciers Association The American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) is an American non-profit organization formed with the intent of allowing greater flexibility in the development of pedigreed cats. The ACFA is a cat registry for purebred, pedigreed cats, experiment ...
(ACFA) *
Australian Cat Federation The Australian Cat Federation (ACF) is an Australian organisation created in 1972. Its goal is to better the breeding of cats, to recognise new breeds, and to keep standards and rules regarding competitions. History The association was creat ...
*
Emirates Feline Federation Emirates may refer to: * United Arab Emirates, a Middle Eastern country * Emirate, any territory ruled by an emir ** Gulf emirates, emirates located on the Persian Gulf ** Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, the individual emirates * The Emirat ...
(EFF) – UAE *
Governing Council of the Cat Fancy The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) is a cat registry, established in 1910 and the largest organisation that registers pedigree cats in the United Kingdom. It was formed from a small number of cat clubs which were registering cats a ...
(GCCF) – UK *
Chats Canada Cats Chat or chats may refer to: Communication * Conversation, particularly casual * Online chat, text message communication over the Internet in real-time * Synchronous conferencing, a formal term for online chat * SMS chat, a form of text messagi ...
(CCC) - Canada *
Cat Aficionado Association The Cat Aficionado Association (CAA) is China's largest registry of pedigreed cats and is recognized internationally in conjunction with American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) as the premiere pedigreed cat registering association in Asia. Headqu ...
(CAA) – China (shares the ACFA standards) *
Canadian Cat Association The Canadian Cat Association (french: Association Féline Canadienne, CCA-AFC) is a non-profit organization in Canada whose mission is to promote the welfare of all cats in Canada, maintain a registry of pedigreed cats in Canada, and further the ...
/Association Féline Canadienne (CCA-AFC) *
Southern Africa Cat Council The Southern Africa Cat Council (SACC) is a cat registry and cat fancy organisation based in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded t ...
(SACC or TSACC)


Notes and references

* Simpson, Frances. 1903. ''The Book of the Cat''. * Winslow, Helen M. 1900. ''Concerning Cats''.


External links


Cat Registries And Cat Clubs - A Broad Definition
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cat Registry Breed registries