Cat Registry - History

History

The first cat registry was the National Cat Club, set up in 1887 in England. Until the formation of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in 1910, the National Cat Club was also the Governing Body of the Cat Fancy. A rival registry called the Cat Club was set up in 1898, but foundered in 1903 and was replaced by the Cat Fanciers Association. Cats could only be registered with one or other registry. These two fancies merged in 1910 and became the GCCF. In the USA, the 1899 Chicago cat show resulted in the formation of the Chicago Cat Club, followed by the more powerful Beresford Cat Club (named after noted British breeder Lady Marcus Beresford). In 1906, the American Cat Association became the main registry. In 1908 this became the Cat Fanciers' Association Inc (CFA).

In the intervening years, many cat registries have been formed worldwide. These range from international organisations or federations to national registries in one particular country. In many countries, independent registries have also been formed which may or may not be recognised by the main registries. While some cat registries forbid the practice, it is now common to allow a cat to be registered by more than one registry. The largest overall organisation is the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) which is a worldwide federation of member cat registries.

Cat Registries have their own rules and also organise or licence cat shows. The show procedures vary widely and awards won in one registry are not normally recognised by another.

The World Cat Congress (WCC) is an international coordinating organisation of the largest cat registries. The WCC operates an "open Doors" policy by which cats registered with one registry can be shown under the rules of another registry.

Some independent cat registries specialise in particular types of cat that are ineligible for registration with a major registry due to breed restrictions or certain genetic traits. For example The Dwarf Cat Association recognises breeds derived from the short-legged Munchkin (a cat body type genetic mutation) which are banned by FIFe and some other registries, while the Rare and Exotic Feline Registry specialises in cats derived from (or alleged to derive from) hybrids with wildcat species.