There are many videos online for all kinds of cat-related topics. Some about training, some about how to make your cat an internet sensation, and some about basic care.

An integral part of caring for a cat and preparing one for show is clipping the claws.

Claws can get stuck in cages, clothing, or skin and be downright painful for the cat if not properly maintained.

Show rule 10.06 dictates “All claws of each entry must be clipped prior to benching. Failure to do so will subject the entry to disqualification. “

It is unknown the last time an entry was disqualified for this reason, but for the safety for the felines, you, and your judges, clip those claws!

Many people have asked about how they will access their digital subscription. Easy! Subscribers will receive a link to their account as soon as each issue is released. Click on the link, and there you are! You will be able to also view previous issues that you had a digital subscription to as well.

Want to subscribe? That's easy too! Use this direct link to sign up and pay: https://simplecirc.com/subscriber_login/cat-talk. Remember, digital subscriptions are now only $20 and we are looking forward to welcoming both old and new readers from all over the world!

Montgomery, AL Considers Breeder Licensing and Other Animal Code Changes 

The Montgomery, Alabama City Council is considering multiple changes to their animal code. The proposed amendments include mandatory microchipping and registration, an expanded cruelty section that appears under-developed, and amendments to the existing Article VI - Breeding, Training, Boarding that raise new questions that are unanswered for hobby breeders.

In Other News…. The Los Angeles City Council is considering a resolution supporting the California "Dog and Cats Bill of Rights" legislation.

What's Hot………… Norway's Unethical Breeding Case and the Revision of Animal Ordinances in Houston, Texas

Please report legislation happenings in your area to the Legislative Group – legislation@cfa.org  Visit the CFALegislativeNews Facebook page and the CFA Legislative Group Blog to see the current legislative news.

Health Breakthroughs for Every Cat: FIP and Beyond! ” -A Feline Health Symposium.

EveryCat Health Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine is hosting a feline-specific health symposium July 8th and 9th, 2022 at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

Pioneers in cat health from across the globe will be presenting on topics such as FIP, Kitten Health, Cat-Friendly Homing, Treating Chronic Pain, Community Cats, FeLV, and more…

Also, in celebration and support a brighter future for feline health, the event will include the “Fabulous Feline Fête” banquet Saturday, July 9th from 6pm until 9pm, at the University of Florida Hilton Conference Center. Dinner, Silent Auction, Special Cats from Local Shelters, and much, much more…

In-person and virtual enrollment available. In-person enrollment will be limited to 150, on a first come, first served basis.

For more information, visit https://everycat.org/feline-health-symposium-register-here/

Register at https://reg.conferences.dce.ufl.edu/Basic/1400084944 Or use the QR Code! (right)

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, contact Virginia at vrud@everycat.org

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, contact Virginia at vrud@everycat.org

Join us for a virtual 5K run in May 2022.

For one month, you or your team can raise money for EveryCat Health Foundation.

This virtual race can be joined from any location you choose. You can run, jog, or walk on the road, on the trail, on the treadmill, at the gym, or on the track.

You get to run your own race, at your own pace, and time it yourself.

Participate on your own or build a team with friends! Complete a virtual 5K, 10K, or half marathon! Raise money to support feline health studies!

T-shirts and medals available!

For more information, click https://everycat.org/lets-get-catletic-a-virtual-fun-run/

If you donate the use of your motor vehicle in service of charitable organizations, you may be entitled to a charitable deduction. For 2022 the standard mileage rate for the use of a car (also vans, pickups, or panel trucks) is 14.0 cents per mile driven for the charitable organizations. This rate is unchanged from 2021. If your actual costs of using your vehicle for charity exceed the standard mileage rate you may instead be able to deduct your actual costs. In addition to either your actual costs or the standard mileage rate for the use of the vehicle itself, you may also deduct your out-of-pocket costs for parking and tolls. You must keep reliable records and itemize your deductions to claim charitable car expenses. Also, effective January 1, 2022, the standard mileage rate for business miles driven was increased to 58.5 cents per mile (up 2.5 cents from the rate for 2021). For 2022 the standard allowance for medical miles driven was raised to 18.0 cents per mile (up 2.0 cents from the rate for 2021).

Our friends at Motel 6 would like CFA to continue to receive the 10% discount at participating locations by using the new updated reservation code of CPOAPHHT. There is a dedicated reservation site for CFA at www.motel6.com/en/cp/cfa.html or you may call 800-466-8356.

There will be a regional meeting Sunday, April 24 at 8 am atthe Sign of the Cat show.

Please plan to attend. The meeting will start on time!!

Who needs a Spring Break vacation when you could be spending your time with your CFA friends at the Mid-Ohio Cat Fanciers show this past weekend in Mansfield, Oh April 2-3. Where to start? First, thank you to the club for all your hard work at putting on such a fun show!

We had the talented Richard Katris of Chanan photography there to take stunning photos of our fur babies, Custom Quality pet furniture selling beautiful cat trees and Karraway Q Cat Toys selling toys.

It is coming to that time where we need to start sending in our sponsorships for our fellow region winners. We have all worked very hard this year trying to reach our goals and what a great way to pay it forward by sponsoring a cat or a breed. It can be a friend or just someone you have seen working towards their goals. Please contact Patti DeBiasse as soon as you can so she can get the sponsorships done.

Last, but not least, a huge thank you to the exhibitors for entering your beautiful cats. Without your continued support, these shows could not be successful. All in all this show was a great show all around, and again thank you to all who helped to make it a success!

The Los Colores Cat Club in Palm Springs put on the last show of the season for Region 5, and, as usual, it was a great show! It was a 6 ring show with 150 limit on entries.

This made it a possible for a wonderful celebration to the end of the first full season since COVID.

Mark Campbell did a fantastic job on breakfast and lunch as always. Getting a Mark Campbell meal is always a special treat, and we want him to know how much we appreciate the work he so graciously volunteers to do. Thanks, Mark!

They have a nice group of vendors and a great spectator gate! In this time and going forward with fewer exhibitors, we need the public to come and visit our shows. This not only brings in revenue to help pay for the show but it just might encourage new exhibitor /breeders.

Thank you Los Colores Cat Club for a wonderful show and fitting end to our season! You did a great job!

The MWR is so excited to announce that judge Rachel Anger has recently purchased a condo and now resides in Hartland, Wisconsin. We wish you a warm and hearty Midwestern WELCOME!!!!

February through April is one of the two busiest times of the year for the Midwest Region, with 8 shows for exhibitors to choose from.

Cat Springs Irregular (Region 6) teamed up with a new club, The Bengal Alliance, (Region 4) for a 10-ring show in downtown Muncie, Indiana for March 19-20. Lorna Friemoth reported that the show had a good entry and great depth in classes, especially in the feature Bengals. “It was nice to see so much cross association support, and we had three Bengal exhibitors attend who had never been to a CFA show before,” stated Lorna. Highlights of the show included toys awarded instead of rosettes, and a taco truck provided lunch for both competitors and gate. “The show was a great example of two clubs working together with out-of-the-box ideas. We hope to co-host another show in the future!” stated Lorna.

Cats KC held a wonderful show on March 26th, at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Gardner, Kansas. The spotlight of the show was on American Shorthairs, with ASH exhibitors bringing out the best of their best. The CFA Foundation loaned out ASH memorabilia to share with everyone. A special moment was when little Nora McMahan, Franklin County’s (Kansas) Future Little Miss United States Agriculture queen helped Brian Pearson judge the costume contest.

Cats of Wisconsin (COWS) could not wait to jump into spring, and they hosted an Hawaiian-themed “Mooau” (luau) on April 2nd at the Waukeshau County Exposition Center, Waukeshau, Wisconsin. Hosting a spectacular gate, Hello Kitty was in residence to distribute CFA coloring books and to judge the stuffed animal contest. In addition to the exhibitor and club member Hawaiian costume contest, COW Cash (‘moolah”) drawings for $20-$100 were of great interest to exhibitors.

We welcomed "Springtime in Tennessee" in Knoxville with the Tennessee Valley Cat Fanciers' show. Always a popular show with exhibitors AND spectators, this show filled over a week early! Spectators were thrilled that the show was back in full force - they really missed attending the show! Kudos to Pennie Pendleton, Sharon Stelzman, Laura Barber, Des Spencer, and the rest of the hard-working members of the club.

Last weekend was the Gasparilla Feline Friends/New Vision Cat Club's show in Ormond Beach, FL. New Vision stepped up to the challenge of producing *two* shows this month as Bob and Diana Belfatto were unable to produce the show themselves this year. A great time was had by all!

On March 20 Nishinihon Cat Club had its annual spring show in Osaka.

The show had a small entry was.　There were several Russian Blue kittens and all of their owners were new exhibitors. They enjoyed their first CFA show so much.

The following weekend on March 26, the Michina Cat Club had their show in Tokyo. Entry was large, especially in championship. Club prepared many fantastic gifts to all exhibitors. Of course, exhibitors were happy with their presents.

We are in the middle of beautiful “ Sakura,” cherry blossom season. We can enjoy “ Sakura” from the end of March to the beginning of April, for two or three weeks all over Japan. In Hokkaido, we can enjoy Japanese apricot, peach blossom, and Sakura at the same time in May. It’s very gorgeous! In Kyoto, we have many events in the “Sakura” season. Fortunately, the Japanese government lifted its COVID regulations just before the “ Sakura “ season. So many people went Sakura watching.

A national treasure, Daigo Temple in Kyoto is prestigious and famous for its beautiful Sakura. Shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi who did succeed in unifying the whole country in Japan, loved this temple and Sakura. He had fantastic Sakura Party in every year in this temple. Now we can see the scene of Shogun’s Sakura parade as a traditional event. Normally, there were great many spectators to see Sakura Parade however, after Covid, the parade has been smaller.

Lake Biwa, very famous lake is in Ohtsu and it’s close to Kyoto. About thousand Sakura trees beside of Biwa-Lake is very fantastic, beautiful and gorgeous!!! Please enjoy Sakura in Kyoto and Lake Biwa.

We play for the safety and peace of the people and animals in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine is still on going and is reminding all of us in Region 9 how precious our lives and friendships are. We are working hard to provide support to cat lovers in the affected areas, both for pedigreed and domestic cats. We are fortunate to have working relationships with FIFe and WCF in order to get needed supplies and equipment even through areas of conflict.

At the 44 Gatti Show in Chiuduno, Italy, it was very nice to be part of the new CFA Branding Operation to show the many faces of CFA. In conjunction with Desiree Bobby, CFA Marketing Division, many exhibitors - judges too - had their pictures taken with the cat of their choice. We are all anxious to see how these images help our efforts to grow our organization.

Our show season is soon wrapping up with shows in Orange, France, and Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium. Congratulations to Tuija Aaltonen and Kaisa Ylinenpaa for earning their new titles of Master Clerk Instructors!

Feel free to contact me at  tkeiger@cfa.org