Unfortunately, the CFA International Show has been cancelled/delayed for 2022. It is a show that so many cat fanciers around the world love to attend, and many exhibit their beautiful cats at that show. If we all work to together, we can come back in 2023 and produce one of the best shows ever!

The CFA Board met this past weekend and many of you are aware, the February Board meeting addresses issues for the advancement of CFA. Also, an important objective of the meeting is review of breed standard/registration rules changes. The breed standards should reflect the perfect example of the breed. The board has rarely advanced proposals which lessen that goal. I applaud the breed council secretaries who have taken the initiative which Jacqui Bennett and Teresa Keiger began with some grammar and punctuation errors. At least two breed councils have made these improvements to their standards. I encourage all BCS to look at your breed's standard. These are not changes to any aspect of your breed, but rather changes that make your standards look to the casual observer that we appear educated and correctly use the English language. Thank you to Jacqui and Teresa for your work in moving our breed councils forward.

Plans are coming together for a great annual coming up in June in Louisville, KY. I look forward to seeing everyone there.

The Show Calendar Listing Service on the CFA online show calendar is completely FREE for CFA licensed shows. Take advantage of this service and include information about your upcoming show for spectators and exhibitors, e.g. discount coupons, show hotel info, photographer, early bird entry pricing, show hours, directions, etc.: https://cfa.org/submit-show-information/

 

The basic information for your show is automatically listed when the show is licensed, but we need to hear from you about other details. We need to know it to show it!

CFA has three breeds going through the advancement process. The Khao Manee and Toybob are in the MISC class and the Lykoi are in the PROV class…in addition, the Lykoi has added all patterns/colors to their standard effective with the new show season. In order to advance to their next step, these breeds must have cats shown, preferably in all regions.

One of the drawbacks to getting more cats in these classes is the cost of entries, particularly since these cats are not yet eligible for titles or awards.

As clubs plan their shows, please consider offering a reduced entry fee for these breeds—and even featuring them! It would be great to see more clubs helping our new breeds along their journey to championship status.

At the February 5/6, 2022 Executive Board meeting, the CFA Judging Program gave updates and presented a few action items which we would like to share with you.

• Leaves of absences, retirements and resignations will be reviewed and approved by the Judging Program Chair. Once approved, the Judging Program Chair will inform the board by including the approval in its next board report.

• Advance Istzy Rattanaweerawong (Shorthair – Thailand) from trainee to T2 Asia-Other Associate Judge. Istzy may now accept shorthair judging assignments in the four countries involved in this phase of the program

• A complete listing of leaves of absence from the CFA Judging Program is as follows:

Sadly, we said a final goodbye to three CFA Judges who recently passed away:

Finally, each year at the February board meeting, all Approved and Approval Pending judges are presented to the Board for relicensing. All Approved and Approval Pending judges in good standing were relicensed.

The CFA Judging Program continues to appreciate the efforts of our breeders and exhibitors, and handle, evaluate and present the most beautiful cats in the world!

The following clubs were accepted at the February 5, 2022 CFA Board meeting:

1. Exotics Fans Club, International Division - Asia; Ma On Shan, Hong Kong

2. Hong Kong Cats, International Division - Asia; Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong

3. Hong Kong Devon Rex Society - International Division - Asia; Tai Po, N.T., Hong Kong

4. Starboard Cat Club - Region 8; Nagoya, Japan

At the February Board meeting, the Board reviewed all of the rules exemptions currently in place and determined which ones would be extended into the 2022-2023 show season, which starts April 29, 2022. The following show rule exemptions were extended into 2022-2023:

In addition to the above exemption extensions, the Board also passed two show rule changes that are permanent and take effect at the beginning of the new show season. Specifically:

Article XXXVI - National/Regional/Divisional Awards Program - Regional Awards, was revised to institute a point minimum requirement for a regional award. Specifically, 200 points for Championship, 100 points for kittens, 100 points for premiership, and 50 points for Household Pets.

Also, Article XXXVI - International Division Awards - was revised to scrap the current determination of awards in each Divisional Area based on rings held and replace it with a point minimum requirement, with a maximum of 25 awards in any one Divisional Area. The point minimums were set at 200 points for Championship, 100 points for kittens or premiership, and 50 points for companion cats (formerly household pets).

Again, just a reminder that the current show season ends with the weekend of April 23-24, 2022; and the next show season (2022-2023) starts the following weekend of April 30-May 1. In traditional show date space, this is a free weekend, the first weekend of May for traditional show dates is the weekend of May 7-8, 2022.

Nicole Turk, Social Media Coordinator

The Breed of the Week / Breed Preservation campaign coordinated by Nicole Turk on Facebook and Instagram has been very well received by our community. We regularly receive kudos and more ideas to build upon our current content and Nicole works very hard to make all the posts attractive, informative, and enjoyable. Please support all her hard work by commenting on and sharing her posts.

The campaign has turned into a fascinating collaboration of ideas. One of the most popular ideas was for a way for our breeders/exhibitors to also have a voice in the campaign utilizing photos of their own cats. Mark Hannon created a prototype for this and in collaboration with Teresa Keiger, 414 images are now available for your use. There are nine (9) Support Preservation Breeders statements available for each breed and can be downloaded at: www.cfa.org/BrandFiles.  

We haven’t forgotten our Companion Cat/Household Pets! We’ve also created nine different images to express your love for your non-pedigreed cat and to show everyone that CFA celebrates ALL cats!

We ask that if you use any of these templates, please ensure that you are displaying a beautifully clean photo of good quality. A photo that has poor pixelation, blurring, background clutter or a halo around the cat due to poor editing may often go overlooked by someone taking photos but can be obvious to its viewers. Please choose your photos carefully and ensure the cat is clean, does not have a dirty face or ears and is free of eye debris.

Not to toot our own horns, but CFA judges are some of the best in the world. The Judges Code of Ethics, CFA Show Rules, Judging Rules, and current social media guidelines are the written structure as to why our judges are the best.

The preamble for the code of ethics state: CFA Judges are Ambassadors for CFA to the cat fancy and public. A CFA judge must embody and project unwavering integrity, dedication and ethical behavior that protects the reputation of fair, honest and educated judging.

Article 6 in the show rules has several passages about which cats are eligible for entry of a show. These give support to Fairness. Pre-knowledge of entries to a show where a judge is to preside gives the perception of unfairness. This can be done in a manner that was not meaning to be unfair but can give that impression. It can be a simple statement “I will see you in two weeks with my girl, who just needs 5 points” or “I am bringing a new exhibitor I sold a cat to the show next week”. If heard by others or not, both statements give the impression of unfair advantage.

Our judges would not want to tell any exhibitor that they needed to absent their cat since they had prior knowledge of an entry to a show they are judging.

The Social Media Guidelines state: Do not put yourself in a position where you give the impression that you have given up your impartiality.

This is a simple reminder to be mindful when talking with judges. We are all ambassadors of CFA and the hobby we love.

The good news for Cat Talk readers (and yet-to-be readers):

Digital subscriptions are available at https://catalog.cfa.org/cattalk-almanac.shtml

For readers who still have issues remaining via the Cat Talk/eCat package, Central Office will has contacted you to see towards which publication you would like to extend your remaining credit.

Feline reporting and administration never ends! And with continued news about cats we need more writers and copy editors! This will be even more important as we grown into a larger world market as Cat Talk relies on it entire staff for article ideas.

Writers: Write what you know about best! Most of our writers have an area of specialty that they write about. This can be on an ongoing basis or ongoing contributing writer.

Copy editors: Do you have great proofreading and editing skills? Can you markup in Word and pdf commenting? Want a sneak peek at upcoming issues?

All staff members get a free Cat Talk subscription, and a lot of camaraderie!

Want to work with a fun, friendly group of cat nerds? Let me know

It's a cat "fact of life" that when one has intact cats of different breeds that nature sometimes takes its own course - and it's not what you as a breeder planned! Iris Zinck is finalizing an article on "oops!" breedings and still has room for a couple of stories. Please contact her if you have an accidental breeding story to share.

In keeping with the Feline Historical Museum’s motto of “embracing the history, preserving the past”, we are proud to announce that there is another historical breed book on the horizon.

The next book in the Alchemy of Cat Breed Series, a collaboration of The CFA Foundation and The Harrison Weir Collection will be The American Shorthair; the early history and development of the American Shorthair breed of cat. Cover artwork is by the very talented Chuck Hoppe, from an original photo by David Macias.

An original, unpublished manuscript written by the late breed historian, Valerie Anne Edwards, has been updated and enhanced by Karen Lawrence and Gayle Hand. Not only have over 200 photos been added to the manuscript, but additional details and chapters about influential cats and breeders throughout the history of the American Shorthair breed are also included. Exhaustive research has been conducted through early cat magazines and antique books for interesting details about early breeding programs. Several chapters contain information about individual breeders and rarely-seen photos of their cats. An entire chapter is devoted to the historical data related to each specific color/pattern of the American Shorthair.

The book recognizes those American Shorthairs who have achieved high honors in CFA's season ending National Wins in a chapter devoted to them. We also included a look at American Shorthairs overseas, plus there’s a complete listing of those cats who have achieved the Distinguished Merit status in CFA, and lastly, the Pedigrees and Progeny chapter features fifty outstanding cats, recognized for their contributions to the American Shorthair gene pool. The Addendum includes reprints of CFA Yearbook and Cat Fanciers' Almanac breed articles, courtesy of CFA.

A $10.00 USD deposit will reserve a copy for you!

Scheduled for publication in the spring of 2022, you can reserve your copy now. Anticipated book price will be $50.00. When the book is published, you will be notified regarding the balance owing. The purchaser will be expected to prepay S&H fees. World-wide shipping available (note Australia currently has a package embargo.)

To reserve your copy please contact Karen Lawrence (catfanrep@gmail.com) or Gayle Hand (gayle.hand@frontier.com). PayPal payment in US Funds to catfanrep@gmail.com is preferred. Deposits are non-refundable.

This book would not have been possible without support for the CFA Foundation, the Feline Historical Museum, and its amazing library. The magazine archives date back as early as 1909. With over 8,000 books in the library, dating back to 1872, this resource is a gold mine of information about cats.

Of brief note in the article is a recent case adjudicated in the Oslo District Court of Norway ruled on the issue of whether breeding English Bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels was ethical. In the U.S., Houston, Texas, quietly passes significant revisions to its animal ordinance on an emergency basis that has been in place for all ordinances for more than six years! This practice denies residents a second opportunity to comment and raise questions within a formal hearing that exists under normal operational proceedings. Those changes include mandatory microchipping, hold time reduction, community cat programs, and a retail pet store ban.

What's Hot………… 2022 Ushers in the New and Out the Old: States in Session this Year and a Recap of 2021 Bills (CO, CT, HI, IL, MA, NH, NY, OK, TN, and UT)

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.

Mark your calendars for Health Breakthroughs for Every Cat: FIP and Beyond!

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.

Vanguard topics, including FIP updates, will be presented and discussed. RACE credits, pending approval, will be available to veterinary professionals. Presented as a hybrid event, this event will also be open to the public, and include opportunities to engage with speakers, researchers, and other prominent veterinary professionals in the world of feline medicine. In-person enrollment will be limited to 150, on a first come, first served basis.

Registration is expected to open in early March 2022.

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

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to numerous changes in tax law as well as affecting the incomes and expenses of many taxpayers. Now that income tax season is upon us it is a good time to review the amount of income taxes being withheld from your paycheck. If you owe too much money when you file your return you may face penalties and interest for underpayment. If you received a larger than expected refund that may be good news and bad news. While there is no penalty for overpayment you may be losing income by letting the government hold your money, interest-free, throughout the year. You may wish to lower your withholding and have more take-home available now. As you prepare your income tax return you should make note of your circumstances and be prepared to adjust your withholding accordingly. You should also review your withholding if you have a new job, new side “gig”, marriage, divorce, a new dependent, or other significant changes in your life. The IRS has a free tax tool to help you determine the proper withholding amounts for your paycheck: https://www.irs.gov/paycheck-checkup. As you file your income taxes for 2021 you should review your withholding amounts. Proper withholding can avoid interest and penalties for underpayment. If you are over-withholding you can decrease the amounts withheld and increase the size of your paycheck so you may enjoy your money sooner.

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.

Happy Valentines Day to everyone. Region 2 started off February with a fabulous show in Seaside, OR. Seaside is a beautiful coastal town that is a very popular tourist attraction in the Summertime. Emerald Cat Club moved the show date to February this year, doing a joint show with Seattle Cat Club.

The spectator gate was enormous! Possibly the best we have seen at this venue. It was a joint advertising venture that brought spectators from around the area. One of the big draws was the costume contest.

We also had two grand of distinctions! GC NW Wil-O-Glen’s El Primo, bred by Carolyn Osier and shown and owned by Cindy & Leonard Walker. El Primo is a beautiful cinnamon Abyssinian alter. (right)

Also in the grand of distinction category is GC RW Rumrunner Curacao, a gorgeous blue tabby Persian alter. Rumrunner is bred and owned by Lia Greendale. (left)

All in all a terrific show!

While shows have picked up in frequency, they’ve definitely had their share of challenges. COVID-19 in its numerous variants is still around and affecting our shows. Mother nature also continues to challenge the success of a show. This occurred recently with the annual Wichita, KS show at our long-time facility The Cotillion.

Winter storm Landon really wreaked havoc with this show. Between causing some judges flights to be cancelled and last-minute scrambling to get replacement judges and very challenging driving conditions for many exhibitors, we still had the show supported by exhibitors and our ever-present Wichita community. Many of the visitors to this show come year after year and have become friends many of us only get to see once a year. I know the Wichita Fancy Club sincerely appreciated EVERYONE who helped this be a successful show.

Everyone stay safe and healthy!!

Exhibitors also appreciated the large rosettes. As with NE Ohio January weather, show management decided to start the show at 8 am on Sunday so everyone could get on their way before the snow storm began, and judging ended by 2 pm. CPS thanks everyone for supporting their show...great venue, great food, super judges, and the Best Exhibitors on the Planet. Photo credit: Teddy Lilly, BeaknPaw.

The Midwest Persian Tabby Fancier's presented a 10 ring show on January 22/23, 2022. The club was thrilled with the support of the exhibitors that entered and ventured to Monroe, Michigan! Once again, we were at the Monroe County Community College gymnasium, which provides a great open space, fantastic lighting, and a beautifully clean facility.

  This was an exhibitor only show, and allowed us to visit more with our fellow cat fanciers. The club provided an fun assortment of cat patterned masks at the door. The professional caterer offered great food to keep us fed, and ready to run to a ring.

  The decorations celebrated Michigan area sports teams; The Detroit Tigers, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Lions, University of Michigan, and the Detroit Pistons. Our fantastic judges got into the spirit by donning team hats and being our quarterbacks, pitchers, or goalies for the day.

  Beautiful ribbon rosettes were awarded to each of the divisions, and many exhibitors commented on how nice it was to receive them. One happy winner went home with her share of the $500 plus, 50/50 raffle!

The award for the Highest Scoring Persian Tabby went to GRC Debo's Darker Shade-Of-Magic, owners Patti & Tim DeBiasse. Congratulations to all!

Many of these same Michigan club members will be hosting through JCIA, our next show on April 9 & 10 in Bowling Green, Ohio. We hope to give you all another great show!

1. We had challenges producing the show, including replacing three judges and learning about the vaccination or Covid test mandate at almost the last minute. Despite this, the show closed with 179 entries and top 15 in Championship.

2. Geordi La Forge, owned by Leanne Froebel was crowned HHP King and Liza Mewnelli, owned by Ann & Larry Donovan was crowned Queen.

3. We have a new local member in the Twin City Cat Fanciers’ club. She is an absolute delight and the sort of member all clubs need a bunch of. She spent Friday afternoon at the showhall helping with all kinds of tasks. What really made my heart sing is that her Blue British Shorthair kitten was the highest scoring kitten in the show. She is so very humble about her wins that it makes you love her more. Her name is Helen Sevig. I don’t know how much information you want to present about a cat that is currently competing, but I just wanted to share the success of a NewBee.

Star City/Central Carolina Cat Fanciers held their annual show on Jan. 22-23 in Roanoke, VA. It was an absolutely beautiful weekend and show attendance was good. The local spectators are always enthusiastic about this show, and were excited to see all of the cats. It was also exciting to see so many new/relatively new exhibitors at the show.

On February 6, we had the Japan Dancing Cat Club show at Yokohama Industry & Trade Center in the snow. There was a big snowstorm in northern and western Japan. Exhibitors from the west Japan area were worried about if Shinkansen bullet train would stop because of the large snow around Hikone. Fortunately all exhibitors from west Japan could arrive safety.　The entry was pretty good, 91 cats.

We have a pleasant traditional ceremony at February 3 all over Japan called “Setsubun.” On the day of Setsubun, people scatter roasted soybeans to drive out devils or evil spirit with the words “Devils out!” and to drive in soybeans with the words “Luck come in!“ Then people have to eat same number of roasted soybeans as their age. We need to have it again so that we can have healthy and happy days in this year!

The 44 Gatti show was held in San Genesio, Italy on 22-23 January 2022. I'm happy to share a few photos from this show!

And what a wonderful sight to see - a full show hall with wonderful cats and kittens!

Feel free to contact me at  tkeiger@cfa.org