Can declawed cats compete at Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) cat shows?

The answer is NO. I have the answer in two ways. On the CFA website they state that "At the October 1996 meeting the CFA Board of Directors also approved an addition to the show rules which disallows tendonectomy in show cats.”

Tendonectomy: the tendon that controls the claw in each toe is severed. The cat keeps their claws but can't control them or extend them to scratch. It is an alternative to declawing and almost as cruel.

So I found a partial answer on their website. But as I recall - I researched this about 6 months ago - there was no clear, in-your-face statement about declawing on their website. I would have liked to have seen one.

Anyway, I then emailed Charlene Cambell (CFA Animal Welfare - CFA Breeders Assist & Breed Rescue Pgm VP) and asked if a declawed cat was allowed to compete at a CFA cat show. Her response was NO.

Here it is:

Yes, a declawed cat cannot be shown in CFA. It is against the show rules.

Sincerely,

Charlene Campbell

So, there you have it. For the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) declawed cats are banned from competition at cat shows, which is the way it should be.

It'd be a travesty if it was any other way. 

P.S. there is also laser declawing but it is clear to me that any form of declawed cat is banned at CFA cat shows.

P.P.S. Charlene added later: 'If you search their CFA web site, they have written articles against declaw over the years!  That I appreciate.' Thanks Charlene.

Pictures of cats: cinnamon British Shorthair

I have decided that this amazing looking cat is a Russian bred, cinnamon British Shorthair registered with The International Cat Association (TICA). I have speculated big time after carrying out a bit of research to reassure myself that this cat association accepts this colour of cat.The cat might also be registered under the World Cat Federation (WCF) which also no doubt allow cinnamon as a coat colour. The CFA does not. I must say it's a fantastic colour for a domestic cat. It is completely standout.

Cinnamon British Shorthair cat. Photo in the public domain on Pinterest

If a visitor came to your home and saw this cat they would be astounded because it's so rare to see a colour like this. Especially because the British Shorthair is really known for its grey coat which is described as "blue" in the cat fancy. We do see lots of blue British shorthair cats all of which are outstanding but cinnamon is unusual. This can also is very much in line with the breed standard in terms of its stocky i.e. cobby appearance, and the eye colour is the same as the coat colour which once again complies exactly with the breed standard. All in all I would expect this cat to do very well at competition. I would love a cat fancy expert or breeder to comment on this post to add some more detail to it if possible. I don't even mind if you disagree with me completely because I enjoy learning!

Is CFA doing enough to regulate its breeders?

The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) is said to the world's biggest.  It is probably the best known. They do have some peculiar and distorted views on cat welfare, however, that I find disturbing. I refer to the breed standards of several cat breeds.

I question whether the CFA needs to spend more time and effort on cat welfare. It seems to be a low priority to the senior people at the CFA. I feel that the CFA have a bunker mentality. What I mean is that they close their mind to wrong doing and possibly lack the moral fiber to make important changes in the interests of the cats that their members breed and breed from.

It seems that the CFA assumes that their cat breeder members will conduct themselves in a responsible manner. Do the CFA inspect the catteries of their members? I don't think they do. How can they when many of them appear to end up in jail for animal cruelty! I know it sounds astonishing but it is true. Maybe it does not sound astonishing!

CFA booth at cat show.

My recommendation to the CFA (which carries zero weight with the CFA and any other breeder) is that when they make referrals to cat breeders as they do on this page, they employ unannounced spot checks on their members to ensure that the breeder employs sound practises that prioritise the welfare of the cats.

Also all CFA breeders should be committed to high standards of animal welfare. The CFA should ensure this before the person becomes a member and throughout membership.

This cannot be taking place and is an oversight by the CFA, which confirms to me that they are either almost ignoring animal welfare issues or not giving it sufficient attention.

Criticising The Cat Fanciers' Association

The Cat Fanciers' Association needs to be criticised. I don't want to do it. In the interests of Persian cats in the USA and elsewhere I will do it on this page. I am speaking on behalf of the contemporary Persian purebred cat with the brachycephalic short head.

Other cat breeds that follow the CFA breed standard that requires a cat that suffers from flat head syndrome, brachycephaly, are the shorthaired Persian known as the Exotic Shorthair and the pointed Persian, called the Himalayan. The Burmese in American also has head shape problems that can affect health in a serious manner.

The breed characteristics or phenotype of the contemporary Persian, Exotic SH and Himalayan demand a brachycephalia short head that is big and round with a short, broad nose. The elements of the face should be in vertical alignment. I'll quote the CFA breed standard just so you know exactly what I mean:

"HEAD: round and massive, with great breadth of skull. Round face with round underlying bone structure.....When viewed in profile, the prominence of the eyes is apparent and the forehead, nose, and chin appear to be in vertical alignment."

In the most extreme cases the "upper part of the nasal plate is higher than the level of the lower eye-lids" (The Welfare of Cats, edited by Irene Rochlitz ISBN  978-1-4020-6143-1).

I discuss the health and subsequent welfare problems associated with this breed standard on this page: Persian Cat Health Problems.

The CFA breed standard for these cats is almost an act of criminal conspiracy to cause animal cruelty. I am a bit surprised that no none has considered prosecuting the esteemed Cat Fanciers' Association under animal welfare laws.

Also, as I understand it, the overall, underlying CFA breed standard insists that breeding should not produce unhealthy cats. This is in conflict with the breed standards of these three cats. In defence the CFA say that "it is possible to breed a beautiful Persian with a very short nose that breathes and tears normally".

I like the phrase, "it is possible". It is possible to fly to the moon but very few people have achieved it. The same applies to the creation of a totally healthy ultra type Persian cat.

Recommendations: (a) change the breed standard but do it over time so that there is a gradual shift back to normal characteristics without the CFA losing face (b) show cats that are over bred should be excluded from cat shows (c) cat show judges should be advised to make subtle changes to their judging criteria to start a shift away from the success of extreme bred cats (d) unhealthy cats should be penalized or excluded from cat shows (e) medical examinations should take place at cat shows and breeders given due notice. The notice period should be generous to allow change.

See: 19 Years of Persian Cat Experience - this neither supports of goes against what I have said.