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Our banner cat for February is CFA's Thirteenth Best Kitten, GC, NW Catbery Tail Whisical, a blue-cream lynx point Persian - Himalayan Division female.
(photo by Chanan)
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March 15, 2018
Deadline for declarations for CFA Executive Board and all regional directors.
April 16, 2018
Proposed Amendments & Resolutions must be RECEIVED in CO by this date.
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It's winter! or spring! and sometimes both in the same week, depending on where you are here in the northern hemisphere!
This issue of the CFA Newsletter reaches you just around Valentine's Day, so take the time to give those who are nearest and dearest to you an extra hug. And yes...chances are it's probably your cat! But then again - isn't that why we are in this fantastic hobby to begin with?
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We know that we lose breeders and exhibitors for a variety of good reasons. It is also clear that we are not attracting enough new people to our hobby to replace all those who have left. We need to address this if our hobby is to survive. First, we need to put effort into holding onto the people we already have. Second, we need to attract new fanciers.
There is an old saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. CFA is providing funds to every show to spend on advertising to bring in spectators. What first impression do the visitors get at the shows you attend? Are they greeted at the front door with some helpful information so they have an understanding of what is going on? When they approach exhibitors to ask questions are they met with a smile and a welcoming attitude or are we in a rush and just brush them off? When they watch a ring in progress does the judge explain what they are doing or are our visitors simply sitting there totally confused? We all need to put in some effort if we expect any of these visitors to appreciate our wonderful hobby and at least some percentage of them want to join us in this all-consuming hobby.
We also need to provide a reason for our current exhibitors to continue to participate in CFA shows. We need to do a better job of providing nearby shows and to offer our current participants reasons to want to continue attending our shows. Too many of our clubs use the same local judges so exhibitors see the same basic slate at show after show in their area. For those exhibitors who are making finals, they are happy to see those judges again. Certainly, more cats are losing than winning and after a few shows without success from the same judges against the same competition, those exhibitors quickly realize they are wasting their time and money. Too many of them opt to sit home until they have another cat to show. Those decreasing entries make it more difficult for clubs to cover the cost of producing their shows. Our clubs need to invest in bringing in fresh judges to interest exhibitors in entering their shows. The additional entry income should help offset the added expense of flying in some judges new to the area. CFA is providing $500 to every show-producing club and encouraged them to use it to bring in some judges not often seen in their area.
CFA also provided each region with $1,000 as incentive to add another show to their show calendar ... which is a total of $2,000 when you consider CFA provides $1,000 to every show. I am surprised that some regions have not taken advantage of this additional funding. If your club has been inactive, here is a reason to jump back into show production. Perhaps your club hosts an annual show but they could consider producing a second show. There are holes in the show schedule so you ought to work with your Regional Director or Show Scheduler to find a date that works for your club.
Last week a club contacted me about CFA having dropped their club from CFA membership last June for failure to provide a current membership list. Dues and a current membership list are due every year on January 1st. If these requirements are not met by June 1st, the club will be dropped. Our Central Office sends out several reminders to delinquent clubs. We also have an online listing of clubs in good standing, which means they have met both requirements: dues paid and submission of a current membership list with officers noted. Check to see if your club is on the list. If not, this can all be done online. Go here to submit your dues. Membership lists can be emailed to Sean Dobbins at Sdobbins@cfa.org . Both club dues and membership lists must be RECEIVED in the Central Office by June 1st.
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Terri Barry
CFA Executive Director
We are halfway through winter, but plans are heating up here at Central Office as we move forward implementing actions that transpired during our onsite Board of Directors' and Strategic Planning meetings. It's also hard to believe that we are planning for the end of the show season already.
Keep in mind that last year the board amended C.O.'s holidays to include all Federal Holidays. Therefor C.O. will be closed Monday, February 19, 2018.
Can you believe, it's time to start your planning for the 2018 Annual? This year we will be in Atlanta, Georgia June 28th - July 1st at the Crown Plaza, Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia. We know it seems early to plan and make reservations for our Annual Meeting but there is already an influx of hotel reservations and we've started receiving dinner reservations. As the end of the show season approaches, life tends to become more hectic for everyone. Avoid the additional stress of needing to reserve your hotel room and/or various functions (dinner, breed council breakfasts, Winn Symposium) by taking care of it now. Refer to the schedule of events here.
We are pleased to announce the debut of new, custom designed trophies for the top wins and breed wins for this year's breed winners. We'll have more information for you in an upcoming newsletter.
You can keep up with all of the latest CFA information by visiting our website
which also has links to our social media pages.
The CFA Yearbook, 2018 edition pre-orders, were shipped at the end of January and should be arriving on your doorstep shortly. If you have not purchased yours, or would like additional ones, you may order through CFA's catalog. They are $45.00 each, plus shipping.
Meanwhile, as we enter the last few months of the show season, I wish all of you success!
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Meet the CFA Central Office Staff!
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(editor's note: this is the first of a series of pieces aimed at better familiarizing our readers with those often faceless but often interacted with people at the core of CFA's Central Office and other supporting staff members. Thank you to Geri Fellerman for coordinating this series for the CFA Newsletter)
CFA
Executive Director Teresa Barry
When Terri signed on to be at the helm of CFA's Central Office on September 2, 2014, I'm sure she had no idea what challenges awaited her. Prior to becoming our Executive Director, she had had tons of experience in management, including having served as Executive Director of Meals on Wheels for Stark and Wayne Counties in Ohio for some 24 years.
She also spent four years with Meals on Wheels
Association of America
in Alexandria, Virginia and with the accounting firm of Arthur Anderson. But nothing compared to the task she was about to undertake. Even her BA in business from the University of Maryland wasn't quite enough. Cats, hmmm, well, she had a cat - but how could cats be such a big business? Well, she was about to find out. The first course of business was to find the right niche for all of the associates, and especially the new IT. Easy enough - hardly. It was a seriously daunting task which included transacting with the board of directors, the president ,and individuals in the cat fancy as well. Actually, learning all about the cat fancy was an equally daunting task. In addition to working to making the CO staff a cohesive team, Terri also assists Allene with all of the special events (e.g., Annual, International Show) that come up each year. She also makes it her business to attend local shows (which are plentiful in Ohio) to learn more about what makes us cat fanciers tick.
What makes this job enjoyable is working with the CO staff and learning what special strengths each person possesses and how to use those strengths to the betterment of CFA. The absolute biggest downside of the job is the long commute she must face each day. And then there is the seemingly never-ending struggle to improve the systems, particularly related to IT. When the work day is finally done, Terri goes home to her wonderful husband of 34 years, Keith Lindsey. Terri and Keith also have a 27 year old son who, fortunately lives nearby so
they can visit often. In her spare time (what? there's spare time?), Terri is
active with a local hospital boards, the Canton Rotary Club, and a group of women called
Shared Blessings who involve themselves in doing charitable acts including taking on the task of renovating classrooms (lighting, audio, etc.) to make them better for children with autism. I don't think Terri EVER gets bored!
 CFA Deputy Director Verna Dobbins
Little did Verna Dobbins know that when she walked in the doors of the new CFA Central Office on May 16, 2011, that she was about to embark on such an adventure. The second person to be hired at the new Alliance, OH, location as an administrative assistant, Verna really had no clear vision of what the job would entail - and to be honest, neither did anyone else! Soon she learned that the position was that of doing whatever needed to be done. Eventually, she truly became a "jack of all trades" but needed to be master of all of them. This Verna did quite well and is now in the position of Deputy Director.
Verna's prior position as operations manager for
LifeTouch National School Studios (which produced school photos) and the classes taken at Kent State University helped a lot, but the cat fancy was a whole new ballgame.
Now, Verna is involved in everything from registrations to human resources and human development - she truly has a finger in every pie. This, actually, is the thing Verna likes best about her job. There's always something different popping up with new challenges be it building teamwork in the office, meeting new people, attending local cat shows, being involved in out of office experiences oh, and even the dreaded computer system. At home, Verna is "mom" to two wonderful black cat rescues that she loves coming home to at night. More importantly, she is also mom to her 32 year old son Sean who has recently become a CFA employee! Verna's sources of enjoyment include music, bicycling, and visiting local wineries where they have fun entertainment (oh, yeah, and wine).
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Melanie Morgan
CFA Judging Program Committee Chair
Here are the Judging Program Committee changes and advancements from the
February 3rd, 2018, CFA Board Meeting:
Change of status
Jan Stevens - We welcome Jan back from Medical Leave of Absence Effective January 1, 2018
Resignation
Arie Groenewegen's resignation, effective December 31, 2017 accepted with regret. Very best
wishes to Arie!
New judges
Rod U'ren Accepted as Approval Pending Allbreed
Advancements:
Mie Takahashi to LH Apprentice, 1st specialty
Amanda Cheng to SH Apprentice, 2nd specialty
Toshihiko Tsuchiya to LH Approval Pending LH, 2nd specialty
Mihoko Yabumoto to Approval pending SH, 2nd specialty
All judges were relicensed
Congratulations to our new and advancing judges on a job well done!
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Our Most Senior Judges
As noted in the Judging Program report, all judges were relicensed. But which of our judges have been behind the bench for the longest time? A look at the records show the following 13 judges as our most senior.
1966 - Baugh
1967 - Williams
1967 - Mare
1975 - Doernberg
1975 - Owen
1977 - Mizzi
1978 - Darrah
1978 - Dodds
1978 - Goltzer
1980 - Adkison
1980 - Satoh
1981 - Harding
1981 - Salisbury
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Breeds In Order By Popularity
for the period January 1 - December 31, 2017
- Exotic
- Ragdoll
- British Shorthair
- Persian
- Maine Coon
- American Shorthair
- Scottish Fold
- Sphynx
- Devon Rex
- Abyssinian
- Oriental
- Siamese
- Cornish Rex
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Siberian
from the top:
Exotic GC, BWR, NW Purr Elli Pitch Black
British Shorthair GC, BWC, NW Woollencat Huhu Monkey Of Qing Tian
Ragdoll GC, BWC, NW L'Clover King Kuma Of Crystal Doll
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CFA Registrations Continue to Grow Worldwide
Registration breakdowns by region & geographic location
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by Monte Phillips
Show Rule Committee Chair
At its February 2018 meeting, the CFA Board approved several changes that will impact show rules. This is normally the meeting at which breeds are discussed, but there were a few holdover issues from last year's October meeting that were also addressed at this meeting. Most interesting among those was adoption of the methodology for conducting "bay" check-in for color-classes of breeds with large entries in China. Several of the rules I'm going to discuss relate to that process. A few other rules relate to judges and the requirements for clubs when contracting and hiring judges. Finally, color-class changes in breeds, acceptance of new breeds, and advancement of Bengals, also have an impact on several of the show rule changes I'm going to discuss. I'll try to do them in rule order. ALSO, unlike before, all of these rules take effect at the beginning of the new show season, May 1, 2018, and not immediately.
read more
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 Spectators at shows are always curious to know what the various ribbons that the judges are hanging mean.
Did you know that there is a graphic on the CFA website that clubs can download, print, and have available for spectators that explains just that?
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Tim Schreck
CFA IT Committee Chair
There were significant problems with our current Central Office system over the holiday season. I wish to let everyone these have been addressed and corrected and registrations are currently back to expected turnaround times. Thanks for your patience and understanding.
IT is currently working with Central Office to implement review processes for possible color selections on registrations to help avoid errors in this area. Also an item concerning the CFA Entry Clerk program have been brought to our attention. There have been reported instances of confirmations not agreeing with catalog printouts. This is being checked into at this time.
With the new system if there is a correction to your cats record the owner receives and email showing this change. This record change email is not in any way meant to be a show confirmation correction. It is just to inform you of the change. Please remember checking your entry in the catalog is an exhibitor responsibility even if the confirmation returned to you is correct.
We are checking the Entry Clerk program to ensure any problems there are corrected. Thanks you for your understanding and please continue to report any issues that maybe found so we can continue to improve this product.
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Teresa Keiger
Editor
It's February and that always brings our annual "Couples" issue with articles focused on various aspects of breeding. (and yes, 65 days later our April issue will be our "Kitten" issue!)
These are the regular topics for our February and April issues. If you have a suggestion for a topic that we haven't looked at recently, we'd love to hear your suggestions! Please contact me at
tkeiger@cfa.org
We also have another installment in the series on Genetics 101 and what to know about genetic testing.
We take a quick look back at the CFA International Show last November. And we launch the beginning of a series of articles on how clubs can market their shows to attract spectators to their shows and what new options (such as social media) are now available
Remember that you can subscribe to either the print or the online version of Cat Talk. It's available online through the
Kindle Newsstand or through
Magzter. Complete ordering information is
here.
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CFA Annual Meeting
June 27-July 1, 2018
Crowne Plaza
Atlanta Perimeter Ravinia
Atlanta, GA
information continually updated at
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WINN FELINE FOUNDATION
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A list of our donors contributing $100 or more in January is available here
Bria Fund "Have a Heart" Fundraiser:
Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate with those we love, including our fur kids who love us unconditionally. It is also a time to think of loving, wonderful memories of our fur angels taken by FIP. We wish with all our heart that they were here to celebrate this special holiday with us. Please consider a donation to FIP research in their memory during "Valentine's Month".
Cures4Cats Design Contest Winners:
Teresa Keiger of Greensboro, NC is the first place winner of the Cures4Cats Design Contest. Her design is called "Leaping Cat". A special mention winner is Alyssa Moore, a 7th grader from Utah, who submitted a special drawing surrounded by multiple cat photos. Both entries will be used as promotional images for Winn's 50th Anniversary year of 2018 and Cures4Cats Day event. The images will be available for viewing at http://www.winnfelinefoundation.org/programs/cures4cats.
A Loving Legacy tip for February -
Have you made provision for the care of your pets in the event of your death? All 50 U.S. States now allow "pet trusts" to care for pets. Your lawyer can advise of you about the laws and limitations in your state. There are, however, general considerations you should discuss with your lawyer.
Pet trusts provide for animals who are alive at the time of your passing and end when the last pet dies. Unless an animal has special needs, or is treated differently than your other pets, it may be best to describe your pets generically. The pets you own today may not be the same pets you have when the trust is needed.
Your pets will need a caretaker. This person will have physical custody of your pets and will be responsible for their day-to-day care. It is important that the person named be willing to accept this responsibility. Ask first before naming someone. You should also name alternates to succeed the caretaker if they become unable or unwilling to serve.
You need a Trustee or other person to monitor your money and assure your wishes are being met by the caretaker. Having two different people, one as caretaker and one to distribute Trust money, provides checks and balances. Again, it is best to prepare for successors should the need arise.
Funding the pet trust can be an issue. You should set aside enough money to properly care for your pets during their lifetimes. This amount will depend on the number, age, and health of your pets. You should put aside enough money to handle unexpected illness or other expenses. But if you set aside too much it could invite a legal challenge from your heirs. One way to deter challenges is to name a charity as the remainder beneficiary for any unused funds from the pet trust.
Finally, remember that a Will goes into effect when you die. You may become incapacitated and need help with your pets prior to your passing. A "Living Trust" (inter vivos trust) can be effective prior to your death. A pet provision in your Living Trust provides for your pets if you become incapacitated. A durable power of attorney may also be used to appoint a caretaker to deal with your pets in the event of incapacity. Please consult with your attorney for details.
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By Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison
Pet Seller Restrictions and Breeder Licensing
(NE, MD, VA, NJ, TN, NY, and KS)
State legislatures are now in session dealing with bills recently introduced, pre-filed, and carried over from last year. Among the hundreds of bills and proposed ordinances that CFA is tracking already this year are some bills that would place restrictions on pet sellers, expand liability, and create or modify breeder licensing requirements.
Over the past couple of years, we have seen a form of pet shop ban that restricts the source of cats and dogs a pet shop may sell to those obtained from shelters and rescues. Nebraska L.B. 893 New York A.B. 2982, and a Baltimore, Maryland proposed ordinance are pet shop bans. Nebraska's bill amends the Dog and Cat Purchase Protection Act to prohibit pet shops from selling pet animals unless the animals were obtained from a from an animal control facility, shelter or rescue. Under Nebraska law, a pet animal for purposes of this statue is a dog or cat that is under fifteen months of age. The bill would also require the pet shop post signage identifying the source of pet animals and keep documentation of the animal's source for at least one year. New York's A.B. 2982 would prohibit pet dealers from selling an "animal" that was not sourced from an animal shelter, humane society, rescue, or other pet dealer that has sourced their animals from such facilities. A pet dealer is someone who sells more than 9 animals to the public for profit per year but excludes someone who sells less than 25 animals per year that were born and raised on the breeder's residential property. The Baltimore ordinance has an exemption for animal fanciers defined as "a person who keeps, within or adjoining a private residence, 2 or more animals for the non-commercial purposes of 1) breeding, 2) hunting, 3) tracking, 4) exhibition in shows, or 5) exhibition in field or obedience trials." Fanciers in these locations should watch the progress of these bills.
Other pet shop legislation stops short of banning the sale of pedigreed cats and purebred dogs. Rather they restrict the source to those sold by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensees in substantial compliance with the Animal Welfare Act. Last year, however, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) removed the inspection reports from its websites making compliance with these laws difficult. Taking a slightly different tract, Virginia H.B. 877, would require pet shops that sell dogs to conspicuously post signs stating "USDA APHIS Inspection Reports Available Prior to Purchase." If those reports are not readily available from APHIS, pet shops will have to rely upon breeders to supply the reports.
New Jersey A.B. 1454, on the other hand, specifically addresses the USDA report availability issue. It would prohibit transfers between breeders or brokers required to be USDA licensed and pet dealers unless the USDA inspection reports are available on the USDA website. Alternatively, the breeder or broker must submit the reports to the New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs to be publicly posted its website if the reports are not available on the USDA website. This legislation has several other provisions including expanding annual reporting requirements to those meeting the pet dealer qualifications that would also be amended to include kennels that sell more than ten cats or dogs in one year.
While provisions impacting small in-home breeders may find their way into pet seller restrictions, they also have to be wary of being targeted by or caught up in breeder licensing bills. A few states are looking at possibly instituting new breeder licensing programs or amending the ones they have. One of these states, Tennessee, is considering another cat and dog breeder licensing bill despite having repealed a dog and cat breeder licensing law in 2009. Tennessee H.B. 1713 and S.B. 1698 would require anyone selling cats and dogs to individuals to be licensed. Finally, legislation amending current breeder licensing laws is being considered in Kansas. House Bill 2477, assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture, would increase the licensing fees for hobby breeders from $95 to an amount not to exceed $250. It would also remove the provision that premises licensed under the Kansas Pet Animal Act would not be required to pay for more than one license.
In addition to the bills already being considered by state legislatures, it is important to remember that in many legislatures bills are still being introduced. Moreover, at the local level, new ordinances can be proposed year-round, so keep an eye on the state and local news for legislation coming to your town.
Please report legislation happening in your area to the Legislative Group -
legislation@cfa.org
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 by Karen Lane
CFA Ambassador Cats Program Chair
There is exciting news from the Ambassador Cat Committee. As our program evolves and expands into new territories, the CFA Board has appointed Joel Chaney to Co-Chair our committee along with Karen Lane. Joel will be moving into the day-to-day management of our A-Cats. Joel is forward thinking and will be responsible for increasing the number of A-Cats in the program and will be on the lookout for new candidates to bring the CFA message and breed expertise to the public.
There are a number of new projects planned for the Ambassador Cat Program in the years to come and we are all thrilled to have Joel and the talent he will bring to our committee.
Jim Flanik remains our secretary.
Welcome aboard Joel and congratulations
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 Candilee Jackson
CFA Ambassador Chair
Happy mid-winter, everyone! I hope this newsletter finds all of you comfy, warm and safe during your winter travels. Much is going on among the ambassadors as they continue their work "in the trenches" of show halls, senior centers, libraries and schools. Besides winter pet expos, ambassadors are currently finding themselves being invited to speak at JOB FAIRS! Several ambassadors are reporting invitations to various high school and college job information fairs where students have exposure to a variety of not only trades and professions, but service-centered hobbies as well.
 Region 1: Chris June and Stacie Egler
The "Bomb Cyclone" and cold temperatures may have kept many of us at home this winter, but this was not the case in Burlington, Vermont, when the Vermont Fancy Felines and the Club Felins Fleur De Lys rolled out the welcome mat for back to back shows the weekend of January 13-14 at the Burlington Hotel. Despite a blustery morning snowfall of six inches on Saturday, intrepid spectators trickled in throughout the day, and were warmly welcomed by cuddly Pet Me! cats and scores of enthusiastic exhibitors. Sunday the skies were clear, but the sub-zero temperatures were powerless to chill the excitement of several hundred cat-loving spectators who arrived booted and bundled but determined to take in the wonders of the CFA cat world, from Siamese to Turkish Angora to the tailless Manx. Club member and CFA judge Sharon Roy hosted a Parade of Breeds for spectators both days.
Included in Sunday's arrivals were a group of cat adoring Girl Scouts who graciously volunteered to act as ring stewards and sanitize cages for the day. Of course, we were quick to introduce them to our sweet Pet me! cat, CFA Champion / Premier Prince Catspian, a 5-year-old champagne Burmese. They were so taken with him they returned half a dozen times throughout the day to check in and give him some love. In between Girl Scout visits, Catspian received tons of attention, oohs, and aahs over his silky soft coat, his huge gold eyes, and his sweet, laid back personality. He was a special favorite for young children who longed to get close and touch just one of the pretty show kitties.
Region 3: Janis Walkingstick
Hosted by the Houston Cat Club, their Charity Show was held January 6-7, 2018, at the George R Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Celebrating 65 years, the Houston Cat Club
had the biggest gate it's had in 14 years! 3,100 tickets were sold to attend the show. Many of the spectators were new to the world of showing cats, and kept our ambassadors on their toes the entire weekend. Spectators watched cats running agility courses, interacted with breeders, and handled Pet Me Cats. Profits from the Houston show go to local humane organizations.
Region 4: Mariane Toth
Established in 1918, Cleveland Persian Society is one of CFA's oldest cat shows. Just following the end of WWI, our nation was ready for some fun entertainment, and this new club hosted its very first show in December, 1918, in the Hotel Olmsted in Parma, Ohio. One hundred years later, the respected club hosted its 100th birthday show in style. Held January 20-21, 2018, the show was in Baron's Arena in Parma. Along with the regular show activities were club members dressed in jazzy styles of the roaring twenties, along with a photo booth, face painting, a cat fashion show by Kaylee, and showing of various pieces from the CFA Museum, and of course, anniversary cake for all. Ambassadors played a huge role in the show discussing various cat issues including nutrition, grooming, and declawing options. Many thank yous to ambassador Mariane Toth for the wonderful pictures!
Region 8: Takako and Marsani Kojima
Japan celebrated its new year with a regional show at the Kobe Sanbo Hall, Kobe, Japan, on January 13-14th. Exhibitors and show management were thrilled with the huge turnout of spectators. Among the new exhibitors was a family supporting a lovely Russian Blue in premiership, and Masanari made sure the family had all the CFA information.
"We are so happy to see new exhibitors enjoy the show so much. Their cats got all finals and rosettes! It's amazing. I took a picture of owner and cat for their memory of first show. When they leave show hall, I asked them, "Will you attend the next show?". They said, "Of course!" making us all very happy!"
"On Sunday, many young spectators visited ambassador booth. They were students of the Animal Care College in Kobe. There were too many students to explain about show, standards and others at one time, so Masanari and I asked them to make three groups. Between Masanari, myself and our show secretary, we took them to see cats at the benching area to explain each standard. One of them asked me how to check quality of kitten when mother has new babies.I replied her that it needs much experience of having babies."
Takako and Masanari always have so many wonderful ambassador experiences at their shows: Raptor is an amazing ambassador himself, showing himself off, and helping many get over the fear of cats. The Kojimas are so welcoming, and take their ambassador duties almost as an avocation, making sure everyone from exhibitor to spectator feels welcome, supported and happy at their shows. Congratulations on doing such a wonderful job as "the Face of CFA"!
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by Carmen Johnson-Lawrence, Chair
Another month gone...here it is February and just over two months left in our show season. The youth in YFEP have been very busy at shows throughout the US in various ways. This month I'm excited to introduce to you two youth who just became involved in the program this year! How exciting to have them so involved in CFA and YFEP!
Angelica Whitney - North Atlantic Region Lions Division
I had attended the Vermont Fancy Felines show. It was my second show, but my cat's first one. She was being shown in Household Pets. Also, I stewarded for the second time. Since I'm the one in my family who does all of the showing and preparation (ex. grooming), I was juggling multiple things. I had a great time and want to stay in cat showing. Even though the driving was hard, it had a fun outcome. I've been involved with researching a breed, community service, showing my cat, steward at cat shows, and entering cat-related items at fairs. Cat Fanciers Association and Youth Feline Education Program are helping to prepare me for becoming a veterinarian when I'm older.
Isabel Pitts - Gulf Shore Region Cats Division 
In January, the Houston Cat Show added a new activity, the Children's Area. My friend Delaney and I
were the teen volunteers for this fun new event. The Catmosphere was awesome: kids were so excited
and came dressed as cats or in all kinds of cat related clothes. In the Children's Area, kids could learn
about different breeds at the show and earn prizes by completing activities. We had coloring sheets
with breed facts, puzzles and drawing projects in our area, and the Meet the Breed table was next to us.
We had a cat scavenger hunt where kids had to go around the show to find all the breeds on a list.
When they brought the sheet back, they got a cat bracelet. The bracelets were a big hit, and the kids
really enjoyed learning more about different kinds of cats. They were interested and excited about
everything cat related. We were busy almost all the time. Interacting with everyone who came to our
area was a fun and rewarding experience for me and I hope I get to do it again.
If you know a youth that is interested in the Youth Feline Education Program, you may contact Carmen at
carmenlawrence.yfep@gmail.com
or reach out directly to your regional coordinator!
- North Atlantic Region - Lynda Smith
- Northwest Region - Sande Kay
- Gulf Shore Region - Anne Paul
- Great Lakes Region - Lorna Friemoth
- Southwest Region - Kelsey Friemoth
- Midwest Region - Cathy Dunham
- Southern Region - Chandler Bussey
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 CFAF
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 The Feline Historical Museum had a fabulous day hosting the Fashionista Cats on January 19th. Kathy Pritchard, and her daughter Kaitlyn, did a wonderful job of keeping the Cornish Rex dressed in their various outfits during the day. Over 120 people, plus lots of local media, came to enjoy the cats and their Victorian costumes, and resulted in some very positive press after the event. It was quite a busy day! Here's a quick look at the day on YouTube
The CFA Foundation took an artifact booth to the Cleveland Persian Society show on January 20-21, to help them celebrate their 100th anniversary as a club. A great deal of interest was shown in the club-related artifacts that we had on display. It was good for us to do a booth locally, and the day has resulted in numerous visitors to the museum since the show.
The museum continues to collect items for the Abyssinian breed display. Our thanks to Kim Ghobrial for her donation of two pieces of art, one of which is this painting of GC Pallady's Tiara. We are also grateful to Martha/Norman Auspitz and Meg Lambert for the loan of their Aby treasures.
Karen Lawrence is completing a project, with the approval of the CFA Board of Directors, to scan the old index registration cards that CFA has in its archives. The cards will be saved as searchable PDF files, and it is estimated the project will take two years to finish.
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| 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 OAPHHT. There is a dedicated reservation site for CFA at https://www.motel6.com/en/cp/cat-fanciers-association.html or you may call 800-466-8356. |
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Discounts Available to You!
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by John Adelhoch, Regional Director
Baubles, Bangles and Beads! Those of you that have not heard the Board has voted on allowing the "Bengal" into Championship status. Yes we will be seeing some new spots and rosettes in the show rings. OK, so let the "glitter flow." Congratulations on your accomplishment.
National Norwegian Forest CC, and Delaware River CC will be sharing the weekend of February 24-25th, in Cherry Hill , N.J. so let's try and support both of these clubs.
On the morning of the Delaware River club the NAR will be having a regional meeting. This meeting will present the information needed for the NAR Region show being held on June 16th 17th, in Matamoras , Pa. Information about Banquet and hotel reservations will be discussed.
Cheers
Remember these are the best of times, so get out there and support your region!
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Terri Zittel, Regional Secretary
A lot of firsts for Region 2: first show of the year for the upper Northwest on February 3rd. Last show
was the first of December so the exhibitors were ready! The Valley Cat Fanciers along with
Willamette Valley Cat Club held a one day, six ring show in Longview, WA. The club had a fabulous
entry with five Bengals being shown in the Miscellaneous class.
Another first was the Grand of Distinction achieved by GC RW Castlegate Capt Will of Pirateheart.
Will is the first Golden Persian to achieve this status in CFA and the first in the Shaded and Golden
Division in Championship. He was bred by Barbara Bosco and lovingly owned and shown by Vicki
A. Jensen. Way to go Vicki!
The show season really heats up from this point onward. Call of the Wild will be holding their annual
show in Santa Rosa this year on February 17 & 18. This show is followed in March by the Tails and
No Tails two day show in San Jose on the 3rd and 4th.
The Region 2 Fundraiser show will be held on March 10th at the DoubleTree@Lloyd Center. IdaCats
will hold their annual two day show on March 17th and 18th in Boise, Idaho.
April brings us the Crow Canyon Cat Club in Pleasanton, CA on the 7th and 8th. This is their annual
show with 10 rings. Followed closely by the Puget Sound/McKenzie River clubs holding their 10 ring
show in Longview, WA.
Most of these shows have their flyers posted on the CFAnorthwest.org show calendar. You can enter
from this location also.
As an additional sideline, the McKenzie River Cat Club is planning a show the 2nd week in March
2019. The show will celebrate Betty Denny's 100th birthday. She will be attending the show so you
will want to mark this date on your calendar 3/9 & 10/2019.
The flyer for the Northwest Regional show and Banquet will be on the calendar shortly. I have
finished the flyer but not delivered it to Kathy as yet. The date is June 23rd at the DoubleTree@Lloyd
Center. A two week bathroom remodel rather delayed a few of my duties. Sigh, it is 99% completed -
the bathroom that is.
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by Kathy Black, Regional Director
Happy Valentine Day from the Gulf Shore Region!
February brings thoughts of love and friendship, and what better way to show our love of our cats than at a cat show!
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Show manager Bill Bittenbender and Laura Barber. Her luggage did not make it_ so he is helping her construct show curtains with paper and green duct tape.
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Wichita Cat Fanciers, in Wichita, KS is the furthest-north member club of the Region. The club has been hosting shows for many years and often it turns into a campaign show. This year was no different with exhibitors coming from all regions to support the show.
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New exhibitor Dwight Dow with his Chartreux Grand Premier.
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Due to the hurricane damage, Wildcatter Cat Club in Beaumont, TX is unable to host their show the end of February. A new club, Magnolia State Cat Club is holding a 10 ring February 24-25, 2018 in Alexandria, LA. This is a hotel show and we ask everyone to support this new club. Beaumont will return to their traditional date in 2019 and Magnolia will find a traditional date next year.
March shows:
Ozark Cat Fanciers (with Happy Alternative as sponsor) March 17-18, 2018 in Cleburne, TX
Greater Baton Rouge Cat Club March 31, 2018 in Gonzales, LA
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by John Colilla, Regional Director
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by Lisa Marie Kuta, Regional Director
Thanks to Crown City Cat Club, San Diego Cat Fanciers, Friends and Family and Victor Valley Cat Clubs for kicking off 2018 with such lovely shows. Have the winter blues? The Southwest Region is here to warm you up! Come to the Malibu Cat Club's annual show on February 24 in Glendale, California. Glendale is just outside of Los Angeles. Burbank Airport (BUR) is a few miles from the showhall; LAX, Orange County, Long Beach and Ontario airports are all within driving distance.
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by Mary Auth, Regional Director
The number of shows is ramping up as we head into the home stretch for finishing the show season.
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The St. Paul Winter Carnival Royalty were at the Saintly City show to crown the top Household Pets. |
Let's start with Saintly City - January 27-28 in St. Paul, Minnesota where the Annual Winter Carnival was underway. If you are not familiar with Winter Carnival, Google it. It's a fascinating event where the Vulcans try to speed up the arrival of spring. As always, the St. Paul Winter Carnival Royalty were present to award capes and crowns to the HHP King and Queen. This year Jill Sullivan provided an agility ring for the entertainment of spectators and cats alike. Congratulations to the many new Grand Champions and Grand Premiers at the Saintly City Cat Club.
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Jill Sullivan staged an agility competition at the Saintly City show in late January. She will also have agility at the Illini Show in Urbana_ Ill.
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By the time you have this newsletter, the Hawkeye Cat Club show in Altoona, Iowa will have occurred, so I will have to report on it in March. The Lincoln State Cat Club show on February 24-25 in St. Charles, Illinois will feature a lot of activities for spectators. Cary Plummer is entertaining the crowd already and the show hasn't even started. The Midwest Region will host three shows in March
- Illini Cat Club in Urbana, Illinois on March 3-4; Mo-Kan Cat Club in Lenexa, Kansas on March 10 and finally Tornado Alley/KC Cats in Gardner, KS on March 24-25.
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| Lincoln State Cat Club will present the Super Heroes of the Cat World at their show on February 24-25. |
We are working hard to add some shows to the region's schedule. The MICE show is being resurrected with an expanded group of members to hold a show in northern Indiana. Watch for the Midwest Region communiques for updates.
The region is tentatively planning a clerking school on Friday, August 3 in advance of the TGIF and National Birman Fanciers show in Gray Summit, Missouri. Watch for details to come.
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by Jean Dugger, Regional Director
2018 CFA Annual
A new raffle for the CFA Annual has begun! We have a black "Car Go" small double Sturdi cage that could be yours! This was original meant to fit into the backseat of your car for travel, but it could easily be a smaller show cage, or used for kittens or at home. Tickets are $3 or 3 for $5.
Dave Peet will have it at shows where he will be and Sarah Seiffert will be coordinating the raffle. Many thanks to you both for your help and support!
We Want YOUR Swag
in our
Delegate Bag!
That's right! We are giving ALL clubs and individuals the opportunity to promote their club or show, or celebrate their cat's win this season. Complete information is available
here.
Be A Peach and contribute!
Show News
Lots of show activity in the Southern Region this past month with shows in Birmingham, AL; Roanoke, VA; and Newport News, VA. But things are quiet in the region for the next few weeks. But just wait until March when we have the Atlanta Phoenix CC show in Atlanta AND Crab and Mallet show in Timonium, GA on the weekend of March 10-11. THEN the next weekend brings us the Coastal Paws CC show in Raleigh, NC March 17-18. No reason not to be a show in Region 7 in March - so enter early and often!
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Kayoko Koizumi, Regional Director
No report this month
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by Michael Hans Schleissner 
January 2018 started with one of our traditional shows in Region 9. The Swedish Cat Paws Club produced another 10 ring show. This is one of the most convenient places in the region for to show your cats. The show hall is very close to Stockholm's Arlanda International Airport, you can book one of the airport hotels for your stay and you have a shuttle service between hotel and airport. Ulla Strandberg and her team did a great job as always and keep the business in Sweden running for CFA. The count increases from year to year and it's always great to see that exhibitors consistently support this show and that there was lots of new faces. Thanks to the Swedish Cat Paws team for a great job and I already know that there will be the next show same place on the weekend January 12/13 in 2019. Mark your calendar so that you don't miss it.
The 3rd weekend in January we had a once again a wonderful show in Finland. The Cat Fanciers of Finland organized another 8 ring show. This time the club used a new location in a pretty new facility. It was a large hall of a dog training center. There was lots of space for benching, shops easy reachable for shopping and a restaurant upstairs for all the exhibitors' wishes. Once again, as like in the Swedish show, the club took a location which is very close to the Helsinki airport. Hotels for foreigners are easy to reach by shuttle busses. Taxi distances from hotels to the show hall are very short. The Finnish club told me that they will use this facility for some of the upcoming shows. Organization was perfect like always. This show had a great count and for those of you who want to put some more points on your cats this is the right place. Thanks to the wonderful Finnish club team!
Last weekend in January we had another great show in Italy. The club 44 Gatti Cat Club celebrated again a multiple organization show together with TICA in the same show hall in Chiuduno in the Bergamo Area. This is a kind of tradition for this club and it shows that this can work perfectly. Great count, perfect organization by the club's team. Next show of this club will be April 6-7 in 2018.
All in all a very successful month for the clubs and exhibitors in Region 9 - Europe.
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The Hong Kong Black Cat Club had their annual show February 11 and 12 at the Hong Kong Convention Center. It was held in concert with a pet fair with over 300,000 visitiors
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Judges and special guests - Judge Suki Lee's daughters
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Judges and Best Kitten, Cat, Alter and Household Pet
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| The HKBCC emphasizes visitor education with signage for each breed |
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A special seminar (no cat show) was held in Bandung, Indonesia on February 10, 2018 with judge and ID-International representative Danny Tai as a speaker. We had 53 participants from different associations, newbies, CFA exhibitosr, and cat lovers.
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Event hosts and instructor Danny Tai
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Attendees learned about how to enter CFA shows, meaning of the ribbons, calculate grand points and DW points. They also learned about CFA breed standards. Cat owners have Persians, Exotics, Maine Coons, British Shorthairs, Scottish Folds and Abyssinians.
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Have a question or a comment about the CFA Newsletter?
Feel free to contact me at
tkeiger@cfa.org
Thank you for being a subscriber!
Teresa Keiger
CFA Newsletter Editor
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