Two of the most well known cat registering organizations with central offices based in the US are:
- The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA)
- The International Cat Association (TICA)
CFA is the largest cat registry in the world and TICA is one of the fastest growing cat registries. Many cat breeders, especially in North America, find themselves registering and showing in both organizations—but there are quite a few differences between how the two organizations register and show pedigreed cats.
The table below outlines the major differences between CFA and TICA.
Differences Between CFA and TICA
CATEGORY
CFA
TICA
Registration or Organizational Differences
Membership
- Member clubs
- No individual voting
- Individual or family membership
- Individual or family voting
# Regions in US/Canada
7
8
International Regions
- Japan
- Europe
- International Division:
(Africa, Asia & Latin America)
- South America
- Northern Europe
- Southern Europe
- Europe West
- Asia
Registration Based On:
Genotype:
The cat is the breed only if the parents are the same breed or an allowable outcross, regardless of appearance
Phenotype:
The cat is the breed it looks like
regardless of the parent breed.
Official Publications
The Online Almanac includes a one-year subscription (6 issues) to the print magazine, CatTalk, published every 2 months.
The TICA TREND: Print magazine published every 2 months.
Breeds Judged in Different Groups
Breeds recognized in one registry
that are not recognized in the other
CFA recognizes the Ragamuffin
while TICA does not
TICA recognizes the following breeds
which CFA does not:
Australian Mist
Bengal
British Longhairs
Burmilla Longhairs
Chaussies
Khao Manee
Kurilian Bobtail
Nebelung
Munchkin
Munchkin LH
Minuet (formerly Napoleon)
Nebelung
Peterbald
PixieBob
Savannah
Scottish Straight (LH and SH)
Snowshoe
Thai
Exotic Shorthair
Judged as a LH in CFA
Judged as a SH in TICA
American Bobtail Longhair
American Curl Longhair
Balinese
*Cymric
Japanese Bobtail Longhair
LaPerm Longhair
Oriental Longhair
American Bobtail Longhair
Oriental Longhair
PixieBob Longhair
Scottish Fold Longhair
Selkirk Rex Longhair
Somali
All are Judged in the SH Group in CFA
*The Cymric is a called a LH Manx in CFA but is shown in the SH Group
All are Judged in the LH Group in TICA
Judging Differences
# Rings/Day/Show
- 4 rings one-day show
- 6 rings one-day show
Saturday AND/OR Sunday - 6/8 rings two-day show
- 10-rings two-day shows. Must be either 6/4 or 5/5
- 10 – 16 rings / 2-day show
- 15 – 20 rings / 3-day show
- Maximum 20 rings / 3-day weekend
or 16 rings for two-day show
Numbering In The Catalogue
Cats are numerical in a continual sequence from #1 to last cat in show.
Cats are numbers from 1 to 50 (or 100) in each category (Kittens, Championship, Alters & Household Pets).
The Judge’s Book
Open, Champion and Grand titles are listed in the judge’s book.
No titles are listed in the judge’s book.
Class Divisions Within The Breed
Each breed class is divided by Title, Sex and Color
Classes are divided by Color Only.
HHP Divisions
Divided into Spays and Neuters only.
- Divided into 10 Color Divisions
- Divided into eight divisions and four categories
for a total of 32 combinations - HHP kittens are separated from adults
Maximum # Of Class Placements
3 (First, Second, Third)
5 (First to Fifth)
Best of Color Awards
Best of Color (BOC)
2nd Best of Color (2BOC)
5 Best of Color (BOC) awards
(1st to 5th)
Best of Breed
Best of Breed (BOB)
2nd Best of Breed (2BOB)
3 Best of Division (BOD) awards
(1st – 3rd)
3 Best of Breed (BOB) awards
(1st – 3rd)
Number of Placements in the Finals
- Top 10
- Kittens: Top 15 if 100 or more entered
- Championship: Top 15 if 150 or more entered
- Premiership: Top 15 if 75 or more entered
Top 10 if 25 or more are present
OR
Top 9 if 24 cats entered
Top 8 if 23 entered
Top 7 if 22 entered
Top 5 if 21 entered
Top 5 if 20 or less
Individual Ring Scoring
The highest number of cats present in any one ring is considered the number of cats present in every ring of the show.
The number of cats present in each ring is calculated for every individual ring.
Calling Cat’s # for the Finals
The Cats’ numbers in the final are announced over a loudspeaker.
The cats’ numbers are placed on the judging cages and an announcement made: “Numbers are being posted in Ring #1 for the allbreed cat final. Check your numbers”.
Absentees
A cat must be present to win an award
The Judge can choose to hang a ribbon on an empty cage if the cat has left the show hall and it is after the posted show hours.
If before close of posted show hours, the cat can only receive the final if the owners received permission from show management before leaving the show hall.
Show Results
Show results, or Scoreboards, are updated monthly within 10-12 days following the last full weekend of the month.
Archives are limited to the current month and three months prior.
UNOFFICIAL show results are emailed to subscribers of: TICAMEMBERS@yahoogroups.com
Results are available a day or longer after the show depending on the Master Clerk of the show and/or the Regional Show Reporter.
Standings
One week after the end of the month, a paid subscription to monthly “epoints” is available giving the current standings in CFA.
The last month of the season, updated epoints are available approximately 10 days after each show weekend.
Official TICA Standings are published at http://www.tica.org/members/standings.php
The official standings are updated about once a month, sometimes more often but are often more than a month behind actual show results.
Titles Awarded
Highest Title
National Winner, NW
International Winner, IW
Regional Title
Regional Winner, RW
Divisional Winner, DW
(International Region Only)
BW – Breed Winner, earned by being the top cat in a breed for a show season. This award ONLY applies to cats being shown in championship, and is only awarded to one cat in each breed in a given year
BWR – Breed Winner in Regions 1-9
BWC – Breed Winner in China
BWI – Breed Winner in the International Division
Regional Winner, RW
Individual Titles
Champion, CH
Bronze Champion, CHB
Silver Champion, CHS,
Gold Champion, CHG
Grand Champion, GC
Grand Champion of Distinction, GCD
*
Premier, PR
Bronze Premier, PRM
Silver Premier, PRS,
Gold Premier, PRG
Grand Premier, GP
Grand Premier of Distinction, GPD
Champion, CH
Grand Champion, GC
Double Grand Champion, DGC
Triple Grand Champion, TGC
Quadruple Grand Champion, QGC
Supreme Grand Champion, SGC
*
Champion Alter, CHA
Grand Champion Alter, GCA
Double Grand Champion Alter, DGCA
Triple Grand Champion Alter, TGCA
Quadruple Grand Champion Alter, QGCA
Supreme Grand Champion Alter, SGCA
Household Pet Titles
GH (Grand Household Pet)
GHD (Grand HHP of Distinction)
HRW (HHP Regional winner).
Household Pet Regional Winner, HRW
Household Pet National Winner, HNW
Master, MAS
Grand Master, GM
Double Grand Master, DGM
Triple Grand Master, TGM
Quadruple Grand Master, QGM
Supreme Grand Master, SGM
Regional Winner, RW
International Winner, IW
Breeding Titles
Distinguished Merit, DM
10 Grands for a male
5 Grands for a female
Outstanding Sire, OS – 15 grands
Outstanding Dam, OD – 5 grands
Other Titles
- BW – Breed Winner, earned by being the top cat in a breed for a show season. This award ONLY applies to cats being shown in championship, and is only awarded to one cat in each breed in a given year
- BWR – Breed Winner in Regions 1-9
- BWC – Breed Winner in China
- BWI – Breed Winner in the International Division
Lifetime Achievement, LA
Awarded to any cat with a combination of 3 IW/RW titles, one of which must be an IW.
Order Titles Are Listed On The Cat’s Name
- CH/GC/GCD and/or PR/GP/GOD.
- BW, (Championship Only)
- NW/RW/DW (Only use the Highest title earned in
Championship and/or Premiership) - Cat’s Name
- DM
- LA/IW/RW (Highest Individual Title Earned in Championship and/or as an Alter or HHP)
- OS/OD
- CH/SGC
- Cat’s Name
Number of Top Cat Titles Awarded Each Season Nationally & Regionally
Championship
Top 25
Top 25 All Breeds
PLUS
Top 25 LH Cats
Top 25 SH Cats
Kittens
Top 25
Top 25
Premiers
Top 25
Top 25
Household Pets
Top 25 Nationally
Top 10 Regionally
Top 25 HHP Adults
Top 25 HHP Kittens
Number of Rings Scored for Top Awards
Championship
100
50
Kittens
40
30
Alters
100
50
HPP
100
50
