Showbiz
Ca
t Shows
Cat Shows in South Africa
Cat shows provide an opportunity for breeders and cat
lovers to network and discuss feline matters. They are
are also held to educate members of the public and introduce them to all the various cat breeds. Statistics suggest that cat shows influence kitten buying decisions a large number of cat lovers bought their first pedigreed
cat after seeing it on the showbench.
Shows play an important part in maintaining standards
of both the health and look of a breed. It’s important for
Breeders to know whether they are breeding to the correct standard for their breed.
All pedigreed cats are judged according to a specific
breed standard for that breed which includes a standard
for coat and eye colour, head and body shape and ear
size and position.
By showing cats people have a benchmark to measure
whether they are reaching the standard laid down for
their breed.
Cat Associations in South Africa
These associations are the Cat Federation of South Africa
(CFSA), The Southern African Cat Council (SACC), the
Cat Association of Southern Africa (CASA) and the African Independent Cat Association (AICA).
All of these groups have their own shows and their own
award systems.
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Kittycat Issue 1 January/February 2014
Cat Federation of Southern Africa (CFSA)
The CFSA was established in 1997 to satisfy the needs of
the ever growing interest in cats and the activities surrounding them. It has been formed on the basis of the
highest moral and ethical principles to serve the needs of
South African cat breeders and fanciers. It is a national
registering authority for catteries and cats and has a
national cat judges executive.
Cat shows are held on weekends during the year where
titles are awarded to the cats by qualified cat judges.
The show year culminates in the very prestigious CFSA
Cat of the Year show. Points are allocated to cats during
the year and the top cats are invited to Cat of the Year.
There the following titles are awarded: Male of the Year,
Female of the Year, Neuter of the Year, Kitten of the Year,
and from these four winners the CFSA Cat of the Year is
chosen.
The CFSA Pet of the year is also a wonderful award for
non-pedigreed cats.
South African Cat Council (SACC)
SACC consists of cat clubs, breed groups, judges’ panels,
show managers forums, stewards forums, ethics committees and the South African Cat Register (SACR).
The register is a central office that deals with all matters
relating to the registration of cats and catteries.