How to Register Your Cat for Breeding Rights With the CFA

Pedigreed cats registered with the CFA can participate in cat shows.

The Cat Fancier's Association (CFA) is a non-profit organization that handles the registration of purebred cats of various breeds. The organization regulates certain cat shows and breeders of pedigreed cats register with the CFA in order to maintain the purity of cat breeds by recording their lineages. In order to register your cat in the CFA with breeding rights, submit the paperwork from the cat's breeder required for registration, stating that the cat has been sold or transferred to you with breeding rights.

Things You'll Need

• Application for Registration with PIN

Instructions

1. Obtain a pedigreed cat from a breeder whose cattery is registered with the CFA. Ensure that the breeder registered the litter of kittens that your cat came from. Tell the breeder you plan on breeding the cat as this will affect the type of Application for Registration (also called a "blue slip" or "yellow slip") you will receive. You must obtain permission from the breeder to register the cat with breeding rights.

2. Ask your breeder for the Application for Registration for your cat. This document must contain the five-digit personal identification number (PIN) provided to the breeder when she registered the litter of kittens containing your cat. The PIN is a computer generated random number, printed on the Certificate of Litter Registration given to the breeder by the CFA. Also called a "Litter-PIN", this unique PIN is known only to the breeder, not the CFA.

3. Complete an online Application for Registration through the CFA, using information found on your blue or yellow slip. You must specify the name of your choice for your cat, a second choice for the name, the breed, litter number and date-of-birth. Fill in your information as the owner. You will need to fill in the physical characteristics of your cat including type of coat, coat color, and eye color, as well as the date-of-sale. Most importantly, fill in the Litter-PIN to register your cat with breeding rights.

4. Submit the online form to complete the registration. Return to the online registration page using the link provided in the bottom of the confirmation page to submit payment (credit or debit) for the registration. As of October 2010, the registration fee is $12 for cats registered within 30 days of the date-of-sale or $17 for any date after that.

5. Complete and mail your Application for Registration (given to you by the breeder) if you do not wish to use the online registration system. Fill in all information requested, as listed above, then mail along with your credit card information, check or money order to:

   The Cat Fancier's Association, Inc.

   1805 Atlantic Avenue, P.O. Box 1005

   Manasquan, NJ 08736-0805

6. Your cat's paperwork is then processed by the CFA and you will receive a Registration Certificate by mail or email (as a .pdf file) ensuring that your cat is registered with breeding rights.

Tips & Warnings

• Cats sold as "not for breeding" (NFB) cannot be registered with breeding rights in the CFA.

• Without a Litter-PIN, your cat will only be registered as NFB .

• If your cat is registered with the CFA as NFB, but the breeder agrees to give you the Litter-PIN, the registration can be changed to include breeding rights for a $10 fee, as of October 2010.

• The CFA offers expedited registration for an extra fee.

• For questions, contact the CFA at 732-528-9797.

• Some breeders will not sell cats used for breeding, refusing to provide the Application for Registration unless proof of spaying/neutering is provided to them first.

• Litter-PINs can only be obtained from the breeder, not the CFA.

References

• Cat Fancier's Association: Rules for Registration
• Cat Fancier's Association: Inside CFA
• Cat Fancier's Association: CFA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Reqistration Inquiries and Problems
• Cat Fancier's Association: Application for Registration