Shoes to Meet the Standard

What is the most important accessory to wear at a cat show? While running back and forth to rings, just ask your feet! Better yet, listen to some of our renowned CFA judges who unlaced their cat show footwear secrets for us!

Rescuing Burmese Cats

Wartime Operations in Ukraine

Artists and Cats A Purrfect Pairing for the Holidays

It is hard to imagine the holiday season without cozy blanket, book and a warm feline friend on our lap.

Feline Holidays Candilee Jackson

Like most of us, this writer enjoys social media for connecting with friends and family and to peruse the various funny “punny” memes sprinkled throughout the posts.

What You Don't Know About Ragdolls

Cat show visitors tend to look for cats Cabo play are cuddly snuggle-bugs.

Glimpses of Our Past: A Pair of Pioneers

Best known as a sports: and entertainment venue, Madison Square Garden has actually been home to a number of cat shows, starting as far back as 1895.

State Breeder Laws Every Resident Fancier Should Know!

CFA State Breeder Law Series, Part 8 - U.S. States of Region 1: New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont

How Can I Put On a Cat Show With So Few People?

Show Manager To Ring One, Please

Ghost Cats 2

What is Ghost Cats 2 all about? Author Dusty Rainbolt says it best.

UP CLOSE AND Purr-sonal: KAREN THOMAS

Most of us know Karen Thomas. You may have met her in her role as show manager for Rebel Rousers Cat Club in Atlanta, GA.

Ear's the Deal

Managing and Preventing Ear Infections

Remembrances: Douglas Myers

"Respect the cat, and treat it with care. Exhibitors will forget if you don't final their cat; they'll never forgive if you mishandle it."

Remembrances: Donna Jean Thompson

"We Thought She Would Live Forever"

The Challenge of Gracious Competition

It's often said that good manners and civility have become a thing of the past.

Up Close And Purr-sonal

While cat people can seem to be just about the cats, they’re almost always about other things, too. In the case of Sibyl Zaden, that’s actually a LOT of other things: the arts, politics, academia, marathons, triathlons, and more.

Help! My Cat Is Stuck In A Tree!

It happens in an instant. Your door is open a split second too long, and your indoor-only cat is outside and up a tree—way up a tree, beyond reach of most ladders. You hear the piteous cries from above. Now what?

Why Pet Insurance Belongs in Your Kitten Kit

Most of us send our kittens off to their new homes accompanied by a packet of information: food samples, toys, vet records and lots more essentials and goodies. We want our kittens to get off on the right foot! Unfortunately, with the rapidly increasing cost of vet care, there are sure to be unforeseen expenses as the kitten matures, and very few of us educate new owners on how to manage the risk of major vet bills down the road.

What You Don't Know About Burmese

The Chatty Cathy of Cats … Burmese, Please!!!

Patrick Learns of a Sweet Girl's Passing in this 'Life With Patrick' Crossover

Lucille a reminiscence of GC, GPD, NW McPride Lucille Ball of Jaspurrcats, owned by Beth Feiniger

New Rules for Flying with Pets

On December 2, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it was revising its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transport of services animals by air.5 One of the main revisions to the act was airlines would no longer to be required to treat emotional support animals (ESAs) as service animals. Airlines are required to allow service animals to fly in the cabin free of charge with their owners. Prior to this ruling, pets that the traveler needed to provide them with emotional support had been able to fly for no charge. The only documentation a traveler was required to produce was a letter from a licensed mental health professional that the traveler had some sort of emotional disability that required them to travel with a pet.

If Fluffy Can't Brush The Dental Health Challenge

Part of our everyday grooming routine is oral hygiene; we know we should brush and floss our teeth twice a day, and according to dental hygienists, for two minutes at each brushing. But consider the cat. Unless it became accustomed to a tooth brushing regimen during kittenhood, tending to an adult cat’s teeth may be difficult at best or impossible at worst, compared to “pulling teeth” if our readers will pardon the pun.

FUR NAMES

Names. Oh, what an important choice in the life of cat! It is how a cat will be known in the show rings and in daily life. A name can alternate between words of delight or new forms of cursing. Each name tells a story and this is the story of GC RW Starbourne Three Ring Circus, aka Ellie

CFA Breeder Publishes New Book About Siberians

A new breed book, The Siberian Cat, written by long-term CFA breeder Alice Wright, was released via Amazon, in paperback and Kindle formats on May 26, 2021. The book is a comprehensive history of the breed, providing extensive details of how the Siberian cat has traveled and expanded its conquest into hearts and families all over the world.

A Short Tale From a Short Season

Most of us have had that special cat—a heart cat with whom we had a deep connection. It may have been one we had as a child, or one that saw us through a troubled time, or one with whom we bonded as we exhibited at cat shows. Whether the cat found us or we sought it out, the connections cannot be denied. These are the stories of some of those special cats and what they meant to us.

That Kitty Mess Could Mean More Than You Think

Living with cats pretty much means living with a fair amount of kitty barf. For most of us, hearing the unmistakable sound of a cat upchucking means you drop everything and run for the paper towels. But it could also mean there’s more to worry about than the risk of stepping in goo barefooted. Determining whether your vomiting cat needs more than a cleanup depends on a number of factors. It’s best to gather as much information as possible about what’s going on before you get your vet involved. So, before you call, try to have the answers to the following questions handy.

Up Close and Purr-sonal

Just about everyone who knows CFA knows Kathy Calhoun, CFA treasurer and Allbreed judge. She’s also a breeder of national winning Maine Coon cats, national winning American Wirehairs, Tonkinese and American Shorthairs, a former Regional Director, and one of the founders of the Basic Black Cat Club. But as busy as Kathy Calhoun’s CFA life has been and is, cats are just one part of her story.

Teacher's Pet, Classroom Assistant Lady Bronwyn

Most of us have had that special cat—a heart cat with whom we had a deep connection. It may have been the cat we had as a child, or the one that saw us through a troubled time, or one with whom we bonded as we exhibited at cat shows. Whether the cat found us or we sought it out, those connections cannot be denied. These are the stories of some of those special cats and what they mean or meant to us.

Gromit The Rockstar

There are very few cats, no matter how long they are shown, or what they achieve, that belong in the “rock star” category. In pedigreed cats, we have a few that have become legendary.

Conducting Cat Shows During the COVID-19 Pandemic

It was just over a year ago that we were all enjoying our hobby of showing cats. Some traveled extensively seeking high titles, and some just supported local shows. In all cases, there was social interaction with everyone, and we generally did not worry about spreading infections.

Major Tom

My first pet was a cat named “Major Tom,” or “Tommy.” He was a domestic shorthair silver tabby and white. From what I was told, my parents purchased Tommy for $1.98 from the 5 & 10 cent-store in Trenton, NJ as a young kitten after they moved into their first place.