Pedegru and a Partnership with the CFA

CFA History

CFA has grown steadily over the years from its humble beginnings, licensing two shows to licensing approximately 400 shows each season, worldwide. Membership in CFA is granted to clubs who have gone through an application and election process.

Early Years

The Cat Fanciers' Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1906, after breaking ties with the American Cat Association. The Association licensed its first cat shows in 1906; one show was held in Buffalo, New York and another show was held in Detroit, Michigan. CFA's first Annual Business Meeting was held in 1907 at Madison Square Garden. In 1906, CFA published the first Stud Book and Register in the Cat Journal. In 1909, Volume I of the Stud Book was published in book form. The Stud Book and Register served as CFA's first published records of cat breeding and lineage as it began a tradition of providing a much-needed service to the cat fancy. On September 18, 1919, Articles of Incorporation were filed in New York State. By 1920, CFA was on its way to becoming the largest registry of pedigreed cats that it is today.

CFA Constitution Objectives

The Association shall be a not-for-profit organization. Its objects shall be as follows: the welfare of all cats; the promotion and improvement of CFA recognized breeds of cats; the registering, recording or identifying by number or by other means the names and/or pedigrees of cats and kittens; the promulgation of rules for the management of cat shows; the licensing of cat shows held under the rules of this organization; and the promotion of the interests of breeders and exhibitors of pedigreed cats.

CFA Central Office, New Jersey
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In 1958, Mrs. Jean Rose became the registrar for The Cat Fanciers' Association, working out of her home in New Jersey. At that time, Mrs. Rose donated two large rooms of her home where she conducted all CFA business. In 1965, Mrs. Rose took the unprecedented step of renting office space in Red Bank, New Jersey. Four years later, the organization had outgrown facility and moved its operations. In 1980, due to increased registrations, the association purchased a 5,000 square foot facility in Ocean Township, New Jersey. This office space was quickly outgrown and CFA sought a new location to house its operations.

In June of 1988, at the CFA Board Meeting, the board unanimously approved a plan to purchase and construct a new building to house its Central Office. Construction commenced in 1990, and on February 1, 1991 nine truckloads of desks, files and equipment were moved into the new facility.