Governing Council of the Cat Fancy
Encyclopedia
The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) is a cat registry
, established in 1910 and the largest organisation that registers pedigree cats in the United Kingdom
. It was formed from a small number of cat clubs which were registering cats at the time when the modern cat fancy
was in its first stages. It is considered to be the original prototype for cat fancy registries. It is an independent body with around 150 member clubs, including specialist breed clubs and area clubs covering particular regions. The GCCF became an incorporated company on 5 November 2010. It licenses cat show
s put on by its affiliated clubs with about 135 shows per year. Pedigree cats shown at these shows can gain the titles Champion
, Grand Champion and Imperial Grand Champion. The word Champion is replaced by Premier for neutered cats. The showing of non-pedigree cats (often referred to as Domestic shorthair and Domestic longhair) is also popular at GCCF shows.
The GCCF also co-ordinates its own show: the Supreme Cat Show
, which is famous for being the world's largest cat show and the feline equivalent of Crufts
. Special awards of UK and Supreme Champion can be gained at this show only.
The GCCF offices are based in Bridgwater
and are staffed by twelve people who deal with registrations, publications, show processing & title claims, agendas & minutes and correspondence from breeders, exhibitors, Clubs, Breed Advisory Committees and the general public. They also deal with complaints and breaches of rules, which can sometimes result in disciplinary action and even suspension from Cat Fancy activities. The GCCF is a member of the Cat Group and the World Cat Congress
.
The GCCF has set up its own charity: The Cat Welfare Trust, which uses funds raised through the GCCF to find ways of improving the welfare of cats. To date the trust has granted thousands of pounds into key research projects in ringworm vaccination, the feline genome
and chronic gingivo-stomatitis in cats.
Cat registry
A cat registry is an organisation that registers cats for exhibition and breeding purposes. A cat registry stores the pedigrees of cats, prefixes or affixes of catteries, studbooks , breed descriptions and the standards of points for those breeds; lists of judges qualified to judge at shows run...
, established in 1910 and the largest organisation that registers pedigree cats in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was formed from a small number of cat clubs which were registering cats at the time when the modern cat fancy
Cat Fancy
Cat Fancy is the name of a popular North American monthly magazine dedicated to cats, owners of cats, and breeders of cats published by BowTie Inc.-The magazine:...
was in its first stages. It is considered to be the original prototype for cat fancy registries. It is an independent body with around 150 member clubs, including specialist breed clubs and area clubs covering particular regions. The GCCF became an incorporated company on 5 November 2010. It licenses cat show
Cat show
A cat show is a judged event where the owners of cats compete to win titles in various cat registering organizations by entering their cats to be judged after a breed standard. Both pedigreed and companion cats are admissible, although the rules differ from organization to organization...
s put on by its affiliated clubs with about 135 shows per year. Pedigree cats shown at these shows can gain the titles Champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
, Grand Champion and Imperial Grand Champion. The word Champion is replaced by Premier for neutered cats. The showing of non-pedigree cats (often referred to as Domestic shorthair and Domestic longhair) is also popular at GCCF shows.
The GCCF also co-ordinates its own show: the Supreme Cat Show
Supreme Cat Show
The Supreme Cat Show is organised every year by the world's oldest cat registry, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, or GCCF, and takes place each November at the National Exhibition Centre , in Birmingham, England. Special awards of UK Champion and Supreme Champion can be gained at this show...
, which is famous for being the world's largest cat show and the feline equivalent of Crufts
Crufts
Crufts is an annual international Championship conformation show for dogs organised and hosted by the Kennel Club, currently held every March at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England. It is the largest annual dog show in the world, as declared by Guinness World Records, and lasts...
. Special awards of UK and Supreme Champion can be gained at this show only.
The GCCF offices are based in Bridgwater
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...
and are staffed by twelve people who deal with registrations, publications, show processing & title claims, agendas & minutes and correspondence from breeders, exhibitors, Clubs, Breed Advisory Committees and the general public. They also deal with complaints and breaches of rules, which can sometimes result in disciplinary action and even suspension from Cat Fancy activities. The GCCF is a member of the Cat Group and the World Cat Congress
World Cat Congress
In 1994 the Italian cat club, Associazione Nazionale Felina Italiana, organised a cat club seminar during which a meeting was held between the visiting heads of world cat organisations...
.
The GCCF has set up its own charity: The Cat Welfare Trust, which uses funds raised through the GCCF to find ways of improving the welfare of cats. To date the trust has granted thousands of pounds into key research projects in ringworm vaccination, the feline genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
and chronic gingivo-stomatitis in cats.
Breeds
The top three most popular cat breeds registered in the GCCF are the British Shorthair, the Siamese and the Bengal. The GCCF registers around 30,000 pedigree cats each year, and currently recognises the following breeds:Semi-Longhair section
- BirmanBirmanThe Birman is a domestic cat breed. Also called the "Sacred Cat of Burma", it is not to be confused with the Burmese, which is a separate and dissimilar breed. The Birman has medium-long hair, a pale colored body and darker points with deep blue eyes. Even though the cat is pointed, the paws have...
- Maine CoonMaine CoonThe Maine Coon is a breed of domestic cat with a distinctive physical appearance and valuable hunting skills. It is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America, specifically native to the state of Maine, where it is the official State Cat....
- Norwegian Forest CatNorwegian Forest CatThe Norwegian Forest Cat is a breed of domestic cat native to Northern Europe, and adapted to a very cold climate, with top coat of glossy, long, water-shedding hairs, and a woolly undercoat for insulation...
- RagdollRagdollThe Ragdoll is a cat breed with blue eyes and a distinct colorpoint coat. It is a large and muscular semi-longhair cat with a soft and silky coat. Developed by American breeder Ann Baker, it is best known for its docile and placid temperament and affectionate nature...
- SiberianSiberian (cat)The Siberian is a domestic cat breed that has been present in Russia for centuries. The full name of the cat is the 'Siberian Forest Cat' although sometimes referred to as the 'Siberian' or the 'Siberian Cat'. The cat is an ancient breed that is now believed to be ancestral to all modern...
- SomaliSomali (cat)The Somali is a cat breed created from long-haired Abyssinian cats. The breed appeared in the 1950s from Abyssinian breeding programs when a number of Abyssinian kittens were born with bottle-brush tails and long fluffy coats...
- Turkish VanTurkish VanThe Turkish Van is a recognized cat breed that is known for its unusual love of water and swimming. They were created from the cats native to the Lake Van area of Turkey. The cats of this type are named in Turkish Van Kedisi , in Armenian vana katou or vana gadou and in Kurdish...
- Ragamuffin
British section
- British ShorthairBritish ShorthairThe British Shorthair is a domesticated cat whose features make it a popular breed in cat shows. It has been the most popular breed of cat registered by the UK's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy since 2001, when it overtook the Persian breed....
(Several different varieties) - ManxManx (cat)The Manx cat , formerly often spelled Manks, is a breed of domestic cat originating on the Isle of Man, with a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail...
- Selkirk RexSelkirk RexThe Selkirk Rex is a breed of cat with highly curled hair, including the whiskers . It is distinct from all other Rex breeds. Unlike the Devon Rex and Cornish Rex, the hair is of normal length and not partly missing, and there are longhair and shorthair varieties...
Foreign section
- AbyssinianAbyssinian (cat)The Abyssinian is a breed of domesticated cat with a distinctive ticked coat. There are many stories about its origins, often revolving around Ethiopia, but the actual origins are uncertain...
- AsianAsian (cat)The Asian, also known as the Malayan, is a cat breed similar to the Burmese but in a range of different coat colours and patterns. Longhaired Asians of all varieties are called Tiffanies. Asians are grouped in the foreign section at cat shows.-Origin:...
(including BombayBombay (cat)The term Bombay cat is used to refer to two different cat breeds, known as the British Bombay and the American Bombay.- General information :* Body: Medium sized, Muscular* Build: Heavy...
and BurmillaBurmillaThe Burmilla is a breed of domestic cat which originated in the United Kingdom in 1981. It is a cross between the Chinchilla Persian and Burmese breeds. Standards were produced in 1984, and the breed gained championship status in the United Kingdom in the 1990s.-Origin:The Burmilla was originally...
) - Tiffanie (Longhaired Asian)
- Australian MistAustralian MistThe Australian Mist is a breed of cat developed in Australia.-History:This breed was developed by Dr Truda Straede in Australia commencing in 1976, hence its name. The breed was developed by crossing the Burmese, Abyssinian, and Domestic shorthair cats to create a shorthaired cat with a spotted coat...
- BengalBengal (cat)The Bengal is a relatively new hybrid breed of cat, formed by the cross of a domestic feline and an Asian Leopard Cat .Bengal cats have "wild-looking" markings, such as large spots, rosettes, and a light/white belly, and a body structure reminiscent of the Asian Leopard Cat...
- Cornish RexCornish RexA Cornish Rex is a breed of domestic cat. The Cornish Rex has no hair except for down. Most breeds of cat have three different types of hair in their coats: the outer fur or "guard hairs", which is about 5 cm long in shorthairs and 10cm+ long in longhairs; a middle layer called the "awn hair";...
- Devon RexDevon RexThe Devon Rex is a breed of intelligent, short-haired cat that emerged in England during the 1960s. They are known for their slender bodies, wavy coat, and large ears, similar to the Cornish Rex.-Discovery and relations:...
- Egyptian MauEgyptian MauEgyptian Maus are a small-medium sized short-haired cat breed. Along with the Bahraini Dilmun Cat, they are one of the few naturally spotted breeds of domesticated cat. The spots on an Egyptian Mau are not only on the coat; a shaved Mau has spots on its skin...
- KoratKoratKorats are a slate blue-grey shorthair domestic cat with a small to medium build and a low percentage of body fat. Their bodies are semi-cobby, and surprisingly heavy for their size. They are intelligent, playful, active cats and form strong bonds with people. Among Korats' distinguishing...
- LaPermLaPermThe LaPerm is a recognized breed of cat. A LaPerm's fur is curly , with the tightest curls being on the belly, throat and base of the ears. LaPerms come in many colors and patterns. LaPerms generally have a very affectionate personality....
- OcicatOcicatThe Ocicat is an all-domestic breed of cat which resembles a 'wild' cat but has no wild blood. The breed is unusual in that it is spotted like a wild cat but has the temperament of a domestic animal. It is named for its resemblance to the ocelot....
- RussianRussian BlueThe Russian Blue is a cat breed that has a silver-blue coat. These cats are known to be highly intelligent and playful but tend to be timid around strangers...
- SingapuraSingapura (cat)The Singapura is one of the smallest breeds of cats, noted for its large eyes and ears, brown ticked coat and blunt tail. Reportedly established from three "drain cats" imported from Singapore in the 1970s, it was later revealed that the cats were originally sent to Singapore from the US before...
- SnowshoeSnowshoe (cat)The Snowshoe is a rare breed of cat originating in the United States of America in the 1960s. Snowshoes were first produced in Philadelphia when a Siamese breeder's cat gave birth to three kittens with white feet...
- SphynxSphynx (cat)The Sphynx is a rare breed of cat known for its lack of a coat.The contemporary breed of Sphynx started in 1966, in Roncesvalles, Toronto when a hairless kitten named Prune was born. The kitten was mated with its mother , which produced one more naked kitten...
- Thai Lilac/Thai PointedThai CatThai is newly classified cat breed, similar to but distinct from the modern Western Siamese cat.There is little dispute that the cats that were imported from Siam to Western countries in the 19th and early 20th century were broader in features than today’s Western Siamese...
- TonkineseTonkinese (cat)Tonkinese are a medium-sized cat breed distinguished by points as with Siamese and Burmese breeds. They are lively, friendly, often talkative cats, with gregarious personalities. But they are happy apartment cats if they have some exercise opportunity. They are commonly referred to as 'Tonks'...
Oriental section
- Oriental ShorthairOriental ShorthairThe Siamese cat was imported to Britain from Siam in the later half of the 1800s. According to reports, both pointed and solid colors were imported. The gene that causes the color to be restricted to the points is a recessive gene, therefore the general population of the cats of Siam were largely...
(Several different varieties, including Havana) - Foreign White
- Oriental LonghairOriental LonghairThe Oriental Longhair, is a breed of domestic cat. It was formerly known as the British Angora before being renamed in 2002 by British cat fancies in order to avoid confusion with the Turkish Angora....
- Oriental BicolourOriental BicolourThe Oriental Bicolour is any cat of Oriental type, either longhaired or shorthaired and in any pattern including colourpoint, which has white areas on its coat caused by the white spotting gene.-History:...