Delegate forms must be postmarked by May 2nd in order for your club to have a vote at this year's Annual Meeting. Here is a list of the clubs whose Delegate forms have been received so far by the Central Office.
Club dues, insurance and a membership list must be received in the Central Office by May 6th in order for your club to vote at this year's Annual Meeting. There is an online list of clubs in good standing.
Ballots for Directors-At-Large must be received by June 1st. Here is a list of club ballots received to-date.
Special Rosette Offers Exclusively for CFA Clubs
CFA has developed a special deal to help our clubs save money. For $358.16 your club can purchase six AB rings of rosettes. Other money-savings are available, too. Check out the deals CFA has negotiated with Centaur Awards. It's not mandatory. It's just an option for your club to consider.
Cat Talk
Congratulations to Beth Ladd and Jen Hitchcock for winning Cat Talk's first cover contest! J&B Winnie-the-Pooh, a red and white mackerel tabby Scottish Fold shorthair male, graces the front cover of our April issue. Who will it be in June? The contest for June is closed, but we will run the contest again in the future. Stay tuned, the next winner could be you!
The Cat Talk staff is excited to announce a new "Ask The Vet" column written by Dr. Melinda Fleming. Dr. Fleming's column is made possible by Royal Canin. Her first column in the June issue will answer questions on
pyometra, dietary needs of queens, colostrum, and more. For future issues, we want YOUR questions for Dr. Fleming. If you submit a question and Dr. Fleming chooses it for her column, you will receive a free Grandstand or HHP Parade photo, or $15 off an ad, good for use during the year following print of your question. You can send as many questions as you want on any topic about cat health, there is no limit of how often you can enter or win. Send questions to CatTalkCFA@yahoo.com and we will notify you if Dr. Fleming uses your question(s).
You know those questions you are dying to know but are just afraid to ask, like "How much is too much white powder?" and "Is it against the show rules to leave a paper towel in the cage with a hoser?" Ask Cat Talk! Our Talking Cats With Cat Talk column is written by a judge who will give you the best practices to follow and let you know what the judge might think. Send your questions to CatTalkCFA@yahoo.com.
Excitement about New Museum
 |
|
Cat Carrier from Early 1900's |
Hilary Helmrich writes:
The CFA Foundation announces that we have signed a lease for part of the building that CFA purchased in Alliance Ohio. The first floor of the building and a part of the balcony area are being turned into a historical area and museum by the Foundation. It was the dream of Vaughn Barber, one of our most distinguished judges, Don Williams who was then President of CFA, and Michael Brim then CFA's Director of Public Relations, that CFA collect and display art and artifacts about cats, both pedigreed and non-pedigreed. The Foundation Board of Directors has expanded that vision to include research materials about cats and our hobby. More
2011 Annual News
 |
|
Drawing by Sophia Staples |
Susan & Donna Jean
Delegate Booklet
Annual Delegate Book advertising cannot get much better. This year you will not only see Cherry Blossom blooms in full color, ads with pictures of your beautiful winners may be placed in the Delegate Book in full color as well. If you would like to honor your cat or recognize a friend's cat that has achieved one of CFA's distinguished awards, contact Sue Beuerlein and advertise to celebrate 2010 - 2011 show year achievements.
Prices begin at $20.00 for a Quarter page black and white ad and end at $70.00 for a full page color advertisement. There's an option for every pocketbook this year. For details see the link to the Delegate Book Advertising link on the web site for full details and contact Sue now to reserve space. Many cats need full color to do them justice and we're providing that option. More ...
FAQ SHEET ON CFA DNA TESTING
Isn't ordering a CFA DNA test from Texas A&M the same as ordering from the previous lab associated with CFA?
No. Texas A&M's former connection was strictly to develop primers and chips used by DNA Diagnostics for their testing process. They also served as a back up in case of a weather related catastrophe at the previous lab. Texas A&M continued to design primers for new tests that were added to the original chip.
How do we know if our sample has arrived at the lab?
1. Bring up the CFA home page 2. Press the DNA Logo 3. Click the button that reads: Check receipt of your samples. 4. Fill in requested information 5. If the result is blank it can mean the sample has not arrived, but if more than 3 wks. have passed it usually means that the reports have already been sent to you. If you do not have the results, the lab will look into it for you and resend if necessary.
Who will see the test results on my cat? Does CFA receive a copy?
No. Client confidentiality is strictly enforced. The only people that will see the test results are the lab and the customer.
The Texas A&M genetics department is housed in a new building that includes teaching, research, and a service lab. All three departments work together. This creates an ideal environment for CFA's new DNA program.
Roger Brown, DVM
CFA Director at Large
CFA Scientific Advisor
The CatsCenterstage Blog
CatsCenterstage is pleased to announce its latest interactive tool:
The CatsCenterstage Blog.
By going to the www.CatsCenterstage.org home page you can click on "Our Blog" located in the upper right corner.
Each week, The CatsCenterstage Blog Team will be posting about everything from pop culture, commentary, current events as well as cat behavior, health, history and more!
Have an idea for a blog post? Consider being a guest blogger ! Contact Joan Miller at JMillerArt@aol.com.
Don't forget: Check out the new Blog on www.CatsCenterstage.org and join us as we celebrate the felines in our lives!
And...if you have not been to the CatsCenterstage website in a while, you'll be excited to see what we have from the breed pages, to videos and articles as well as other interesting information on the entire website.
Legislation - What's Hot
By Joan Miller, CFA Legislative Information Liaison
Federal H.R. 835/S.707, the "PUPS" bill, - it's strictly for the dogs...... but cat people need to be concerned. For many years the CFA Legislative Group has opposed breeder licensing and inspections by Federal inspectors when breeders sell cats or dogs directly to the pet owner. We object to USDA inspectors coming into breeders' private homes. HR 835 (Gerlach R-PA) and the Senate Companion Bill S.707 (Durbin D-IL; Vitter R-LA) amend the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to expand government regulation of dog breeders. So far there has been no "and cat" amendment proposed.
For over 40 years the USDS has regulated only cat and dog breeders who sell either to pet stores or to brokers or dogs for hunting and security purposes. Breeders who sell directly to pet buyers are excluded from USDA regulation because of an exemption for "retail pet stores", which includes all retailers and breeders who sell cats and dogs only directly to the public. The Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act (PUPS bill) could change this.
Why should cat fanciers be concerned about a bill that would only regulate dog breeders? It takes an understanding of the "strategy of incrementalism" related to animal-rights initiated legislation to comprehend the potential impact of PUPS. More ...
CFA Mentor Program Offers a Helping Hand
Are you interested in helping new exhibitors and/or breeders? Do you readily offer advice about grooming techniques? Are you always available to help guide a newcomer? If so, then the CFA Mentor Program Wants You!
One of the greatest challenges facing CFA today is attracting and retaining new breeders and exhibitors. In order to ensure the future of CFA, we need to recruit new people and encourage them to stay. Starting out in the cat fancy can be a daunting experience; there is so much to learn! Most of us in the fancy today can attribute our success to the support and encouragement of a mentor, someone who was there to answer our questions, provide us with tips on grooming, and generally guide us on our way in showing our cats and establishing our breeding programs. Now it is time to take our turn and mentor someone new. It is truly rewarding to help guide a protégé and to see them apply what they have learned to achieve success in the show ring and in their own breeding programs.
If you enjoy helping newcomers, then consider making your mentor activities official by signing up as a CFA Mentor. The Mentor Program needs the support of experienced and knowledgeable breeders and exhibitors to help newcomers learn and succeed. If you are up to the challenge, then please contact me, and I will put you in touch with your Mentor Regional Coordinator. Together, we can make a difference!
Carol Krzanowski
Chair, CFA Mentor Committee
CFA Director-At-Large
carol@exit109.com
LED Sign
Roeann Fulkerson passes along this idea for great signs clubs can use at their shows. It's an inexpensive and easy way to make flashing, handwritten signs. No, CFA's not making any money off this. We are just passing along an idea that your club might find useful.
CFA's New Office in Ohio
Renovation work continues at the Alliance, Ohio facility which will become the new home for CFA's Central Office. The building was previously used to house a bank. The island for the drive-in teller service was just removed. Removal means more parking. Rich Mastin reports the contract for repair of the concrete in the parking lot has been awarded and work will start any day. Repairs to the elevator and the granite on the outside of the building have started. The Central Office will be housed on the third floor. Walls are being prepared for painting. An electrician is pulling out all the old electric and getting ready to run new wiring and cabling for new lighting, outlets and security cameras. Contracts have been signed for ceiling and flooring. A contract has been signed with TimeWarner for phone and internet service. All doors on the third floor are being replaced to meet fire safety standards. Roof leaks have been addressed. The Grand Opening of the building is scheduled for the second weekend of June to coincide with the Great Lakes Regional Awards ceremony.
More CFA-Branded Products
CFA's Business Development Committee continues to create great opportunities for CFA and for our breeders/exhibitors. Dollar General and Big Lots are national chains now carrying litter with the CFA logo. Dollar General has 8,000 stores in 35 states. Check for the Dollar General nearest you. There are approximately 1,400 Big Lots stores in 47 states. Check for the Big Lots nearest you.
Free Pet Health Insurance
CFA's new complimentary Pet Healthcare Insurance Plan is available up to 28 days after the CFA Registration Certificate Issue date. It is valid for 60 days and only in the United States, with the exception of California and New York (where their state Departments of Insurance prohibit).
PetPartners, Inc. does not require a credit card number for activating this Complimentary enrollment, unlike other "free" plans in the market. This means the customer will not be automatically transferred from the Complimentary Plan to an Annual Plan. There is NO obligation after the first 60 days of the Complimentary Insurance. It is up to each owner to decide if they choose to enroll in an Annual Plan that meets their needs and budget. All licensed veterinarians in the U.S. are accepted by The CFA Pet Healthcare Plan, whether they honor pet health insurance or not. Visit www.cfaphp.com for more details on the 60-Day Complimentary Plan and to read the positive reviews.
The advantage of the 60-Day Complimentary Plan to breeders is enormous. Every kitten or transferred cat can be covered by this insurance. Re-homing a cat or kitten is certainly stressful, and health problems are not uncommon and can occur unexpectedly. With CFA's Complimentary Pet Healthcare Insurance Plan the one thing you can count on is peace of mind. You will always know that if something catastrophic happens, the new owner of your cat or kitten will be better able to pay for the proper veterinary care it deserves.
This program is the result of four years of effort, and is available to you now. This is a gift to each individual from CFA and our Pet Partners Insurance partners. The value is priceless!
Roger Brown, DVM
CFA Director at Large
Legislative Roundtable at the Annual
"You are invited to the Legislative Roundtable - this is your opportunity at the Annual to talk about legislation !! This may be a topic that will only interest you when it suddenly happens in your home town. But, like disaster preparedness, the more you know the better off you will be when the bad laws hit your state or county. The CFA Legislative Group invites everyone to gather on Saturday April 25th at 2:00 PM for an informal open forum on any public affairs topic you think is appropriate.
Do you have updates on local laws, views on breeder licensing with mandatory inspections or thoughts on mandatory neuter/spay ordinances being proposed around the country? How can we avoid the rare cattery raids because of poor conditions that often are the impetus for regulating everyone? Advocacy and lobbying are how we protect the breeding of pedigreed cats and assure that homeless cats and ferals are not forgotten when laws are passed. Do you have ideas on how we can better reach the public or lawmakers? The Roundtable is open, informative and lively. Join us and bring a friend."
Worthy of Sharing
Vickie Bingman sent this post to the Southern Region List and it's worthy of sharing:
"At the recent Foothills Felines show in Shelby NC, my vet, Dr. Tina Phillips and her daughter, Cori attended their first cat show. Cori was very excited about being at her first show. I helped Cori show my cat, by allowing her to take him to judging rings and finals. She stood on the sidelines "twitching" telling me her palms were sweaty and asking a zillion questions. Long story short.. I want to share with you her note to me, that all Cat Fanciers can truly appreciate!"
"Thank you Mrs. Vickie for letting me have one of Mickey's ribbons from the cat show. I also want to thank you for letting me help with the cat show. I also wanted to tell you I really enjoyed the cat show and I hope to do another one. I was wondering if you could teach me how to do cat show's so I could also do them. Tell all your kitty's I said Hey.
Your friend, Cori"
CFA Breed Rescue Program
Dear CFA Community!
I do not come out often to ask for help but we have a seizure of over 200 MC cats and the shelter is desperate for help. The animals did not have to go into shelters as the home they were in was condemned and the animals remain in there own environment with extra people staffing the home.
They all have URI, RW and Tritrichomonas foetus. Some were already euthanized because they were badly dehydrated and malnourished from the Tritrichomonas foetus. The others will need our help if they are to get the care and medication needed to get them through this.
We need monetary donations to help pay the extra staffers in the home, for medication for the health issues and eventually for the S/N. I have worked with this SPCA before and we have a good relationship. They are willing to let us have the cats as soon as they have custody of them. The Regional Coordinator is currently working on places for them to be transferred to once the custody is attained through the courts.
The donations can go through BAPBR link at the CFA website. We are a 501c3 so you will get a letter from the treasurer for your tax purposes for your donations. You can also send a check to:
Leslie Falteisek-Sultemeier
1406 Triple S Trail
Johnson City, TX 78636-5434
Please make the checks out to BAPBR.
The shelter does not have the info up on the website at this time. There was minimal press so there is minimal exposure for the cats' plight to the locals in the area. IF these cats are to make it through
this they need our help!
Thank you for your donations!
Linda Berg
CFA Breed Rescue
It's been printed and should be in the mail to you this week if you advertised or if you purchased a copy of the Yearbook. It's chock full of gorgeous, color photos of the most beautiful cats on earth and some interesting articles, too. If you have not already purchased a copy, it's not too late. You can 
Region 1 is very active these days and our fundraising efforts are in high gear. We have recently completed two successful raffles that have really helped our region's fund raising efforts: An IPad Raffle and the first NAR Exhibitor Pass raffle. The winner of the IPAD was Denise Cuzzupe of Massachusetts, and the winner of the exhibitors pass was Ellen Weber of New York.
We have lots of information online regarding our June 11, 2011 Regional Awards event in suburban Atlanta. This includes information on sponsoring an award, making dinner reservations, hotel information, photo requirements, and lots more. 
