October 2015
In This Issue
Quick Links
Featured Cat
Our banner cat for the October 2015 Newsletter is CFA's Ninth Best Cat in Premiership,GC, GP, NW DE BEARS CALL ME, BLONDIE  a champagne Burmese spay.

(Photo by Chanan)



 







Weekly Scoreboards
Now Available 
Beginning with the October 3-4 weekend, Scoreboards will be posted on a weekly basis as they become available. 

Upon the last show of the month, the weekly Scoreboards will then be consolidated into the usual monthly Scoreboard

CFA Social Media
Fall is here and Halloween is just around the corner!
I'd love to have your fall-themed cat photos and your costumed cats for CFA-related media. Please send them to

thanks! Jodell
DEADLINES
CFA International Show Entry Deadline
Monday, November 2



CFA White Pages Deadline - Dec. 1

Listings are not automatically carried over from the previous year. You will be listed automatically ONLY if you are a Breed Council Member, CFA Clerk, CFA Judge or Club Secretary (if your information has changed, fill out this form to guarantee that we have your most current address, phone number, email address, etc.)
Submit your listing here.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures are falling, skies are clearing, and leaves are turning crimson and gold! This month also brings us National Cat Day (October 29) - so go celebrate your cat!

Earlier this month the CFA Board met at the Central Office in Alliance, Ohio.  It was a productive meeting and the Secretary is hard at work getting the minutes prepared and placed online for your review. October is the meeting dedicated to Show Rule changes so be sure to check the minutes to see what rules were changed.  We also had a number of changes to the Judging Program Rules, many of which were either house-keeping or rearranging current rules.  We are always more productive when meeting face-to-face.  We hold six board meetings a year.  April, August and December are via conference call.  February and October are face-to-face at the Central Office in Ohio and June/July is held face-to-face in conjunction with the Annual Meeting.

Carol Krzanowski is the new chair for the Clerking Program and due to that additional workload, Carol stepped down as co-chair of the New Bee / Mentoring Committee.  Jean Dugger has volunteered to take over as co-chair with our long-standing co-chair Teresa Keiger.  If you have questions or suggestions for either of these programs, touch base with Teresa or Jean.

The new scoring rules for kittens which require kittens to have a registration number (permanent or temporary) in order to be included in the count is resulting in an increase in registrations.  The effective date was Sept. 15th and the shows held since then had a high percentage of kittens entered in shows have a registration number.  Our registration staff has done a good job of turning these registration requests around in a timely manner.  Many of our customers are using Ecats which takes only a matter of a few days, sometimes hours, between the request arriving at the Central Office and the customer receiving their number.  Some people seem to be confused and think only kittens with registration numbers printed in the catalog count.  Not so.  Anyone presenting a kitten's registration number at check-in or who receive a Temporary Registration Number at the show will have their number printed in ink in the catalog by the master clerk and will be included in the count, too.  For Household Pets, all cats present and competing continue to be included in the count, whether or not they have a CFA registration number.  HHPs are not affected by the new scoring rules. 

Entries are now being accepted for the CFA / Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Litter International Cat Show which is being held Nov. 21-22 in suburban Philadelphia PA.  If you have not entered, be sure to do so before entries close on Monday, November 2nd.  Most shows don't close until the week of the show; however, for logistical reasons this show closes nearly three weeks prior to the show.  Our entry clerk tells us that every year he gets entries after the show has closed and we don't want anyone to find themselves in that position this year.  You can find show flyers and lots more information about the show on the show's website.  If you are a vendor and would like to attend the show with a booth, we have room for more vendors so go to the show's vendor website page for the form you need to complete and submit.  We have Agility at this show and prize money for the five cats with the fastest runs: $250-Best, $200-2nd Best, $150 - 3rd Best, $100 - 4th Best, and $50 - 5th Best. This is traditionally CFA's largest show and it is one of our most exciting shows so you don't want to miss it.

Our next election is for the four Officers and nine Regional Directors.  These positions are two year terms and when we held the last election for these seats in 2014, we had a high turnover.  While the deadline for declaring isn't until next March 15th, we already have a number of declared candidates.  Check out the CFA website to see the list of currently declared candidates.
 
I hope to see many of you at the shows!
Terri Barry
CFA Executive Director
 

It's now officially fall.  I wish someone could tell me where all the time goes.  C.O. just wrapped up our onsite Board meeting which staff was heavily involved with, both before and during.  Staff has now shifted gears and is fully focused on our duties with assisting the CFA International Show show committee.  I hope many of you are planning on attending.  If you see me during the show and have a minute between rings, please take a minute to introduce yourself.  I enjoy meeting all of you and learning about your little ones. 

Your assistance is being requested by staff in a few areas.  Could you please make sure any request for aservice includes a valid and complete household mailing address and email address (if you have one), and that all areas on the request form are completed.  This will definitely speed up response for your transaction and any for certificates or awards you would be receiving from C.O. 

We recently noticed that a number of requests for show licenses have been missing necessary information to process your licensing request in a timely manner.  We consistently receive applications without the following documentation:  signed judges contracts with an actual or digital signatures, approvals for guest judges or SSP rings, and the required 5 Show Committee members as per CFA show rules.  Clubs should keep in mind the SP ring requirements, and if HHPs are included, there should be a notation on the application and judging contracts.  We are trying hard to improve our customer service, your attention to staff's requests will assist us to do so and it is appreciated.
 
Staples Rewards Program

It has been brought to the attention of Central Office that there have been some challenges with local Staple Stores. The CFA Rewards number is 2818011005
Please present this number to your local store at the time you request your product. Should you have any problems please contact Annie Buff, our Staples Account Consultant, at 330.933.2433 or Mike Tolar, Staples Copy & Print Manager, at 216.798.6981.

In closing, I wish you all luck at the shows you enter and always, safe travels when attending one.
CFA Website
Kathy Durdick
CFA Webmaster

Grand Photos Are Up!

CFA webmaster Kathy Durdick says that she now has the 2014-15 show season Grand Champions, Grand Premiers, and Grands of Distinction are now on the CFA website. To view, simply go to each breed's main page, then look for the "Grand Gallery" link in the left-hand menu.

Remember to submit your grand for this show season to both the Yearbook and Cat Talk, and YOUR kitty will be included on the CFA website next year! Send your photo submissions to SBorawski@cfa.org. Make your payment via http://catalog.cfa.org/photos.shtml
CFA International Cat Show
Thanks to the generosity of a few of the show's  sponsorship donors, the Feline Agility ring will again be offering prize money for its top winners in Feline Agility!

The prize amounts are:
5th $50.00
4th $100.00
3rd $150.00
2nd $200.00
1st $250.00

We regret that Guy Pantigny is not able to to judge as originally scheduled.  Michael Schleissner is Region 9's alternate to replace Guy. 

First alternate for the seven At-Large judges, based on the votes of clubs, was Gary Veach.  Gary opted out.  Peter Vanwonterghem and Diana Doernberg were tied and next in line.  A coin toss took place in front of an audience at National Capital to break the tie. Peter Vanwonterghem is first alternate and Diana Doernberg is second alternate to all At-Large Judges not able to attend.

SPONSORSHIPS
Thanks to those who provided sponsorships. We are still in need of three miscellaneous ring sponsors for the CFA International - Red Show at the cost of $150 USD. This covers the cost of clerks, stewards, supplies, etc. There will be a sign in the ring indicating your sponsorship, as well as being listed in the show catalog.  Individuals not competing in the red show are welcome to sponsor these under their name or cattery. We will also accept sponsorship from clubs, breed councils, and businesses. We are also still accepting tiered sponsorship of the Agility and Education rings. So far we have a contributor level sponsor from an author of a new book, and three diamond sponsorships, one from Computan, and two from very generous catteries. Closing date is  November 1st. All Sponsors will be listed on a poster for each ring sponsored, included in the show catalog, and recognized in Cat Talk Magazine, the CFA E-Newsletter and Blog.
 
Sponsorship Levels:
Contributor - $100.00
Bronze - $250.00
Silver - $500.00
Gold - $750.00
Platinum - $1,000.00
Diamond - $1,500.00 Recognized on both ring posters and one full-page ad in show catalog

Payment:
All payments are due by the closing date of the show. You may send a check to the CFA Central Office or pay via PayPal: payonline @ cfa.org (remove the spaces).  Please note the purpose of the payment by indicating "International Show" and the desired sponsorship.
 
Questions?
Please notify Lorna Friemoth (bobtails4u@gmail.com) of your sponsorship and refer any questions to her via email.

 
NEW PIN AVAILABLE!
We have a new pin available as a fundraiser for the show. We have a commemorative pin designed by Teresa Keiger and produced by Jan Rogers. If you look closely, you might recognize this calico Exotic. We have a limited number of pins, so reserve yours while supplies last. The pins are just $10, please contact Mary Kolencik, mdsiamese@yahoo.com, to reserve your pin now. Mary is working on setting up shipping and paypal which should be ready soon, watch the show's website for details.
BAOS at the International Show
CFA International Show - Oaks, Pennsylvania:
The next Breed Awareness and Orientation School is scheduled to be held in conjunction with the CFA International Show on November 21-22, 2015 in Oaks, Pennsylvania.  The school will be held on November 19-21, 2015.  Our instructors are Pat Jacobberger, Ellyn Honey, and Annette Wilson with Gary Veach "In the Ring" handling.  Further information can be found on the flyer.  Plan to attend!  We'd love to see you there!   


CFA Judging Program
Annette Wilson
CFA Judging Program Chair

At the CFA Board of Directors' meeting October 3, the following judges were advanced:

Suki Lee - accepted as SH Trainee (second specialty)
Kit Fung - advanced to Apprentice SH (first specialty)
Wendy Heidt - advanced to Apprentice LH (first specialty)
Danny Tai - advanced to Apprentice LH (first specialty)
Teresa Sweeney - advanced to Approval Pending Allbreed
Toshihiko Tsuchiya - advanced to Approved SH (first specialty)


Teresa Keiger
Editor


Cat Talk magazine's October issue is out now! Our "Senior Cat" issue looks at the issues that our older cats can face:  diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney decline. We also look at the how to enter a cat show, what's behind a cat's registration number, specials shows big and very small, and the beginning of a series on how to produce a cat show. Plus, terms used by animal activists, and...do cats always land on their feet?

With the holidays coming up, why not think about gifting a Cat Talk subscription? Your recipient will receive a card notifying them of your gift. It would be a great gift for your vet or "interested in everything cat" pet owners (and the online version is perfect for your overseas friends, too!)
see: http://catalog.cfa.org/cattalk-almanac.shtml for details


CFA Ambassador Cats
Karen Lane
Chairman, CFA Ambassador Cats Program
The CFA ACats Patch


The A-Cats continue to "brand" our program and our cats with the arrival of our new badges for our security cage and display area. The badges will now have our A-Cat Logo and the CFA Logo "up-front and in the center" of everything.

Laura with the new "ACats" badges

         
Laura Gregory was the first member to receive her new badges on October 3rd at the Ft.Myers Show. The rest of the members will be receiving theirs in the mail in short order. Laura was thrilled to be the "First".

We will continue to follow the colors of our logo as all of the our new equipment will have the color purple as part of their display area. The addition of the purple color will give a great "pop" to our A-Cat area going forward.

Laura and her A-Cat, Blueberry, had a very busy weekend in Ft. Myers. Laura and Blueberry were interviewed on WINK-TV to promote the show in Ft. Myers.
 She explained the presence of her A-Cat at the show and showed Blueberry's trading card. Please notice the CFA Logo in the background of her interview area. The goal of the A-Cats is to promote CFA and our pedigreed cats. With that goal in mind, we put the CFA Logo, like the A-Cat Logo, on prominent display. The show was well attended; thanks, in part, to Laura and Blueberry. The A-Cats are a great marketing tool for any club sponsored show; and clubs are invited to use their presence and their uniqueness to advertise their shows. All of our A-Cat people are knowledgeable and able to speak well about their pedigreed cats and the CFA experience.

Thank you Laura for a great job!!
Winn Logo

WINN FELINE FOUNDATION
by Vicki Thayer DVM , Winn Executive Director


A list of our donors contributing $100 or more in September is available here.
 
Winn on the Road:  Winn has just returned from a very successful trip as an exhibitor at the 3rd World Cat Conference held by the American Assn. of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). Listen to the podcast interview with Dr. Colleen Currigan, President-Elect of AAFP ( http://winnfelinefoundation.libsyn.com/cat-talk-with-dr-colleen-currigan-of-aafp) . Attendees were overwhelmingly positive about Winn's mission and programs.  Winn's next stop with be a booth at CFA's International Cat Show, November 21-22, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, PA.
 
Transcripts are available for download of Winn's 37th Annual Symposium ( http://www.winnfelinefoundation.org/education/podcasts)
 
Just a reminder, Winn's New Program: Technician Honor Roll - Winn recently established the Technician Honor Roll as a complement to the Veterinary Honor Roll. The week of October 11th - 17th is National Technician's Week. If you have a special Veterinary Technician (CVT, RVT, LVT) you would like to recognize, you now have a way to express your appreciation. Information can be found on the Technician Honor Roll page on Winn's website ( http://www.winnfelinefoundation.org/programs/technician-honor-roll. )
 
Ride for a Winn - Winn President, Dr. Glenn Olah, on October 29th and 30th, will ride 316 miles for the Winn Riders for Feline Health Fundraising Campaign and speak at the Rocky Mountain Cat Club's Spooktacular Cat Show. His goal is to raise $5000 for feline research. Please support Dr. Olah's efforts: https://support.winnfelinefoundation.org.
 
Winn Event Survey  - The short survey results are in. Respondents would prefer to attend a topical presentation about cat health at a cat shelter/humane society, cat café, or another specific location. Respondents would also invite other cat lovers to attend, would be willing to donate while attending but would prefer not to host an event.
 
 
Speckles' Abdominal Cancer Campaign: Please stay tuned for information about a sponsorship campaign for research on abdominal cancer (lymphoma, carcinoma, or mast cell disease) due to an anonymous generous donation in the memory of Speckles the cat.
 
Planned giving tip for September - Your estate plan (your Will or Trust or both) should mention your pets and how you wish them to be cared for in the event of your death.  Many states now allow "pet trusts" to care for your pets.  However, pet trusts weren't enforceable under English common law.  So there is no "common law" pet trust; they are state-specific.  Your lawyer can advise of you regarding the technical legal requirements or limits under your state law. For any questions, please contact info@winnfelinefoundation.org. 


Winn Give Now










































Please make note of our new contact information:
Mailing address: 637 Wyckoff Ave., Suite 336, Wyckoff, NJ 07481

By Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison
 
UPDATE: Retail Pet Store Rule and Importation of Live Dogs Rule - Guidance for Breeders, Brokers and Importers
 
Two years ago the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) revised Retail Pet Store definition went into effect along with revisions to related provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). To provide guidance on who may be exempt from federal licensing, APHIS published the Retail Pet Store rule and Importation of Live Dogs Rule - Guidance for Breeders, Brokers and Importers covering topics of interest to breeders, rescues, and owners of cats and dogs.
 
Reference documents, memoranda, and other internal documents have not gone through the congressionally prescribed legislative rulemaking procedures. Such documents express the agency's policies or opinions at the time of publication and, thus, are subject to change.
 
In the Final Rule, APHIS narrowed the definition of the retail pet store exemption so that only two limited exemptions were available for cat and dog breeders selling pets at retail to avoid the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Class A Dealer licensing requirement.
 

1.     The Retail Pet Store exemption.

            "Retail pet store means a place of business or residence at which the seller, buyer, and
the animal available for sale are physically present so that every buyer may personally observe the animal prior to purchasing and/or taking custody of that animal after purchase, and where only the following animals are sold or offered for sale, at retail, for use as pets."  
 

2.     The Low Risk/Fanciers' exemption.

The Final Rule also revised the previous exemption for dog and cat fanciers to include any person who meets these criteria:  "any person including, but not limited to, purebred dog or cat fanciers, who maintains a total of four or fewer breeding female dogs, cats, and/or small exotic or wild mammals, such as hedgehogs, ..........etc., and who sells, at retail only the offspring of these dogs, cats and/or small exotic or wild mammals, which were born and raised on his or her premises, for pets or exhibition, and is not otherwise required to obtain a license."  (9 CFR §2.1 (a) (3) (vii))
 
This Guidance covers, among other topics, questions about the changes to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), breeders involved in rescue activities, oversea sales, breeding purposes, and inspections. Below is a sampling of the questions included [added language]:
  • What specific changes were made to the AWA Regulations?
  • Can you clarify how USDA handles groups that collect adoption fees for animals?
  • How do you inspect a group that has foster homes all over the country and only uses an individual home occasionally?
  • Do breeders who assist adoption groups, placing adopted animals sight-unseen in their new homes need a USDA license?
  • Do you regulate sight-unseen sales of pets to buyers outside of the United States under the RPS rule?
  • I sell dogs [or cats] sight-unseen, but all are sold within my state of residence and their transport does not go through any place outside the state. Am I exempt from licensing as a dealer, since I am not involved in interstate commerce as defined in the Animal Welfare Act?
  • If I breed animals for show purposes and sell them sight-unseen, do I need a license?
  • How will the 4-breeding-females exemption apply to breeders with a partial ownership interest in a number of breeding animals?
  • What are your standard operating procedures [during inspections] for bio-security?
  • Who do you permit to accompany an inspector?
  • Since the inspection report lists the number of animals, can this information to be used against the licensees by outside organizations? What is included in a report under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)?
 
To see more information on the APHIS Retail Pet Store Final Rule, visit the CFA Legislative page for Federal Alerts. 


 
Please report legislation happening in your area to
the Legislative Group -   legislation@cfa.org
Heading
by Candilee Jackson, Chair

 Program Update:
With many thank yous to Art Graafmans for his creative talents and hard work, all our new Ambassador materials are now centrally located at Central Office in Alliance, Ohio. Hopefully, this will make shipping and inventory much easier on CO staff. In other news, we now have electronic files for ALL our materials: the Ambassador Handbook; Ask Me show hall pamphlet, and breed profiles. This should help those who need to translate or need something right quick!

Region 2: Meghan Noecker
September ended with a nice show in Longview. We had several brand new exhibitors, and several ambassadors who helped them get ready for  the show, settled in, and  to their rings. We hope to see them again at future shows. We also had the Pet Expo in Portland with a CFA booth AND the agility ring. It was a challenge for the cats to perform with the added noise and barking dogs, but several did well.

Lots of people enjoyed petting our cats and learning about CFA, the HHP class, and how they could bring their own cats  to the show. We had Ragdolls, a Siberian, a British Shorthair, a Selkirk Rex, a Max, and HHPs. Two of the cats entered the costume contest too. We have another show this coming weekend, and hope to see some of the Expo spectators at the show.

Region 5: Shari Millar

The SouthWest Region had their big 12 ring show in Palm Springs, California, and the weather was wonderful!
Not much of a gate so not a lot of Ambassador work, but tons of questions and answers from those who did attend. The rescue cats had successful adoptions, too. It was more of an exhibitor-geared show, so lots of nice dinners and after-cat-show activities to relax us all.

Region 6: Candilee Jackson

The fall is the biggest part of the show season for the midwest, with eight shows between September and Thanksgiving. Twin City Cat Fanciers held a PAR-TAY in Crystal, Minnesota, that celebrated everything party, including Rachel Anger's "40th" birthday, but more importantly, celebrated the cat. Mary Auth was a huge sport as she judged the stuffed animal ring and gave out rosettes to the "winners," much to the delight of kids and their parents. This ambassador outreach was the idea of Kathie Hunt. Omaha, Nebraska, witnessed a gigantic PINK OUT celebrating life after breast cancer, sponsored by the Sandhills Cat Club. This show welcomed survivors and families of survivors as a touching reminder that Cancer affects all of us, and our cats can be the best ambassadors there are.

Region 8: Takako and Masanari Kojima

Ganba Kobe Cat Club Show, September 26-27, 2015.

Ganba Kobe Cat Club hosted a 6x6 ring show at Kobe Port Terminal.
This club has been a long-time supporter of the CFA Ambassador Program and always prepares wide space for the ambassador booth so that most of spectators can find it easily. Raptor, Takako and Masanari's ambassador cat, was so happy because he was able to visit with many people at the show hall.
No wonder the public loves Raptor!


On Saturday, there were many spectators, especially first time visitors. "When I was talking about grooming of cats with young couple, suddenly the wife had tears with eyes. I asked her if she lost their cat recently. Her husband said they lost their 16 year old Chinchilla Golden male just one week before. When they see cats they remember their lovely cat and feel so sad. However, they can't stop looking at all the cats at the show. They also said they were looking for new cat as family member. I advised them that a new kitty is the best way, but they never forget their Chinchilla Golden. And their cat is waiting them at the Rainbow Bridge. I promised them I would support when they were ready to get new cat. When they left show hall, the young wife said, " See you again " with smile."
Raptor at Ganba Kobe
Raptor

Takako and Masanari had a very busy weekend: two couples asked about learning to be exhibitors and after talking, decided they might enjoy showing in the household pet class. Others had questions about CFA registrations and color number issues. Thanks to their knowledgeable judges, the problems were solved! Others asked about changing addresses for the CFA White Pages, and more came to the show in hopes of seeing Raptor again. Raptor is quite the ambassador with his own following!

There were many spectators and Masanari and I needed to talk with them separately.
On Sunday, One old couple came to see Raptor. They came to see him 3 years ago at the same show hall. They remembered Raptor very well. They were so surprised to hear Raptor was 7 years old now. They said Raptor looked so young!

In preparation for the show, 50 new "Ask Me!" pamphlets were prepared and only five were left at the end of the show. People asked about Maine Coon cats, Norwegian Cats, American Shorthairs, Exoticcs and Scottish Folds.  Everyone had a great time!
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Region 1
by Geri Fellerman, Regional Director 
Charlotte Kooistra as "Fred Astaire" with "Ginger"
Coco Koh talks with "Jake from State Farm"


Autumn began in earnest in the North Atlantic Region with the October kick-off in York, PA. What could be more fall-like than fairgrounds in PA and hot apple dumplings. Moving right along to Sturbridge, MA, where NEMO Cat Club held their "wandering" show (hope to find a permanent home soon). Comments I've heard were that exhibitors were delighted in having a good "old fashioned" show where they could relax, visit with friends and have a few laughs - all included in a cat show. The annual costume contest was a real hoot and enjoyed by all.
 
Moving to next weekend, we have the NBF show which always has a great turn-out of Birmans in every point color. Following that is the annual Liberty Trail Halloween show on 10/24-25 in Easton, PA. Hope to see many of you there.
 
November 7-8 brings a new show date to Dover, NH - no worries about snow storms and icy roads this year - and we all get to enjoy the fall foliage in full bloom.

Region 2
by Terri Zittel, Regional Secretary


The Seattle Cat Club, Grandview Cat Club, and Rip City Cats hosted their annual show,"Furever Autumn", on September 26th in Longview, WA. The clubs had gone out of their way to attract newcomers to the cat fancy.

Each new exhibitor was given a large rosette with the CFA Logo and the New Bee logo saying "Welcome to CFA". They were given either a double cage space or a groom depending on the number of entries. Each were given ten raffle tickets and a brochure about the mentoring program/New Bee program.

Pictured above are: Jenni Angier (Persians), John & Patty Cruikshank (HHP), Rhonda & Brieanah Jager (HHP), Heidi & Val Krzyzaniak (JBT) and Margaret McGowan (EB/HHP).
Several of these exhibitors have been paired with mentors and are enthusiastic about showing their cats.

Also at the show, Elizabeth and James Thompson were honored as the new HHP exhibitors of the year. They were unable to attend the Regional Banquet in Sacramento this year. Our regional director presented them with their trophy and rosette. Also honored were our Junior Showmanship winners.

October 17 and 18 brings us the annual Emerald Cat Club - Steinbeck Cat Club to be held in St. Helens, OR. This is a Halloween themed show honoring kittens with a $5 off each kitten entry. The show manager is Wendy Heidt, our newest CFA judge to the Northwest Region. We are very excited and proud of Wendy's accomplishments. 

Region 3
by Steve McCullough, Regional Director  
Maine Coon Cat Trophies

September started our 'show season' off with Foot of the Rockies Cat Club and Maine Coon Cat Club holding their wonderful show in Denver, CO.  The weather was great and everyone had a 'Fall in the Rockies' time.  The raffle was bountiful and fun.  Cheryl and Trudie ran the 'crew' well and was an enjoyable time for all.  The Maine Coon Cat Club presented trophies for their highest scoring Maine Coon Cats in Kitten, Championship and Premiership.

Our next show will be the Regional FUN raiser with Front Range Cat Fanciers lending a hand in Cleburne, TX on October 24-25 2015. There will be raffles, bake sales, costume kitty contests as well as other fun activities.  We will have 3 AB and 3SP on Saturday and finishing off the two days with 3AB and 1SP on Sunday.  Entries have been coming in early and is looking to be a show to contend with.

Future shows will be Brazos Valley Cat Club's on December 5th in Rosenberg, TX which is southwest of Houston.  Following a couple of weeks later is another show to not miss, Show and Tell Cat Club's Holiday show in Cleburne, TX December 19th.  Three weeks later, will be Big Houston's Charity Cat show in Humble, starting the New Year off with a bang.

Looking forward to seeing ya'll in the show hall.

Region 4
 by John Colilla, Regional Director
 
 


Region 5
by Lisa Marie Kuta, Regional Director 
 
Come join us in Region 5 for fun, festive holidays! Celebrate Halloween with the Santa Monica Cat Club show in Costa Mesa at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Costa Mesa is adjacent to the John Wayne Orange County airport, SNA. LAX, LGB, ONT and BUR are all within an hour or so's drive. Looking for a warm getaway over Thanksgiving weekend? Poinsettia in Glendale, CA is the place to be. The one-day six ring show is at the historic Glendale Civic Auditorium. Leave a day for sightseeing and holiday shopping. Glendale is just a few miles from everywhere--downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, the mountains and the beach.
Region 6
by Candilee Jackson, Midwest Region Secretary

Planning Committee Update:  Your planning committee is well underway with plans for the 2016 awards show and banquet.  Save the date:  June 4-5, 2016, Wyndham West Hotel, Indianapolis, Indiana.  The show will feature a 5 x 5 format:  one specialty and four all breed rings on Saturday; three all breed and two specialty on Sunday.  The slate of judges, based on your response to the survey in late September, is still being formulated and the committee is awaiting several confirmations from judges.  The slate will be announced shortly.  Under consideration currently are awards and rosette selection, theme and decor, and banquet menu selections.  Stay tuned for more news!

Show Reports:

Twin City Cat Fanciers, Crystal MN   September 26, 2015
Members of the TCCF club really pulled off a great show!  Deviating from the normal "fall" theme, Kathie Hunt came up with the idea to have a PARTY!  Each ring was a different kind of party, including a party for cats! A great deal of fun was had when Mary Auth judged the stuffed pets and awarded them rosettes created gratis by Joyce Kempf.  This was a GREAT success and loved by the visiting kids and parents.  Thanks to Pat Jacobberger for sharing a little bit of herself with the winners in her ring:  she brought little cat figurines she has collected over the years.  Besides a visit from Garfield, the biggest excitement was sharing in Rachel Anger's "40th" Birthday celebration and her delicious cake  ... thanks Rachel for having a birthday ... no one in the Fancy will ever turn down cake!

Sandhills Cat Club, Omaha NE    October 10-11, 2015
Taking a cue from October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Sandhills gang put on a "PINK OUT" - ring decor, ribbons, rosettes and the whole works in PINK!  Since members of the Fancy are not immune to breast cancer, this tribute is meaningful and touching to those who have passed over Rainbow Bridge, but especially to our many survivors.







Midwest TGIF, Gray Summit MO November 7-8, 2015
Just a note about this upcoming show ... Purina Farms has a show venue made especially to show catsa and dogs.  The floor is PADDED and it also features a gourmet restaurant that will serve both breakfast and lunch for under $10 each meal.  There are just a few hotels nearby (Travel Lodge, Super 8 and Holiday Inn) but just 15-20 minutes away are many hotels to select from.  This is a wonderful show experience for everyone!

MWR Brags:
Owners Troy Weier and Brian Tripp are excited to announce that Gulfcats Big in Japan of Rokstarr, a black and white Japanese Bobtail is a new grand!  The excitement occurred at the Twin City Cat Fanciers Show in Minneapolis, MN.  Breeder is Tony Huff, Texas.

Ivy Cat Cattery, Pam and Rick DeGolyer, are please to announce that Ivy Cat Star Gazer, solid black female Exotic, achieved her grand points at the Freestate Felines Show in Maryland!


Upcoming shows:

October 17-18 Illinois Feline Fanciers Springfield IL
October 31-November 1 Indy Cat Club Plainfield, IL
November 7-8 Midwest TGIF Purina Farms, Gray Summit MO
 
Region 7
by Jean Dugger, Regional Director
The Southern Region has a lot to be excited about this Fall!  Starting the month with a successful show at Ocicats International/Maine Street Cat Club in Oakwood, GA, and followed by National Capital in Chantilly, VA, it's a great time to be showing our cats.  Enjoy the time that you spend with your friends and fellow fanciers and savor each moment!   Remember why you started doing this and be thankful to your cats for bringing you together with the best friends in the world who have become your family.  Each show season is a journey, and although the goal is important, the time spent along the way is truly the best gift of all!   
 The cooler weather of fall has brought some welcome changes to the South - most importantly - more CAT SHOWS!! In September we started the month with Ocicats International and Maine Street Cat Club, followed by National Capital and Freestate Feline Fanciers. The first week end in October was Platinum Coast in Ft. Myers, FL. Some of our exhibitors who attended this fun show shared with me that they had a tremendous gate - exactly what the club was hoping for!

In today's times it requires all of our show producing clubs to "think outside the box" to try and determine what their shows ' strengths and weaknesses are to hold our bottom lines to at least break even or maybe even make a little money..... Perhaps it's a huge spectator base that always supports them (and the vendors), or a great raffle? Does it draw a large exhibitor count? Rescue groups and household pets? Is it the location -- or the date ? What can we do to help keep our clubs viable to continue producing shows into the future?

At the October CFA Board meeting, we formed a new committee (chaired by Kathy Calhoun) about show formats that I am excited to be a part of. We are going to examine show production costs and what alternatives we could offer. The future of our CFA shows and clubs depends on all of us. If you have any ideas or suggestions - please send them to me (or your regional director). We welcome your input!

Region 8
by Edward Maeda, Regional Director
 
Japan Liberty Cat Club held their 30th Anniversary show at Tokyo Toritsu Industrial Hall this past September 19-20. Larry Adkison and Wayne Trevathan were invited to judge for anniversary of this club. Kit Fung from Hong Kong completed his last SH trainee session with Wayne Trevathan on Sunday and Tomoko Kitao did her LH trainee session with Larry Adkison on Saturday. Both sessions went well with much discussion in the rings. Most participants enjoyed this show. After the completion of judging show manager, Kayoko Koizumi who is former Japan Regional Director, presented large trophies to the highest scoring cats. Thank you very much for your great efforts to all members of the show management, club members, clerks, master clerk, and everyone in the show hall.
 
Ganba Kobe Cat Club also held their show at Kobe Port Terminal hall on past September 26-27, six by six, big scale show. Very nice show hall and nice cats, nice show committee. Many thanks to all.
 

Region 9
by Michael Hans Schleissner

LeAnn Rupy reports on the show that the UK Cat Fanciers held in Manchester, England on October 3-4 in conjunction with the Family Pet Show (http://www.thefamilypetshow.co.uk/) 
 
A lot of planning and coordination went into the biggest pet expo in the north of England, where a 'Meet the Breeds' sort of event encouraged families to attend with their pets and participate in the activities of the day. And participate they did! Over 15,000 visitors came to the Family Pet Show throughout the course of the weekend

Family Pet Show show manager Carrie Mosley contacted the UK Cat Fanciers club about participating in this event. She wanted to include a 'Cat World' where families could both see and interact with the cats and understand what a cat show was. The UK Cat Fanciers had their own sets of challenges: how to set up a show in the north of England (where there had never been a CFA show before) and how to attract exhibits. Through much work, they were able to accomplish both and had both pedigreed and HHP entries in the show. Michael Schleissner and Peter Vanwonterghem conducted seminars on the CFA judging format and process prior to their judging rings on Saturday and Sunday respectively.


It was a fulfilling event for the public,for the potential new exhibitors, and for the UK Cat Fanciers. A complete story on the show will be featured in the December issue of Cat Talk.

International Division
Dick Kallemyer, International Division Chair 
CATS first show in Malaysia
The Cat Advocates and Troupers Society (CATS) club had their first show in Malaysia (and the first Malaysian show in the season) on September 12.
Royal Canin sponsored the Cat Fanciers Club of Thailand show in Bangkok in concert with the opening of a new shopping center.  Over 2,000 cats have been adopted since Royal Canin and CFCT have partnered, with Royal Canin, Thailand providing 6 months free cat food for each adopted cat.  At this show, Royal Canin provided over 150 free spay and neuters for walk-in show visitors.

Have a question or a comment about the CFA Newsletter? 
Feel free to contact me at tkeiger@cfa.org
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Teresa Keiger
CFA Newsletter Editor