Carol Krzanowski, CFA Clubs Chair

The following clubs have applied for CFA membership and will be considered at the June 27, 2024 CFA Board meeting. Anyone wishing to submit comments regarding the applicants should do so in writing and send the comments to Committee Chair Carol Krzanowski no later than June 6, 2024.   

As stated in the CFA By-Laws - Article III - Membership, Section 3 - Election to Membership: "If negative information is submitted regarding the applicant, the information will be provided to the applicant with enough time for the applicant to prepare a written rebuttal prior to board consideration.”

Baobei Cat

President: Jiangnan Yang

Secretary: Wang Na

Location: Zhengzhou, Henan, China

Cat Advocates & Troupers Society

President: Amiruddin Am Sariff

Secretary: Izaddin Syah Yusof

Location: Selangor, Malaysia

China Champion Cat

President: Bai Xudong

Secretary: Wang Meng (Renata Wang)

Location: Qingdao, Shandong, China

Fenix Cat Club

President: Adrian Pulido Giraldo

Secretary: Sorangel Josefina Orsatti Marron

Location: Grenada, Spain

Hong Kong Golden British Shorthair Cat Club

President: Chan Kai Shing

Secretary: Ng Yuen Sum

Location: Tai Po, Hong Kong

Malaysia Cat Alliance Society (MCAS)

President: Looi Jing Shyan

Secretary: Yuki Tan Yu Chi

Location: Selangor, Malaysia

Sapphire Stars Feline Club

President: Jialu Chen

Secretary: Yufei Li (Yvette Li)

Location: Chongqing, China

Skyway Cat Club of Tampa Bay

President: Howard Kempton

Secretary: Theresa Kempton

Location: St. Petersburg, Florida, USA

Southwest Sweet Cat

President: Yuan Yuan

Secretary: Yingru Zhou

Location: Chengdu, Sichuan, China

We all remember the devastating wildfires in Maui last summer. As the fires spread, many cats fled into unfamiliar portions of the island. After the fires subsided, the cats started to come back down toward their homes, but many were so traumatized by the experience that they had become fearful of people. Some could be matched up with their cat families, but their owners had lost their homes. As news of the extent of the tragedy spread, fanciers wanted to know how to assist with the efforts to help the large number of displaced cats and their owners.

Enter Maui Surf Cat Ranch, a 501(c)(3) rescue located on eight fenced-in acres in Haiku. The Ranch was founded many years ago by Linda Banziger of Kokuakats cattery, a CFA Maine Coon breeder who saw a desperate need to help address the feral cat problem on the island. Linda and her manager, Laura Ackerson, have dedicated their energies to providing a refuge for feral/community/non-adoptable cats who need homes. CFA Southwest Regional Director Michael Shelton and his wife visited the ranch in April and were quickly greeted by many of the cats that have found a home there. Despite their feral origins, the care they have received at the Ranch has allowed many of them to overcome their fear of people and revealed their loving, affectionate nature. Others are still wary of strangers, retreating to one of the many creatively designed and decorated shelters available to them. 

Although the sheer number of cats from the fires put a severe strain on their resources, they never shied away from the work of helping these cats. They took in over 70 cats from the fires and provided them with a home and necessary care, including altering, FIV/FeLV testing, vaccinations, and worm and flea treatment. They have been working on expanding their resources, including building a new facility to help them provide medical care onsite.

The efforts of the Ranch have been greatly helped by donations from throughout the cat fancy. The Cat Fanciers of Hawaii have raised well over $3000 in financial assistance, and CFA has donated $5000. This is in addition to the countless individual contributions by concerned fanciers. But this is not a short-term need. The care of these cats that were affected by the fires, along with all the others needing a home, will be going on for years. If you want to help, you can donate to this amazing facility through their website, www.surfcatranchmaui.com.

CFA Legislative

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

City of Los Angeles, CA Adopts Extreme and Indefinite Dog Breeding Permit Moratorium

Already known to be unfriendly to cat and dog breeders with its complicated animal ordinance , the City of Los Angeles exacerbated things last month with a moratorium on issuing dog breeding permits in response to a shelter crisis. Cat breeding permits are not included in the moratorium ordinance. The ordinance allows lifting the “temporary“ moratorium if the three-month moving dog occupancy average equals 75% or less of total capacity. Should the dog breeding permit moratorium ever be lifted, the ordinance provides that a new intermittent moratorium shall be issued anytime the three-month dog occupancy running average exceeds 75% of capacity.

The shelter system’s excessive overcrowding, approximately 200% of dog kennel capacity, has been blamed on the housing crisis, veterinary shortage , and the rerouting of medical supplies to human hospitals during the pandemic. When people and their pets lose their homes, and affordable veterinary care and sterilization procedures are unavailable, the problem will not be solved by a moratorium on dog breeding permits. The ordinance is a scapegoat response that makes it appear the city is doing something when it cannot address the real issues. 

People who are losing their homes or do not have access to affordable veterinary care for their animals cannot afford the $235 breeding permit and cannot comply with the other requirements. These include microchipping the animal and its offspring, limiting it to one litter per year, and advertising, inspections, sales, and reporting requirements. The City of Los Angeles also has a pet limit law for dogs and cats over four months. The limit is three dogs and five cats, but all cats must be sterilized if there are over three. The limit law does not apply to permitted cat or dog kennels or pet stores.

When you give the government a yard, there is always a risk that it may return for the rest of the mile. The real issues causing shelter overcrowding gave the city an excuse to get closer to banning breeding altogether. Unfortunately, other governments may decide to copy it as many face similar issues.

CFA Breeders' Assistance Program

Ginger Meeker and Charlene Campbell for BAP

Updated Information Regarding Feeding and Supplementing Kittens

New ideas that save time, energy, money, cat/kitten lives are to be lauded! New ideas can be found in many areas and this month, resources are being provided for this information.  

Also, a suggestion that we think outside the box and recognize that rescue organizations and shelters share common needs and values with catteries and individual owners of multiple cats. Some of them include:

• housing of cats and kittens of different age needs

• housing different animals of mixed reproductive status

• special areas may be required for a specific population

• husbandry and hygiene are of primary concern

• the greater the number of cats, the greater the potential for multiple problems, spread of infection, unplanned pregnancy, incoming animals with unknown problems before they arrive

In the rescue/shelter milieu, there is the advantage of having multiple facilities across the country that work together. This network, while going deep and wide, still finds itself overwhelmed at certain times and seasons of the year.

To respond to the ongoing and expanding needs of rescue/shelter situations, a veterinary medical specialty has now been created. Research is now being completed and is being shared with the general population. Let’s learn from this!

Did you know healthy neonatal kittens do NOT need to be fed every two hours? Learn about the latest guidelines for kitten feeding and other kitten care in this course. Do you know what neonatal kittens greatest needs are?

https://university.maddiesfund.org/products/taking-the-fear-out-of-bottle-feeding-and-basic-kitten-care

The course was authored by Marnie Russ, National Kitten College Program Administrator, a recognized expert on caring for at-risk kittens. In 2023, Marnie assisted UC Davis and the University of Wisconsin in updating their neonatal kitten guidelines for mass distribution.

https://www.sheltermedicine.com/library/guidebooks/guide-to-raising-unweaned-underage-kittens

The first kitten nursery of its kind, Arlington went from saving 92 kittens a year in 2016 to over 1500 kittens in 2023. Since its inception, the Kitten College program has been implemented in a growing number of shelters and rescues across the country.  

A challenge has been issued - find and communicate more similarities between the shelter/rescue system and the individual owner/cattery situation. Perhaps looking at the results of this research, simply not funded in other ways, can be put into use by members of the general Fancy and public to benefit all cats.

Discover how to donate to CFA's Breeders Assistance Program via this link.

EveryCat Health Foundation

submitted by Virginia Rud

A list of our honored donors for the month of April is     available here

Tax Tips with George Eigenhauser

Taxpayers have rights when dealing with the IRS. Tax Tip 2024-46 serves as a guide to understanding the “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” to challenge an IRS decision and have your say. This means taxpayers can object to IRS actions, submit additional information if needed, and expect the IRS to consider their objections and documents fairly. Taxpayers are entitled to a response if the IRS disagrees with them. In some cases, the IRS must let the taxpayer have a hearing with an independent Appeals Office before taking serious actions, like seizing bank accounts or filing tax liens. If the taxpayer disagrees with the decision, they can still go to the U.S. Tax Court. For more information about the Taxpayer Bill of Rights please see Tax Tip 2024-46, which is available at: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/by-law-taxpayers-have-the-right-to-challenge-the-irs-position-and-be-heard Taxpayers can also review Publication 556 Examination of Returns, Appeal Rights, and Claims for Refund, available at: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-556

Breeding Cat Coverage

Now Available!

Protect your breeding cat with Felix:

1. Enter breeding cat’s info to Get a Quote
2. Select the optional add-on for Breeding Coverage* 
3. Click on Checkout to complete enrollment

Click here

to get started or call 1-866-FELIX-09 (1-866-335-4909).

*Coverage for accidents, illnesses and complications relating to or caused by breeding, pregnancy, whelping or nursing. Conditions and limitations apply. 

Felix Cat Insurance is underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company.

Corporate Affiliates

Code: 1000026977

or call 877-999-3223 and ask for the discount code CFA CAT FANCIERS ASSOCIATION

Discount Code # 526223

Discount Code # #U28593

Discount Code # Z926291

Click logo for information

Russell Webb - Acting Regional Director

The first show of the new season was held on May 4 and 5, 2024 by Seacoast Cat Club in Concord, New Hampshire. The show was a success.  A breed showcase was held which the spectators loved. Many beautiful cats were shown and the Judges may have had a hard time picking their top 10 in all classes.

The next big event for Region 1 is our Regional Show and Banquet which will be held in June in Pennsylvania. 

Mike Shelton, Regional Director

The Cat Fanciers of Hawai'i held the only show in the United States on April 20. with a show theme that celebrated the '80s. This show continued the trend of increasing counts in Hawai'i, with over 70 cats entered. It also marked the last show in Hawai'i show for Diana Rothermel. A few days before the show, a clerking school was held, taught by Rhonda Avery and Lorraine Shelton. Over twenty students turned out for the school, again showing the enthusiasm for growing CFA in Hawai'i.

The following weekend, the Las Vegas Cat Club put on the last show of the season in Henderson, NV. The rings (and judges!) were again decorated using the themes of various Las Vegas casinos. The mood in the show hall was somewhat bittersweet, as the show careers of many cats came to a close, but there was also much celebration of our fellow fanciers' accomplishments over the last year.

Kenny Currle, Regional Director

The last several weeks have been busy here in the Southern Region! New Vision Cat Club produced another outstanding show in Plant City, FL. This was the last show of the season and there were many tearful goodbyes to cats who have been out all season. Cake and other festive eats abounded in the show hall, making saying goodbye just a little more bearable.

But not to fear, as beautiful cats abounded at Rebel Rousers/Ocicats International show in Lawrenceville, GA the following weekend, kicking off the new show season in style!

The New Vision club sponsored a toast to the new show season in honor of Ray Cherrington.

Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for (audience)? Why should they care (benefit)? What do I want them to do (call-to-action)?

Create a great offer by adding words like "free," "personalized," "complimentary," or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take action, so consider inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"

Want to sponsor a cat or exhibitor at the regional awards banquet? Hurry before it's too late! Complete inforamtion about sponsorships is available here.

May 5th is the day known as Tango no Sekku, Children's Day in Japan. Dolls such as samurai and carp streamers are displayed to pray for children to grow up strong.

Pam DelaBar, Regional Director

Exciting Region 9 results for 2023-2024: 1 National Winner, 5 Breed Winners, 77 Grands and 1 Grand of Distinction. For an area so very strong in longhair championship, the top 5 regional winning cats in championship are all shorthairs!! AND...the best in each category were shorthairs!!

Our Region 9 show and awards banquet will be held in Warstein, Germany, 21-22 September 2024. It is guaranteed to be a wonderful celebration and party!

Hong Kong

Suki Wong - ID coordinator- Hong Kong

On April 20-21, 2024 we had a traffic show Hong Kong TaiPo Mega Mall. 

Congratulations to the hard working members of Persian & Exotic Cat club & Universal Feline Fancies Club for putting on a 5 ring show. Thank you Alex Chan , Leona Wong, Pak Hei Leung, Addison Wong and Matthew Wong the entire show committee for all the hours of work that went into putting on a terrific CFA show.

Judges and Sharon Lam Marketing Director Royal Canin Limited

Judges were: 

Mr. Edward Maeda -(SSP/CH & AB Kitten & HHP)

Ms. Ayumi Ueda -(AB /CH, SSP/KIT & PR, HHP)

Ms. Suki Lee –(AB/OCP, AB/OCP, HHP)

Ms. Etsuko Hamayasu –(AB, HHP)

Ms. Elena Podprugina –(AB, HHP)

Thank you to the sponsor Royal Canin Limited, Vijor and Cat Trust your support served as the back-bone for this big event.

Thank you Sun Hung Kai Property for the TaiPo Mega mall, and we are grateful to have a TV size 7.2m (W) x 3.84m(H) for CFA introduction.

Thank you to Leona Wong for CFA show slide presentation to introduce CFA to the spectators , cat owners and the whole event.

Have a question or a comment about the CFA Newsletter? 

Feel free to contact me at  tkeiger@cfa.org

Thank you for being a subscriber! 

Teresa Keiger

CFA Newsletter Editor