CFA Info

CFA - The CFA Foundation

The purposes for which the CFA Foundation was formed are to establish and maintain for the benefit and use of the general public:

1. One or more rooms where books, magazines and periodicals relating to cats will be made available
2. Places for the display and exhibition of paintings and works of art relating to cats.
3. To engage in any and all other activities as shall from time to time be necessary or appropriate to effect any or all of the foregoing purposes.

HISTORY

The CFA Foundation was established on June 22, 1990 by the CFA Board of Directors as an educational forum to educate the general public about the existence and history of the cat. The CFA Foundation originated with just under 100 cat books, stud books, past issues of the CFA Yearbook, the Cat Fanciers' Almanac, other CFA publications and other cat-related periodicals.

Donations to the foundation since its inception have expanded the collection tenfold.

THE COLLECTION

The first major donation to the foundation, and its crown jewel, was the silver collar and medal presented to Cosey, the Best in Show winner of the National Cat Show, the first North American cat show held at Madison Square Garden on May 8, 1895. Cosey was a brown tabby Maine (Coon) cat owned by Mrs. Fred Brown.

VOLUMES

More than 1,100 cat books are on display in the Jean Baker Rose Memorial Library at the CFA Central Office. Named in honor of CFA's long time executive director, the library houses the foundation's collection. The books are currently being catalogued.

MAGAZINES

Magazines, periodicals and other printed items are received by CFA each year and have become part of the foundation's artifacts. The publications range from general interest cat publication (CATS, CAT FANCY,CAT WORLD INTERNATIONAL, I LOVE CATS, and POPULAR CATS) to breed newsletter, foreign publications, veterinary journals and other pet related titles. A non-lending library and museum, the foundation's resources are available to on-sight reference for the general public and for researchers.

NEEDS

The foundation, like its counter part The Dog Museum of America has as its mandate " the collection, preservation and exhibition of works of art and literature related" to the cat. Every passing year sees more material destroyed because CFA breeders and their heirs do not consider it as having value of interest. Maybe it doesn't have value, but we would like an opportunity to determine that.

What are we looking for? Many of us have collected cat memorabilia over the years. Some valuable, very valuable only to us. Works of art, paintings, sculptures and other cat collectibles (ceramic cats, cats as toys, cats at Christmas and other festivals, wooden, metal, glass cats, and cats in advertising are a few examples) are all needed to build a comprehensive collection of cat artifacts.

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If you are interested in contributing to the history of the cat maintained by the CFA Foundation, please email CFA at cfa@cfa.org

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