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Registering A Cattery Name, Cats and Kittens with CFA

The following list of Frequently Asked Questions will help to solve the mystery of how to register a cattery name, answer questions on litter registrations, explain how to register a cat with CFA and provide information on ordering of pedigrees. If you do not find the answer you are seeking, please email your question to cfa@cfa.org.

1. How do I apply for a CFA registered cattery name?
2. Once my cattery name is registered does that mean the cattery itself is registered with CFA?
3. Can I Record a Cattery Name on a Permanent Basis?
4. How do I register a litter of kittens?
5. Is there a price savings if I register kittens at the same time as the litter?
6. What if I have leased a cat?
7. Can I register my cat with CFA if it is registered in an association other than CFA?
8. Can I change my cats' name?
9. Can I remove, or change, a cattery name on a registered name?
10. What happens if I lose my cats registration certificate?
11. How do I order a Certified Pedigree?

How do I apply for a CFA registered cattery name?

CFA Now accepts registration of cattery names online! Register your chosen name here.

Alternatively, the Cattery Name Application form is available as a PDF form, or you can request the 3-part NCR application form by sending your mailing address to cfa@cfa.org.

Choosing a Name

Rules governing the acceptability of a cattery name:

• Cattery names will not be duplicated.
• The cattery name cannot exceed 12 characters, including dashes, hyphens and blanks. No other punctuation is allowed.
• A given name, such as Frank or John, cannot be used.
• Titles such as Princess, Earl or Madam cannot be used.
• The cattery name cannot be the name of a recognized breed.
• Words or names that have been used extensively in the naming of cats may not be used, e.g. Ming or Pyewacket
• To be accepted for cattery registration, the name you chose must be a minimum of 2 letters different from an existing registered name. The addition of an "S" at the end of the name would NOT be "different." Also, double letters ("ee" "oo" "tt", etc) are considered to be one letter, so adding a second letter or removing a second would NOT be "different."
• Be sure to check for an existing name that begins with a similar sounding letter. As an example, "Kat" would NOT be accepted if we already have a "Cat."
• The adding or removal of spaces and punctuation will not change the availability of a cattery name. If "Cat House" has been taken as a name, then "Cathouse" and "Cat-House" would also NOT be available.
• Cattery names, once registered, cannot be changed. If you wish to use a different cattery name in the future, you will need to reapply for a new name. Breeders may have more than one registered cattery name.

To Complete the Cattery Name Registration Application:

• Precheck the availability of your chosen name(s)! See our Cattery Name Selection Tool.
• List your first, second, third and fourth choice for a cattery name. DO NOT LIST A NAME YOU DO NOT WANT.
• Complete the name and address information for the cattery owner. If more than one owner, please list each additional owner. Original signatures are required.
• Leave the Breeder # field empty - this number will be assigned to you by CFA.

Please note that the fact that a name has not been previously registered with the exact same spelling as your name choice, is not a guarantee that the name you request will be accepted. Final acceptance will be determined by CFA at the time of actual application. Be sure to include at least 4 name choices on your application. CFA will accept and register the first available choice as your official cattery name.

Cattery Name Usage

SUFFIX: A new owner of record may add their registered cattery name as a suffix (preceded by "of") when the name of the cat will not exceed the limit of 35 characters.

Once my cattery name is registered does that mean the cattery itself is registered with CFA?

No.
Note: CFA does not license or endorse anyone engaged in the commerce of breeding and selling pedigreed cats.

CFA registers cattery *names*. The actual cattery itself is not registered with CFA. Thus, any advertising you do using your cattery name should say that "XXX is a cattery name registered with CFA" rather than "XXX is a cattery registered with CFA". Alternatively correct wording when advertising your cattery name is "a CFA registered cattery name" rather than " a CFA registered cattery".

Can I Record a Cattery Name on a Permanent Basis?

• Applicant must have an existing CFA registered cattery name.
• Cattery must have produced a minimum of 10 grand champions grand premiers or distinguished merit cats. There must be a minimum of five grand champions within the group of 10.
• Cattery must have registered a minimum of 10 litters born during a 10-year period with the birth date of the oldest litter being at least 10 years prior to the application for a permanent cattery name and the birth date of the youngest litter being at least 10 years after that of the oldest litter.
• Cattery owner must submit an application along with a fee of $100.

How do I register a litter of kittens?

There are two ways to register a litter - 1) use a completed application form mailed to our office, or 2) register a litter online.

The litter registration application form and instructions for completion are available as a PDF form (requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to be able to open the file, complete the appropriate fields, and print).

Send the completed Litter Registration Application to CFA with the $8.00 fee. Upon receipt, the litter will be registered and you will receive an Application for Registration (commonly called a "blue slip") for each kitten in the litter. The fee to register a kitten using a "blue slip" is $10.00. See Is there a price savings if I register kittens at the same time as the litter?

Is there a price savings if I register kittens at the same time as the litter?

Effective January 1, 2000, if you either individually register kittens at the same time as registering a litter OR prepay their registration, you will save $2.00 per kitten! Better still - you do not have to individually name each kitten! You can write PREPAID in the space for the kitten name, and this kitten will be issued a "yellow slip" Application for Registration (rather than the "blue slip") which will allow the eventual purchaser to register the kitten, using their chosen name, without any additional charges.

Full details:

PREPAID REGISTRATIONS: Effective January 1, 2000 breeders may obtain a $2.00 discount (off the regular individual registration fee of $10) by individually registering a cat at the time of litter registration through the use of Section E on the Litter Registration Application form OR by PREPAYING the individual registration fee at the time of litter registration even if the cat is not being individually registered at that time.

TO PREPAY REGISTRATION, simply write PREPAID in the "Name of Cat" boxes in Section E of the Litter Registration Application form for each kitten you wish to register but not name. You will receive a "Yellow Slip" - Application for Registration - which indicates that the registration fee is prepaid. No further payment will be necessary to register kittens using a "yellow slip". Any remaining kittens in the litter which have not been individually registered OR prepaid will be issued a blue slip. The cost to register a cat using a blue slip will be $10.00

Registering a Non-CFA Registered Cat

1. The sire or dam is not CFA litter or individually registered, AND
2. The breeder is not currently a CFA registered breeder.

A cat is not eligible for individual registration by pedigree if:

1. The parents are both CFA registered, AND
2. The breeder is a CFA registered breeder.

To obtain registration for cats eligible under this policy, a 5-generation certified pedigree (see "Note" for exceptions to the 5-generation requirement), issued by the registrar of the association in which the cat is currently registered, must be submitted for CFA files. Pedigrees used for this type of registration will be accepted only from previously certified associations.

NOTE: The following breeds require certified pedigrees for the number of generations indicated in parentheses after the breed name: Abyssinian (8), American Wirehair (4), Balinese (8), Burmese (8), Chartreux (4), Devon Rex (3), Korat (3), Ragdoll (3), Scottish Fold (4), Siamese (8) and Turkish Angora (3). All other breeds require 5 generations.

Can I change my cat's name?

1. The cat has never earned a title (e.g. CH, GRP, DM) or received a regional or national award; and,
2. No litters have been CFA registered listing the cat as a parent; and,
3. You are the current registered owner of the cat. If the cat has been previously registered in someone else's name, you must provide CFA with a signed statement of agreement from all previously registered owners agreeing to allow the change. If you've recently purchased the cat and not yet transferred the cat to your name, it is recommended you obtain the aforementioned letter of agreement and submit it in conjunction with the transfer application.

FEES: Name change - $8.00; Transfer of Ownership - $8.00; Cattery name suffix addition/deletion - $5.00.

The cat's registration certificate should be returned to CFA along with your letter detailing the change desired.

Can I remove, or change, a cattery name on a registered name?

Yes, under certain circumstances.

The cattery name at the beginning of a registered name (prefix) may not be changed or removed. That will be the cattery name of the breeder of the cat, and it is a permanent part of the name of every cat bred by that specific breeder.

The cattery name at the end of a registered name (suffix) can be removed or changed. You can remove the existing suffix, or replace the existing suffix on your cat's name with your CFA registered cattery name, by completing the cattery suffix section on the back of the Certificate of Registration. The fee is $5.00.

What happens if I lose my cats registration certificate?

1. Complete registered name of the cat.
2. CFA registration number, if known.
3. Breeder's name.
4. Approximate birthdate.
5. Color, breed and sex of the cat.
6. Owner's complete name and address for mailing purposes of the new certificate.

There are several ways to purchase a duplicate certificate.

• Order online using a credit card
• Mail the above information to our office, with the $8.00 fee
• Fax (732-528-7391) the above information to our office, with a credit card information
• Phone (732-528-9797) the order to our office, and use a credit card to pay the $8.00 fee

How do I order a Certified Pedigree?

There are several ways to purchase a certified pedigree. Information that we require in order to process a certified pedigree is the registered name of the cat, the registration number and a mailing address for the report to be sent to. The fee depends upon the number of generations you require.

3 generations ..................... $20.00
4 generations ..................... $30.00
5 generations ..................... $45.00
6 generations ..................... $60.00

To order a certified pedigree:

• Order online using a credit card
• Mail the required information to our office, with the appropriate fee
• Fax (732-528-7391) the required information to our office, with a credit card information
• Phone (732-528-9797) the required information to our office, and use a credit card to pay the $8.00 fee

If you have any questions regarding the registration of your cat, please send email to registration@cfa.org

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