American Cat Breeders Association / About
About
Since 1949.
Now in America.
The American Cat Breeders Association is the official USA branch of the Fédération Internationale Féline, the federation that has set shared standards for breeding, registration, shows and judging since 1949. Here’s where it came from, how it works, and who looks after it in the United States.
What we stand for.
Our mission: to celebrate cats, unite cat lovers, and promote education, responsible breeding, ethical ownership, and excellence through the FIFe community.
Health first
Healthy, happy cats come before everything else. FIFe builds its rules around health and welfare, and we follow them to the letter.
One standard
Breed standards, breeding and registration, cattery names, shows, judges and student judges follow the same rules in every member country, so a title won in Ohio means the same thing in Oslo.
Local identity
Every national member keeps its own identity. Ours is built for American breeders, exhibitors and cat lovers.
From a Paris meeting to 41 countries.
- 1930sFrance
One cat lover’s idea
Madame Marguérite (Miggy) Ravel, a French cat lover, begins working toward an international federation of cat clubs.
- 1949Paris
The unofficial founding
The Royal Cat Society of Flanders, the French Cat Federation and the Italian Cat Society meet in Paris and form the Fédération Internationale Féline d’Europe. The first show draws more than 200 cats from France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands.
- 195010 Dec · Ghent
The first General Assembly
Delegates adopt the statutes and rules. Madame Ravel gives each of them a pink sandstone cat sculpted by the French artist Jean Martel.
- 1972Brazil
Beyond Europe, and a new name
The Clube Brasileiro do Gato joins, and the federation expands beyond Europe. At the General Assembly the following year, it takes the name Fédération Internationale Féline: FIFe.
- 1990Borås · Munich
EMS and the first World Show
At the General Assembly in Borås, Sweden, FIFe adopts the Easy Mind System for describing cats. The first FIFe World Show is held in Munich the same year.
- Today
The cat world’s federation
42 members in 41 countries, plus one aspiring patronage member.
- 2026United States
The American Cat Breeders Association is established
FIFe arrives in the United States with its official USA branch, at fifeusa.org.
How FIFe is run.
General Assembly
Every member has an equal vote. The Assembly votes on proposals, elects functionaries, debates the regulations and agrees common strategy.
Executive Board
Elected by the members from member countries, the Board manages the federation under its statutes.
Commissions
The commissions carry out the decisions of the General Assembly and the Board.
- Breeding & Registration
- Health & Welfare
- Judges & Standard
- Show
- Public Relations
- Disciplinary
General Secretary
Runs the secretariat and daily affairs, including coordinating show dates, processing cattery names and administering judges’ examinations.
Seat & languages
FIFe’s official seat is in Switzerland. Its official languages are French, German and English.
Our board.
Three volunteers look after the Association. Write to any of them directly.
Part of the World Cat Congress.
FIFe is one of the nine members of the World Cat Congress, which works on shared concerns such as cat legislation and feline welfare, from pedigree breeding to pet ownership. Its spirit: “International co-operation, harmony and understanding in the name of the cat.” The Italian club ANFI organised its first meeting, in Venice in 1994. A charter followed in 1999 and a full constitution in 2003.
- ACFAustralian Cat Federation
- CFACat Fanciers’ Association
- CCC of ACoordinating Cat Council of Australia
- FIFeFédération Internationale Féline
- GCCFGoverning Council of the Cat Fancy
- NZCFNew Zealand Cat Fancy
- SACCSouthern African Cat Council
- TICAThe International Cat Association
- WCFWorld Cat Federation
Start with the cat
you love most.
Whether you breed, show, judge or simply adore cats, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch with the Association→