NEWS

Notes on Registration

Cat breeders normally wish to ensure their kittens go to good, kind homes, and are not exploited for breeding or other purposes. The GCCF registration system gives some protection to kittens and makes sure the breeders intentions are respected, but the system must be used correctly to achieve the best results.

Active and Non-Active Register

When breeders apply to register a kitten they are offered two options, to register on the Active register or the Non-Active register. All breeding stock should be placed on the Active register and any cat that is sold as a pet or show neuter should be placed on the Non-Active register. Details and fees required for registration are exactly the same for either the Active or Non-Active register.

The GCCF will not register kittens born from a parent on the Non-Active register and cats may only be transferred from the Non-Active to the Active register by the breeder or the person who first registered the cat, who is under no obligation to do so. This does not mean that cats registered on the Non-Active register will not be bred from but it does make their kittens of less value, and so discourages the new owner from breeding. Stud owners should be aware that Non-Active registered cats should not be accepted to stud, and owners of studs and queens should ensure that any prospective mate is on the Active register by asking to see the registration or transfer certificate. A Non-Active registration will have the words 'NO PROGENY TO BE REGISTERED' printed on the certificate, beside the registered owner's name and address.

Cats may be transferred from the Active to the Non-Active register but if the cat is no longer legally owned by the breeder such a transfer must have the lawful owner's consent. Forms to change Active or Non-Active registration can be obtained from the Office, by the person who first registered the cat.

GCCF Certificates of Entirety

All male cats used at stud must have a Certificate of Entirety deposited with the GCCF, prior to registration of kittens. An official GCCF Certificate of Entirety form must be obtained, either from the Office (please enclose a large stamped addressed envelope) or from the GCCF website, for completion by your veterinary surgeon. No fee is charged by the GCCF for the Certificate.

Litter Declaration

The rule for litter registrations passed by Council in August 1984 requires breeders not wishing to register all the kittens of any litter to declare the sex, breed number and colour of the remaining kittens (alive at that time) when they first apply to register at least one kitten of that litter.

This declaration is not registration - there is no fee for declared kittens and they should not be given names on the form. Breeders must declare all remaining kittens alive at the time of first registration, as failure to include all kittens in the litter could result in disciplinary action.
N.B. The GCCF do not provide for declaration of a litter without registration of any of the kittens.

Litter declaration enables a cat's genetic makeup to be recorded on computer as accurately as possible, to avoid kittens being incorrectly registered at a later date, when a check will be made to ensure that a kitten of the correct sex and colour was declared as one of the litter. This system means that it is impossible for anyone to register further kittens from a litter unless already declared.

It is important to repeat that declaration is not registration - declared kittens can subsequently be registered by the breeder or the new owner on the Active or the Non-Active register; breeders who want to safeguard their pet kittens should always register them on the Non-Active register because, if only declared, the new owners are free to register those kittens as they wish.

General Information

The registration application form is used for either prefix or non-prefix registrations. On the reverse are the relevant rules and guidance notes for completion (numbered to correspond with the ringed numbers on the front). Please read those instructions very carefully before filling in the form. Copies of the GCCF Rules which include Section 1 - The Register, and the GCCF Guide to Breed Numbers may be obtained from the GCCF Office. The computer registration certificate is issued with a transfer of ownership application form (a pink carbon copy). If possible this should be used for the first transfer of that kitten to a new owner, but, if transfer is urgent for reasons such as show entry or export, or the cat has been previously transferred, blank transfer applications may be used, which are available from the Office. Whichever type of transfer form is used, please enter the new owners name in the space provided as this helps to safeguard you against a kitten being passed on to a third party without your knowledge.

The date of registration and/or transfer is the date on which the application is received by the GCCF. The registration process normally takes 3 to 4 weeks. Under GCCF Rules, the seller must provide the purchaser with a completed and signed transfer form if the cat is registered at the time of sale, unless there is a written agreement not to do so. Should the printed pink transfer form not be to hand, then a blue manual transfer form can be downloaded. A copy of a 'model' sales agreement is available free of charge from the Office, although an s.a.e. would be appreciated.

A pedigree must always be provided when a cat or kitten is advertised or sold as a pedigree cat or kitten; failure to do so is an offence under the Trades Description Act as well as being contrary to GCCF Rules.

Mating Certificates

The GCCF Rules state that:
When a litter is registered, the application to register must be accompanied by a copy of the certificate of mating unless the person registering the kitten(s) is also the registered owner of the sire. The owner of the stud cat must provide a Certificate of Mating to the owner of the queen upon collection of the queen. (effective for kittens born on or after 1.6.02)

When a queen has been mated, the registered owner/s of the queen must be supplied with a certificate of mating which must state the registered name, breed name/breed description and registration number of the sire, together with the registered name, breed name/breed description and registration number of the dam and the dates of mating, and must be signed by the registered owner/s of the sire.

If a kitten is sold unregistered, in addition to the pedigree (see Rule 10a) the seller shall supply a copy of the certificate of mating whether or not the seller is the registered owner of the sire. Any application to register the kitten at a later date must be accompanied by this certificate.

Prior to accepting a queen for mating, the owner of the stud shall establish that the queen is not registered on the Non-Active register. Note: Queens which are not registered with GCCF may be accepted for mating. A queen whose registration with another bona fide organisation is endorsed "not for breeding" should not be accepted.

Mating Certificate - also available in .pdf format

Alternatives to
The "No Recognised Breed" Registrations

Cats and kittens (including those with Certified Pedigrees from bona fide overseas registering organisations) of colours and/or patterns of existing recognised breeds which are not, at the time of registration, recognised by the GCCF.

Register as "Breed Type" until the relevant BAC produces an amended Registration Policy which covers the new colour and/or pattern.

These registrations could be upgraded on an individual basis by the breeder/owner if at some point the colour and/or pattern became recognised.

Cats or kittens (with both parents being GCCF registered pedigree cats) which do not conform to any GCCF Registration Policy.

These registrations could still be upgraded on an individual basis by the breeder/owner if at some point the "breed" became recognised.

Imported cats and kittens with Certified Pedigrees from bona fide registering organisations which do not, at the time of registering, have a GCCF equivalent type and/or breed.

These registrations could still be upgraded on an individual basis by the breeder/owner if at some point the "breed" became recognised.

Note: First time applications for registration of cats and kittens of breeds not recognised by the GCCF will be referred to the Executive Committee.

Exhibition of Unregistered cats and kittens at GCCF shows

Unregistered cats and kittens of breeds that are eligible for GCCF registration may be placed on exhibition at shows licensed by the GCCF.

Recommendation

The GCCF strongly recommends that no kitten should be permitted to go to a new home before 13 weeks of age. At least seven days prior to this the kitten should have completed a full course of vaccinations, including a health check, given by a Veterinary Surgeon or by a listed Veterinary Nurse under the direction of a Veterinary Surgeon. The breeder should ensure that kittens are house-trained, inoculated and in good general health.

This document is also available in .pdf format for you to download and print out - you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader

The Registration Application form is also available in .pdf format