Governing Council of the Cat Fancy facts for kids
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| Abbreviation | GCCF |
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| Formation | 1910 |
| Purpose | Cat fancy registry |
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Region served
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United Kingdom |
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Official language
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English |
The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) is a big group in the United Kingdom. It helps keep track of pedigree (purebred) cats. Started in 1910, it is the largest organisation that registers these special cats.
The GCCF began when a few cat clubs joined together. These clubs were already registering cats as the world of "cat fancy" (people who love and show cats) was just starting. Today, the GCCF is an independent group with about 150 member clubs. These clubs include groups for specific cat breeds and clubs for different areas.
Contents
What the GCCF Does
The GCCF gives permission for its member clubs to hold cat shows. There are about 135 shows each year. At these shows, pedigree cats can win special titles. These titles include Champion, Grand Champion, Imperial Grand Champion, and Olympian. The Olympian title has three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
For cats that have been neutered, the word Champion changes to Premier. Cats that are not purebred, like Domestic shorthair and Domestic longhair cats, can also compete. They can earn the title Master Cat. In April 2025, the GCCF also started new titles for kittens. These are Kitten Champion (KC) and Kitten Master Cat (KMC). This lets young cats get recognition too!
The Supreme Cat Show
The GCCF also organises its own big show called the Supreme Cat Show. This show is famous for being the largest cat show in the world. Many people call it the cat version of Crufts, which is a famous dog show. At the Supreme Cat Show, cats can win very special awards. These are the UK Champion and Supreme Champion titles. You can only win these at this one show.
Helping Cats and Research
The main offices of the GCCF are in Bridgwater, England. Staff there help with many things. They register cats, handle show results, and deal with questions from cat breeders and the public. They also look into complaints and rule-breaking. Sometimes, this can lead to people being stopped from taking part in cat activities.
The GCCF is part of other important groups too. It is a member of The Cat Group and the World Cat Congress. These groups work together to help cats around the world.
The GCCF has also created its own charity called The Cat Welfare Trust. This charity uses money raised through the GCCF to improve the lives of cats. The trust has given lots of money to important research projects. These projects have looked into things like ringworm vaccinations and cat health issues.
Cat Breeds Registered by GCCF
Each year, the GCCF registers about 20,000 pedigree cats. The three most popular cat breeds registered with the GCCF are the British Shorthair, the Ragdoll, and the Maine Coon. The GCCF officially recognises many different cat breeds. Here are some of them:
Longhaired Breeds
- Persian (comes in many colours and patterns)
- Exotic Shorthair
- Birman
- Maine Coon
- Nebelung
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Ragdoll
- Siberian
- Somali
- Turkish Van
- Turkish Vankedisi
- Ragamuffin
- British Longhair
- Tiffanie (a longhaired Asian cat)
Shorthaired Breeds
- British Shorthair (comes in many colours and patterns)
- Chartreux
- Manx
- Selkirk Rex
- Abyssinian
- Bengal
- Cornish Rex
- Devon Rex
- Egyptian Mau
- Korat
- LaPerm
- Lykoi
- Ocicat
- Russian
- Singapura
- Snowshoe
- Sokoke
- Sphynx
- Thai Lilac/Thai Pointed
- Toyger
- Asian (includes Bombay and Burmilla)
- Australian Mist
- Burmese
- Tonkinese
- Suffolk
- Balinese
- Foreign White
- Oriental Bicolour
- Oriental Shorthair (many types, including Havana)
- Oriental Longhair
- Siamese
Breeds for Registration Only
Some breeds can be registered but do not yet compete for full titles. These include:
- American Curl
- Cymric/Manx Longhair
- German Longhair
- Khao Manee
- Kurilian Bobtail
- Transylvanian
- Turkish Angora
See also
In Spanish: Governing Council of the Cat Fancy para niños
- List of cat breeds
- List of cat registries
