October 2011 ISSUE 7 CATCLUB NEWS UK NEWSLETTER OF FELIS BRITANNICA - THE FEDERATION OF CLUBS REPRESENTING FIFE IN THE UK Cat Club News Welcome to the October issue of the Felis Britannica Newsletter. As there is no show in October we can put more “news” and items of general interest in the newsletter. The next show is the All Winners show on November 6th in Moulton, Northampton and more details are given at the bottom of the newsletter. If you haven’t yet received your invitation and feel that your cat has qualified, please email Josie Hughes of the Show Commission at [email protected] If you have received your invite, please send in your entry as soon as possible and make this a special show. Don’t forget to include side classes in your entry – they are being sponsored for the first time at the Winners Show and the first place award will be presented before the BIS panel. Special Awards There are many “Special” Awards available from FIFe at Felis Britannica show and some people may not be aware of them or how your cat can achieve them. Distinguished Show Merit (DSM) This title is only available at International Shows and is available to adult of fully recognised breeds and house cats. To obtain the title, the cat must win Best in Show (BIS) or Best in Show Opposite Sex (BOS) a minimum of 10 times in classes 1-10 or 14. The shortest qualifying period possible is two years and one day between the first Best in Show or Best in Show Opposite Sex and the tenth. This is to prevent a cat becoming a DSM too quickly. Junior Winner (JW) This title is only available at International Shows to cats of fully recognised breeds. In order to obtain the title, the cat must win Best in Show a minimum of 5 times in classes 11 and/or 12. Distinguished Variety Merit (DVM) Enzo This title is only available at National and International shows to cats of recognised varieties of fully or preliminary recognised breeds. To obtain the title, the cat must win Best in Variety a minimum of 10 times in classes 1-12. The shortest qualifying period possible is two years and one day between the first Best in Variety and the tenth. This is to prevent a cat becoming a DVM too quickly. National Winner (NW) New from Jan 2012 In each FIFe member country a maximum of 15 cats may be awarded the title National Winner (NW) per calendar year. Each FIFe Member country may decide how to award this title. (Ed – I am not sure if this has been decided within Felis Britannica). The winning cats will have their National Winner title registered in the same way as other official FIFe titles ie NW(GB)11 to be placed before the full name and before other possible titles of the cat. Distinguished Merit (DM) The FIFe title of Distinguished Merit (DM) shall be awarded to a cat according to the following rules: a. The required number of offspring to gain the titles of IC/IP or higher or DM should be a minimum of 5 for a female cat and a minimum of 10 for a male cat. b. Only FIFe registered titles are valid. c. The DM shall be placed after the full name of the cat.

Remember to keep in touch with whats going on. www.felisbritannica.co.uk Follow us on Facebook or visit our website! Felis Britannica editor @felisbritannica.co.uk Show Topics New Best in Show Awards from January 2012 From January 2012 new rules for Best in Show awards come into force. It is the Editors understanding that if a breed can muster over 50 exhibits, they may then have their own Best in Show section.

These will count towards the Special Awards mentioned on previous page.

Conditions : At least 50 other exhibits must be entered in the category the breed is in.

Example:

Category II entry 125 entry 52 Norwegian Forest 48 8 Siberians 12 Sacred Birmans 5

In this scenario, Maine Coons could have their own Best in Show and not participate in the Category II BIS. The other breeds also have an advantage in that they do not compete with Maine Coons for Nomination awards and Best in II. The winner of the special BIS will still go forward to compete for the Best of the Best award along with the other category winners.

This is an exciting addition to the rules and will make Best in Show even more interesting.

Health Topics New Breeding Rules for Norwegian Forest Cats At the FIFe AGA in Bucharest this year the following proposal was passed. Norwegian Forest Cats used for breeding shall be DNA tested for the GBE-1 gene (GSD IV Glycogen Storage disease) unless both parents are proven not to be carriers of GSD IV. Cats to be tested after this rule must be identifiable by microchip or tattoo and the microchip or tattoo ID number shall follow the test documentation to the laboratory and be clearly stated on the test result certificate. A valid veterinary certificate regarding GBE-1 status shall accompany the cat’s pedigree. If you have a health topic you would like to highlight or a health question to ask, please send it in to the editor who will ask a Veterinary Surgeon to reply.

Show Commission news The GCCF Supreme New Show Year Felis Britannica will have a stand at the Supreme Cat show at the NEC Birmingham on November 19th. The FB show year is changing! Currently it runs from November to October, but from 2013 it will run from January to December, with If you are attending the Supreme as either an exhibitor or visitor, please the Winners Show being the first show of the year in January. For the come along to meet the Felis Britannica Team who will be resplendent in interim in 2012 the show year will run from November 2011, their new “Livery” of Polo Shirts. The team will be pleased to answer any starting with the Winners Show, and will end in December 2012. questions you may have about showing your cats with Felis Britannica and The show year is relevant for points for the Awards and for you will be able to pick up leaflets on how to enter as well as entry forms qualifying for the Winners Show. and flyers for forthcoming shows.

Remember to keep in touch with whats going on. www.felisbritannica.co.uk Follow us on Facebook or visit our website! Felis Britannica editor @felisbritannica.co.uk Cat Gallery Shinning a light on We want to see your cats! Send us your cat pictures for our ‘Cat Gallery’. These lovely pictures below were provided to us by Robert Fox. Coat Health

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o x digestible and extremely palatable. Royal Canin has specialised in ultra-precise tailormade nutrition for cats (and dogs) for over 40 years now, working with vets, nutritionists and breeders worldwide to continually improve the range, meaning that there is the right diet for every cat whatever its’ age, breed or lifestyle. © Robert Fox Royal Canin will have a stand at the winners show where you can join the breaders team buy the and discuss other Royal Canin issues. **NEWS FLASH ** The Royal Canin Breeder Club is open to UK and Ireland based cat breeders who have two Following a highly successful meeting on Saturday 8th October, the Viking Cat Club or more breeding queens and 10 or more cats are please to announce that they now have a brand new committee who are all raring to go. in total. To join, you must also have a GCCF or TICA registered cat prefix. Membership The new committee is: benefits include preferential prices and free Chair: Robert Bryce delivery on orders over 20kg; free Vice Chair: Debbie Davies recommendation packs; exclusive promotions Treasurer: Barney Wright and a loyalty points scheme; free listings on Pedigree Checker Royal Canin’s cat breeder search pages; and & Validations Officer: Margaret Scott access to the dedicated breeder team and Secretary: Liz Ward technical helpline. Show Manager: Denise Burn To find out more, call 0845 300 5965 (UK) Asst Show Manager: Beth Hopkins Membership Sec: Vera Wright or 1890 882 356 (Ireland). Committee Member: Marilyn Skulski

Good to see that the VCC problems are all in the past and good luck to the new committee for the future.

Official Sponsors of Felis Britannica

Remember to keep in touch with whats going on. www.felisbritannica.co.uk Follow us on Facebook or visit our website! Felis Britannica editor @felisbritannica.co.uk Pets Travel Scheme

There have been a number of reports and emails suggesting that with the changes to the “Pets Travel Scheme” from January 2012, pets will no longer be required to travel in the hold of the aircraft when flying into the UK. According to some reports, it will be up to the Individual airline whether they offer “pets in cabins” in and out of the UK but that the airlines would have to have approved protocols in place for checking that pets are fully compliant for entry into the UK. In Europe it is accepted practice that small animals are allowed to travel with it’s owner in the cabin and if the above is true, this will make travelling with our pets much easier from next year. The Editor did call Defra today and they would not confirm this so we will wait and see if the rumours are true.

Forthcoming Shows Felis Britannica Winners Show Sunday November 6th - Moulton College, Northampton Cats eligible are:

• Have gained a NOM or BIV in the show year Nov 2010 to Sept 2011 • Gained the title IC/IP in the same show year • Hold the title GIC/GIP or higher (qualifies for life) • Gained EX1 in class 11 or 12 in the show year, regardless of what class they’re entered in at the Winners show

• who are 3- 6 months of age There are a number of side classes at this show with exciting prizes offered. Please click here for a schedule.

Aristocats Cat Club – Christmas Special show Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th December - Lutterworth, Leicestershire Judges: Ulrike Wahl - Cat II – (Denmark) Ireneusz Pruchniak Cat I II & III (Poland) Alfred Wittich All Breed (Switzerland) . Garden Of England Show Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th January 2012 - Ware, Hertfordshire Judges to be advised. Schedule available soon.

Contact us General Enquiries:

General Secretary: Cecilia MacLeod Treasurer: Tracey Spooner President: John Cunningham Show Commission Chairman: Josie Hughes Vice President: Frank Mandix Breeding Health & Welfare Commission: Louise Mitchell

Contact Cecilia MacLeod by email: [email protected]

Remember to keep in touch with whats going on. www.felisbritannica.co.uk Follow us on Facebook or visit our website! Felis Britannica editor @felisbritannica.co.uk

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