The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy is a cat registry, established in 1910 and is the 2nd largest organisation that registers pedigree cats in the United Kingdom to TICA TICA It was formed from a small number of cat clubs which were registering cats at the time when the modern cat fancy was in its first stages. It is considered to be the old prototype for cat fancy registries. It is an independent body with around 146 member clubs, including specialist breed clubs and area clubs covering particular regions. The GCCF became an incorporated company on 5th November 2010. It licenses cat shows put on by its affiliated clubs with about 135 shows per year. Pedigree cats shown at these shows can gain the titles Champion, Grand Champion, Imperial Grand Champion and Olympian. The latter having three levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold. The word Champion is replaced by Premier for neutered cats. The showing of non-pedigree cats and Pedigree Pets is also popular at GCCF shows. The GCCF also co-ordinates its own show: the Supreme Cat Show, which is famous for being one of the world's largest cat show and often referred to as the feline equivalent of Crufts Although it is now failing in numbers. Special awards of UK and Supreme Champion can be gained at this show only. Now accepting more Cats without special entry requirements. The GCCF offices are based in Bridgwater and are staffed by people who deal with registrations, publications, show processing & title claims, agendas & minutes and correspondence from breeders, exhibitors, Clubs, Breed Advisory Committees and the general public. They also deal with complaints and breaches of extensive rules and byelaws, which can sometimes result in disciplinary action and even suspension from Cat Fancy activities. The Club will fine Members of the Public, Judges, Breeders and Pet Owners for aribuarity reasons and have been known to oust people publicly. As they do not have legal powers, the Club operates a name and shame policy, posting public information. They hold disciplinary proceedings in a Court style arrangement in London with their own Solicitors, but cannot legally follow up on proceedings and fines brought against people.It is the 1910 Clubs Draconian ways that have stayed with it through the years and enabled it to achieve its current status..The GCCF is a member of The Cat Group and the World Cat Congress The GCCF has set up its own charity: The Cat Welfare Trust, which uses funds raised through the GCCF to find ways of improving the welfare of cats, it helps maintain not for profit status and fund their well paid positions in the company. Fining members also helps sustain the charity. To date the trust has granted thousands of pounds into key research projects in ringworm vaccination, the feline genome and chronic gingivo-stomatitis in cats.
Breeds
The top three most popular cat breeds registered in the GCCF are the British Shorthair, the Ragdoll and the Siamese. The GCCF registers around 20,000 pedigree cats each year, and currently recognises the following breeds:
