CAT OVERPOPULATION - CFA'S POSITION
The Cat Fancier's Association, the United States & World's largest
registry of pedigree cats and the largest sanctioning body of pedigreed
cat shows, wishes to reaffirm its commitment to the promotion and protection
of all cats, pedigreed and otherwise, with the following representing our
position on cat overpopulation.
- Needless euthanasia of healthy, adoptable cats is offensive to all cat
lovers.
- To reduce the numbers of animals euthanized in the United States, cat lovers
should be willing to cooperate with others in the animal field to find
solutions which will:
- Decrease the number of unwanted births of cats, both random bred and
pedigreed.
- Decrease the number of homeless stray cats and increase the return of
lost cats to their homes.
- Increase the number of cats adopted into permanent homes and decrease
the number surrendered to the shelters.
- The responsible breeding of pedigreed cats is of value to society in order
preserve the domestic cat breeds and to provide animals with desirable and
predictable physical and personality characteristics. Further, our
position is that we are opposed to any law or regulation which would
prevent the exercise of these activities.
- Those who are involved in the responsible breeding of pedigreed cats
should recognize that, while the proportion of pedigreed kittens produced
is small compared to kittens born at random to random bred cats as a
result of indiscriminate or unplanned matings, this group should promote
ethical breeding practices which will help reduce the number of unwanted
cats.
Adopted by the CFA Board of Directors on June 20th, 1991 in Philadelphia,
PA.