Conference misery::feline_v1

    You can write to CFF and they will send you a copy ($5.00) of 
    the breed standards.
    
    I would imagine CFA does the same, but I don't know the fee.
    
    Generally, breed clubs either write or rewrite or change or
    modify existing standards.
    
    This is very brief -  there is much more to it than what I
    have stated here.
    
    breeders, are you out there ??
    
    E.T.

    A breed standard is the written description of what a purebred cat
    should look like.  It also lists the points given for each of the
    features of the cat, and the recognized colors and patterns for
    the breed.  It also tells what things would cause the cat to be
    disqualified from the show ring.
    
    E.T. is right, the standards for the breeds are available from the
    associations.  Anyone can write to CFA and request a copy of the
    breed standards.  The address is 1309 Allaire Ave., Ocean, NJ 07712.
    There is a small fee of $2.00 for the CFA standards.  You will get
    a booklet with the standard for each of the breeds recognized by
    CFA.
    
    Changing the standard is not as simple.
    
    Once you are a breeder with a CFA registered cattery, and you have
    bred three litters of kittens, (there are alternate criteria
    also but this is the usual route) you may apply for membership to
    the breed council.  You must pay a fee with your application, and
    then pay a renewal fee each year to maintain you breed council status.
    
    Members of the breed council decide if they want/need to make a
    change in their breed's standard.  They write up proposed changes
    and let the breed council members vote on them.  Once the proposed
    changes pass in the breed council, they are then put up before the
    CFA board of directors, who can pass them or veto them.  
    
    If they pass them, then the change will become effective.  If they veto
    them, then it is back to the drawing board to revise the proposed
    changes into something they might approve (the board has veto-ed
    a change to the Birman breed standard for the last three years,
    maybe this year will be our lucky year)
                                    
    This is just a quick overview.  Anyone wanting more information
    should write to the association that they are interested in.
    
    Jo
    It is not a simple matter to change a breed standard.  It sometimes
    takes a long time to get the changes put through.  If you do not
    belong to your breed's council, then you have no say in the direction
    the breed may go.

    one example of how selective breeding has helped a breed would be with
    the Siamese. They have practically bred-out the crossed-eyes and kinked
    tails.

    Deb

    There are some books out that list the breed standard for all
    recognized breeds of whatever organizations it covers.  The one
    I have is a big picture book with the word "encyclopedia" and 
    "cat" in it.  Forget the name, but may be "The Encyclopedia of
    the Cat".  It's very interesting and informative, and whenever
    this file goes off talking about a breed I don't know I just
    look it up.
    
    Karen, Tristan, Tenzing and Max.

    The problem with breed standard books is that once they are published
    they are often out of date.  The different breed councils can submit
    changes to the standard once a year.  If you just want the basic
    idea of what a standard is for a particular breed, then the books
    would be good.  But, if you want the nitty gritty, and the detail
    of the current standard, then you should write to the association.
    
    Jo
    
    BTW - CFA's Siamese standard calls for "no visible kink". (There
    is such a thing as a kink that cannot be seen but can be felt).
    

    This is the note that seems to fit my question the best.
    Can anyone tell me what breed or breeds have very short
    (or nonexistent?) tails?
    
    Thanks...

    Manx, Japanese Bobtails, American Bobtails; to name a few.
    

    And Cymric which is actually a long-hair Manx.