The International Cat Association (TICA) is considered the world's largest genetic cat registry. Originally a North American organization, it now has a worldwide presence. The organization has a genetic registry for pedigreed and household pet cats and is one of the world's largest sanctioning bodies for cat shows. TICA is one of the nine members of the World Cat Congress, making it one of the major and reputable cat registries for pedigree registration of cat breeds worldwide.
Activities TICA's activities include:
encouraging its members to be owners, lovers and breeders of cats who work together to promote the preservation of pedigreed cats and the health and welfare of domestic cats maintaining a certified pedigree registry providing cat shows which promote both pedigreed and non-pedigreed cats promoting positive relations between breeders in the US and other countries setting up a foundation to encourage research on feline health issues and to provide lists of resource materials on health issues to its members
TICA catteries Breeding catteries register their cattery name following the TICA naming standards. Certificates are awarded to Outstanding Catteries that meet strict health codes for the cats and their environment. As of December 2024, 33 catteries meet these requirements.
TICA cat shows TICA administers the rules for the licensing and management of hundreds of cat shows annually in 104 countries. The TICA show season runs from 1 May to 30 April of a given year at which point all Regional and International Award points are reset. All TICA shows are open to the public.
A TICA cat show is a number of smaller shows all running at the same time in various “rings” throughout the show hall. Each ring is run by a licensed TICA judge who evaluates each cat based on a written standard that describes the ideal for each particular breed. Household pets and household pet kittens (cats of random or unknown breeding, or pedigree cats that for one reason or another cannot show in championship classes), are not judged against a standard but instead are evaluated on overall condition, health, appearance and personality.
Classes TICA recognizes cats for competition in 8 classes. Each class is judged separately. For example, alters are not judged against kittens. Each cat entered in the show is assigned an identifying number based on its class and coat length so that exhibitors know when their cats are needed in a ring.
Class Description Numbers Kittens Kittens of breeds and colors recognized by TICA for championship status. Kittens must be between 4 months and 7 months old on the day of the show. Kittens may be whole or spayed/neutered. Longhair: 1-50Shorthair: 51-100 Championship Adult cats of breeds and colors recognized by TICA for championship status. Cats must be 8 months of age or older on the day of the show. In this class the cats can not be spayed or neutered. Longhair: 101-200Shorthair: 201-300 Alters Adult spayed or neutered cats of breeds and colors recognized by TICA for championship status. Alters must be 8 months of age or older on the day of the show. Longhair: 301-350Shorthair: 351-400 Household Pet Kittens Non-pedigree kittens or pedigree kittens that can not be shown in kitten class for some reason. Household Pet Kittens (HHP Kittens) must be between 4 months and 7 months old on the day of the show. HHP Kittens may be whole or spayed/neutered. Longhair Kittens & Adults: 401-450 Household Pet Adults Non-pedigree cats or pedigree cats that can not be shown in an adult class for some reason. Household Pets (HHPs) must be 8 months old or older on the day of the show and must be spayed or neutered Shorthair Kittens & Adults: 451-500 Preliminary New Breed This is a special class for the evaluation of new breeds. The intent of the new breed classes is the eventual recognition of these breeds for championship competition. Preliminary New Breed is for those breeds who are at the beginning of this process. 501-550 Advanced New Breed This is a special class for the evaluation of new breeds. The intent of the new breed classes is the eventual recognition of these breeds for championship competition. Advanced New Breed is for those breeds who have demonstrated merit to advance in the program. 551-600 New Traits This class is for the evaluation of new traits, such as new colors or hair lengths of existing recognized breeds where these traits are not currently recognized for championship competition. The intent of New Traits class is the eventual recognition of these traits for championship competition. 601-650
In the rare instance where there are more cats than fit in the range of numbers, the next class starts with the first available number. For example, if there are 55 longhair kittens, then those kittens are 1-55, the shorthair kittens would start at 56.
Rings
Judging ring A typical judging ring is usually made up of an L- or U-shaped arrangement of cages, with the judge's table in the center. Three people normally work in each judging ring: the judge, clerk and steward.
All TICA judges are trained and licensed to thoroughly evaluate each breed of cat in order of how well they represent their individual breed standard.
The clerk acts as an executive assistant to the judge. They are responsible for the accuracy of all records of the ring. Each clerk keeps a marked catalog of the results of the ring and validates that what the judge writes in their own records is how the awards were presented in their evaluation to the audience.
A steward helps keeps the cages clean and disinfected in between cats in order to prevent illnesses from spreading.
Types of rings There are two types of judging rings at TICA shows, Allbreed and Specialty. Allbreed rings will have all longhair cats and shorthair cats within each class judged together in competition with one another. In a Specialty ring, longhair cats within each class are only judged against longhair cats and shorthair cats are only judged against shorthair cats.
Regardless of the ring type, each judge evaluates every cat entered in the show.
Process
The cat show competition is structured like a pyramid. First, all of the entries are divided into their respective classes. Within each of these classes, cats are called to the judging ring according to breed, division and color/pattern.
The judge handles each cat placed in the judging ring. Each cat is taken from their cage, placed on the judging table and evaluated against the written standard for the breed. Some judges will use toys to get a better look at a cat's eye shape, ear size and placement and overall balance.
Although some associations make a cat's title known, the only information provided to a TICA judge about each cat is its: breed, color, sex and age. The judge has no way of knowing if it is the cat's first show or how it has performed in other rings.
Judging pyramid After the judge is done evaluating each cat in a breed group, they will hang a colored ribbon on the cat's cages to award Best of Color and Division. TICA does not have Best of Breed ribbons but the judge will announce their choices and also note their selections in the Judge's Book. The clerk will also write down each of these selections for the record.
Place Color Division Best Blue Black 2nd Red Purple 3rd Yellow Orange 4th Green - 5th White -
Best of Color: The judge will first award the best of color through the 5th Best of Color for each breed. For example, if seven blue British Shorthairs are competing; the judge will select and rank five of the seven. The cat is judged against the whole breed standard, not just color. Out of the seven British Shorthairs competing they are judged against how the fulfill the full British Shorthair standard. “Best of Color” does not necessarily mean that the cat has the best blue coat.
All Household Pets and Household Pet Kittens will receive a Best of Color award regardless of how many cats of a particular color there are.
Best of Division: From the color winners, the judge will select a Best, Second and Third Best of Division. For example, the seven blue British Shorthairs belong to the Traditional Solid Division. Other solid colored British Shorthairs (white, lilac, cream) would also be judged in the Solid Division. Tabbies would be judged in the tabby division and so forth.
Household Pet Kittens do not receive division awards.
Best of Breed: Once a judge has selected their First through Third of Division cats, they will select Best, Second and Third Best of Breed from all of the breed's divisions.
Household Pet and Household Pet Kittens do not receive breed awards.
Finals After the judge has seen all of the cats in a particular class, they decide on their best exhibits of each breed and then ask for them to be returned to the ring for a final. Finals are essentially a "Best in Show" for that particular ring.
Earlier placements are taken into consideration during finals as a cat that came in Second of Breed cannot place higher than a cat who was Best of Breed and so forth.
The judge will then explain their placings – between Top 5 and 10 depending on how many cats are competing. If there are 20 cats or less competing in one class the judge will award a Top 5, 21 cats are a Top 6, and so on, up to 25 cats or more which awards a Top 10. The only exception to this rule is the Household Pet and Household Pet Kitten class where a maximum of 10 places are awarded regardless of the number of cats in competition. So If only 8 Household Pet Kittens/Cats are competing the judge will award 8 placements.
Scoring
Points All points earned are tracked by the TICA Executive Office in Harlingen, Texas. Points are awarded for placing in Color, Division and for each final awarded. Points are calculated ring-by-ring and tracked from the Judge's Book, a copy of which is sent to the Executive Office after a show.
Title points start accumulating with a cat's first adult show. Any balance of points from a previous title will be applied toward the next title. If a Championship Cat is altered it can keep the titles and points won as a whole cat or they can choose to start over.
Points are assigned best on color and division awarded in each ring. Points are not earned for breed placements.
Color and division
Color Division Points Best Best 25 2nd 2nd 20 3rd 3rd 15 4th - 10 5th - 5
Finals Points are also assigned based on the cat's placement in a final. The scores are different between Allbreed and Specialty rings.
Place Allbreed Points Specialty Points Best 200 150 2nd 190 140 3rd 180 130 4th 170 120 5th 160 110 6th 150 100 7th 170 90 8th 130 80 9th 120 70 10th 110 60
For example, if a Chocolate Spotted Ocicat were to be awarded Best of Color and Best of Division, he would earn 50 points. First of color and second of division, would be 45 points and so on. If that same Ocicat were awarded Best Allbreed in a final, they would also earn 200 points on top of the 50 points for Color and Division.
Titles Title points are computed by using the final award points plus Best of Color and Best of Division Points. Cats also need to earn a certain number of finals to achieve each title. With the exception of Championship Kittens and Household Pet Kittens, each class has its own set of titles although they are tiered equally and the requirements to reach them do not change. All cats begin their show career as a Novice (NOV), once a show is scored and titles are conferred by the Executive Office, the cat can add the title abbreviation to their registration.
Cats registered in isolated areas which do not see as many shows as other areas (as in Alaska) only require half the point values to achieve the titles and a lower number of finals.