Independent Cat Clubs are relatively new in South Africa.
In Europe the oldest and largest clubs are Independent.
An Independent club does not belong or affiliate to a governing body and all decisions and rules are controlled by the club committee or board of directors. This means that members join a club where they are comfortable and happy with the state of affairs and have a wide choice of where they want to show and register their cats, without interference from a central body.
The European clubs traditionally follow the same title structure and basic show rules, similar to Fife and WCF and therefor acknowledge the titles received at all the other Independent clubs, Fife and WCF.
Right in the beginning the South African clubs were also independent entities, but quickly organised themselves to form the Governing Council of the Associated Cat Clubs of South Africa - based on the GCCF concept in the UK.
The first independent Cat Club to be formed in modern times was the Cat Lovers Association of South Africa - CLASA. This was in 1998. After a while CLASA affilicated to the Cat Federation of Southern Africa and held the first CFSA championship show in Cape Town on 1 May 2004. When it became clear that it was not viable and economically sensible to remain an affiliated club and stage regular shows with the associated expenditure, in order to comply with the rules, CLASA de-affiliated from CFSA and once again became an Independent club. CLASA is known for great exhibitions at shopping centres, promoting the pedigreed and non-pedigreed cat and responsible cat ownership. It does not register cats. The first Independent show was held on 27 April 2014 in George. This was in association with the PDSA and was a resounding success. Many future Independent shows are planned.
In 2010 the African Independent Cat Association was formed to compliment the WCF shows in South Africa. AICA stages Independent Championship shows in most provinces. It does not register cats.
The Oriental, Siamese & Related Breeds Group was originally a SACC affiliated Breeders Group and staged a few SACC Championship shows. OSRBG de-affiliated from SACC and became a CASA sub-club. It never staged WCF shows. After de-affiliation from CASA/WCF it became an independent club and is staging successful Independent Championship shows. It does not register cats.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Cat Club was formed in the Eastern Cape to compliment the shows of the DeBaai Cat Club, a CASA sub-club staging WCF shows in the Port Elizabeth area. NMBCC staged a few Independent shows and currently concentrates on fun exhibitions, rather than formal shows. It does not register cats.
DeBaai Cat Club was formed as a CASA sub-club and staged a few WCF shows in the Port Elizabeth area. It de-affiliated from the WCF in 2014 and became an Independent club. It has not staged any Independent shows to date and also runs fun exhibitions for cat lovers, without formal judging, certificates and titles. It does not register cats.
The South African Cat Club was started by it's President, Anita Grobler as a CASA sub-club. The Capital Cat Club is also a CASA sub-club and stages successful WCF shows in Gauteng. S.A.C.C. de-affiliated as CASA sub-club, as there was no need for two sub-clubs within such close proximity. It has not staged any shows yet, it does not register cats and is currently dormant. (This dormant club should not be confused with the Southern Africa Cat Council (SACC), which is the largest Cat Registering body in South Africa.)
Chats du Cap Independent was formed in 2013 as a division of Chats du Cap, the CASA sub-club. The Independent CdC-I club is able to stage shows at smaller venues without the restrictive requirements and rules of the WCF. The Independent shows compliment the WCF shows. CdC-I does not register cats.
SAC@TS breeders group was one of the first Breeders Groups, affiliated to SACC. It staged several successful SACC shows. In 2013 the membership dwindled to below the minimum required to retain the SACC affiliation due to the changes in the culture and rules of SACC, causing judges and club votes to overrule the wishes of the breeders. There was no option other than to de-affiliate from SACC, but the members voted to retain the group as an Independent club. SACATS has staged many Independent shows in the Traditional format, as well as the Ring format. It does not register cats.
The Durban Cat Club is a well established group of cat enthusiasts in Kwazulu-Natal. The Natal Siamese and Oriental Group has been in existence for more than two decades and was affiliated to the Southern Africa Cat Council until 2013, when it de-affiliated. During this time it staged one SACC show under the auspices of the Persian Cat Society, which changed its name to the Provincial Cat Society. The NSOG remained an independent entity until July 2014, when the committee voted unanimously to change the name to the Durban Cat Club. The first Independent show was held on 20 July 2014 and was a great success. The aim of the group is to support breeders and cat lovers, promote the love and welfare of cats in various ways, including cat shows, exhibitions and charity events. It does not register cats.
Further information on Independent clubs and a FAQ list is available on the AICA website.
In Europe the oldest and largest clubs are Independent.
An Independent club does not belong or affiliate to a governing body and all decisions and rules are controlled by the club committee or board of directors. This means that members join a club where they are comfortable and happy with the state of affairs and have a wide choice of where they want to show and register their cats, without interference from a central body.
The European clubs traditionally follow the same title structure and basic show rules, similar to Fife and WCF and therefor acknowledge the titles received at all the other Independent clubs, Fife and WCF.
Right in the beginning the South African clubs were also independent entities, but quickly organised themselves to form the Governing Council of the Associated Cat Clubs of South Africa - based on the GCCF concept in the UK.
The first independent Cat Club to be formed in modern times was the Cat Lovers Association of South Africa - CLASA. This was in 1998. After a while CLASA affilicated to the Cat Federation of Southern Africa and held the first CFSA championship show in Cape Town on 1 May 2004. When it became clear that it was not viable and economically sensible to remain an affiliated club and stage regular shows with the associated expenditure, in order to comply with the rules, CLASA de-affiliated from CFSA and once again became an Independent club. CLASA is known for great exhibitions at shopping centres, promoting the pedigreed and non-pedigreed cat and responsible cat ownership. It does not register cats. The first Independent show was held on 27 April 2014 in George. This was in association with the PDSA and was a resounding success. Many future Independent shows are planned.
In 2010 the African Independent Cat Association was formed to compliment the WCF shows in South Africa. AICA stages Independent Championship shows in most provinces. It does not register cats.
The Oriental, Siamese & Related Breeds Group was originally a SACC affiliated Breeders Group and staged a few SACC Championship shows. OSRBG de-affiliated from SACC and became a CASA sub-club. It never staged WCF shows. After de-affiliation from CASA/WCF it became an independent club and is staging successful Independent Championship shows. It does not register cats.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Cat Club was formed in the Eastern Cape to compliment the shows of the DeBaai Cat Club, a CASA sub-club staging WCF shows in the Port Elizabeth area. NMBCC staged a few Independent shows and currently concentrates on fun exhibitions, rather than formal shows. It does not register cats.
DeBaai Cat Club was formed as a CASA sub-club and staged a few WCF shows in the Port Elizabeth area. It de-affiliated from the WCF in 2014 and became an Independent club. It has not staged any Independent shows to date and also runs fun exhibitions for cat lovers, without formal judging, certificates and titles. It does not register cats.
The South African Cat Club was started by it's President, Anita Grobler as a CASA sub-club. The Capital Cat Club is also a CASA sub-club and stages successful WCF shows in Gauteng. S.A.C.C. de-affiliated as CASA sub-club, as there was no need for two sub-clubs within such close proximity. It has not staged any shows yet, it does not register cats and is currently dormant. (This dormant club should not be confused with the Southern Africa Cat Council (SACC), which is the largest Cat Registering body in South Africa.)
Chats du Cap Independent was formed in 2013 as a division of Chats du Cap, the CASA sub-club. The Independent CdC-I club is able to stage shows at smaller venues without the restrictive requirements and rules of the WCF. The Independent shows compliment the WCF shows. CdC-I does not register cats.
SAC@TS breeders group was one of the first Breeders Groups, affiliated to SACC. It staged several successful SACC shows. In 2013 the membership dwindled to below the minimum required to retain the SACC affiliation due to the changes in the culture and rules of SACC, causing judges and club votes to overrule the wishes of the breeders. There was no option other than to de-affiliate from SACC, but the members voted to retain the group as an Independent club. SACATS has staged many Independent shows in the Traditional format, as well as the Ring format. It does not register cats.
The Durban Cat Club is a well established group of cat enthusiasts in Kwazulu-Natal. The Natal Siamese and Oriental Group has been in existence for more than two decades and was affiliated to the Southern Africa Cat Council until 2013, when it de-affiliated. During this time it staged one SACC show under the auspices of the Persian Cat Society, which changed its name to the Provincial Cat Society. The NSOG remained an independent entity until July 2014, when the committee voted unanimously to change the name to the Durban Cat Club. The first Independent show was held on 20 July 2014 and was a great success. The aim of the group is to support breeders and cat lovers, promote the love and welfare of cats in various ways, including cat shows, exhibitions and charity events. It does not register cats.
Further information on Independent clubs and a FAQ list is available on the AICA website.