Declining Show Counts In CFA:
Where Have All The Show Entries Gone?

SHOW COUNTS COMPILED BY KATHY DURDICK
Ristokat Himalayans & Persians

Published May 2013

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For some time now, the people involved in the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) have expressed concern about declining show entries.

Gone are the days when cat shows filled well before the closing date. It is now almost routine for some cat clubs putting on shows to send emails to the CFA list begging for entries. Other clubs send notices canceling upcoming shows, while some clubs have simply closed their doors and shuffled quietly into the night.

People have different opinions about what to do about the loss of popularity of CFA, but before you look for a solution, you need to know the extent of the problem. So, how bad is it? Has participation in CFA cat shows really decreased over the years? If the answer is yes, how much have entries gone down?

Historically

The Cat Fanciers' Association was established in the United States in 1906 and has been the predominant pedigreed cat registering association in North America. Its heyday was in the 1980s when both the number of kitten registrations and cat show entries were the highest in its history.

Over the past 25 years, however, CFA has seen a steady decrease in popularity and participation, reflected in decreasing kitten registrations and lower show entries and number of shows held each year.

The Past Decade

For the past 10 years, at the start of each new show season, we have collected and analyzed the show counts of the previous show season. This information helps exhibitors choose the best shows when campaigning their cats during the current season.

This year we will compare the CFA total show counts of the past 10 years . . .

CFA Show Counts In North America 2002-2013

Below is a chart showing the number of CFA shows and the number of entries shown in North America. The majority of shows held in North America are in the United States.

A red background indicates that the number is lower than for the season previous.
A green background indicates an increase compared to the previous season.

CFA Show Counts In Countries Outside North America 2002-2013

Our second chart shows the number of CFA shows that were held outside North America, along with the number of entries that were shown each season.

A red background indicates that the number is lower than for the season previous.
A green background indicates an increase compared to the previous season.

Analysis Of The Results

The Number Of CFA Cat Shows Held Each Year 2002-20013

In the past 10 years, number of CFA shows has steadily decreased:

• North America: Shows have decreased from 335 to 202, a loss of 133 shows —a 40% decrease.
• Outside North America: Shows have increased from 53 to 120, an increase of 67 shows — an 126% increase.
• Worldwide: Shows decreased from 388 to 322, a loss of 66 shows which represents a 17% decrease compared to 10 years ago.

The Number Of Entries Shown At CFA Cat Shows Each Year 2002-20013

In the past 10 years, the number of entries shown in CFA has steadily decreased:

• North America: Entries have decreased by 35,058 less entries — an almost 55% decrease.
• Outside North America: Entries have increased from 5,686 to 15,933 - 10,247 more — 180% increase
• Worldwide: Entries dropped from 69,763 ten years ago to 44,952 in 2012-2013 for a total of 24,411 less entries which represents a 35% decrease compared to 10 years ago.

Conclusion

• The number of CFA shows and entries has been declining steadily for more than a decade.
• Overall, CFA has 17% less shows with 35% less entries in 2012-2013 compared to 10 years ago.
• The decline in both shows and entries is concentrated in the United States, which is reflected in 40% less shows with 55% less entries in 2012-2013 compared to 10 years ago.
• CFA is growing outside North America (Europe, Asia and Latin America), represented by a 126% increase in number of shows and 189% more entries in 2012-2013 compared to 10 years ago.
• The growth outside North America has not been sufficient enough however to counteract the overall decline at US shows.

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