CFA's New Registration Coding System
On August 1, 1958, the Cat Fanciers’ Association initiated a new coding system for the numbering of registered cats. Numbers for registration will consist of a three digit code number which will indicate the breed, color and sex of the cat; and a four digit number which will be the cats individual number, (000-0000). For cats listed in the Foundation Record, a -1, -2, or -3 (indicating 1st, 2nd, or 3rd generation), will be added to the number.
The following listing is an explanation of the three digit code number which indicates breed, color, and sex.
First Digit (Breed):
1 – Longhair
2 – Siamese
3 – Abyssinian
4 – Burmese
5 – Russian Blue
6 – Manx
7 – Domestic Shorthair (now American Shorthair)
8 – AOC
Second Digit (Color)
0 or 1 – Solid Color Division
3 – Silver Division
4 or 5 – Tabby & Tortie Division
6 – Parti-colored
7 – Himalayan or Siamese
8 – Abyssinian
9 – AOC
Third Digit (Sex)
In all cases, an even number indicates a male, and an odd number indicates a female.
| Although the registration number has greatly expanded since 1958, with 4 digits in front of the dash, and 7 following it, this original numbering scheme can still be seen in today’s registration numbers! |
Samples of Code Numbering:
| 144-1374 | Code indicates the cat is a Long-Haired Brown Tabby Male. 1374 is the Cat’s individual number. |
| 277-1193-2 | Code indicates the cat is a Blue Point Siamese Female. 1193 is the cat’s Individual number. “-2” indicates 2nd generation Foundation Record. |
| 401-1228 | Code indicates the cat is a Burmese Female. 1228 is the cat’s individual Number. |
| Note that at this time, the individual number portion assigned was specific to that particular breed, color & sex. So, there would be a -0001 suffix cat for every breed/color/sex combination. This changed around 1980, and now the registration suffix is completely unique to a particular cat. |
Complete Listing of Three Digit Code Numbers For All Cats
Color |
Longhair (100) |
Manx (600) |
Domestic Shorthair (700) |
| Blue-Eyed White Male | 100 |
600 |
700 |
| Blue-Eyed White Female | 101 |
601 |
701 |
| Orange-Eyed White Male | 102 |
602 |
702 |
| Orange-Eyed White Female | 103 |
603 |
703 |
| Odd-Eyed White Male | 104 |
604 |
704 |
| Odd-Eyed White Female | 105 |
605 |
705 |
| Blue Male | 106 |
606 |
706 |
| Blue Female | 107 |
607 |
707 |
| Black Male | 108 |
608 |
708 |
| Black Female | 109 |
609 |
709 |
| Red Male | 110 |
610 |
710 |
| Red Female | 111 |
611 |
711 |
| Peke Red Male | 112 |
612 |
712 |
| Peke Red Female | 113 |
613 |
713 |
| Cream Male | 114 |
614 |
714 |
| Cream Female | 115 |
615 |
715 |
| Chinchilla Male | 130 |
630 |
730 |
| Chinchilla Female | 131 |
631 |
731 |
| Shaded Silver Male | 132 |
632 |
732 |
| Shaded Silver Female | 133 |
633 |
733 |
| Smoke Male | 134 |
634 |
734 |
| Smoke Female | 135 |
635 |
735 |
| Silver Tabby Male | 136 |
636 |
736 |
| Silver Tabby Female | 137 |
636 |
737 |
| Red Tabby Male | 140 |
640 |
740 |
| Red Tabby Female | 141 |
641 |
741 |
| Peke Red Tabby Male | 142 |
642 |
742 |
| Peke Red Tabby Female | 143 |
643 |
743 |
| Brown Tabby Male | 144 |
644 |
744 |
| Brown Tabby Female | 145 |
645 |
745 |
| Tortoiseshell | 147 |
647 |
747 |
| Calico | 149 |
649 |
749 |
| Blue-Cream | 151 |
651 |
751 |
| Parti-Colored Male | -- |
660 |
-- |
| Parti-Colored Female | -- |
661 |
-- |
| These prefix numbers are still seen and used today. For instance, a Blue-Eyed White Persian female will have a registration number of 0101-xxxxx, and a Brown Tabby American Shorthair male will have a registration number of 0744-xxxx. |
Color |
Himalayan (170) |
Siamese (270) |
| Chocolate Point Male | 170 |
270 |
| Chocolate Point Female | 171 |
271 |
| Seal Point Male | 172 |
272 |
| Seal Point Female | 173 |
273 |
| Frost Point Male (now lilac point) | 174 |
274 |
| Frost Point Female (now lilac point) | 175 |
275 |
| Blue Point Male | 176 |
276 |
| Blue Point Female | 177 |
277 |
| These registration prefixes are still seen today as a hold-over in our color classes, as well. If you have ever wondered why your Seal Point Himalayan Male is registered with a prefix of 3272-, yet you enter the show in Color Class 0172, now you know why! |
Breed |
Number |
| Abyssinian Male (only ruddy accepted) | 380 |
| Abyssinian Female (only ruddy accepted) | 381 |
| Burmese Male | 400 |
| Burmese Female | 401 |
| Russian Blue Male | 500 |
| Russian Blue Female | 501 |
| AOC Male | 890 |
| AOC Female | 891 |
Related articles: