Getting a stray cat to be recognized as purebred

[Anne]

If you find a cat that "looks just like" a particular breed but has no papers, is it possible to register that cat? I was wondering if genetic testing could be used to confirm that a cat is in fact a Persian or a Siamese and lead to the cat being registered with a recognized association. 

 

[GoldyCat]

In CFA a cat can only be registered as a purebred if you have a pedigree, that is proof of registered parents, grandparents, etc. I don't think genetic testing on cats has advanced to the point where specific breeds can be identified.

 

[Willowy]

With dogs, DNA tests can confirm purebred status. But since you have no idea which registry their parents were registered with (if any), they can't be registered normally. Unregistered purebreds can get a PAL registration which means they can compete in events (obedience, agility, etc), just not conformation shows. But even mutts can get a Canine Partners registration in order to compete so that's not a really big deal.

I don't know if cat DNA tests are that advanced yet. But you still wouldn't know their lineage.

Some breeds, when new, allow random cats to be considered purebred for their purposes. When I lived in Japan, some people would take bobtailed strays back to the US because the stud books on Japanese Bobtails were still open and any bobtailed Japanese cat could be considered a purebred Japanese Bobtail. But once the stud books are closed you can't do that anymore.

 

[Anne]

Thanks for the input! I reached out to the CFA today and the confirmed that a cat must be registered with them or with another known registry which means that cat's parents are documented and registered as well.

Otherwise, the cat can only be registered with them as a pet cat. This means the cat can participate in cat shows under that category but must be spayed or neutered.

So, the bottom line is - 

If you find a cat at a shelter and it has no papers, it can never become part of an ethical breeding program. Even if it looks identical to a purebred Siamese or Persian or any other breed and meets each and every breed standard, its offspring still won't be registered and you will essentially be conducting unethical backyard breeding.

 

[posiepurrs]

In CFA a cat can only be registered as a purebred if you have a pedigree, that is proof of registered parents, grandparents, etc. I don't think genetic testing on cats has advanced to the point where specific breeds can be identified.

While the cat DOES have to have a pedigree , I don't think this is entirely correct. I have a friend who has a PHD in genetics and is a breeder. She has stated that  the long haired exotic has essentially the exact same genetic makeup as a Persian.