Breed standard

A breed standard is a document, issued by a cat registry, that describes the ideal cat of that breed. It covers the shape of the head, ears and eyes, body type, length and texture of the coat, permitted colours and patterns, and often the expected temperament. Some standards assign points to each feature, such as head or coat, which judges use to score a cat. Others use a written profile.

At a cat show, the judge compares each cat with the standard for its breed and not with the other cats in the ring. Breeders use the same description when choosing which cats to mate. Each registry writes its own version, so the Persian or the Siamese standard can differ slightly between CFA and TICA, and a coat colour allowed by one may be refused by another.

Standards change over time, and fashion has sometimes pushed breeds toward extremes, such as very flat faces, which can cause breathing and eye problems. Responsible clubs now revise standards with health in mind. A cat that does not match the standard exactly can still be a healthy, loving pet, and breeders call such kittens pet quality. Ask your vet if you are concerned about a breed's physical traits.