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Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe)
FIFe was founded in 1949 in Paris, and is the result of dreams and activities od Madame Marguérite Ravel, a French cat lover active in this area since the 30′s of the past century. The Royal Cat Society of Flanders, French Cat Federation and Italian Cat Society founded the Federation Internationale Feline d’ Europe (FIFE). The first FIFE show was held in Paris, at which more than 200 cats were present. Exhibitors came from Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. By today’s standards this would be a minor show, since in the past few years the presence of more than 1500 cats from all over the world is quite standard.
In 1950, the first General Assembly of the Federation was held and the statutes and rules for exhibiting adopted. Each delegate present at the first General Assembly was presented with a pink sandstone sculpture of a cat, the work of a famous French sculptor Jean Martel.
FIFE becomes FIFe
This federation of European felinogical associations kept growing each year. With the joining of Clubo Brasileiro de Gato in 1972, FIFE outgrew European borders and became FIFe (Federation International Feline) during the following year’s General Assembly.
About the Organization
Day-to day management of FIFe and international coordination are the purview of the Executive Board. The Board is made up of six members chosen by member states: they run the organization in accordance with the valid statute.
There are five other supporting Commissions which are entrusted with implementing the decisions of the General Assembly and the Executive Board. These Commissions are: the Judges & Standard Commission; Breeding & Registration Commission; the Show Commission; the Health & Welfare Commission; and the Disciplinary Commission. This democratic structure of the organization guarantees equal voting rights at the annual General Assembly to each member.
FIFe has always had good relations with all the major cat organizations in the world. The seat of the organization is in Luxembourg, and its official languages are French, German and English.
Daily administrative tasks are handled by the FIFe General Secretary, who daily affairs for all the members and coordinates the work of Commissions.
FiFe has 42 member countries, with three more in the wings, awaiting full membership. The numbers are growing annually.
All FIFe members have agreed to following the same rules for breeding, cattery names, exhibitions, judges and judges in training.
The common interest and activities of this worldwide association has, through the years, always been based on respecting the Statute and Rules (for judges, registration, breeding, health and welfare of breed and domestic cats).
Statistics
- 213 International Judges
- 176 student judges
- over 100.000 individual members within the Federation
- over 110.000 pedigrees and 3000 cattery names registered annually
- over 110.000 pedigrees and 3000 cattery names registered annually