CFA Competitive Classes: Premiership

February 17, 2026

Teresa Keiger

 

CFA has two competitive adult classes: Championship (which was covered last month ) for intact/unaltered pedigreed cats; and Premiership, which is for altered (neutered/spayed) pedigreed cats. When I discuss CFA and its shows with the media, I am always proud to say that CFA has a competitive class for our altered cats.

Why Show an Altered Cat?

A certain “very large” and very sweet Maine Coon Cat became a media sensation after a judge remarked on his incredible size.

In our article on Championship, we noted that one of the aspects of that class is that judges are evaluating cats who will likely become instrumental in a breeding program. That is obviously not the case in the Premiership class; however, cats in this class are judged to the same standards as Championship cats.

Why Would an Exhibitor Show an Altered Cat?

  • A cat might be a great example of their breed, but the breeder does not need the cat for their breeding program. Altered cats often fall into this category. The breeder may show the cat themselves, or another exhibitor who loves the breed may show him.
  • Similar to the example above, a breeder may sell a show-quality cat as a pet because they do not need her for breeding and will encourage the new pet owner to exhibit the cat in Premiership.
  • A male might have originally been destined for Championship, yet one or both testicles failed to descend, which is an automatic disqualification.
  • The cat was originally a breeding cat and may have even been successful in the Kitten and/or Championship classes. They are now retired and altered, making them eligible to return to the show bench in Premiership.
  • Because the cat is a good example of its breed and enjoys showing.

A Stepping Stone to the Cat Fancy

The Premiership class is ideal for someone new to the cat fancy to learn about exhibiting cats. This is primarily because the owner does not have to deal with the effects of intact cats’ hormones and the marking and personality changes that come with hormones. For many breeders (including myself), Premiership was the first class of their show experience. Sometimes cats are shown in Premiership for two or more seasons. And some exhibitors enjoy showing in Premiership so much that they offer to show a cat in the class for a breeder.

A Welcoming Community

Premiership class exhibitors are renowned for their camaraderie, as they’ve often shown cats together for years and developed close friendships. Chai Wuttivorrvattana recently shared an article on this topic  (read it here). It is still a competitive class, but it also has a strong sense of community.

Love a pedigreed cat and think that you might like to try the sport of showing cats? Then think about giving the Premiership class a try! And you never know … you may love it so much that you discover you’re becoming a seasoned new exhibitor – or more!