GCCF REGISTRATION POLICY FOR BRITISH SHORTHAIR CATS Proposal for Revision 2012 Outcrossing As a working group, the BAC have recently spent time preparing the British Shorthair Breeding Policy. Therefore, the BAC were mindful of genetic health when considering these updates to our registration policy. Aware that, although we have the largest gene pool open to us, breeders have, been constrained by restrictions within the breed that protect pattern, coat and eye colour. Where we can test for genes we have lifted restrictions to enable breeders to outcross within the British Group. We are aware that in some cases this may mean that first generation crosses may lack show quality in pattern and colour, but without any harm to British Type. Consideration was given to outcrossing outside of the British section. However, our Breeding Policy is clear that the British section does not show any sign of inbreeding depression. The British Shorthair type and coat is unique, whilst maintaining a natural look, the British Breeder exploits polygenic traits to keep ears neat and faces gently rounded and the body stocky. The coat length and texture is a vital component of the UK s favourite pedigree breed. Recent changes to import legislation and the easing of international communications between breeder groups have also considerably widened the gene pool. Therefore, it was concluded that there was no requirement to introduce any outcrossing outside the section. British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 1
The s Explained Full (CS) - British Shorthairs with Full or Provisional status which have within the preceding 3 generations, only BSH of the groups listed for registration on the Full for that colour/pattern, excluding cats whose pedigrees include within the previous three generations a cat registered on the Reference. Supplementary (CSSR) - British Shorthairs with Full or Provisional status which have within the preceding 3 generations, only BSH, of the groups listed for registration on the Supplementary for that colour/pattern. Supplementary (CSSR) Genetics (Active) - British Shorthairs from any mating where a recessive gene 1, will or may be passed on, that is required for a specific breeding program, but that may be undesirable in other breeding programs. Cats may be transferred from this register on production of a valid gene test certifying that the offspring are either non-carriers of the gene or are recognised examples of the initial breeding program. Experimental (CSEXP) - British Shorthairs with Preliminary status which have within the preceding 3 generations only BSH of the groups listed for registration on the Experimental for that colour/pattern. These cats are only eligible for showing in Merit Assessment Classes until the breed is promoted to Provisional Status. Reference (CSREF) a. British Shorthairs where one parent or both parent(s) is (are) a BSH or British Variant allowed for registration on the Reference for that colour/pattern b. British Variants - the longhaired progeny of two BSH parents. c. Cinnamon Self, Fawn Self, Cinnamon Colourpointed and Fawn Colourpointed British Shorthairs which have an Oriental Cinnamon or Fawn (which is not over-stamped as carrying the recessive white gene) within three generations. d. Blue eyed/odd-eyed and All White Patched BSH or Variants, without progression. e. Cats of BSH appearance which do not conform to this Policy shall be registered on the Reference as no recognised breed. - 1 Only for use with genes where a DNA test is available British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 2
NOTE 1 : THROUGHOUT THIS DOCUMENT the word AGOUTI includes ALL PATTERNS OF TABBY (Classic, Mackerel, Spotted Ticked or Tipped (Wide banding) either BSH or Variant. Where any are excluded this is specified. Colour/ Pattern of British Shorthair to be ed Colours and Patterns of Acceptable Parents for Full or Experimental Colours and Patterns of acceptable parents for Supplementary and Experimental Colours and Patterns of Parents for Reference White Self See Note 2 AC Self BSH AC Self or Tortie BSH Variant (See Note 3) Black, Blue, Chocolate, Lilac, Cinnamon or Fawn Self AC Self BSH AC Bi-colour or Tortie & White (inc Van) BSH AC Non-silver Tabby Agouti BSH AC Non-Silver Colourpointed BSH (Inc Colourpointed & White) parent is acceptable for registrations on the Non-Active or the Active and Genetic s (see note 8) AC Silver Tabby, Spotted, Tipped, Smoke or Silver Colourpointed BSH (unless accompanied by request Non-Active registration of the progeny on the Supplementary ) (See Note 9) Red or Cream Self (See Note 5) AC Self BSH AC Bi-colour or Tortie & Wh (inc Van) BSH The following parents are acceptable only if registration of the progeny - AC Silver Tabby, Spotted, Tipped or Smoke BSH (See Note 9) AC Non-silver Tabby Agouti BSH (Inc Golden) BSH AC Non-Silver Colourpointed (Inc Colourpointed & White parent is acceptable for registrations on the Non-Active or the Active and Genetic s (see note 9) AC Self, Tortie, Bicolour or Tor & Wh (inc Van) BSH Variant (See Note 3) AC Smoke or Silver Non-Tabby Colourpointed BSH (unless accompanied by request for Non- Active registration of the progeny on the Supplementary ) (See Note 9) The following parents are acceptable only if registration of the progeny - AC Self, Tortie, Bicolour or Tor & Wh (inc Van) BSH Variant (See Note 3) British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 3
Colour/ Pattern of British Shorthair to be ed Colours and Patterns of Acceptable Parents for Full or Experimental Colours and Patterns of acceptable parents for Supplementary and Experimental Colours and Patterns of Parents for Reference Tortie (all colours) AC Self BSH AC Bi-colour or Tortie & Wh BSH (inc Van) BSH AC Non-silver Tabby Agouti BSH AC Non-Silver Colourpointed BSH (Inc Colourpointed &White) parent is acceptable for registrations on the Non-Active or the Active and genetic s (See Note 8) The following parents are acceptable only if registration of the progeny - AC Silver Tabby, Spotted, Tipped, Smoke BSH (See Note 9) AC Silver Tabby, Spotted, Tipped, Smoke or Silver Colourpointed BSH (unless accompanied by request for Non-Active registration of the progeny on the Supplementary ) (See Note 9) AC Self, Tortie, Bicolour or Tor & Wh (inc Van) BSH Variant (See Note 3) Bi-colour Tortie & White Van Pattern Bicolour and Tortie and White AC Self BSH (excl White) AC Bi-colour or Tortie & Wh BSH AC Van pattern Bi-colour or Tortie & Wh BSH AC Non-Silver Colourpointed BSH inc Colourpointed & White parent is acceptable for registration on the non-active register or the active and genetic registers (See Note 9) AC Self, Tortie (inc Van), Tortie & Wh (inc Van) BSH Variant (See Note 3) British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 4
Colour/ Pattern of British Shorthair to be ed Colours and Patterns of parent for Full or Experimental Colours and Patterns of parents for Supplementary or Experimental Colours and Patterns of parents for Reference Silver Classic, Mackerel or Spotted Tabby (All colours) AC Silver Tabby Agouti BSH (Excl Tipped) AC Non-Silver Tabby Agouti BSH (Excl Tipped) AC Self (excl White) or Tortie BSH AC Colourpointed (See Notes 8) AC Silver Agouti BSH Tabby or Spotted BSH Variant (See Notes 1, 3, 5) Non-Silver Classic, Mackerel or Spotted Tabby (All colours) AC Non-Silver Agouti BSH Tabby (Excl Tipped AC Silver AGOUTI BSH Tabby (Excl Tipped) AC Self (excl White) or Tortie BSH AC Colourpointed (See Notes 8) AC Non-silver Agouti Cat Tabby or Spotted Variant (See Notes 1 3, 5) Silver Ticked Tabby (All colours) (See Notes 7 & 7.1) AC Silver Classic/Mackerel Tabby or Spotted BSH AC Non-Silver Classic / Mackerel Tabby or Spotted BSH AC Self (excl White) or Tortie BSH AC Colourpointed (See Notes 8) AC Silver Classic/Mackerel, Spotted or Ticked Tabby BSH Variant (See Notes 1, 3 & 5) Non-Silver Ticked Tabby (All colours) (See Notes 7 & 7.1) AC Silver Classic/Mackerel Tabby or Spotted BSH AC Silver Agouti BSH Ticked, Classic Tabby or Spotted BSH (Excl Ticked & Tipped) AC Self (excl White) or Tortie BSH AC Non-silver Classic/Mackerel, Spotted or Ticked Tabby BSH Variant (See Notes 1, 3 & 5) Tipped Golden Tipped Tipped BSH Golden BSH AC Silver or Non-Silver Agouti BSH Tabby (inc Ticked) (See Note 5) AC Self (excl White) BSH AC Tortie AC Colourpointed (See Notes 7) AC Tipped BSH Variant (See Note 6) British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 5
Colour/ Pattern of British Shorthair to be ed Colours and Patterns of parent for Full or Experimental Colours and Patterns of parents for Supplementary or Experimental Colours and Patterns of parents for Reference Colourpointed - Non-Silver Series (excl Cinn or Fawn Pt) (See notes 8) Non-Silver Colourpointed BSH (Excl Colourpointed and White) AC Non-Silver Tabby Agouti BSH BSH AC Self BSH (excl White) The following parents are acceptable only is Registration of the progeny - Any Non-Silver Colourpointed & White BSH Any Silver Colourpointed & White BSH (unless Registration of the progeny on the Supplementary AC Non-silver Colourpointed BSH Variant (See Note 3) Colourpointed - Silver Series (See notes 7) Silver Colourpointed BSH (Excl Colourpointed and White) AC Silver tabby Agouti BSH Non-Silver Colourpointed (See Note 8) AC Self/Smoke BSH (Excl White) The following parents are acceptable only if Registration of the progeny - Any Non-Silver Colourpointed & White BSH Any Silver Colourpointed & White BSH (unless Registration of the progeny on the Supplementary AC Silver Colourpointed BSH Variant (See Notes 2) Non Silver Colourpointed & White (Any colour) (See notes 8) AC Non-Silver Colourpointed & White BSH AC Non-Silver Colourpointed BSH AC Self BSH (excl White) AC Bi-Colour BSH AC Tortie & White BSH AC Non-silver Agouti BSH Tabby or Spotted AC Colourpointed or Colourpointed & White BSH Variant Any other Recognised Colour or Pattern of BSH Silver Colourpointed & White (Any colour) (See notes 8) AC Silver Colourpointed & White BSH AC Silver Colourpointed BSH AC Non-Silver Colourpointed & White BSH AC Non-Silver Colourpointed BSH AC Silver Agouti BSH )Tabby or Spotted BSH AC Tortie & White BSH AC Bicolour BSH AC Colourpointed or Colourpointed & White BSH Variant Any other Recognised Colour or Pattern of BSH British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 6
Registration Explanatory Notes: Note 1. No cat without an agouti parent (Tabby, Spotted, Tabby Colourpointed or Tipped) may be registered on any as a Tabby, Spotted, Tabby Colourpointed or Tipped BSH or BSH Variant. NOTE 1 : Throughout this document the word AGOUTI includes ALL PATTERNS OF TABBY (Classic, Mackerel, Spotted Ticked or Tipped (Wide banding) either BSH or Variant. Where any are excluded this is specified. Note 3. A certificate of hearing must be provided for any Self White male (14, 14a, 14b) before its offspring can be registered as BSH or BSH Variant on the relevant register. NOTE 2. A BAER test confirming hearing in both ears must be provided for any cat (male or female) before that cat can registered on the active register and used for breeding. Cats with a hearing problem in one or both ears will be registered on the non-active register. Any kittens (white or coloured) accidentally produced from cats with hearing problems of any sort should be tested prior to sale to new owners and also placed on the non-active register. NOTE 3. Blue eyed/odd-eyed and All White Van BSH or variants are not acceptable as parents for any colour / pattern of BSH Note 5. Existing Cinnamon SH Variants are acceptable as parents only for Cinnamon or Fawn Series cats. NOTE 4. Any non-silver cat with silver in pedigree will carry a silver in pedigree over-stamp until such time as a Silver DNA test becomes available. Note 2a. Any Red or Cream BSH or BSH Variant (including Colourpointed) with an agouti parent (Tabby, Spotted, Tabby Colourpointed or Tipped) must be registered as Tabby, Spotted, Tabby Colourpointed or Tipped on the relevant register until proved otherwise by test mating or DNA testing. Note 1. No cat without an agouti parent (Tabby, Spotted, Tabby Colourpointed or Tipped) may be registered on any as a Tabby, Spotted, Tabby Colourpointed or Tipped BSH or BSH Variant. NOTE 5. Any non-agouti red or cream BSH or BSH variant (including silver, Colourpointed, Colourpointed and white) with an agouti parent, can only be registered on the active register when the registration form is accompanied by a DNA test confirming that the cat is a non-agouti/self cat (a/a). NOTE 6 No cat without an Agouti (Tabby) parent (inc Tabby Colourpointed) may be registered on any register as a Tabby or Tabby Colourpointed BSH or as A BSH variant thereof. 5.1 The paperwork for any red or cream series cat imported onto the GCCF registers on the active register must include a DNA agouti status test which will be recorded in its records. British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 7
5.2 Any GCCF cat transferred on the active register will be overstamped agouti status not confirmed by DNA test ) unless a DNA test accompanies the registration paperwork. Note 2b. Because of the dominance of the gene involved, it is strongly advised that Ticked Tabby BSHs should NOT be mated together as continual use of such matings could lead to the ultimate elimination of the Classic and Mackerel/Spotted patterns from the breed as a whole. NOTE 7. The ticked pattern gene in both agouti cats and behind non-agouti cats is the dominant pattern. It is strongly advised that ticked cats should not be mated together as doing do could result in cats becoming homozygous for the ticked gene. Such a situation could lead to the ultimate elimination of the classic and mackerel/spotted patterns from the breed as a whole. 7.1 Registration documents for cats with a ticked patterned parent will be overstamped with ticked in pedigree (as an aid to identifation of future generations where the pattern will not always be noticeable in non-agouti, colourpointed or tipped cats) Note 7a. Any Self or Tortie BSH cat with a Colourpointed BSH Parent will be registered on the Supplementary. If the application is for registration with Active status, the cat will also be placed on the Genetic. Colourpointed offspring of these cats on the Genetic may be registered in the normal way. Any Self or Tortie BSH offspring of cats on the Genetic required for breeding may be transferred to the normal Active on production of evidence from a DNA test showing that that specific offspring does not carry the Siamese gene. NOTE 8. Any cat (excluding White or Tipped BSH) with a Colourpointed BSH parent will be registered on the Supplementary and Non-active registers or, if the application is for registration on the active register, the cat will be placed on the Supplementary and on the Genetic register 8.1 Colourpointed offspring of these cats on the genetic register may be registered in the normal way. Note 6. Any non-pointed offspring with a Colourpointed BSH parent shall be overstamped carries Colourpointed. Its offspring shall be overstamped may carry Colourpointed unless cleared by test mating or DNA testing. 8.2 Any non-pointed offspring with a Colourpointed BSH parent shall be over-stamped carries Colourpointed. Future offspring shall be over-stamped may carry colourpointed unless cleared by DNA testing. until cleared by dna testing offspring of these cats may be registered as in 7. 8.3 If a DNA certificate indicating freedom from the Colourpointed gene is provided for the non-pointed offspring, it may be registered without over-stamping. 8.4 Any over-stamping can be removed on production of a DNA certificate indicating freedom from the Colourpointed gene. 8.5 Tipped cats with a pointed parent may be registered on the supplementary register, active or non-active, but registration papers will continue to carry the carries colourpointed over-stamping for all subsequent generations until cleared by DNA testing. British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 8
(N.B. GCCF requires such tests to be done on a sample taken and verified by a Veterinary Surgeon against the cat s microchip number) ALL DNA TESTS MUST BE TAKEN AND VERIFIED AGAINST THE CAT S MICRO-CHIP NUMBER BY A VETERINARY SURGEON. THIS NUMBER WILL BE RECORDED ON THE CAT S FILE WITH THE GCCF. NOTE 9. Any Self or Tortie BSH cat with a Silver BSH Parent will be registered on the Reference unless a request to register on the Supplementary and Non- Active s accompanies the registration application (until such time as a test for the inhibitor (silver) gene is available). APPENDIX (information for breeders) Red Agouti Series The requirement that DNA tests are required for non-agouti red series cats before registration on the active register has not been extended to agouti red series cats. The decision to postpone any changes to the registration policy for this group of cats was made unanimously by the BAC following a period of consultation with breeder groups. It has become evident that there is a great deal of uncertainty about the actual genetic make-up of the Red Tabby/Spotty British Shorthair. Although, the Red Tabby British Shorthair is not amongst the most popular of British registered, it is certainly one of the oldest of the British Breeds and pedigrees can be traced back in unbroken lines for over 70 years. Breeder groups believe that perhaps more than 50% of red tabbies registered as such would not show as agouti in a DNA test. However, The kittens that have resulted from such cats often have outstanding markings against a beautifully warm ground colour, this suggests that although we know that the Agouti gene acts as a switch that illuminates the tabby patterns in the black series cat, it may not have such a magic effect on the red series, and it is possible that the red pattern may be more dramatic in the absence of Agouti. So compelling was the feedback from breeder groups that the BAC have contacted Dr Chris Helps at Langford and discussed the situation. Dr Helps has offered to work with the BAC in a properly structured research project into the genetics behind the well patterned British Red Tabby. British Shorthair Registration Policy Agreed by BSGC July 2012 page 9