The World Cat Federation (WCF) is an association of cat-loving clubs. It was founded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1988 by three cat clubs. The organisation is currently headquartered in Essen, Germany. The World Cat Federation is registered as a European organisation in Germany and Belgium. It has more than 540 cat fancier clubs from different countries.
The WCF system is very popular in Russia. The statutes of this organisation are quite loyal - all exhibitions that comply with international rules are recognised as valid. Besides, WCF standards include cat breeds (bobtails, Thai cats, etc.), which are not recognised by any other felinological organisation.
Judging at shows is conducted according to European rules: spectators and owners cannot be near the animal during the examination. The system of obtaining titles is complicated. To achieve high honours, the owner has to travel with his pet to shows not only in his own country but also abroad.