Australian National Cats - ANCATS
Established in 1997, Australian National Cats Inc. (ANCATS) describes itself as Australia’s first and only national cat registry. Unlike the ACF and CCCA, which operate through state-based member bodies, ANCATS functions as a single national organisation — all breeders register directly with ANCATS regardless of which state they are in.
ANCATS is affiliated with the World Cat Federation (WCF), connecting it to cat fancies internationally.
- Established in 1997 — one of Australia’s three main national cat councils
- Operates as a single national registry across all Australian states and territories, with no separate state affiliates
- Affiliated with the World Cat Federation
- All ANCATS breeders are bound by the ANCATS Breeder Code of Ethics
- Cat breeders who are members of ANCATS are eligible for Perfect Pets membership
What ANCATS does
ANCATS manages registrations, show processing, and memberships centrally through the Cat Data programme — one set of rules, one registry, and one membership system across the country. In practical terms, its role covers several key areas.
Breed standards and breed recognition. ANCATS maintains national breed standards, applied consistently across the country rather than varying between state bodies.
Prefix registration and pedigree oversight. ANCATS operates a national cattery prefix register. Its affiliation with the World Cat Federation provides international recognition for its pedigree documents. For more on what pedigree papers contain and how to read one, see our guide to cat pedigree papers in Australia.
Judges training and education. ANCATS runs a judges training programme, alongside a junior handlers programme for younger members.
Shows and national events. ANCATS hosts shows across Australia and presents both national and regional Cat of the Year (COTY) awards. It is open to breeders and exhibitors of both pedigreed and domestic cats.
The ANCATS code of ethics
All ANCATS breeders are bound by the ANCATS Breeder Code of Ethics, which covers breeding practices, kitten rehoming age, desexing, microchipping, and vaccination. For how the ANCATS minimum compares with the other councils and with state law, see our council-by-council kitten rehoming standards. State and territory law applies in addition to council codes; see our animal welfare legislation reference for state-by-state detail.
Contact ANCATS
Australian National Cats Inc. (ANCATS)
ANCATS members register directly with the national body — there are no separate state affiliates to contact.
Phone: 1300 738 228 (1300 PET CAT) · Email: [email protected]
Key code requirements: Minimum 12 weeks; pre-sale desexing (unless transferred to another registered breeder for breeding), microchipping, and vaccination.
How ANCATS differs from ACF and CCCA
Australia has three main national cat councils, each with a different structure:
The Australian Cat Federation (ACF) and the Co-Ordinating Cat Council of Australia (CCCA) both operate through state-based member bodies. Each state body manages its own breeder registrations, pedigree registry, and shows within the national framework set by its council.
ANCATS operates as a single national body. There are no separate state affiliates — all breeders register directly with ANCATS regardless of which state they are in.
All three councils maintain breed standards, codes of ethics, and pedigree registries. Perfect Pets accepts breeders who are members of any of them.
Council registration and government compliance
When a breeder is a member of ANCATS, they are bound by the ANCATS Breeder Code of Ethics and breeding rules. Their cats are recorded in a verified national pedigree registry, and they breed to recognised breed standards maintained at the national level.
Cat council registration and government registration are separate requirements. In states like Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia, breeders must also hold government-issued identification numbers (such as a PER source number in Victoria or a BIN in NSW) and comply with state animal welfare legislation. Council registration provides breed standards, codes of ethics, and pedigree verification that government registration does not.
For more on what “registered breeder” means and how different types of registration compare, see What is a pedigree? For a practical guide to checking a breeder’s government credentials, see our state-by-state verification guide.
Perfect Pets has required standards that exceed legislative minimums since 2013. By requiring membership with ANCATS, or an ACF or CCCA affiliated body, our breeders are already bound by the health testing, breeding limits, and codes of ethics set by those bodies — on top of their state or territory legal obligations. We add a further layer of due diligence through our own breeder standards and practices questionnaire and a two-layer verification process with manual review for every breeder.
Our advisory team includes Truda Straede — an ANCATS judge, the developer of the Australian Mist cat breed, and an expert in cat health, genetics, and welfare — whose involvement helps ensure our cat breeder standards reflect genuine breed expertise.
Find a registered cat breeder on Perfect Pets · Tips for contacting a breeder
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