According to "Webster", a pedigree is

a) a list of ancestors;
b) a record of ancestry
c) descent/lineage
d) a recorded known line of a pedigree animal, ie:- a cat.

The key to a pedigree is only as good as the records that were kept, and by who was keeping them. In planned and careful breeding, this record is not usually a problem. Most pedigrees will go back 3 – 5 generations. The paper authenticates the cat to be a fully fledged member of a specific breed.

The idea started back in the latter half of the 19th century, when cat shows became a little more common place. Owners started to take pride in their cats, and to follow a determined set of guidelines, or as they are called today – standards. These standards are always in the mind of a responsible breeder, and we all try to achieve the perfect cat.

The pedigree is so much more than a guide to that particular cat’s past. In the hands of an experienced breeder, it becomes an ingredient in their recipe for perfection. By tracing back that pedigree, they can tell what any offspring will be like, and know the colors to be expected in the kittens. The breeder can also work out the inbreeding factors, and avoid them. If there are gaps in the pedigree, the breeder might not want to use that cat for breeding. That takes us into a whole different subject – selective breeding.

 There are many different registries, and each one has slightly different requirements to obtain the honors that are bestowed. For example, with the ACFA [American Cat Fanciers Assn], a cat has to win 4 "winners" ribbons to make champion. He needs 16 winners ribbons, plus a specified number of finals placings, under a minimum number of different judges, in order to make grand champion. Of those finals placings, a specified number must be in the top 5. Other associations have different criteria that must be followed, but in every case, that cat has to earn his way to that lofty goal. In the CFA, the number of winners ribbons to make champion is 6.  If you show your cat with associations in 2 different countries, and the cat makes a title with both, his title becomes "international champion " etc. The show year runs May 1st - April 30. At the end of each year, each association totals up the points each cat has earned, and awards top honors to the cats with the highest score, as regional winner [RW]. For example, North America is divided into between 7 and 10 regions, depending on which registry you go to. As well, they add totals for a national award winner [NW]. The cat earns a distinguished merit award when they have sired a specified number of cats that achieve grand champion or better.