The TICA registry plays a crucial role in the world of cat breeding and ownership, ensuring transparency, education, and the preservation of breed standards. The registry number has little to no meaning to most Bengal cat owners. For those that are curious, there are major clues to your Bengal cat’s background in the registration number.
TICA Registration Number Structure
At first glance, a TICA registry number (ID) seems almost random when in fact it provides insights into a cat’s pedigree and lineage. The TICA (The International Cat Association) registry number is a unique identifier for each registered cat, and it’s made up of different components that provide specific information about the cat:
- Designation: This is the first part of the registration number — often referred to as ‘prefix’. It is made up of three letters, numerals or both. It provides information about the cat’s lineage, permissible outcrosses, and heritage, among other things.
- Date of Birth: Following the prefix, there’s a six-numeral code representing the cat’s date of birth.
- Order of Registration: The last three digits represent the order in which the registration was processed. For instance, if the last three digits are “001”, then it was the first registration processed on that date.
TICA Registration Prefix
Deciphering A T.I.C.A. Registration Prefix
In TICA’s registration system, “SBT” is an acronym where each letter stands for a specific word, with “SBT” representing “Stud Book Tradition.” Acronyms are used to simplify and condense longer phrases or terms into shorter, more easily recognizable forms.
A registration has three components — designation, DOB, and the total number of kittens registered that day.
The DOB and Order of Registration information is self explanatory. We will focus on the prefix (first three character spaces) in the registration number.
| 1ST CHARACTER CODE | 2ND CHARACTER CODE | 3RD CHARACTER CODE | Translation | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | B | T | Stud Book Traditional | Purebred. Reserved for cats with no unknown, unregistered, or other breed cats within a standard three-generation pedigree. |
| S | B | V | Stud Book Variant | Refers to crosses outside the breed but within the group with a three-generation pedigree. |
| P | - | - | Permissible | "P" stands for "Permissible" and refers to permissible outcrosses like the Oriental Shorthair, Egyptian Mau, Ocicat, and Domestic Shorthair. |
| N | - | - | Non-Permissible | "N" stands for "NonPermissible" and refers to outcrosses not specifically allowed, such as the Bengal and Maine Coon. |
| - | - | S | Species | Denotes heritage containing another species. Appears in the third position of the code and supersedes the N or P in this position. |
| 0 | 1 | - | - | These codes can be given to certain cats in some breeds, indicating unknown parentage but conforming to the breed standard. For example, cats that have been examined by judges at a show and deemed to be of a particular breed might be given an "01T" designation. |
| 0 | 2 | - | - | These codes can be given to certain cats in some breeds, indicating unknown parentage but conforming to the breed standard. For example, cats that have been examined by judges at a show and deemed to be of a particular breed might be given an "01T" designation. |
| 0 | 3 | - | - | These codes can be given to certain cats in some breeds, indicating unknown parentage but conforming to the breed standard. For example, cats that have been examined by judges at a show and deemed to be of a particular breed might be given an "01T" designation. |
| A | o | P | - | These codes represent the background of the cat in relation to its pedigree. For instance, a cat with the code "B0P" is the progeny of a Bengal-to-Bengal cross, with at least one of those parents being an "A" registered Bengal. |
| B | o | P | - | These codes represent the background of the cat in relation to its pedigree. For instance, a cat with the code "B0P" is the progeny of a Bengal-to-Bengal cross, with at least one of those parents being an "A" registered Bengal. |
TICA Registration Review Examples
Let’s review a few examples.
Here’s a typical Bengal cat registration number: SBT 08112020 017. What does it mean? The prefix is Stud Book Tradition. The second set are numbers that represents the date of birth of this specific Bengal. The last three numbers are reserved for the total number of kittens registered at that point of the day. If there are three kittens in the litter, registration numbers may end in this way, 001, 002, and 003. If another litter was registered prior, then the numbers could be 008, 009, and 010 respectively.
Now for a first generation Bengal, or F1. That registration prefix may look as such: A1T 05221999 034. While the date of birth is way back in 1999, with this cat appears to be the 34th cat registered that day, a cat with the prefix “A1T” is the first generation from a cross where at least one parent was of a different breed or had unknown parentage, has a known and documented lineage for at least three generations, and has only cats of its specific breed in its three-generation pedigree.
A: This indicates the generation of the cat in relation to its pedigree.
An “A” registered cat is the progeny of a cross where at least one parent is of a different breed or has unknown parentage. In other words, it’s the first generation from such a cross.
1: This indicates that there are no unregistered or unknown cats in the three-generation pedigree of the cat. It signifies that the cat’s lineage is known and documented for at least three generations.
T: The “T” stands for “Traditional,” meaning only the breed in question is within a three-generation pedigree. This indicates that every cat in the last three generations of both the queen and stud pedigree is of the same breed, with no outcrosses at all.
T.I.C.A.'s Purpose
A cat registry like TICA serves as a comprehensive system for documenting, managing, and promoting cat breeds. It ensures breed purity, facilitates the development of new breeds, manages hybrid breeds and outcrosses, and provides a platform for standardization and recognition. The registry plays a crucial role in the world of cat breeding and ownership, ensuring transparency, education, and the preservation of breed standards.
