Miaow! International Cat Federation bans Russian moggies from competitions as breeders bare their claws at Putin
- The International Cat Federation has banned Russian-bred cats from its shows
- The board confirmed the move on Tuesday after the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- It has pledged to ban Russian cats and owners as well as donating to help Ukrainian owners caught up in the war
The International Cat Federation has banned Russian cats from competing in their shows in the latest response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) confirmed on Tuesday that cats bred in Russia will not be allowed to compete in their cat shows until May 31 at the earliest following Vladimir Putin’s invasion on Ukraine on February 24.
The FIFe executive board also confirmed that cat-owners who live in Russia would also be banned from the organisation until further notice.
Russian-bred cats and Russia-based trainers are banned from FIFe shows after the invasion of Ukraine
Cat shows are popular the world over and the move was reported to be deeply unpopular on Chinese social media site Weibo
In a statement posted on the FIFe website confirmed the move after the ‘unprecedented act of aggression’ that Russian forces had committed in Ukraine.
The cat-lovers also confirmed a proportion of their budget is being carved out to be used to support their members in Ukraine – after thanking members in neighbouring Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova for the help they had already provided.
The board wrote: ‘The FIFe Executive Board is shocked and horrified that the army of the Russian Federation invaded the Republic of Ukraine and started a war.
‘Many innocent people died, many more are wounded and hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are forced to flee their homes to save their lives.
‘We can all witness the destruction and chaos caused by this unprecedented act of aggression.
The ban follows the banning of Russia athletes from competing in Olympic and Paralympic competitions
FIFe confirmed the ban will stand until at least May 31 when the rules will be ‘reviewed’
‘On top of that our Ukrainian fellow feline fanciers are desperately trying to take care of their cats and other animals in these trying circumstances.
‘We are extremely happy that many members of FIFe clubs bordering Ukraine, such as Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and Moldova, are lending a helping hand to their Ukrainian breeder friends.’
The move has reportedly been particularly poorly received in China with the term ‘Russian cats are banned’ trending on Chinese social media site Weibo overnight, according to Insider.
The FIFe is a collection of national cat fancying organisations which describes itself as ‘the United Nations of cat federations’ which began in 1949 and includes 39 member countries.
The organisation regulates cat-shows within its member nations and puts on a World Show each year in October.
The ban follows the banning of Russia athletes from competing in Olympic and Paralympic competitions – a move announced the day before the Beijing Winter Paralympics is due to begin.
The Russian national football team and Russian clubs have also been banned from competing in European and international competitions by FIFA and UEFA.
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