The American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) was formed in 1955 by a group of Cat Fanciers seeking greater flexibility in the development of cats, the activities of cat lovers and greater freedom for growth and harmony with contemporary needs of the individual breeders and the broadening horizons of the
Cat Fancy at large. It was a group of Cat Fanciers in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area, comprised of individuals highly qualified in business management, organizations, legal expertise and knowledge of the Cat Fancy and Show procedures, who provided the prime force for this endeavor. The founders of this Association, along with many others, believed that a more democratic organization would be able to move forward more rapidly than the organizations or associations current at that time, due to antiquated legislative rules, had been able to do. Their dreams were not unfounded.
Once the policies of this democratic Association were made known to the public, many of the leading breeders and fanciers, who long had resented the autocratic policies of the then existing organizations, joined ACFA. They believed that within the parameters, as set forth, there was room for advancement of the Cat Fancy as an organization. The members set up a Board of Directors who were to represent the various regions in developing the Association policies.
Such policies could not be written into the Bylaws, Show Rules or Registration Rules without the approving vote of the membership at large.Separate Breed Sections proposed Standards of Perfection for each breed, and they, the breeders of the specific breeds, accepted or rejected the standard.Once these standards had been set they were to be changed only by the approval of the members of the Breed Section concerned, comprised of the breeder/exhibitor members.