Why WCA Pedigree Processing and Delivery May Take 2–3 Months

Breeders and cat owners sometimes ask why a printed WCA pedigree cannot be prepared and delivered within a few days. A pedigree may look like a single sheet of paper, but the document is the final result of several important stages: checking the submitted information, preparing the ancestry record, reviewing the document, approving it, registering it in the international WCA system, adding information to the public verification service, printing, packaging and postal delivery.

The standard preparation period for a printed pedigree may take up to four weeks. Postal delivery, especially international delivery, may require approximately another four weeks. If corrections, missing information, holidays, a large number of applications or international postal procedures are involved, the complete process from application to receipt may take approximately two to three months.

A pedigree is an official registration document

A WCA pedigree is not simply a decorative family tree. It confirms the registered ancestry of a cat and contains information that must correspond with the association’s records.

Depending on the document and the available ancestry, the pedigree may include:

• the cat’s full registered name;
• breed and colour;
• sex and date of birth;
• registration and pedigree number;
• cattery name or prefix;
• breeder and owner information;
• the registered names of the parents and earlier ancestors;
• the breeds, colours and registration numbers of ancestors;
• official WCA registration information.

An error in one letter, registration number, colour code or ancestor’s name can affect the integrity of the entire record. This is why a pedigree must be checked carefully before it is approved and issued.

Stage 1: receiving and reviewing the application

The process begins when the breeder or owner submits a pedigree application through the official WCA Pedigree Order service or through an authorized WCA club.

The application must contain sufficient information to identify the cat and confirm its ancestry. The applicant may be required to provide the kitten’s metric certificate, information about the parents, copies of the parents’ pedigrees and the owner’s contact and delivery details.

At this stage, the club checks whether the application is complete. Processing may be delayed when:

• a scan or photograph is blurred;
• part of the document is cut off;
• the registered name is entered differently in several documents;
• a parent’s pedigree number is missing;
• the breed or colour is written incorrectly;
• the cattery prefix is omitted or misspelled;
• the delivery address does not contain a postal code;
• the applicant does not answer a request for clarification.

The preparation period can only proceed normally when the club has received accurate and readable information.

Stage 2: preparation of the pedigree by the club curator

After the application has been accepted, the club curator prepares the pedigree. This is detailed registration work rather than the simple insertion of names into a template.

The curator compares the submitted documents with the information available in the WCA records. The names of the cat and its ancestors, breeds, colours, registration numbers, cattery prefixes and ownership information must be entered consistently.

When necessary, the curator also checks:

• whether the parents and ancestors are correctly identified;
• whether the colour descriptions correspond between documents;
• whether names and prefixes are written in the correct form;
• whether the lineage is complete for the requested number of generations;
• whether there are contradictions between the metric certificate and the parents’ documents;
• whether the pedigree number has been assigned correctly.

The WCA system is international. Authorized WCA clubs work with secure internal databases and registration resources containing information required for document processing. This shared system helps clubs maintain consistent records and prevents the same animal or document from being registered under conflicting information.

Stage 3: review by the WCA Chairperson

After the club curator has prepared the pedigree, the document is sent for review and approval by the Chairperson.

This additional stage is necessary because an official pedigree represents not only the local club that prepared it, but the entire World Cat Association system. Before approval, the document may be checked for:

• correct identification of the cat;
• correct ancestry;
• consistency of registration numbers;
• correct breed and colour information;
• completeness of the generations;
• correct use of the WCA document format;
• possible typing or technical errors.

If a discrepancy is found, the pedigree is returned to the curator for correction. The revised version must then be reviewed again. This may add time to the process, but it is safer to correct a document before issue than to discover an error after it has been printed, registered and delivered.

Stage 4: approval, printing and official registration

Once the pedigree has been approved, the final version is prepared for issue. The document is assigned or confirmed under its official number, printed and entered into the appropriate secure WCA international registers and databases.

Registration is an essential stage. A printed sheet that has not been registered in the association’s system cannot provide the same level of verification as an officially issued WCA document.

The registration process connects the physical or electronic document with its official record. It allows WCA clubs to confirm that:

• the pedigree was issued through an authorized procedure;
• the document number belongs to the specified record;
• the registered cat and owner information corresponds with the database;
• the document is not an independently created copy claiming to be an official WCA pedigree.

Stage 5: adding the pedigree to the public verification service

After internal registration, the necessary pedigree information is added to the WCA website so that breeders, owners, buyers and other interested users can verify the document.

The official WCA Pedigree Check allows a user to search by the full pedigree number or the owner’s surname.

This public verification stage has several purposes:

• to confirm that the pedigree was issued by WCA;
• to protect breeders and owners from counterfeit documents;
• to help buyers verify basic registration information;
• to reduce the unauthorized use of photographs of other people’s pedigrees;
• to provide a transparent method of document confirmation without publishing the complete internal database.

The public page does not provide unrestricted access to all information contained in the secure WCA system. It provides the information necessary to verify that the document exists and is registered.

Why the pedigree is sent only after registration and verification

WCA does not send a printed pedigree immediately after the layout has been created. Before dispatch, the document must pass the required checks, receive approval, be registered in the internal system and be connected with the public verification record.

Sending the document before these stages are complete would create several risks:

• the owner could receive a pedigree containing an unnoticed error;
• the document could arrive before its number appears in the database;
• clubs might be unable to verify the pedigree immediately;
• a correction could require the document to be printed and mailed again;
• inconsistent versions of the same pedigree could appear.

For this reason, postal dispatch is the final stage, not the first stage following payment.

Why preparation may take up to four weeks

The preparation period includes much more than printing. During these weeks, the application may move through several responsible stages:

1. receipt and initial review of the application;
2. request for missing or corrected information when necessary;
3. preparation of the pedigree by the club curator;
4. comparison with the available WCA records;
5. review by the Chairperson;
6. correction and repeated review when required;
7. approval of the final version;
8. printing and registration in the secure WCA system;
9. preparation of the public verification record.

Applications are processed in sequence. The period may also depend on the number of documents received by the club, the complexity of the ancestry and the speed with which the applicant provides additional information.

Why postal delivery may take another four weeks

After the pedigree has been fully registered, the printed document must be packaged and sent to the address provided by the applicant.

Delivery time depends on factors outside the direct control of the club, including:

• the country and region of the recipient;
• the chosen postal or courier service;
• weekends and public holidays;
• international transit points;
• customs or security procedures;
• temporary postal delays;
• an incomplete or incorrect address;
• the recipient’s local delivery service.

Domestic delivery may sometimes be faster, while international delivery can take longer. Therefore, approximately four weeks should be regarded as an estimated postal period rather than a guaranteed arrival date.

Why the complete process may take two to three months

The estimated total period includes both document processing and physical delivery. Four weeks of preparation plus approximately four weeks of postal transit already represents about two months.

The process may approach three months when:

• the application contains an error or missing document;
• information about an ancestor must be clarified;
• the pedigree is returned for correction after review;
• the club receives a large number of applications;
• processing coincides with holidays;
• international postal delivery takes longer than expected;
• the document is returned because of an incorrect address.

This period does not mean that the application has been forgotten. It reflects the complete route from the initial request to the delivery of an approved, registered and verifiable document.

Why litter inspections and kitten documents receive priority

WCA clubs receive different types of document applications. Printed pedigrees are important, but litter inspections, litter registrations and kitten metric certificates are normally given operational priority.

This is necessary because breeders cannot always postpone the transfer of kittens to new homes while waiting for documents. A kitten may already have a new family, and the breeder must be able to provide its initial registration document on time.

Priority is therefore given to:

• litter inspection and registration;
• verification of the parents’ documents;
• registration of kittens;
• preparation of electronic kitten metric certificates;
• correction of urgent kitten information before transfer to a new owner.

Breeders can submit a litter through the official WCA Litter Registration service.

This priority does not reduce the importance of pedigrees. It helps ensure that kittens receive essential documents at the stage when breeders and new owners need them most urgently.

Electronic metric certificates and pedigrees are already available

WCA has introduced electronic documentation, including electronic kitten metric certificates and electronic pedigrees. A digital document can be sent much faster because it does not require printing, packaging or postal delivery.

Electronic documents also offer practical advantages:

• they can be received from any country;
• they are not lost in the post;
• they can be stored on several devices or in cloud storage;
• they can be sent quickly to the owner, club or veterinary specialist when required;
• they are easier to reproduce if the owner loses a local copy;
• they reduce expenditure on paper, ink, envelopes and international delivery;
• they reduce unnecessary paper consumption and waste.

WCA is gradually helping breeders and owners become accustomed to receiving documents electronically. The transition is being introduced step by step because many people still value a printed pedigree and are accustomed to keeping paper documents in their personal archives.

During this transition period, WCA continues to issue and mail printed documents when this service has been ordered. However, the electronic format is becoming an increasingly important part of modern feline registration.

Digital documentation is an international development

WCA is not alone in developing online services. Major international feline registries, including TICA and CFA, now process a substantial part of their registrations and document services through online accounts and digital systems.

Electronic applications, online registration records, digital reports and PDF documents have become normal tools in international feline work. Some organizations continue to offer printed documents as an additional option, while routine services increasingly take place online.

This development has practical reasons. International associations work with breeders in many countries, and digital services make it possible to receive, review, register and verify information without waiting for international mail at every stage.

Electronic documents do not mean less control

A document does not become official simply because it is printed on paper. Its authenticity depends on how it was prepared, approved, numbered, registered and verified.

An official electronic WCA document passes through the required registration procedure. It can be stored digitally while remaining connected to its official record in the association’s system.

The important questions are not whether a document is held on paper or on a screen, but whether:

• it was issued by an authorized club or association;
• its information was checked;
• it has an official registration number;
• it is recorded in the WCA system;
• its issue can be confirmed through official WCA services.

How applicants can help prevent delays

The breeder or owner can help the club process an application more efficiently by following several simple rules:

• submit clear, complete scans or photographs;
• check every registered name and number before sending the application;
• write the breed and colour exactly as shown in the documents;
• provide the complete delivery address and postal code;
• include a current telephone number and email address;
• answer clarification requests without delay;
• inform the club immediately if the address or owner information changes;
• choose an electronic pedigree when a printed copy is not essential.

Before submitting an application, applicants can review the educational article What Is a WCA Pedigree? and use the official WCA Online Services.

Accuracy and verifiability are more important than speed

WCA understands that every breeder and owner wants to receive documents as soon as possible. The association also understands that a pedigree may be needed for breeding plans, the transfer of ownership, a cat show, the registration of offspring or a personal archive.

However, issuing official documents without full verification would create greater problems in the future. An inaccurate pedigree may affect several generations of records and may later be copied into litter registrations, databases and documents issued by other clubs.

For this reason, WCA follows a sequence in which the pedigree is prepared, reviewed, approved, registered, added to the verification system and only then mailed.

This careful procedure protects the cat, the breeder, the owner, the club and the credibility of the WCA registration system.