CFA's 2025-26 National Winners Just Dropped—And Persians Are Still Running the Show

**The Cat Fanciers' Association just released its 2025-26 national winners, and if you guessed Persian dominance, you'd be right on the money.**

The 2025-26 show season is over, and CFA has announced who the top winners were. For anyone who follows the competitive cat show circuit, this is the Super Bowl. The Oscars. The moment breeders and exhibitors have been working toward all year—traveling to shows across regions, racking up points, perfecting grooming routines, and hoping their cat brings their A-game in front of the judges.

And once again, Persians swept the podium.

Among the top national winners, Desert Winds Kyanite (a Blue-Cream Point Persian female) took CFA's 2nd Best Cat in Championship for Regions 1-9, while Jovan White Wedding (a Copper-Eyed White Persian male) claimed Best Kitten, and Rossiwood Talkin' Smack (a Copper-Eyed White Persian neuter) earned 2nd Best Cat in Premiership. Exotics—the short-haired cousins of Persians—also made a strong showing in the international division.

If you've been around the cat fancy long enough, this isn't shocking. Persians have historically dominated CFA's top awards. But it's worth asking: why?

**Why Persians keep winning (and what it means for other breeds)**

Part of it is sheer numbers. Persians are one of the most popular pedigreed breeds in CFA, which means more cats competing, more breeders refining their lines, and more exhibitors who know exactly how to present them. When you have that kind of depth in a breed, the top tier gets *really* good.

But it's also about the standard. Persian conformation is all about balance, type, and that signature sweet expression. Judges know what they're looking for, and breeders have spent decades honing it. The grooming is intense—those coats don't maintain themselves—and the cats need to have the temperament to handle being on the show bench all day. It's not just about having a pretty cat. It's about having a pretty cat who can perform under pressure.

For breeds that don't get as much representation at shows, it can feel like an uphill battle. Fewer cats competing means fewer opportunities to refine breeding programs through show feedback. It's a cycle that's hard to break.

That said, we love seeing diversity in the winner's circle. Breeds like Bengals, Maine Coons, and Ragdolls have passionate exhibitor communities, and when one of them breaks into the national top 25, it's a big deal. It shows that with the right cat, the right breeder, and the right campaign, any breed can compete.

**What this means if you're buying a kitten**

Here's the thing about national winners: they matter a lot if you're buying a show-prospect kitten or looking for a stud/queen to improve your breeding program. A national win is a serious credential. It means that cat was evaluated by dozens of judges across an entire season and consistently came out on top.

But if you're buying a pet? Honestly, it matters less than you think.

A kitten from a national-winning line might have better type, sure. But what you really want is a kitten from a breeder who health tests, socializes well, and stands behind their cats—whether they win ribbons or not. Some of the best breeders we know don't campaign their cats nationally. They're too busy, or they'd rather invest in genetic diversity, or they just don't enjoy the show circuit. And that's fine.

The flip side: if a breeder is heavily advertising their national wins but *won't* show you health testing or answer basic questions about their program, that's a red flag. Titles are great, but they're not a substitute for transparency.

**The show season grind**

Behind every CFA title is a story of commitment, perseverance, and an extraordinary bond between breeder, exhibitor, and cat, as the 2025-26 show season comes to an end and achievements are celebrated at both the regional and national level.

Campaigning a cat nationally is expensive. We're talking entry fees, travel, hotels, grooming supplies, and often hiring a professional handler. It's not unusual for a serious campaign to cost $20,000 or more in a single season. Some exhibitors do it themselves, which saves money but requires an insane amount of time and logistics.

And the cats? They have to *like* it. A cat that hates the show hall, no matter how gorgeous, isn't going to win. The best show cats are the ones who strut onto that judging table like they own the place, loaf calmly while being examined, and look straight at the judge with that "yeah, I know I'm stunning" expression.

It's a grind. But for the people who love it, there's nothing else like it.

**Why we care about this stuff**

At GoodCattery, we're all about connecting buyers with breeders who are doing things right. And competitive showing, when done ethically, is one of the ways breeders prove their cats meet the standard. It's third-party validation. It's a breeder saying, "I think my cats are great," and then having judges agree.

That doesn't mean every great breeder shows. But it does mean that breeders who show—and win—are putting their cats out there to be evaluated. That takes confidence in your program.

So congrats to all the 2025-26 CFA national winners. You earned it. And for everyone else shopping for a kitten, remember: a title is nice, but a healthy, well-socialized kitten from a transparent breeder is what actually matters when you bring that cat home.

The rosettes don't cuddle you at 2 a.m. The cat does.