| The future is, of course, shrouded in | | | | being developed and refined, some |
| mystery, and contains more questions | | | | bi-colors with outstanding type, but |
| than answers. A few of the questions, | | | | with far less than the preferred minimum |
| with our guesses at the answers, are: | | | | of white, were granding. This would be |
| Will bi-colors and calicos dominate | | | | the exception rather than the rule |
| shows in the future? The appeal of this | | | | today, as increased levels of |
| flashy Persian cannot be denied, but | | | | competition dictate that the cat that |
| neither are they for the faint of heart. | | | | will come out on top must meet the |
| Some breeders will now choose some of | | | | standard both for type and for pattern. |
| the less populous Persian divisions that | | | | Increased sales of cats both to and from |
| they perceive to be "easier." Best guess | | | | the European market means paying |
| is that the numbers seen in shows will | | | | attention to pattern standards in other |
| begin to level off, with the bi-color | | | | countries' registries. |
| and calico division sitting firmly | | | | The Cinderella cats of the Persian world |
| alongside the solid division in | | | | are now wearing their glass slippers. |
| popularity. | | | | The 1970s saw the bi-colors and their |
| What new color classes within the | | | | van patterns accepted for championship, |
| division can we expect in the future? | | | | as well as many notable "firsts," |
| The CFA Executive Board at its February | | | | including the first bi-color and calico |
| 1998 meeting turned down a majority vote | | | | Grand Champions, the first national |
| of the breed council in favor of | | | | winners and first Cat of the Year. The |
| breaking the tabby and white colors into | | | | 1980s was the decade of development, of |
| individual color classes. Discussion | | | | building the house and painting it. The |
| indicated that if the breed council | | | | popularity of this division in the show |
| would request separate color classes | | | | world was firmly established and |
| only for the colors whose numbers | | | | included claiming more "firsts" - the |
| justify them and add an "Any Other Tabby | | | | first DMs, the first Kitten/Cat of the |
| and White" color class, that this would | | | | Year - and acceptance of the tabby and |
| be favorably considered. For the third | | | | white colors for championship. The 1990s |
| consecutive year, the odd-eyed and | | | | have seen the bi-colors and calicos come |
| blue-eyed bi-colors failed to achieve | | | | fully into their own, with breeders |
| the requisite 60% ballot vote by only | | | | adding the refining touches and |
| one or two votes; undoubtedly this will | | | | establishing consistency of both type |
| be accomplished in the next few years. | | | | and pattern, and the acceptance of smoke |
| What records may fall in the near | | | | and white colors for championship. |
| future? In 1986, GC, NW Rambo's Rocky | | | | Rapidly increasing numbers of cats being |
| Mountain Sunrise became Cat of the Year | | | | shown in the '90s dictated first, the |
| and the highest scoring bi-color in CFA | | | | establishment of the bi-color division |
| history, with 11,832 points. Only GC, NW | | | | as separate from the particolors, and |
| Granddelight's P.J. of Mockingbird has | | | | later, the dividing into separate color |
| challenged, scoring 10,785 in 1997. | | | | classes those colors where numbers being |
| These authors do not have a genie to | | | | shown warranted it. |
| predict when - if ever - Rocky's record | | | | Now we move not only into a new decade, |
| will be surpassed. | | | | but a new century. The wonderful |
| What changes, if any, can we expect with | | | | foundation for our cats began not just |
| regard to the standard for pattern? | | | | 30 years ago, but a full hundred years |
| Bi-color and calico breed council | | | | ago. Perhaps in the year 2098, a |
| members have repeatedly turned down any | | | | bi-color breeder will be searching CFA |
| major changes to their standard, which | | | | archives and see this article and these |
| has remained substantially the same | | | | pictures. What will he or she think? |
| since 1988. During the '80s, as type was | | | | |