Constitution of the World Cat Congress

  1. The name of this organisation shall be The World Cat Congress.
  2. The purpose of this organisation is to provide harmony within the cat fancy worldwide and to include as members those organisations with similar philosophies on the health and welfare of cats, standards, judge training, registrations, titles, and respect for the constitution and by-laws of the WCC.
  3. Membership:
    1. The five foundation members of the organisation are:
      1. ACF Inc.
      2. CFA
      3. FIFe
      4. TICA
      5. WCF
    2. The WCC can admit additional members at its discretion. Such additional members shall be represented by the presidents or their designees. Their case for membership shall be put to the Closed Meeting by the nominator and seconder. Should the nomination be successful the President or designee of the new member organisation will be entitled to participate in the remainder of the meeting provided the annual membership fee has been paid.
    3. Any organisation seeking membership shall make application to the WCC Secretary. They shall be nominated and seconded in writing by two of the foundation members and such nomination, together with all relevant details of the nominee as set out below, shall be communicated to the members with the agenda for the next meeting.
    4. Admission to membership of the WCC shall be determined by a vote of a simple majority of the member bodies including a majority of foundation members.
    5. Qualifications for membership:
      1. The organisation should represent at least 1000 individuals.
      2. The organisation shall have had at least ten year's experience as a properly constituted cat registry or be comprised of a number of member bodies which conduct such registries.
      3. The organisation should have at least twenty appropriately qualified judges.
      4. The organisation should have demonstrated a willingness to co-operate with other cat organisations and its aims and objectives should be consistent with those of the foundation members.
      5. A member organisation may, at any time, resign from the WCC by delivering a written notice of resignation, signed by two officers authorised to act on behalf of the member organisation and evidence of the consent of the member organisation.
  4. Delegates to meetings of the WCC, whether physical or electronic, shall be the presidents of the member organisations or their designees.
  5. Officers:
    1. All officers shall be elected from among the delegates of the member organisations or shall be subject to appointment of suitably qualified persons by the delegates. These officers shall comprise:
      1. President
      2. Vice-President
      3. Secretary
      4. Treasurer (positions c and d may be combined)
    2. Term of office: each officer shall be elected or appointed for a period of two years or until the AGM of the year in wich the original term expires.
  6. Conduct and location of Meetings:
    1. The location and date of each Annual General Meeting shall be decided at least two years in advance at each Annual General Meeting.
    2. The physical Annual General Meetings of the WCC (the Closed meetings) will be held in conjunction with an Open Meeting, a seminar and preferably a show run by the host member.
    3. All motions to be passed by a simple majority. All amendments to the Constitution shall be passed by a 75% majority of the delegates.
    4. All changes to the Charter shall be approved by a majority of the foundation members.
    5. The WCC may utilise electronic or postal voting instead of a physical meeting, at the discretion of any two of the President, Vice-President and Secretary.
    6. At all meetings of the WCC where questions of order or practice arise, the ruling of the Chairman shall be accepted as final.
    7. A simple majority of the members which includes at least three of the five foundation members shall constitute a quorum.
  7. Agenda and Minutes:
    1. Proposals and items for discussion shall be submitted in writing to the secretary three calendar months prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting. Such proposals and items for discussion should provide rationale and sufficient background information in order for delegates and their member organisations to consider proposals thoroughly.
    2. The Agenda for the Annual General Meeting shall be sent to all members at least two calendar months prior to the date of the AGM
    3. The draft Minutes of the Annual General Meeting shall be circulated to the delegates within two months following the meeting and shall be acknowledged or amended within one month thereafter.
  8. Finance
    1. All members shall pay an annual membership fee. The amount of this fee shall be decided at each Annual General Meeting and shall be fixed in the currency of the country where the treasurer resides. This fee is intended to cover the running costs of the WCC.
    2. The current annual membership fee shall be paid within three months of receipt of an invoice. Non-payment of this fee shall preclude voting rights and official attendance at the Annual General or any other meeting, electronic or physical.
    3. Each of the member organisations is responsible for the travel and lodging and incidental expenses of its delegate. In the event of a show being held in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting, the host organisation should utilise the services of delegate or officer/judges, paying a previously agreed amount towards the travelling and other expenses of such delegate or officer/judges. Host bodies will not incur other expenses on behalf of WCC without prior consultation between the delegates.
    4. In the event that the accumulated funds of the WCC are insufficient to meet the annual expenses, each member organisation will contribute an equal share on receipt of an invoice from the Treasurer.
    5. The Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer shall keep true records of finances, records of receipts and expenditure in such manner as the delegates may direct.
  9. By-laws:
    1. Decisions affecting WCC passed either at physical or electronic meetings by a simple majority of the delegates present and a simple majority of the foundation members shall become binding upon member bodies and shall constitute the WCC by -laws. However, this should not impinge on the right of each member organisation to conduct its own internal affairs according to its own constitution or rules.
  10. Disciplinary action:
    1. Should any member contravene the substance or intent of this constitution and/or the WCC by-laws, its membership of the WCC may be suspended for a specified period by a 75% majority vote of the members to that effect, the member in dispute having no voting rights in the decision made.
  11. Dissolution:
    1. In the event of the dissolution or winding up of the WCC by agreement of 75% of the member organisations, following payment of all outstanding debts, any funds remaining in the account will be distributed in equal parts to the financial member organisations.

Amended June, 2005