The mission of Hawkeye State Cat Club is to increase awareness of the cat fancy. Hawkeye State Cat Club was founded in October 1947 by four women who shared an interest in cats. It was originally a local club with no national affiliation. When membership increased, the decision was made to join a national organization. Members chose to become a member club of The Cat Fanciers' Association Inc. (CF
A) because of their high breed standards. At that time, CFA had fewer than 40 member clubs. One of Hawkeye State's founding members, Mrs. John (Lillias) Bloom was a member of CFA's national board, later serving as the organization's president. CFA has grown from a small national organization to the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats, with member clubs across the world. Hawkeye State Cat Club was incorporated under the laws of Iowa in August 1960. Our membership includes active breeders of pedigreed cats, household pet owners, and people who just love and enjoy cats. Our first show was held on January 9-10, 1954 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, with 208 cats on display. The club has since held shows in Waterloo, Marshalltown, Des Moines, West Des Moines, and Altoona. Our current show hall is on the east side of Des Moines at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.. Hawkeye State's purpose is to promote selective breeding, to improve the cat fancy, and to encourage better health, nutrition, and care of all cats. This CFA member club is a non-profit corporation. Profits from our shows, if there are any, are donated to local and national organizations which provide care and research for the welfare of all cats.