Highlander:

 

The Highlander breed refinement began in 2004, to distinguish the breed better from its foundation stock, and to seek competition status in major breed registries.  The name Highlander was adopted in late 2005.  Starting May 1, 2008, the breed was recognized by The International Cat Association (TICA) for competition in the Preliminary New Breed class, under the names Highlander Shorthair (HGS) and simply Highlander (HG) for the longer-haired variation.  

It took until 2016 for Highlanders to move from Preliminary New Breeds to Advanced New Breeds, which put them one class away from being part of the Championship class and being allowed to compete in competitions with other cat breeds.

Thanks to their new status, Highlanders have breed standards that outline their appearance and temperament, as well as a list of Highlander breeders available through TICA’s website.

The International Cat Association splits Highlanders into two categories under the breed’s name: Highlander Shorthair and Highlander. Highlander is the name for the long-haired variant of the breed.