Scaatycat Cattery

These Articles Were Written By..

Susan Williams....

A Very ....
'PROUD TO BE ECCENTRIC'  &,
CRAZY CAT WOMAN!!!

++++++++++++++++

A Christmas Miracle at SCAATYCATS

I want to tell you about our Christmas Present from ‘Silly Sally Ride’ (SGC MADAME NU’S SUNSTROKE X  Ch LAKE HYCOS DEEP RIVER WOMEN)
Sally is our beautiful red tabby Persian, who was accidentally electrocuted when she was 5 months old. She had excellent veterinary care during the trauma, and apart from, an ‘oddly stilted gait’, she has had no external lingering effects. She was paralysed from the mid back down, for about 4 weeks. Her breeders did hydro-therapy, cortisone and antibiotic therapies, and massage therapy, all to save her life.

SHE IS ONE TOUGH COOKIE!!

Sally’s line was developed with the intention of becoming, an intrinsic part of, a serious chocolate and lilac breeding program. Her pedigree is completely out-crossed, and she has many admirable qualities, which were sadly lacking in our chocolate blood lines.
We needed this cat in our in our pedigrees.. DESPARATELY! .

She cycled at 12 months and  after a breeding, she produced no kittens.
With each following heat, we attempted to breed her.
Her second birthday passed, and our vet started wondering if, the huge amounts of trauma and medication given to her during her accident, had taken a toll on Sally’s reproductive organs. We started to seriously think that this kitty would be spayed, and petted out.

In the Spring of 2008, Sally was now coming up on 3 years.

The next few times she cycled, we attempted yet again, to breed her., to no avail.
The idea of spaying this great cat was becoming a serious reality. We had even started looking for a new home for Silly Sally.

Our vet never lost hope. She kept saying “Don’t jump the gun!”
Late in the spring of 2008, after a very short heat, something very interesting happened!
SHOCK! Silly Sally Ride was pinking up.
She was having a wonderful happy pregnancy with no issues. She ate like a horse.
She was round, and happy to show off her, ever extending girth, to any one who would take notice.
Sally went into labour on her 66th day.
She managed to deliver one dead baby. She laboured for a very long time. It looked to us, like she was unable to have a normal labour pain. Her straining was sporadic and apppeared to be very weak and shallow.
That afternoon, we had to deliver three little babies by emergency c-section. All were dead.

THEN everything changed. While still in surgery, my vet jumped into action. During the c-section, we had discussed spaying this wonderful cat. After carefully examining the uterus, she suggested to me that, she would gently, place it back into position, and let Sally try again. This time we would do a ‘timed c-section’.
 
WHEW, I had never thought about this one!

Dr. Dysen also felt that, Sally may not survive second natural delivery. Her muscle tissue around her pelvis appeared to have been severely compromised, and she was also still affected by the damage that was done to her spine, during the electrocution.

Then the situation went from ‘worse to worse’, when in  Fall of 2008, Sally’s mother had to be spayed, after a c-section, leaving Sally, as the only heir to the line.
Sally was THE ONLY EXISTING OPEN CAT left from this wonderful family. If we could not breed Sally, the lineage would be lost FOREVER!!

Sally was deeply affected by the loss of those kittens. She was depressed, and we really worried about her. She was on pain medication and antibiotics after the operation, but this anguish she was experiencing was psychological. Thank goodness we had a very large litter of 4 week old babies at home. The other mom, Boo Monkey, was very happy to let Sally became the chief babysitter to her six little ones.
Sally started to recover.

Dr Dysen said to, let Miss Sally go through a couple of heats, before we were going to attempt this pregnancy.
The third heat came during the late summer.
We were to breed Sally once in the morning, and again later in the day. I was to phone Dr Dysen, and book a ‘planned c-section’ for the 64th day of her gestation.
Miss Sally and her beau, Ompa Loompa, could not quite understand why, we were so adamant about, the length of time they would have for their ‘little soiree’!

NOW CAME THE WAIT!

Right on schedule, 18 days to the day, Sally pinked up.
She started ‘glowing’ again. Dr Dysen was right. This cat ‘longed’ to have kittens. Her appetite went off of the scales, and we knew that this was the right thing for Sally. Sally was showing off that wonderful bundle of babies to everyone!

Her due date was December the 10th, which would have been her 66th  day of her gestation. We called Dr Dysen, and we booked a c-section for Monday December the 8th.
We set up her bed, and she started to get very fastidious about exactly where we would place the fuzzy blankets. She would follow me everywhere. She would take both of us, into the bedroom twenty times a day, just to show us that magical place that she thought was her ‘baby bed‘. She knew this must be very special because, we had taken out the heating pads and placed them into this box. We had no other little kittens around, and this made it very easy for us to dote on Sally. Sally has always been in full coat and she loved to be groomed. As her girth expanded, she could no longer reach around and clean herself. We would sit quietly every evening and carefully brush Sally. As always, she loved this time together. She deserved our full attention.

On Sunday December the 7th , Josie from Dr Dysen’s office called to remind us that, we should not feed our expectant Mom, and to arrive at 8 a.m. on Monday morning for our c-section.

We did not sleep well.
 
Was our timing correct?
Will Sally handle this?
Will the babies be strong enough to handle the surgery?
The internet said things can go wrong!
WAS THIS A BIG MISTAKE??
MAN!! Your imagination can certainly mess you up!

My ‘gut’ was still telling me that, my vet was ‘spot on’!

Sally has always travelled well.
Usually she was very quiet.
Not this morning!
She knew something was special about this day.
It was like she had rehearsed for this event.
The vet techs., Margot and Teresa, set about getting Miss Sally prepped and she was an absolute angel. She didn’t even get rattled by the needles and the oxygen mask.

We all had our guesses as to ‘how many’,‘what colours’, ‘what gender’, and ‘how strong’???
We did not x-ray, or interfere with, this ‘very normal’ pregnancy.
We all had great patience and we trust in our vet.

Dr Dysen arrived and said,
“For the last time.. ARE YOU SURE OF THIS DATE?”
I choked out..
”ABSOLUTELY”! .. Lets get this show on the road!”

Its amazing how time stands still, in the middle of a Miracle!

A vets hands and fingers reach into a, stretched out bit of flesh, and wake up a sleeping little body.

“We have one”…
‘Margot go to work”
Slap, Shake, Rub, Roll..

Thirty seconds later.. Number two”
“Sue take this kitten.. Start it breathing”
Slap, Shake, Rub, Roll.. NOTHING. Mouth in your mouth..
Chest moves.. Toes and feet start to paddle..
The mouth is SO PINK!!
Margot squeals… “LOOK LOOK.. Its moving.. Keep working…”

Patiently behind me is a Vet working methodically, to finish this incredible drama. She quietly asks, if both babies are starting to move. She lets me know that Mom is doing very well. She reminds me that Margot has delivered thousands of tiny little beings into the World, and not to worry so much. I look into Margots face and realize that, she had delivered some of this kitties Great Ancestors, in 1989.
 
Then another baby arrives…
Number three.. OH! SO VERY TINY!!
Slap, Shake, Rub, Roll.. NOTHING. Head and tiny mouth in your mouth.. Chest rises..
BREATHE, BABY BREATHE 
KEEP WORKING DO NOT STOP!! NO MATTER WHAT!!!
Five minutes, ten minutes.. Mouth still pink.. No movement..
Suddenly a loud eruption, as those little lungs burst forth, and scream ….
“I AM HERE ALREADY>>NOW>> LET ME SLEEP!” LOL!

The giddiness in the surgery was palpable!!

C-sections, for the most part, are usually emergency procedures and can have very different outcomes. Almost two months to the day previously, Sally’s beautiful and healthy mother, had lost a beautiful litter and her uterus, after having a c-section, in the same clinic.
 
Sally had a lot riding on her.
 
This c-section became an event, that every single staff member at our vets, was deeply involved in.

We celebrated life! What a beautiful Christmas gift!

All were now moving very slowly, but they were breathing and active.
All little girls.. All tough and scrappy, tortie solids!
We all know just how ‘strong willed’, a tortie can be! LOL!
82 grams, 82 grams, and 51 grams.

At that point, I think I started to hum ‘We Rise Again’.

Sally was already starting to ‘pull out’ of her anaesthetic.
The kittens were cuddled up in their heating pads and they were twitching and paddling, like all beautiful newborns.
Sally woke up and was obviously very disoriented. After a thorough check up by Dr Dysen, it was time to bundle up the kids and go home.
Everyone was peaceful on the trip home.

Kerry was waiting and ready, as we pulled up. We popped the tiny little girls into their baby bed and we lifted, a very woozy Sally, into the bed beside them. She immediately sat up and started to look around the room. It was almost as if she was looking for the kittens mother. She would look at me, and then look at the kittens. Then she would get up and check out the room. I think she thought that Mom would be right back for her babies. This went on for a few hours, on into the night. When the kids started to get noisy, she would go to the bedroom door and call for the Mom. She really thought that someone had lost these kittens! By dawn, we realized that we may have a ‘situation’ here. Sally was terrified that, if she lay down with these strange little kits, that some, big nasty mother cat, would come and beat her up!
The kittens were getting hungry.
I took a baby bottle and decided that it was time to feed them. While I was doing this, Sally came into the box, and suddenly she lay down. A little bit of formula dripped onto a kitten. Sally was mortified!!! She would never let a kitten get messy! I dribbled a bit of formula over all of the girls! She started to clean the sticky wet babies and then in a split- second, a Christmas miracle happened!

Sally lowered her huge red head down into the little pile of babies. Her purring suddenly stopped as if she were listening for something. She could hear their little heartbeats and they in turn could hear hers! Sally fell in love!
They became HER BABIES!!! They sounded like her babies. They tasted like HER babies!

The rest of the story is our little Holiday Blessing.
The babies are now 3 ½ weeks old.
The 51 gram kitten, is now the second biggest!
Sally is THE BEST MOTHER CAT. She adores her babies.

The saga isn’t over.
Sally will have another chance to strut her stuff.
Dr Dysen again, placed that beautiful little uterus, back into Sally during her c-section.
Galina and John Friesen of Prairiecat Cattery, gifted Sally, to us with the idea that this cat, would improve chocolate type in Persians.
 
Sally’s ancestors need never worry again.


Jan Finley, (Sunstroke and Rivers owner), and
Kerry and I wish you all the best of the New Year.

Update..Introducing

Scaatycats Busy Miss Lizzy (named after our very patient Vet., Dr. Liz Dysen)

Scaatycats Rollin' On The River (now named 'River' after her Grandmother & is now moving to the country of Qatar)

And... the teenie tiny 51 gram Baby, of the group...

Scaatycats Miss Margot.. named after Margot, the Vet Tech who kept believing that we could save her!!!

Written by that ...
Crazy & Eccentric ‘Cat Lady’,
Susan Williams
SCAATYCATS
++++++++++++++

Hydrocephalus, How Do You Say Good-bye

D'W's Story

A litter of six Persians… ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
So began my 2008 kitten season.
They were finally here.
Boo Monkey had out done herself this time.
Three pointed, a black and two absolutely perfect solid chocolate baby boys WOW!
Mom was a pro. No messy bums. Babies wiggling and hiccupping, burping and fighting for that favourite spot along the snack bar.
All was well with world.
The first ten days were business as usual. Mom would come and go. She was eating like there was ‘no tomorrow’ and she loved to show off her babies, whenever anyone would dare to enter the bedroom.
I was sitting one evening, quietly watching this little family interact, when I realized that something was not quite right. The kittens were getting a bit more active, and they were ‘push-crawling’, around in the box.
Generally, kittens quickly catch on to, the forward direction, as they form those first real movements. One of my little chocolate solid boys, was moving very rapidly, in reverse.
I separated him into another box, and I gave him some soft towels to let him have firm footing. He kept this movement up, while showing no signs of frustration, or stress. Finally he fell into a VERY deep sleep. I gently placed him back with the others. The next morning he seemed quite normal.
I  wondered if what I had observed last night, was a juvenile seizure of some kind. I phoned Noel Newton and told her about my little sweetheart.
By this time we had given him, his name, Scaatycats Boogidyboogidyboogidy.. D.W. for short.
D.W. was already pulling on our heartstrings.

During the following days D,W, had three more of these, ‘walking fits‘. Each one was followed by a lengthily deep, almost coma-like sleep. He would wake up with same vigour as a normal kitten.

The next few days were punctuated with the excitement of, kittens opening their eyes. Each little face would change, as they started to get their first expressions. D.W. was a little slow at the eye opening idea. When they did open, we were thrilled. He had a gorgeous Persian head. Round and smooth. He had a beautiful bite. He was extreme.
He also had great big eyes, which appeared to stare straight down to the ground…like he was watching a sunset! We had only seen photos of kitties with eyes like these… in articles about hydrocephalus.
We hoped for the best.
We wondered… could just be, a developmental issue?
We planned to show this to our vet during his first vetting.

At four weeks, every little kitten was attempting to walk. They did the compulsory stagger and flop, but they would continue to fight to win, the balancing act.
D.W. was trying, but occasionally, we would find him in a corner, going in circles. He wobbled most of the time. By now, the realisation had hit us. This little guy would probably have some neurological issues.

During the fifth and sixth weeks, the kids made their way out into the ’real world.
Life was a wonder to behold!
D.W was eating real food by now, right alongside the other kids. He was becoming a big boy. He loved everything he saw. He would play with invisible bugs and feathers, and he always found time to stop and seek us out, to share some quality time. He always appeared to be laughing!!!!

One morning, just as I was starting to get the kittens breakfast ready, I noticed D.W. sitting on a chair, staring at the ground, blankly. He had drool,  pouring down his chin. I scooped him up and placed him on the foot of our bed. I started to get ready for trip to the vet, when he fell over onto his side. He appeared to be dying!
I did not know whether to rush to the vet, or to let Mother Nature take her course.
I decided that, this would not be a bad way for a little guy like D.W., to say goodbye.
I took a deep breath, and I curled up with this little body, laying on my bed.
At least he would not be all by himself

Four long hours passed, as we lay there.
I watched him take each breath. I stroked his beautiful chocolate fur.
I told him it was okay to go, and we would see him again.
Time passed so slowly.
I don’t know exactly when it happened, but suddenly, I felt rush of fur against my cheek,  Sitting right beside my face was, D.W.
He shoved his, silly pushed in nose, right into my eye, and then he took off at breakneck speed, out to the kitchen..
My husband and I stood there…dumbfounded!!
What just happened???

D.W. and his siblings were getting close to eight weeks old..
The next day we visited our vet.

The vet gave all of the babies their first sets of vaccinations. She studied each kitten. She watched as they played. Then she said those words..
“Sue this little boy is in deep trouble. I agree with you.. He has hydrocephalus. His time on this earth will be brief.  Do you want to make a decision?”

This is that horrible time that all breeders dread.
It never changes.
IT NEVER GETS EASIER!!!

“I want to think this over Doc. .. He seems quite fine right now, and I don’t know if it is really his ‘time’ quite yet! He is in no discomfort, and somehow, I think he will have a really great, albeit short, life”

We took the kids home.

In the weeks that passed, we watched our little gang  grow and blossom. They all passed through each kitten milestone, with flying colours. All of them but D.W.
He was having two or three, coma seizures a week. They would all begin with the same pattern, blankness, staggering, silence and drooling. Some would be as long as nine hours, some as short as a couple of hours. They would all end with the same silliness, that the first one had shown us.
The only difference was, that with each coma, he would come out of it forgetting something. Usually something simple. At first he would compensate. He never appeared concerned about anything. He ate like a horse and was gaining like a normal kitten. Our vet saw him weekly.
Time rolled right along.

D.W. happily said goodbye to his siblings (more time for him with Mom). We got into a system where, we would work around his seizures. If he was sleeping, I would get my work done. He loved to be groomed, and played with gusto.
Five months flew by.
One morning he came out of the bedroom and, he just did not look right.
He was getting ready to seizure. I quickly scooped him up and placed him on his bed.
This time, the sleep, was not his regular one. This time, he was restless.
He slept five hours that day. He woke up, and he repeated the same pattern that had become commonplace in our home, since his birth, He headed for the food bowl. This time his gait was stilted. Then some odd happened. He picked up a bite of food and he dropped it. I sat down beside him and watched. He had forgotten how to eat!!!! He was starving, but his brain was incapable of telling him how to chew and swallow.

I sat looking at this wonderful, happy little cat.
I did not want him to ever be sad!
I wanted to remember our beautiful baby D.W.
I wanted to remember, why we had not euthanized him, when the vet first suggested it.
He was not ready then..
But now.. well…
I got my husband ready for the inevitable, and we made our way out to our vets.
D.W. played, the entire way out to the clinic.

As we walked into the waiting room, we realized that the entire staff, was involved with D.W.
They needed to say goodbye, as well as us.
They knew that I wanted this to be the happiest goodbye, ever!
This was to be  a celebration of a great little cat!
We all played with him, until the sedative he had been given, took effect.

Dr Dysen helped D.W. in his final journey.
We buried him with his ancestors, here in our garden.

Hydrocephalus made D.W very special.
His life was very short,, but it was wonder filled!
The final days were not sad, they were fabulous.
We shared D.W.’s life, and he taught us so much about the way a cat approaches living. WITH GUSTO!

Sue Williams
Scaatycats 2008

++++++++++++++

How We Chose
A Pet Shop

1) We stay close to home and we always support the smaller, more personally involved Pet Shop.
A smaller store will be more involved in your community, and they will support local Breeders, and Welfare agencies.
As a pet owner, you will need to get to know the staff very well, at your local Pet Shop!
If you are a Breeder, you should always remain respectful while dealing with a Pet Shop employee.
They don't know as much as you do, but, your input into this store, could make it easier for YOUR KITTEN CLIENTS to buy the products that YOU recommend they buy!
Quality Pet Shops love it, when a Good Breeder visits..
Be prepared..they will love to 'pick your brain'
It is an education for them!
You shouldn't shy away from identifying yourself as a Breeder.
STAND PROUD!! But don't become a 'show-off'!
Remember, you represent ALL Breeders when you speak.

2) We do not support a store which has a political agenda.. e.g.. Anti- Breeder / Pro Animal Rights petitions on the counter!
Find a pet shop who supports, BOTH, Breeders and Animal Welfare.
ALL ANIMALS COUNT!!
Animal Rights/Activists are everywhere..
A Pet Shop tends to draw them in.
If you are approached on the subject of 'indiscriminate breeding of animals', be diplomatic.
There is a time and a place to confront Animal Rights/Activists..A Pet Shop is not one of those places!!!

3) If they can’t answer my questions, it is time to leave!
If a Pet Shop employee does not approach us, and ask how they may help us, within 2 minutes WE LEAVE!
They should be willing to spend, as much time with you, as you need!
Owning a living animal, is not like buying a bike, at Walmart.
There is a lot of science and psychology involved.
There are very few big box stores who employ, truly compassionate, animal experts.
Remember, Taking advice from an inexperienced, uneducated pet shop employee, can cause irreparable harm to a pet.
Your pets welfare is in their hands.
The smaller store, is more likely to stay ‘ on top’ of the Science of Pet Ownership.
A well run, smaller store, will always be more consistent, than a, poorly run, big box store.
The smaller store, usually does not have, rotating employee populations.
They will do follow-ups, and they will be with you, throughout the lifetime of your pet.
They will laugh with you, at your pets first goofiness, and they will be there to cry with you, when you say that ’last good-bye’.

4) We do not support buying, regular animal diets, from a vet.
A vet clinic is not a great place to look at pet food!
A vet is your pet's doctor.
Your own doctor would send you to a, qualified dietician or nutritional expert, if they felt you would benefit from them.
A quality pet shop, will have at least one trained diet specialist, on staff! 
Vets are your medical front line.
They should be selling you foods, which help to accommodate your pets illnesses.
Keeping your pet happy and strong, should as simple as, making good healthy food & treat choices.
These are available at all, quality pet shops!
Checking up on a pets health, should be the job for your Vet!
Vets are not necessarily your, ‘life style’ specialists.

5) We tend to over look, good old-fashioned, clean, clutter!
If the staff appears to be more concerned with the condition of the store, than helping you.. LEAVE!
Kerry and I have both, been, employed in, and have managed, many great pet shops, and pet supply stores.
A smaller, more cluttered pet shop, is usually the one store, who will go to the end of the Earth, to find you a product!!
'GET OVER' THE BIG BOX, PLASTIC LOOK!
IT DOES NOT WORK!

6) We do not AVOID Petshops who sell living animals. We do, however, stay away from any store, who would not place more priority on the care, upkeep, and placement of these little critters, than on the selling of pet products!!! Animals are not commodities!
If the pet shop sells living pets, there should be no odours!
The shop should comply with all local health ordinances.
The animals should look settled and well cared for. They should have the best of foods, and clean fresh water!!!
A GREAT PETSHOP will not 'generally' sell living animals. They will recommend that you purchase a 'well cared for pet, from a private breeder or, they will support QUALIFIED Animal Welfare Agencies.

7) There should be a lot of laughter in the store! Pet shops, should be the happiest places on Earth.
If you get a feeling of indifference, or if you are being ignored by the staff, then there is something, ‘not quite right’, about this store!
I used to measure a pet shops ’depth of compassion’, by using the ’laughing bird standard’.
If the store had parrots, and they weren't laughing, then  something was, 'not as it should be'! LOL!
I have turned down jobs, just based on this premise!!
If the store does not have the ‘bird barometer’, just study the staff.
Are they enjoying, hearing about your pet?
Do they ask to meet your pet?
Do they take time for you?
Did they answer all of your questions?
Did they invite you back?
Do they seem proud of their store?
Do they chat about their own pets?
Did they appear to enjoy helping you?
If you are a breeder were you treated with respect?
WOULD YOU RETURN TO THAT STORE????
If the person who is serving you, sounds like they are working from a script, or a marketing anagram. WALK AWAY!

NOW!!
GET READY FOR MY SOAPBOX RANT...

Pets are very personal, living creatures.
No one 'marketing plan' or 'anagram' will fit them all!
We find it abhorrent, that marketing has become so intrinsic, to the selling of animal products!
We hate it when, we feel like we have been sold 'a bill of goods'!
We only have to remember 'The Recall of 2007' to get that horrible feeling of, being 'stung'!
We believe that the buying public, has become much more savvy, since that disaster.
Large or small, We honestly do not believe ANY pet product producer, intentionally set out to contaminate our pet food industry!!!!
WE DO BELIEVE THAT...
'GREED' PLAYED INTO
THIS DISASTER 
The pet shops who kept their 'integrity' & 'honesty' during that period, have risen to the forefront, of pet suppliers.
Most of these, are smaller retailers who know their products, and who were willing to go the distance, to learn about new ways to improve the pet food system.
Many of the larger operations were far too busy trying to stop the losses and to 'plug up the holes'!
Most of them used, information passed down to them, from company reps. and corporations, to try to placate their customers!!!
Their 'head offices' dictated what they could, or could not, say, about the disaster.
THIS IS INHERENTLY  WRONG!!
During The Recall,  most smaller pet shop personnel, used their 'COMMON SENSE' and their 'COMPASSION', to help their customers.
They tried to seek out, all of the information they could gather about the tainted foods, to share with their customers.
Both, for Breeders, and Pet Owners!!!

Sometimes the food companies were not as willing to share this information, as they should have been.
Many smaller pet shop owners, spent long nights, pouring over the internet, just to get the accurate information about the recall, sorted out for, their distraught clients!
Then, these smaller store, Pet Professionals, attempted to make WISE DECISIONS, based on UNBIASED EVIDENCE in order to help their customers and friends !!!
THEY WERE WILLING TO CHANGE !!!
Many of them, were willing to 'turn away' from the products, which had violated the pet buyers, faith & trust.
They started to promote newer, smarter, and in most cases, healthier products.
We strongly feel, when is comes to pet supplies, the people making and selling these products, should be as compassionate as, the people purchasing them!
My husband Kerry and I were, quite literally, married in a pet shop!
I have been working in pet shops since 1968.
A lot has changed over the years, but the one thing that has remained consistent is, the need for qualified, compassionate, pet care professionals.
Trusting your beloved family pet, to a, sometimes young, uneducated, ‘sales clerk’ in a ‘retail store’, is ludicrous!
Ask for the credentials of anyone, who advises you, about your pet.
If you are a breeder, do not expect the average Pet Shop Employee to understand, half of what you have to say!! However, they should be accommodating and willing to help in any way possible.

8)If you are lucky enough to find a Pet Store who has a Reputable and Recognized!, Breeder on staff...STAY WITH THAT STORE !!
ALWAYS REMEMBER!!!
More vet bills have been created by, poor advice, given at pet shops.

Also...remember..
ITS JUST OUR OPINIONS!!!

Susan & Kerry Williams
SCAATYCAT

+++++++++++++++++++++

What Is a "LILAC  LYNX  POINT?"

Susan Williams, Scaatycat Cattery 2007

Let me introduce you to, the Lilac Lynx Point Himalayan.

'SCAATYCATS FAERYTALES WILL COME TRUE'

AKA 'Willow', is a typical example of the colour.

She was only 12 months old in the summer (2007)!

At 12 months of age, she has just started to exhibit her warm,

almost lilac-peachy-magnolia coloured, shadow banding.

Her ear rims are white, and her cheek pads, are just now,

showing the telltale’ polka dots.

She has always had her dark nose rim,

and her light cinnamon coloured foot pads.

Her shocking, ice white coat,

just adds glamour to the package.

During the winter, while her coat was very long,

you could barely see her banding.

You can get a glimpse of what is to come,

as her summer coat approaches.

Her tail and leg banding are still just barely visible,

but as her coat thins out for the season,

we expect that the stripes will appear.

Willow at six months Liliac Lynx 

 

Layla a six month old Lilac Point

This colour is going to create,

as many difficulties in the judging arena,

as the ‘ever so subtle’, and delicate,

Himalayan cream and flame lynx points!

This pattern & colour, is distinctive!

The darker outline around the nose, of these cats,

is evident at three weeks of age.

  

@Three weeks!

The banding and stripes, are not present,

until at least eight to twelve months.

The muted ‘m’ on her forehead,

just appeared at six months.

At this point in her development you would never guess

 she would become a Lynx Point!!

@ 6 months

The eye colour is typical, to that of a Lilac Point.

I have found, that they seem to get darker blue,

later, than the Lilac Point..

Now twelve months old, and her magnificent tabby banding

 is just starting to appear.

It is now visible!

Her eye colour is making a statement now,

and it is very blue.

12 Mths Born Aug. 12th 2006 

Judges should get to know this colour,

and to understand its idiosyncrasies.

We will be seeing many more of these beautiful kitties,

in the show rings, in the future.

Here is Miss Willow, Summer 2008, All grown up!

Cat Grooming For The Soul

Controlled Grooming ..or.. Cat Wrestling 101

I breed and show Persians! They are extraordinary cats to, own, and to show. They require huge amounts of grooming and maintenance! There is a 'joy' that I feel, when I see a beautifully presented show cat, or a gorgeous household pet, at a cat show. I realize that this kitty, can only look this great, if he has had a partnership with a human, who understands his needs and idiosyncracies. This human will have truly 'bonded', with this 'Little Piece of the Wild'!

In this article I will not be giving, long winded, instruction, on how to make a coat whiter or, how to clean eyes. I will not teach you how to do face sculpting, or face maintenance. I will just pass on my observations about grooming manners… A ‘sort of’…’ Cat Grooming for the Soul’, if you like!

Always keep in mind that, the art of grooming a cat is in ‘the eyes of the beholder‘.. What may work for you, may not work for others!! Everyone, and every culture, will handle animals with different techniques. The idea is, to have a beautiful, well adjusted, and manageable cat.

Generally, if you start grooming a cat, as a very young kitten, you will develop an easy to groom, adult.

Ah.. But life is not that easy!!

What if kitty came from a cattery, or home, where the handling of kittens was not a priority? What about the ’shelter kitty’ or ’rescue cat’? All cat breeders, have had to deal with, ‘non socialized’ kitties. Kittie come in all 'packages'!

Kittues usually will arrive, all 'fresh and groomed', and accompanied with, a grooming instruction sheet, three pages long!.

One week later, we place little ’Cedric’ into a bath tub, and he turns into the Tasmanian Devil !!! Poor little guy! The grooming session goes less than ideal, and you come away, with an bruised ego.

Show conditioning, is not so much about gorgeous cats, as it is about intelligent grooming!

Pet cat conditioning and show grooming, are exactly the same! The little rescue kitty deserves the same sensitive treatment, that the top show kitty does!

To develop wonderful grooming manners and habits, there are three concepts which I feel become paramount, when approaching the grooming of, a pet or a show cat

1) Preparation, Preparation, Preparation!!!

Have your equipment (including fun stuff), cleaned and ready, BEFORE you start. Searching out a comb, or finding shampoo, will cause you to stop, just long enough, for the kitty to, ‘squirrel’ his way, out of being groomed!!

2) Never become flustered.

In that single moment, when you feel challenged, the cat will pick upon your mood, then, they will react. This is the secret weapon they use, to help them win control of the situation.

3)  HAVE FUN

This is a bonding time for you, and your kitty. A few minutes of silliness and play, can make the difference, between a ‘great show cat attitude’ and a sullen boring, or nasty kitty! The concepts of, negative and positive reinforcement therapy, and reward inspiration, are basic to ’sports psychology’. Sometimes we forget that, cat showing is a competitive event, and, we are working with elite athletes! Always remember, you are the Coach!

All of the 'artistic breeding', sculpting and shaping, will fall to the wayside, if your kitty decides to have a meltdown. I have always looked at the 'selective breeding' of cats, as the 'art of purebred cats'. I look at 'grooming and showing', like they are the competitive components, of the 'art'.

I believe that, the true 'cat artists', are not necessarily found at the cat shows. I feel, they are the people, who orchestrate these wonderful pedigrees.

That said... there is an 'art', to great show grooming. But remember, you may try to apply all of the great artistic grooming tricks in the world to a cat, and it will still not achieve success. Even a 'living art-form' may have grooming tantrums!

All kitties enjoy looking beautiful. Even pet cats, need to have regular brushing and the occasional bath!

Always end your grooming session, with a very ‘upbeat and fun’ (even silly) attitude. Take out a toy and play with the kitty! ( Have you ever experienced a 'high five'? Cats respond the same way an athlete does, when they are admired for success.)

The whole event should be relaxing.

Good grooming techniques always work, to help to develop, great temperament in the show cat, or pet…They also help you, to maintain your sanity!!

You should always look forward, to your grooming time, spent with your cat.

We have two different grooming regimes at our house. The ‘everyday’, maintenance and bathing, for all of our cats, and the intensive, ‘show cat’- educational grooming, for all of our aspiring athletes and stars!

A show kitty and a pet kitty are expected to preform diffently. They should behave similarily during grooming, but this is where the lines part! A show kitty will be groomed constantly from the time it is a kitten. Some show kitties can become bored with the whole idea of grooming. These kitties need a lot of interaction during grooming (and after!). All of it should be possitive.

Both methods are very similar, and are aimed at developing easily groomed, and manageable cats.

Lets Get Started.....

First.. and this sounds very silly.. I want you to practice your voice!!

Inflection in your voice, is the barometer which a cat uses, to see if you are really serious about your request, or not! This is the ’timber’, of your voice. How you 'sound' to the cat.

Cats will not respond to a wimpy, whiny or pleading command, nor, will they respond to a booming or screeching , shrill command!

Practice your cat-obedience voice.

Make your commands firm, and to the point!

Now, practice your ’silly and playful’ voice.

Both voices should be extremely different, and easy for the cat to understand.

Make commands short and to the point.

DO NOT 'ASK' THE CAT TO DO SOMETHING...A GROOMING COMMAND IS NOT NEGOTIABLE!!! Pleading with a cat is a useless endeavour, at best.

Cats should understand, that each action they take, elicits a different voice response from you.

Good, bad, or comforting, I use the same voice techniques with my cats, that I use on my dogs.

This is a ‘tried and true’ idea. Dog breeders and trainers have been getting positive results from this method for years! Just look at Barbara Woodhouse and her ‘Lets Go Walkies’ idea.. IT'S SILLY... AND IT WORKS!

The second grooming concept, all novice cat groomers need to learn is, how to manage a chronic wiggler.

Do not give in to play.. If you do, this will become a very bad habit to break.

The kitty thinks,… ’So this is how I get out of this horrible bath!…By looking ’oh so cute!’.

Don’t be tempted to play !!!

Place the kitty in the position that you requested, and repeat firmly.. “NO!..I said NO”. I try to keep 'one hand on the cat' for the duration of the grooming. The feel of your hand, against the cats skin, can calm him down.

Continue where you left off ..WHILE, KEEPING SILENT! Let me clarify this instruction. A chronic wiggler, does not need to be instigated to play.

A relaxed, easy to groom cat, can be chatted with, and cooed too. ...NOT THE WIGGLEWORM!

The key point here, is to ‘not interact with verbal response, while the cat is behaving well! Give the cat a ‘love and cuddle’ only, if he lets you finish the area you might be working on. The 'love and cuddle' will become the reward for a job well done.

Example.. You have just finished combing the cats front legs and he is behaving well.. stop then, and ‘lovie’ the cat. Give the cat some gentle stroking and, in your silliest voice, say..

"What a Good Cat!"!

(Right about now I can visualise Barbara Woodhouse and her 'catch all phrase'...OKAY!! LET"S GO WALKIES"!! That is the correct the tone..SILLY SILLY SILLY!!!)

Then..become silent again, and, move on with your grooming.

Remember....you are grooming a chronic wiggler.

Play and silliness are for AFTER grooming!

If the cat becomes aggravated about having a specific area groomed ( perhaps around his/her private parts, or having his nails trimmed, or ears cleaned), change locations. By this I mean, you do not have to stay focused on a specific area. You can always come back to those areas, later.

NEVER PUSH A CAT INTO A NEGATIVE RESPONSE..

Remember.. if they can 'spit and growl' loud enough to stop you from grooming, then, they have won the battle!

All cats 'talk'! Its a fact of cat life. Some cats can be the biggest complainers, or some, may just want to chat. Learn to differentiate between, the tone of the cats voice, when he is truly angry and upset, and, when he is just kidding.

Also..SOME CATS ARE JUST PLAIN VOCAL! If you have a kitty, who seems to vocalize during grooming, try to not take these comments, as insults!!

If the cat starts to fidget, try to do less grooming, of specific area at a time.

NEVER control a cat by shaking, slapping, or being rough!!

NEVER NEVER NEVER!

If you have become so unnerved, by the grooming session, that you would shake a kitty …TAKE A BREAK!

NEVER LET THE CAT GET FLUSTERED!

Always remember, never end your grooming session on a negative point.

NO MATTER WHAT!

If the grooming has gotten completely 'out of hand'... and... if ‘Cedric’ has tried to ‘eat you for diner‘.. STOP.. TAKE A BREATH...

Go back immediately, and do something he enjoyed. Perhaps a soft brushing down his back. Then tell him he has done well, and finish! Remember, you can always try again later.

Now, even if things went a little rough ..GO AND PLAY!!

No Negative …ALWAYS POSITITIVE.

The final thought I would like to convey is..always listen to your cat.

Listen to his voice, and study his body language. Learn from his habits and requests.

If a cat is having a problem, it will be easier pick up on it, if you already know what the cats 'normal behaviour' is. Grooming time, is an opportune time, to see what is really going on with kitty.

It is wonderful to have a great looking, show cat but, remember.. if the cat won’t let you groom him, your cat’s 'show career' could be doomed!!!

Pet kitties who become well adjusted to being groomed, become far more manageable, even at the vets!!

Take the time to, ‘psychologically handle’ your kitty while you are grooming him. DON’T JUST GROOM FOR GOOD LOOKS!

Sue Williams, 2005 Scaatycats

 Lance after grooming!

_____________________________________________________________

 

 

Silly Sally Kitten

The Holiday season is coming and

all of the new 'hi-tech goodies and toys,

are already in the hearts, and minds, of many.

This is a reminder of how a simple,

overlooked thing, can cause a disaster.

CHECK YOUR

POWER BARS!!!

Make sure that the plugs are pushed in correctly.

They should be flush against

the back-plate of the bar.

Better yet..

They should be ’out-of-reach’ to pets.

This occurred in the 'flash of an eye'.

Our little kitten Sally,

came very close to an untimely end,

by catching her foot in the bar, between the plugs.

One of the plugs was slightly raised and

 she was electrocuted!!!

She had been scurrying about,

underneath a computer desk,

in a place she had never played before.

She survived…. barely!

She was paralysed for two weeks

and she had a couple of superficial burns

under her fur.

She was given medical attention,

and was also given doses of prednisone,

to alleviate tracheal swelling.

Her breathing was seriously compromised.

She could not move, but, she still had her appetite.

Her personality was changed, completely!

A, once gregarious, and very happy little kitten,

was fearful and nervous.

She had very prompt care and incredible nursing.

She is now recovered and, is suffering no,

ill side effects, from the trauma.

This is a warning…

NEVER LET PETS, PLAY AROUND PLUGS OF ANY KIND!

If you get a new computer,

or electronic,

make sure that you ‘pet-proof’ your connections.

You can now buy power bar covers.

Sally is now all grown up, and it appears,

that there are no lingering side effects.

She is back to her silly self!

Sue and Kerry Williams.. Scaatycats 2006

___________________________