July 22, 2000

Blakkatz was shut down for about 36 hours this week. I got very upset about what his new owners are putting Bella's Baby through. I know they believe they are doing the right thing, but I can't help but disagree. A more detailed explanation will follow shortly.

Meanwhile, I need to look at the whole picture. More of the kittens I have sold are doing well in their new homes than those that are not. I guess I can't give up now.

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."—Anäis Nin.

July 16, 2000

I've received a lot of favorable response to NRN lately and I want to thank you all for taking the time to read this journal and to send me such wonderful e-mails.

I got this e-mail today from a woman who runs a shelter for feral cats:

"Finally subscribed to your NRN, so I'll be kept up-do-date whenever you have a chance. And, say -- the kind of articles you have on raw diet, homeopathy, and so on -- THOSE are how you help those shelter kitties, Michelle. We rescue humans read 'em, and make life better for the kitties we rescue and, hopefully, place in raw-feeding homes (although as I know you can attest to, that is also a struggle to convince people of!). Thank you. I'll bookmark your site and watch as your cattery changes."

I'm working on the redesign of the web site of Scientific Solutions, Inc., a small company in Chelmsford. I'm not sure exactly what they do — design of spectroscopic devices?? — whatever those are. By the time I'm done though I'm sure I'll know exactly what they do. The two owners are really nice guys. Both are cat people — which is how I got the job, one of the owners was reading NRN and saw I was coding for iEmily.com. I'm very excited about the project.

I was on the phone this evening with an American Shorthair breeder from California. Because of the poor health in her lines, cardiomyopathy to be exact, she out crossed to a barn cat from Canada to improve the vitality of her breeding stock. It's too early to tell if the health has been improved. While using the out cross was probably a very good thing, I believe that unless she is also willing to feed a cat-specific diet, namely, raw meat as opposed to meat-flavored cereal (commercial cat food); and vaccinate minimally, it isn't going to be a total improvement. I have to give this woman credit for doing the out cross. Most breeders wouldn't want to breed away from their established show type and bring in an unknown factor (barn cat), even if it did improve the health of their lines.

She has a black male kitten that she's offered to me for my breeding program. It's tempting because I'm sure it would improve the health of future BLAKKATZ kittens. I'll wait until I see the pictures. He has some excellent cats in his pedigree — this could be interesting, to say the least.

I wonder how important a show quality cat is to me anyway. I really don't care for cat shows anymore. I've talked to my friend Pam both on Monday and today and each day she asks me if I'm still going to the show. She expects I'll soon decide not to go. So far I'm set to go. Tomorrow is Charya's bath night. That should be interesting. She'll really run from me after that. I've been picking her up and carrying her around the house every chance I get. So now she runs from me when she can.

I tell potential kitten buyers that American Shorthairs are what we call four-on-the-floor cats. They like to have all four feet on the floor. They don't care to be carried. Most of my Americans are that way. They'll let me carry them if need be, put they really don't like it. Charya hates it. She squeals like a stuck pig when I first pick her up and struggles to get down. Carrying her to the ring should prove to be interesting, to say the least.

It seems everything is interesting today.

Wiley, my Bombay, could be carried around all day and night and be happy as a clam. That's the beauty of a purebred cat, they have set behavior patterns that follow through the lines. My Americans follow me from room to room (as does Wiley), but they prefer to get their via their own mode of transportation, not in mine. As I type this, Wiley is lying on the desk next to the lap top upside down. He usually ends up with his head resting on the edge of the computer, sound asleep. I think he likes the warmth. Maybe the hum is soothing. Interesting.

July 16, 2000

I am prone to transferring human feelings - actually my feelings into those of animals. There's no way of knowing how animals really feel. I was once told by a long-time breeder that if I ever have to take a cat to be put to sleep, I shouldn't fret about how the cat feels. A cat has no way of knowing what's going to happen to them, he told me. They have no concept of death. Maybe that's true, but it doesn't stop me from feeling the way I do about animals, about my cats especially.

It is because of my deep respect for my cats that I treat them the way I do. From the food they eat, to their environment, to my interactions with them. I always try to remember what they are and to consider how they may feel. Too many people put animals on a lower level than humans. "They are just animals." My mother is a big one for that comment. Sure they are animals — but so are we. I think animals, especially cats and horses, operated on a higher spiritual plane than most humans do. I also think animals are capable of more emotional feelings than they are given credit for.

Seeing shelter cats at cat shows in cages covered with makeshift curtains always brings tears to my eyes. I want to help them in some way other than donating money. They look so bewildered. Right across the hall from the unwanted shelter cats are their purebred cousins, some in cages covered with curtains costing more than a year's worth of food for one shelter cat. Somehow it just doesn't seem fair. Granted, a shelter cat may, in the long run, be better off than many show cats.

I don't even like to see the judging of the Household Pet (HHP) classes at CFA shows. I know many judges think of them as inferior. Can the cats sense this? When they are in the ring, the HHP look either baffled (why am I here?) or bored out of their minds. A purebred cat receives some show cat training from birth. Most are born in cages, many die in cages. The are usually handled from birth. Whereas, most random-bred cats (the HHP) are born under a porch or in a closet. They may never see a cage until they are brought into a show hall.

While showing a HHP may be a good way for a new exhibitor to get into cat showing, I don't think CFA is the association for them to begin in. TICA and CFF are more accommodating to HHP exhibitors. My first show was a TICA show with a HHP.

---

On to lighter topics.

Bella spent most of last week "under the weather." She continued to eat, but right after eating, climbed back into one of the vacant cat cages and remained there until the next meal. I took her temperature Wednesday night. It was at least 103.4°. Not good considering her recent exposure to FIP. At my vet's suggestion, I gave her one dose of Belladonna 30c Thursday night. By Friday morning she was much better. Today (Sunday) she's back to "Bella Bombing" (up and down the hallway) and bullying Charya.

I decided to enter Charya in the show next weekend (July 22-23) in Bedford, New Hampshire. It will be her first and last kitten show. I wasn't going to waste money entering her in this one kitten show, but decided she needs to get out. I want to see how she'll show. She's turned into a really pretty girl. Assuming she shows okay, we'll be heading to the show in Portland, Maine on Labor Day weekend for winner's ribbons.

July 8, 2000

I was talking to my upstairs neighbor this afternoon (he is a cab driver). He told me that that he's always taking passengers with their cat(s) to the vet. Often the same person on a monthly basis. I asked him if he thought it was unusual that I have six+ cats and I'm hardly ever carting them to the vet. Yes, he said, I've never thought of it, but you're right, with the number of cats you have, you should be going to the vet at least once a week.

How do I do it? It certainly is not a form of cat abuse (although I expect some people would say I was "abusing" my cats by not vaccinating them [a/k/a "protecting" them] on an annual basis. I believe my cats stay healthy because of the diet they are on and because I don't vaccinate them on an annual basis.

My cats do get examined on an annual basis by my homeopathic vet. She comes here for the exam. If there is a problem with them otherwise, it is usually addressed using homeopathy. I consult with my homeopathic vet via telephone when necessary. If I need something like a stool or blood test done, I use a local conventional vet. Otherwise, they do just fine. This doesn't mean that if your cat is sick, you shouldn't take him or her to the vet. I'm telling you how my cats do.

Today I heard from a breeder who read of my brush with FIP. She told me that she also had an experience with FIP. When she finally got up the courage to tell other breeders, she was told, "Why did you take so long to tell us? We've all had FIP. If a cattery had not had a brush with FIP, they either hadn't been breeding very long or they were lying."

Scary. I've heard that same comment about ringworm. The purebred cat population can't be getting any healthier if this is the case.

July 6, 2000

Peace and well-being. It's a wonderful thing.

I had an appointment after work today on Berkley Street in Boston. Since I forgot to put the grilled chicken I cooked last night for tonight's supper in the refrigerator (I forgot I left it on the grill), I elected to stop at Pizzeria Uno for dinner before going home.

When I arrived home at about 8 PM, the kitties were lined up on the walkway to the front porch waiting for me. They know the sound of my car.

After opening up the door to the back hallway and back porch, I dished out their dinner which they were very eager for. All six started to eat right away. I stretched out on the floor to watch them eat. I love to watch my cats eat. They go from plate to plate eating a bit, then moving on. Yukon looked up from his plate when I got on the floor with a quizzical look on his face. "What are you doing down here?" He seemed to say. Rooney decided he was more interested in my petting him than eating. Too bad because Bella was chowing down on the last plate of chicken (Rooney's favorite).

It's much cooler today than it has been so they all have good appetites. Everyone seems perfectly healthy. Their coats are shiny, their eyes are bright.

Moon is finally out of heat so she's back to her sane self. The fireworks have stopped. It's too cool for the kids to swim in the pool in the backyard of the adjoining house. No noise in the neighborhood at all (highly unusual). No horns blowing. All I can hear is the cats eating and my fountain gurgling in the next room. Peace.

As I type this, Wiley is sitting on the desk next to the computer cleaning himself (making almost as much noise as the fountain). The rest of the cats are exploring the unchartered (since this morning) front and back hallways.

Life can be very good.

July 4, 2000

Happy 4th of July to you all.

Things are quite noisy around here these days. Moon is in heat and is making more noise than all of the cats put together. She's persistent and being a general pain in the butt. A can of compressed air (for cleaning computers) on the desktop keeps her from raping my lap top. Fireworks have been going off in the neighborhood for days (I thought fireworks were illegal). Luckily the cats aren't afraid of fireworks. 'Tis the season I guess.

I had a full four days off from work and it's been wonderful. I would have liked to get more done on this page, but I think I'm still recovering from the iEmily project and trying to nurse T through his illness. I've received several offers for a male, but am biding my time to let things settle down here.

I updated the My Diet page to include a listing of the brands of supplements I use, all available through The Vitamin Shoppe. I've found The Vitamin Shoppe has excellent prices and they carry all the supplements I need except for the bone meal and seameal which I still get through Solid Gold.

It always seems as though whenever I'm feeling particularly down about natural cat care and the trials and tribulations of breeding, I get wonderful e-mail from people who stumble on this site. Here's a portion of one that came recently from an Ocicat breeder:

"Just wanted to write and let you know how thrilled I was to stumble onto your site. I am an Ocicat breeder ... and want to become holistic. I have read Dr. Pitcairns book but felt it lacking in some regards. I am working with a holistic vet ... but need an example of how to get started and take care of my Oci's.

... Again, Bless you for this site. It was the beacon of light that I was searching for to help guide me. Even though I find the live mice a bit to handle yet, you never know. I'm open minded and will do anything to give my Oci's the best life they can enjoy."
BACK to the June, 2000 issue