Snow!!

This week has seen the heaviest snowfall I can remember -  I was 8 years old in 1963 so in theory should be able to remember it but certainly don't have any memory of snow higher than my boots, as it is here at present!

It started last Friday night -  by Saturday morning there was 2-3 inches,  and I was due to do a stall at the Methodist Church in Retford; luckily I did get there and back safely,  also to Friesthorpe for another event on Sunday.  Then all through Monday & Tuesday we had another 10 inches at least - Tuesday morning was unbelievable as far as getting out to the cattery was concerned.  The stud boys are thankfully very snug and warm,  in fact they're better off than we are!  There hasn't been another heavy fall since Tuesday but a few showers,  and of course the temperature has not gone above freezing so nothing has thawed at all.

I was intending to go to the Burmese Cat Society Show tomorrow but travelling would be far too risky and the roads are predicted to be very treacherous.  Other shows had been cancelled earlier in the week.  Thank goodness our trip to London was last week!  

We've had no mail or other deliveries since Monday - I'm waiting on a delivery of raw meat for the cats,  and various other bits and bobs,  goodness knows when anything will get through.  Luckily we do have enough food to last a while!

One Kitten still to find a home!

I never expected to be posting again about available Ocicat kittens -  yes,  I still have 3 of them at almost 6 months of age.  Reluctantly I've decided to keep two -  Zelda (Sielun Veljet) the tawny classic girl,  and Teazle (Shamrain) the chocolate spotted boy who was very ill at 14 weeks but amazingly made a complete recovery with no clue as to the cause of his illness.  Thunderstone,  the black silver classic boy who really should be THE example of correct classic pattern,  is still here too and despite several enquiries, no-one seems to appreciate his stunning looks!

 I hope to show Teazle and Zelda in the New Year,  it is now over a year since I last showed a cat and I'm not even sure I'm confident enough to try it again........

Other news is that I was approved for promotion to Full Judge by the Ocicat BAC,  but for some strange reason this did not get onto the Council Agenda,  so I have to wait until February 2011.  I was also recently approved by the Russian BAC as a PJ and again that will hopefully be actioned in February.

And the very exciting news - apart from it being the Supreme Show tomorrow, which isn't all that exciting as I have nothing entered yet again -   is that Ross and I are going to the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 next Tuesday - if my intuition is right,  we'll be seeing Federer v Murray :))     Will report further next week!

Just a thought........

Anyone want a stunning Ocicat kitten?  4 still available, 2 (classics) definitely showable.  Actually I'm thinking I might keep Thunderstone,  a black silver classic -  I have literally never seen such a perfect pattern. He will be neutered,  but showing a neuter is still a good way to demonstrate the qualities of the parents :))

Vervain Thunderstone

Vervain Sielun Veljet

Vervain Indica

Lots of news......

Quite a lot to catch up on!  Firstly and most exciting,  I was finally able to bring my new Burmese boy home last weekend.  Eros de Grainoge had travelled by car all the way from Perpignan when I met his "courier" at Thurrock Services last Saturday.  We then had a further 3 hour journey home!  However, he is settling in and certainly has a very good appetite -  he couldn't have much fresh or canned food in France due to the heat,  so he's enjoying the food here :)
He is still very shy and is changing his coat at the moment - his front half is new, sleek coat but the back half is still fluffy kitten coat!  Goodness knows what effect the change of climate will have,  but hopefully his colour will even out to a nice pale milk chocolate eventually.

I have kept a chocolate boy from Molly's litter -  his name is Sid (Vervain Mocha-Sidamo) and he looks quite promising so far -  I would like to take him to a show or two if I get the chance.  Here is Sid -  I love his wide muzzle, and his nose is short although he does have the dreaded roll-off! Eye colour & shape not bad either :)

Alice's kittens are 7 weeks old now and doing well -  they are eating well and very playful.  I'll be getting them vaccinated at the end of this week if all goes according to plan.   My main concern is being able to find homes for them,  as I've had no serious enquiries so far,  but then I haven't actually advertised them yet!  

Finally -  Greg has been neutered and has now gone back to his previous owner, Lynn.  I took him there last Thursday and was astonished to see that he seemed to recognise the house -  he walked straight out of his carrier and headed upstairs,  ignoring the 2 large Irish Setters!   It has been a great privilege to have owned him for the last 15 months -  I have very rarely met a stud with such an amazing temperament.  I'm so glad he is now going to have a lovely life as a pampered pet!

Ocicat Kittens!

I'm so pleased that my first Ocicat litter since October 2008 has arrived!  Alice has 5 beautiful babies,  born in the early hours of this morning.  The biggest surprise of all is that 3 of them are classic tabbies -  I have never had anything other than spotted kittens and I certainly didn't antiicipate that Alice would carry classic.  She appears to have inherited it through her grandmother's line.

There are 3 boys (2 silver classics and a chocolate spotted) and 2 girls (tawny classic and black silver spotted)

They were all a good weight at birth (mostly over 100g) and seem to be doing well so far.  Alice has had a lot of help from my lilac Burmese girl Cherry (again,  somewhat unexpected because they are not normally the best of friends!)

Here are the first pics of the new arrivals:

Ocicat Kittens!

I'm so pleased that my first Ocicat litter since October 2008 has arrived!  Alice has 5 beautiful babies,  born in the early hours of this morning.  The biggest surprise of all is that 3 of them are classic tabbies -  I have never had anything other than spotted kittens and I certainly didn't antiicipate that Alice would carry classic.  She appears to have inherited it through her grandmother's line.

There are 3 boys (2 silver classics and a chocolate spotted) and 2 girls (tawny classic and black silver spotted)

They were all a good weight at birth (mostly over 100g) and seem to be doing well so far.  Alice has had a lot of help from my lilac Burmese girl Cherry (again,  somewhat unexpected because they are not normally the best of friends!)

Here are the first pics of the new arrivals:

Kitten news

After saying last time that Spring had arrived,  I can now say that Summer has arrived, albeit probably only temporarily.  We have bright sunshine and a temperature of about 23C here today.

Molly's kittens are looking very promising -  there are still 3 boys to find homes for (2 chocs and a lilac) -  I am very tempted to keep a boy,  as Molly will be spayed shortly.  Can't decide between the 2 chocs however! 

Also,  there's good news about Alice - she is finally pregnant and kittens are due sometime in the first 2 weeks of June.  Unfortunately I'm not 100% sure of the dates as she was mated numerous times over a period of 2 weeks or so!  She does look a reasonable size so I think there could be more than 2 kittens - now that will be a novelty after my last 3 Ocicat litters of 1,1 and 2.  It would be amazing if there were any classics,  but I really don't think Alice carries the pattern.  Will still be interesting to see what colours she has -  at last the chance of something other than tawny!!

We seem to be in Spring mode -  can't quite believe it after the winter we've just had!  The house martins arrived 2 days ago and immediately investigated last year's nest......   I do wish they'd find somewhere else!

Molly's kittens were 3 weeks old last Thursday and had already started climbing out of the kitten box -  they are now in the small pen in my bedroom and today I took some more photos.  They look very promising,  in fact one of them is really quite extreme in type,  but going by years of experience I know his nose will get longer.........

I've put 20-odd of the photos on Facebook,  but here's a few to be going on with :)

New Burmese Babies!

Molly gave birth to NINE kittens last Thursday night (18th March) - sadly the final little girl was stillborn and the firstborn boy died within 24 hours,  but the remaining 7 seem to be doing well so far.

There are 2 girls (both lilac) and 5 boys (3 chocolate, 2 lilac).  Molly is a wonderful mum and seems to really enjoy having the babies.

Here are some photos taken at 3 days old.

 

As you can imagine, it's not easy to tell them apart, hence the coloured "collars".

I will post more photos as they grow.

Oh and as a follow up from last time,   Alice did not become pregnant, but hasn't called again since Mickey mated her -  ho hum.......

Another boring update

Christmas and New Year have long gone - goodness knows where.  What has happened since I last wrote?

We had more snow than I've seen in the 17 years I've been here - about 6 inches, between 4th and 7th January.   My car was crashed (not by me) and we decided not to bother repairing it,  so I now have a Toyota Yaris - thankfully pre-2005!   Impressively economical - approx 60mpg!  Anyone want a 10 year old Honda Civic - dents in front left wing and door,  otherwise in reasonable condition apart from slight rust - runs very well,  never had a problem.  Full tank of petrol too! 

Mickey,  at the age of 5 months, successfully mated Alice and I should know at the end of this week if she is pregnant.  Molly and Greg may also be expecting babies in March.

Andy Murray got to the final of the Aussie Open only to lose to Roger Federer - tragic :(

I am still trying to get people interested in Wikaniko,  can't believe how apathetic everyone is -  I can only assume no-one cares what damage they are doing to their bodies and the environment :((   oh well,  at least I can be glad I'm using the best products - and at wholesale prices!