Minque: My Emmy isn't fond of other cats most of the time either. I haven't been able to find another cat she liked since Bear left us... I would have a hard time working with animals in a shelter--I would want to take them ALL home with me!

mALX: Thanks! Yeah, I had to include the pics with my kids because those are two of my favorites, and I don't have many pics of Emmy on my laptop right now... If I can figure out my scanner, I'll post some from when she was a kitten. So precious...

I love your brood of animals. That's the one thing I loved most about living on a farm or out in the country--surrounded by nature and animals! I live in a (small) city now, and I hate it. My husband and I want to get back out into the country and have lots of animals!

Thank You, Syl !! I know what you mean, lol. I like having animals around too.

The last pic of Indra is actually taken by her breeder, Lasse Cajander, he is one kind of a cat photographer! His gear are quite professional. He always takes photos at cat shows almost all over the country...

So this one was taken at their place, we had quite a hard time to get her to lie still for those two seconds Lasse needs to get a decent pic!

Oh well she will soom be a year but she is by no means fully grown up! Nowegian Forest cats are not fully grown until they are about 3 years or even four!

Indra still need a lot more fur! Especially around her neck.

Really? Wow, that's different. Beautiful cats, though. Do you know if it's possible to get a Norwegian Forest cat in the US? They are exquisite. What is their general disposition? Are they generally good with other animals and children, or are they more of a one-person kind of cat?

There are NFC breeders here in the States. You can follow this link.

My advice to you is to go to cat shows and look for them there. They are not as common as Maine Coon Cats, but are more so than Siberian Forest Cats (which my older girl is).

These three breeds are considered natural long-haired breeds - in other words, they were not created by humans like the Persian, the Turkish Angora, and many other long-haired cat breeds. For that reason, they tend to be quite healthy.

I can't really speak to the NFC purrsonality, but the Maine Coons and Siberians I've met tend to be reserved with strangers, but very affectionate with their families. My Zorie came to me as a retired breeding queen, so it took some time for her to warm up to me. She's fairly independent, but comes to me whenever she wants something. She is the most civilized cat I've ever had - shares the couch, doesn't hog the bed, etc. She does expect the same treatment from you, though, and if you cross over that invisible line, she'll nail you with tooth and claw (gently though, much like with her kittens). Not like my short-haired barn cat, who has to push you all the way into a tiny corner of what ever furniture you're using. That's his idea of sharing!

Hey, thanks! Sounds like a typical loyal, loving but still independent kitty. I want another cat, but I'm not sure what kind to get just yet. My Emmy seems to be getting lonely, and I think if she had another pal she might be happier again--especially since I'm so busy with my human children and I don't have as much time to play with her like I used to...

Zorie sounds a lot like my Emmy, btw.

GAAAH !!! I just checked the pet photographers in this area, they run from 500 - 2000 per session !!! ARGH! Looks like it is back to me snapping pics of my pet's rump or giant eyeball again (or catch her rolling in the mud through a dusty screen).

NFC..or Wegies (I think you call them in US as well?) are quite cool cats, friendly, calm, goes very well with other cats I think. Also just as Hautie says they tend to be healthy.

The breed origins from Norway and was officially a renown Breed in 1970 I think (in Sweden) It's almost the most popular breed here, fir good or for worse. You have to make sure about the breeder that they are good ones, of course..

I love Wegies very much and of course I will recommend you to get one! BUT also as the very wise Hautie said...go to a cat show, there you will meet different cats!

Oh and Siberian cats are gorgeous! Also ppl who are allergic to cats might be able to have a Sib....

Then there is Neva Masquerade of course!....The white Siberian.....mmmmm beautiful

All pictures taken by Lasse Cajander and Mattias Glimso at The NFC Cat show in Kalmar march 2011

Well I'm pretty cool, huh?
Did you hear what she said about my tail?
Hmmm..not so bad, I did well at my first show!
Ahh nothing beats a good stretch!
My silly brother, Ikaros, he actually likes that!
The coolest spectator! My great grandfather, S*Aristo Limaz terry Talebearer, Terry for short.

My two Catahoulas :


Dixie and Jax:






Dixie:


http://s434.photobucket.com/albums/qq67/Ma...nt=S6301754.jpg

Minque - Every time I see new pics of those cats, I fall more and more in love with that breed! Beautiful!

mALXicoon - Your Dixie and Jax are so adorable! They look like such good, sweet dogs! I miss having a dog around!

Finally found one of my favorite Emmy pics! It was lost on my laptop ( I really need to better organize my picture files! lol)

@Lady Syl, awwww! How cute! She looks like a pretty snuggly kitty ♥

@mALX, wow those look like some pretty big dogs! Jax looks like the adult version of a puppy I had a long time ago

@minque, Indra looks very pretty! I love her fur, though I imagine when she sheds her winter coat is a little less lovable and more everywhere

Rosie. Onward ho!!!!

Melaina's first birthday was on the fourth Wrothken let me buy two presents.

Present One A little mouse thing that squeaks when it gets hit. Sadly since she's never seen a mouse, I don't think it sets off her hunting instinct the way a bird does (but Wrothken though the bird version was too annoying. -blows a rasberry-)

Present two A little ball with a bell and some feathers. This has been stashed away with the other bell-ball toys she has.

What she would rather play with

And her other favorite "toy"

Standing up to Mr. Vacuum

Mommy, can I have some coffee too?

Emmy is a beautiful cat !!

My dogs are both Louisiana Catahoula Leopard dogs. (purebred) - they are working dogs for hunting and herding.

We had a cat that looked exactly like Terry !!! We kept meaning to get pics of her and never got around to it, I wish we had.

mALX: Dixie and Jax are the same breed? Wow, they look so different from each other. They're cute, though. <3



Thanks! Yes, she's pretty snuggly - but usually only when I'm in bed or writing on my laptop!

Your cats are beautiful. Your black cat looks just like my Bear, too. I miss little Bear. He was such a sweetie...

After looking at everyone else's photos of their beloved furpersons, I finally found and uploaded the two shots I've been wanting to post here. Enjoy.

Zorie is my Siberian cat. Like the Norwegian Forest Cat, she is a long-haired cat. Because of her solid black color, it's so hard to get a good picture that doesn't look like a black blob with eyes. I think this captures the Queen she used to be (female breeding cats are called queens).

Trinity is quite the character. If Zorie is my Queen, then he's the Knave. He came into the emergency clinic as my first case of 2005, after being hit by a car the night before. He had disappeared, and his farmer owner couldn't find him until the next morning. The gentleman was very limited on funds, knew that Trinity (unnamed at the time, six months old) had bad injuries, and requested euthanasia. Now I'm usually pretty good about resisting the urge to adopt every single homeless animal that comes into the clinic, but one look at him and I knew I just couldn't do it. His left hind leg was pretty bad, and I ended up amputating it. My original intention was to place him in my church as a church kitty (hence the name Trinity). But he had other ideas and adopted me.

Rider, the kitties are beautiful! How appropriate for a three legged church-going cat to be named Trinity!

Those are nice cats... Zorie looks like she has quite a temper to her, I can imagine she was a queen in more ways than one. It's a very good picture, I can see how she could look like a black ball with eyes...

Trinity looks friendly. It's odd how cats adopt people as much as the other way.

Actually, Olen, it's more the other way around!

Zorie is the most civilized cat I've ever had. She shares beds and chairs and couches with regal politeness. She loves meeting people, especially children, and adores being petted by them. I've brought her to work with me a couple of times (when she needed a chiropractic adjustment and I would have a colleague perform one on her), and she would cruise laps in the employee lounge. She's used to strangers, since she was a show kitty when she was quite young.

Trinity on the other hand is sweet only to my mom and I. Everyone else gets a big spitty hiss from him. He likes to claim 'dibs' on my sisters' and friends' purses when they come to visit, then prevent them from reclaiming their property. "It's mine now!" He doesn't like it when people come to our house, and gets all upset when they have fun in his space. He is also impossible to handle when at the clinic. I usually take him out of the carrier and place him straight into the 'Wild Child.' It's a plexiglass box that can be sealed off, and we can pipe oxygen and anesthetic gas into it. I just gas him down before I let anyone else handle him. Yup, that's how bad he is. I'm very good at handling difficult cats, but with this one I just go the gas route. It's easier on everybody, and I don't have to worry about someone else getting bit.

ROFL !!! These pics are great, Jacki !!!

Ok friends, it's time for another contribution, newest pics of my Princess! These pica are taken at the International Cat Show in Kalmar the 8th of May.

All photos by the courtesy of Lasse Cajander!

Well, what now?



Hi there!



Imprisoned!



Out of my cage!

Beautiful !! Did she win a ribbon?

Indeed, Minque, she is exquisite!

Oh aye! She got Ex1 AND her first CAP! That is Certificat d'Apitude de Premiere, dvs certificate for being a Premiere, if she had not been castrated she would have been Champion! But they call it Premier instead. It's the same thing you know! 3 CAP from 3 different judges makes her a Premiere and then she will go for the title International Premiere! then she needs a lot of certificates (6)and in foreign countries as well. So then it will be travel time..Norway or Denmark!

And yes lady Syl, I'm so very proud of her! Not only is she a beauty, her temper is very good and the last judge admired it! yayy

It is the same way in the dog shows regarding the spay/neutered animals. I guess because they want the champions to pass on their genes. Congrats on her great showing !!

Cat shows, dog shows, horse shows.

When you think about it, all they are are advertising for breeding stock. (Horse races, too). People only want to breed to champion stock, they only want offspring of champion stock, they only want to buy champion. That champion title implies that the bearer is the best of the best.

Well, it's all a bunch of kerpuffle. I've seen so many "champions" that wouldn't pass my standards. English Bulldogs, anyone? These dogs are huge income generators for veterinary clinics (my own veterinary mentor does a lot of Bulldog work, and even has clients coming from Iowa, and we're in EASTERN Illinois!). Champion German Shepherds can't walk normally, it's a miracle they can run without skinning their knees on the ground. Golden Retrievers are allergic to everything, including their owners. And you expect me to believe these are healthy genetic examples?

Thoroughbreds bred for the race track? Breakdowns before they're five years old. Unsoundness all their lives. Quarter Horses? Champions of the Impressive line have hyperperiodic hyperkalemia, where their muscles become weak. Additionally, many of these horses have navicular because they have Shetland pony-sized feet under Shire-sized bodies. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but that combination is not good, and many so-called champions were euthanized before their time because the pain in their feet was so bad. And I was starting to see a disturbing trend toward pop-eyes in Arabians and Morgans. Like their equivalents in Pekingneses, Boston Terriers, Chihuahuas, and other bug-eyed breeds, they are more prone to corneal damage and proptosis (eyeball leaving the socket usually due to trauma).

While I love Morgan horses, I will be the first to admit that there has been unsound breeding practices perpetuated thanks to horse shows that emphasize radical appearances as opposed to sound temperaments, sound conformation, and sound performance.

Cats haven't suffered as much at the hands of breeders, partially because selective breeding of cats have not been going on as long as for dogs and horses, yet the appearance of new "breeds" like the Munchkin have me cringing. The Manx cat, while overall a pretty solid breed, has a tendency for spinal defects thanks to the mutation that gives it the short/tailless appearance. Persians have a tendency for eye and nasal infections; they also have a genetic defect for polycystic kidney disease that is usually fatal by the time the cat is five. When I look at cats, I look for the ones closest to the 'natural' type - the American Shorthair (still has an open stud book last time I looked), which is practically identical to the 'barn cat' we see so many of in vet practice, and of the long-haired breeds, Maine Coons, Norwegians, and Siberians.

Depending on your religious orientation, God or Nature knows best when it comes to who are the real champions. Everything we humans touch in our puny attempts to improve have resulted in suffering, pain, illness, and genetic defects that by rights would have been eliminated out of the gene pool if left alone.

Sorry, it's one of my soapboxes. I'll get off now.

Congratulations, minque, on your princess's success at her show. She is gorgeous and her personality really shines. My own Zorie was a show cat in her younger months, and she did very well. The judges loved her temperament, and those got passed down to her babies. I adore her every day - she is the most civilized cat I've ever lived with. Yet she will drop the queen act and play with total abandon. You should see her at her favorite game - catch the kibble. I have her favorite treat, and I toss a little piece across the wood floor. She goes chasing after it, and sometimes she'll bat it around so she can chase it some more. She's so adorable when she does this!

Don't ask me why, but this sentence reminded me of that SouthPark episode when Kyle has the (huge) testacles of a black man implanted into his knees so he can play basketball. He made a jump shot and when he landed the testacles burst, and he had to walk (skinning his knees on the ground). ... Maybe I better drink more coffee, lol.

Wow, this I didn't know. But it does make sense that they want those Champion genes passed on. And I'm so glad she has a good temper, minque! That is a wonderful thing to find in a pet--my cat's temper is mostly good, but lately she's been angry with me (now I have a baby AND a three year old taking up more of my time, so she gets less of me than she did before the kids were born... My poor sweet little kitty has a right to be angry--I just wish she wouldn't take it out on the carpet!)



lmao! Omg, mALXie, that is hilarious! I don't remember that episode, but that doesn't surprise me in the least, knowing how that show usually goes, lol. Yes, more coffee might be beneficial.

After the game Kyle's dad goes to sue the doctor for malpractice - and instead ends up accepting a free surgical procedure to turn himself into a dolphin (complete with the fin on his back and dolphin sounds, ROFL !!!)

It's one (of many) of my fave episodes. (You'll be coming across another of my fave episodes soon in an early chapter of my story - "Who Dukey'd in the Unrinal" - when the Gray Prince goes for an interview with the Black Horse Courier, lol).

Oh hautie! I KNOW! I've had dogs as well and I did not go to dog shows more than once, then I decided it was not for me OR my dog, a German shepherd. I did NOT go to shows with my two previous house cats either...BUT Indra is different! I castrated her, yeah took the whole gear out so there's no breeding going on!

Why do I take her to cat shows? Well first it's FUN! You meet all kind of ppl who share your interest in cats, Second Indra is very beautiful and an extremely cool cat so she does not mind sitting in that cage all day, because there are so many things to distact her, me, ppl saying hallo to her, ppl grooming her, (Me and her breeder) which she actually LOVES, She can come out of the cage, sitting on my lap, in my arms while I walk around and so on....She sits in her cage patiently, goes to sleep, eat a bite, sleeps again.

Third, i like to have professional experts judging her, how her fur is, her body her gorgeous tail, and above all her temper! AND i get very proud and happy when other ppl tell me my cat is beautiful and cool.

I will take her to another show in Kalmar the 10th of july, then we take a break from shows until late fall or even winter. My first goal is to get her the title Premier, national Premier.

The day Indra feels bad about cat shows i will stop going! Of course i will....it's not just for me i will consider Indra's feelings first!

You are doing this for all the right reasons, and absolutely take Indra's feelings into consideration. Zorie loved the attention, but hated the car rides, so her breeder stopped after she got her first championship. That's what I love about her breeder - her cats' health and sanity are the most important things, and she breeds for wonderful, playful, gentle temperaments.

Everyone who comes to the house loves Zorie - not only for her soft flooffy coat but also for her wonderful 'luvmeluvme' attitude. And she is soooo good with children!

YAY! Indra did it again! She took her second CAP at the Cat show on sunday, and got a marvellous judgment, i.e wonderful temper, which made me very happy.

I will post some pics tomorrow!

Congrats to you, minque!

Minque your kitty is beautiful!!!!!!! And I'm not really a cat person, though when I did more rescue work I nursed a few back to health before they were adopted.

I agree with Hautie to a degree, I have had 4 Boxers in the past and I do love them but....the first I lost to cancer, the second was agressive (do have to say I adopted him at 6 or 7 months, what happened to him prior to that I have no idea) the third was blind-runnin nuts!!!!! and the 4th had a brain aneurism when he was 6.

I now have two rescues, a Pomeranian that I got when she was 6 months old named Zoe and a Shih-Poo that has at some point been mistreated by a man, she hates them all (smart dog) but loves children and women. I also have a Grand Puppy, hehe. Her name is Amber and actually she started out as a rescue that I took in when she was hours old,found on the side of the road in a box with the rest of the litter. I raised 3 of them and a friend of mine raised two. I lost the runt at 9 weeks to parvo, even though they had had their shots they didn't have the immunity their mother would have given them through her milk. Anyway, now my eldest daughter has her and she is much like a fuzzy human, even sits on the corner of the couch on her butt with her front paw on the arm of the couch and watches TV.

congratulations, minque!! I'm waitin' on those pics now! I"m not surprised she got high points for her 'tude - it shows in the pics you posted earlier.

Thynae, that dog thinks she's a human, not a dog! Common among those who are raised among humans rather than with other dogs. It's also seen in horses, cats, birds, wild animals, etc. It's also noticeable in humans (wolf-boy anyone?). It's called imprinting. Unavoidable in your case, really, but could be worse! Could be a 3,000 pound beefalo bull!

Here’s something to show your cat. The Grits Family’s only furred pet: Captain Bobo.

Grits! The little captain is as cute as Alix the Mouse!

Is he a hamster?

Grits, the Captain is wonderful! Is he a russian dwarf hamster, perhaps?

He’s a Chinese dwarf hamster, so he’s much smaller than his name. He was awarded his rank by an eleven year old. I suspect cuteness was a factor. Hey, I wonder if he likes sweetrolls! Probably not good for his tiny figure, though.

All he needs are a couple of epaulets with captains insignia and he'd be all set. Size has nothing to do with ability. There's an old saying my Dad quoted often for my benefit

"If size had anything to do with it a cow could out run a rabbit."

He's adorable!!!

GAAAAAH !!!! He is so CUTE !!!! And Acadian didn't say anything, but I will .... BOBO? I know you have read Acadian's "BOBO poems" over on my poetry thread, ROFL !!! They may take on new meaning for me if I re-read them with this adorable little moutszie in my mind, lol.

He is as cute as anything !!!!



@ Minque - Congrats (again) to your kitty !!!!

Oh my gosh, I went back and read the Bobo poem – no wonder the little guy sleeps so much, he's tired!! Now I have the image of him sneaking out of his little tea box house in a Blue Team raiment for his nightly tussle… If Bobo the Bloodletter ever does get his own fanfic, I can provide some photos, Acadian!

Bobo happy! Do whatever little Captain say.

Bobo and the Captain: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http:/...ved=0CEEQ9QEwBw

Wow, Bobo is certainly more manly than I pictured him! I pictured him something more like ... this:





*

OMG, Bobo and the Captain!! I just hurt myself laughing.

mALX, WHAT is going on with that tail??!! I think I remember that picture… but not the story of Maxical’s naughty tail!!

The Captain awoke this noon (against his will) with a hankering for sunflower seeds. Or so his miniature giant space hamster brain wave seems to be telling me.

ROFL !!!! I see some of us have our minds in the same place as Gils's and Andronicus's !!! ROFL !!!! At least you DID recognize that it was her tail, both Gils and Andronicus thought it was her hand, lol.

Maxical bet Owyn she could make Gils draw her a picture to take to Andronicus in jail. She did it by drawing the (above) and asking him to sign it for Andronicus, lol.

Pretty early on in the story, way too far back for memories of the event, lol. I found out over at the BGSF when I wrote Maxical's first adventures that - in five chapters someone can forget a glass jar filled with yellow liquid is "Nord Whiskey" and assume it is Maxical's pee that Manheim somehow extracted from her greaves and put in a jar - which he then gave to Owyn ... as a gift ... to drink, .... ... ... SPEW !!!!! I still roll every time I remember that !!!!!

PS: By the way, the above is the full extent of my drawing capabilities, lol.

*

Aww Grits, he's adorable!! If we didn't have a little cat farm going I might want one


Melaina under the desk aka her cubby

She has retreated there during the day since its so hot!

Melaina and Osiris being nice...

...being naughty!

Very sorry guys! Just noticed I promised you pics from the last Cat show...so..HERE they come!
Looking at me, huh?
I need my sleep, take that light away!
Yup, my tail is magnificent, the Judge said!
Uhh, lot of talking here, and the table is...slippery!

Indra looks so beautiful in these shots, but doesn't she seem a little tired? That last picture was a little funny - the look on her face is priceless!

Did she do well again? Not embarrass her mom?

Indra did well, she got her second certificate, one more and she will be National Premier! My little princess is kinda lazy, she just loves her new cage dressing, especially the padded one in the bottom, it's made by a friend of mine and Indra loved it from the moment I got it and laid it on the floor for her to examine it. She immediately curled up on it!

Then it is also a bit fuzzy and noisy at a cat show, lots of ppl looking at the cats, grooming and preparing for the judging and so on. Now Indra is very calm and tolerant, she likes the cage, she feels safe in it.

The last pic is from the actual judging, the lady-judge is holding her under her arms, very thoroughly describing her for the audience, her tail, the quality of her fur, her body, face eyes ears...everything is ranked by points. Maximum is 100 and if you get over 95 you get a certificate!.

Indra got very high ranked for her good temper, you know you can actually do whatever you want with that kitty, if she feels safe with you! Besides she is particularly fond of men! My son (Bolzmania on Chorrol) is her big love, the breeders husband is another one...

Next show will be in october, then we pause until spring!

Say hello to Curry! He's approximately three weeks old now, which means that he's still dependent on his parents, but I can still take him out sometims. He's so curious, and not afraid of me at all! He's perfectly content lying on my stomach looking around most of the time, but today he started climbing along my arms. He's so cute! He's a splendid parakeet, one of four children that my dad's birds are raising at the moment.