News!
Cat and Kitten Availability
 All of Leontyne's kittens have found their new homes. Two of them will be making their public debut in Portland, ME on August 30th: Audre Lorde and Zelma George Watson. One of Sade's kittens is still available for adoption. Their dam is GC, RW Caricature's Sadu Adu of Soul2Soul and their sire is GC Bellagatti's Andrea Bocelli.. Contact me at: (413) 238-0077 or email me by clicking on Contact Us and enter your information in the contact form.
News Flash!
Sade's kittens would like to make their public debut:
In these pictures they are six weeks old and it was impossible to get all four in a picture together (Mexican jumping bean effect). Just getting three was a feat! And the little one is showing off her own feet! They have a three tier cat climbing pole that they have mastered except for the top tier. To get down, they roll inside the entrance to the round tier and from there climb down another scratching post that Mom has put there for them. This can tucker a kitten out and so they do this a few times before all settling in on the second tier for a nap together.
Here they are at nine weeks, much more settled, but still full of beans:
Awards
Sade Wins a North Atlantic Regional Award as a Kitten and Bombay Enthusiasts Award
Sade Adu became a Regional Winner during the 2007-2008 CFA show season, thus entitling her to put the initials RW in front of her name. Each year the top 25 kittens in each region earn this distinction. She also won Second Best Bombay Kitten from the Bombay Enthusiasts of America.
Rama Receives a Regional Breed Win
Rama also received an award for third best Sable Burmese kitten in the North Atlantic Region.
Sita Receives a Kitten Award from the National Alliance of Burmese Breeders
Sita won sixth best Burmese kitten from the National Alliance of Burmese Breeders..
Show Year News
The 2007 – 2008 Show Season
Three of the four Grand Champions started off the show season as kittens. Leontyne had begun her show career the previous year at a show in Middletown, NY during one of the season's worst blizzards. But the show must go on, and it did, despite Interstates being closed and cars and trucks off the side of the road. She was not too happy when her brother, who later went on to be the Number 3 Cat in the World this season, took all but one breed ribbon.
 Sade and Sita made their debut as kittens together. While Sita loved to play on the judging table, Sade found that just by posing she could impress the judges. She thought putting on a performance was for “kids”. Sita rolled, jumped and climbed her way into several judges hearts and really appreciated having an audience for her somersaults. She wasn't above kissing a judge or two if that was what was needed.
Sade and Sita soon became traveling buddies whenever we drove to a show. Since we often left in the middle of the night, they thought this new nocturnal routine was lots of fun. Their fondest memory is the time they used their hands... err... paws to open a safety pin on the zippers of their SturdiShelter and escape. Mama was on the Garden State Parkway in a section where there was no breakdown lane. Sade and Sita delightedly positioned themselves on the driver's side dashboard and watched what they remember as the best light show of their lives. They waved to passing truck drivers and to toll booth attendants. Mama complained she couldn't see very well, but they thought she was just plain grumpy.
Bombays and Burmese will use their paws like hands, so a word to the wise – fasten those carriers securely with SMALL safety pins or with locks.
Meanwhile Rama arrived from his breeders in Florida. He too soon got the show “bug” and was performing his signature drop and roll on the judging table. He too stole a few judge's hearts and many of the spectator's.
One of the highlights of Sita's kitten career was when she participated in a Halloween costume contest at a show in the Mid-West. She appeared as the non-pumpkin pumpkin. While waiting to be judged, she twice disrobed, and had to be re-clothed on the judging table. She was bitterly disappointed that there was no prize for “Fastest Costume Change”.
Sade finished her kitten career as a North Atlantic Regional Winner, something that will stay with her for the rest of her life. Besides the impressive plaque and all her ribbons, she also received a large ribbon from the Bombay Enthusiasts.
 Rama received a Breed Award as Third Best Sable Burmese in the North Atlantic region. And Sita received a large ribbon from the National Alliance of Burmese Breeders as Sixth best Burmese kitten.
After all the travels as kittens, all four of us hit the road again to begin the process of becoming first Champions, and then Grand Champions. Leontyne and Rama led the way, followed by Sade and Sita. When it was all over, we all kicked back and worked on our scrapbooks. None of us can remember all the places we visited, which hotel was where, nor how we survived so many trips.
But we are all happy to have had these adventures and to have made friends with other breeds and their servants.
Now Leontyne, Sade and Rama have kittens of their own... anxiously awaiting their own adventures either in the show hall or in loving homes.
All of us would like to thank certain people who have made this adventure possible: first of all, Sig and Sharyn Hauck who graciously mentor a few breeders in the USA as well as Canada, Europe and the Far East. Sade sends a special thank you to Diana Wilder. We all thank the Neville Brothers who live nearby and whose song inspired our cattery name. We thank the clubs, judges, and CFA officials that made all of these shows a reality. Our Vet, Doctor Joanne Morrison, who is a member of the Winn Feline Foundation Honor Roll. Finally, a big thank you to Shirley Rida for her early morning assistance as a mid-wife and her many trips down the hill through snow and ice to cat sit. |
