June? It's been since JUNE since I blogged anything? hahaha Well we sure have been busy around here! We have one kitten going home today, and that's the last from our last 12 litters. I don't have another litter due until next Saturday, so I get a whole week's vacation with just me and my furry kids.
I'm really excited about the upcoming year! First of all, I've got my new little chocolate tabby stud kitty, who will start breeding pretty soon. Once he does, I am going to let Hooch retire. I hate keeping him confined away from the other kitties, so I bought Mugo so that Hooch can go be a family guy somewhere. Hopefully Mugo will be a good boy and get to stay out with the rest of the family - he's already cleaning kittens and treating them like his own, so I believe he's going to be a very gentle fella with EVERYone!
For my girls, I've got Jasmine (a lilac cream lynx point), Poppy (tortoiseshell, chocolate/lilac carrier), Daisy (cream tabby, chocolate/lilac carrier), and Rosie (solid white, masking red or tortie). I'm also supposed to be adopting 2 adult himalayan girls asap. Star is a blue point (which will be wonderful since we retired Dutches this year), and Prissy is a seal point (we also had to retire our seal point Buttercup this year). So that gives me a full house with 6 girls.
I have plans to keep kittens in the near future to retire my oldest girls, Jasmine and Poppy. I'd love to delve into more whites as well!
And that's enough from me today - y'all have very happy holidays!! For more information about us, visit our website at http://www.tnpurrs.com. You can also see more than 50,000 photos of our cats and kittens on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnhimmies/sets
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Poppy's babies...
These are Poppy and Hooch's babies at 8 weeks old. There's Ida Lou, Milo, Eddie, and Gabby. The red kittens are "tabbied" reds, not true tabbies... they just happen to have lovely clown stripes. And that little Gabby is one of the prettiest torties we've seen... great checkerboard chin and a lovely blaze up her nose... they're wonderful kittens through and through!
SweetPea's Cherokee Rose of TNPURRS
Have y'all met my little darlin'? Rosie came from Sweet Pea Cattery. She is a copper eyed white. We are only going to keep a couple of whites so that we have a few available throughout the year. When Rosie is old enough, we will breed her to Hooch before he retires so that we can get another little white girl (maybe even with a semi-face) to breed with our new boy.
White is interesting to breed with because their are actually genetics for 2 colors. White masks the "true" color of the cat, which can normally be determined by the color of spot on their head when they're born (Rosie had a black spot)... OR by an experimental breeding to see what you get.
Rosie's mother has been throwing red kittens from a seal point father. That means she is either red or tortoiseshell. If she had any red girls, she would have to be tortoiseshell, but all her reds have been boys so far, so we can't say for sure. If the mother (Pearl) is a red, that would mean that Rosie would have to be tortoiseshell under all that white. And if her mother is actually a tortoiseshell, Rosie could be red OR tortoiseshell herself. I'd lean more towards tortoiseshell because of the black spot. The best way we'll know is through a trial breeding, though.
Rosie, by the way, is the daughter of Puddy, our first stud kitty. She has a LOT of his sweet personality - we love her!
White is interesting to breed with because their are actually genetics for 2 colors. White masks the "true" color of the cat, which can normally be determined by the color of spot on their head when they're born (Rosie had a black spot)... OR by an experimental breeding to see what you get.
Rosie's mother has been throwing red kittens from a seal point father. That means she is either red or tortoiseshell. If she had any red girls, she would have to be tortoiseshell, but all her reds have been boys so far, so we can't say for sure. If the mother (Pearl) is a red, that would mean that Rosie would have to be tortoiseshell under all that white. And if her mother is actually a tortoiseshell, Rosie could be red OR tortoiseshell herself. I'd lean more towards tortoiseshell because of the black spot. The best way we'll know is through a trial breeding, though.
Rosie, by the way, is the daughter of Puddy, our first stud kitty. She has a LOT of his sweet personality - we love her!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Jazzy's babies...
And these are Jazzy's 7 latest babies - aren't they gorgeous! We got one brown mackerel tabby male, 2 blue males, 1 blue and silver tabby male, 1 cream tabby male, and 2 cream tabby females. Good job, Jazzy girl! These kittens will be 4 weeks old on Sunday.
Maybe tonight or tomorrow morning, ma...
She's acting really nutty today, nesting hard, grooming, eating a bit every few minutes, rubbing up against my legs... she's close. She's not close enough to go during the day today, but she could do a late nighter (which she is famous for). If she were going to have kittens in the middle of the night, I would know by bedtime, though. The way she's nesting, I'd expect them no later than tomorrow at noon... then again, she does like to prove me wrong! hahaha
Actually, THIS is our new boy...
I thought I wanted a lilac, but the little lilac wasn't a tabby, and THEN I saw this guy and was instantly in love!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
This is our new little boy...
What kind of kittens will I create with my new girlfriends?
Originally uploaded by Darlene ~ www.tnpersians.com
Will be able to create chocolates and lilacs with Jasmine, Daisy, and probably Poppy, as Poppy has a heavy chocolate background. Here's the basics of what types of kittens I can have with each girlie, with the chocolates and lilacs being more rare. We'll also be able to have some solid girls every now and again! All of these colors can also have tabby markings...
With Jasmine - Males: cream, lilac OR females: lilac, lilac cream
With Poppy - Males: black, blue, red, cream, chocolate, lilac OR females: black, blue, tortie, blue cream, chocolate, lilac, chocolate tortie, lilac cream
With Lily - The same as with Poppy but most likely without any chocolate or lilac (both parents MUST have chocolate and lilac genetics in order to produce them).
With Daisy - Males: cream OR females: blue cream, lilac cream
With Rosie - Now this depends if she breeds as a black since she was born with a black spot on her head, or if she breeds as a red like her mommy, who was also born with a black spot on her head if I remember correctly. Rosie's mom also puts off smokes and cameos!
With Rosie as a black - Males: black, blue, white OR females: black, blue, white
With the new blue cream girl we plan to keep or buy - Males: blue, cream OR females: blue, blue cream
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He won't be bred to Dutches because she will be retired by the time he is old enough. I might, however, breed Rosie to Hooch once before HE retires, so that I can keep another white girl to breed to little bit here :-)
With Rosie as a red - Males: red, cream, white OR females: tortie, blue cream, white
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Poppy's babies...
Aren't we just beautiful! We have a red classic tabby boy, a red girl, a red boy, and a tortie girl. All of these kittens have homes! They are just adorable little doll face babies, very strong, healthy, and active! We're terribly proud of them :-)
It's been a crazy couple of days, but we'll post more news soon!
It's been a crazy couple of days, but we'll post more news soon!
Friday, May 2, 2008
Fatty fat fat...
The words "big as a house" no longer apply... unless you have a REALLY big house hahaha
Only a couple more days now, and everything is going very well!
Only a couple more days now, and everything is going very well!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Lily and babies, after breakfast...
And how are Lily's babies doing? I couldn't be more proud! Everyone is thriving, and Lily has turned out to be an exceptional little mommy! These babies moved into the "big kitty" nursery yesterday and have settled in nicely. They're getting around well and exploring like crazy! We're eating a very soupy milk and chicken baby food mix right now and will start eating from a saucer within the next few days... by next Friday, they'll be introduced to the litter box - amazing how they grow, isn't it!
We have decided to give Lily another try, but we won't be breeding her after this until the fall. Normally, I breed my girls twice a year, and I like to breed their litters close together and then give them the rest of the year off. But even though the vet said it was safe to go ahead and breed Lily, I just feel better waiting!
It would break my heart if something happened to my girl! That's something everyone who decides to breed their kitty should think about... you are ALWAYS putting your cat at risk and could lose them with any litter! When you breed your girl, you must take your responsibility to her VERY seriously, as well as the lives of her kittens. We like to think that kitties handle birthing like real pros, and most of the time they do - but not only did I have a c-section this spring, so did 2 other very close friends out of the handful of breeders that I know personally... that's a high average! All were emergency c-sections, and all of us could have lost our girls! Just something to remember.
Oops, lunch time for the babies! :-)
We have decided to give Lily another try, but we won't be breeding her after this until the fall. Normally, I breed my girls twice a year, and I like to breed their litters close together and then give them the rest of the year off. But even though the vet said it was safe to go ahead and breed Lily, I just feel better waiting!
It would break my heart if something happened to my girl! That's something everyone who decides to breed their kitty should think about... you are ALWAYS putting your cat at risk and could lose them with any litter! When you breed your girl, you must take your responsibility to her VERY seriously, as well as the lives of her kittens. We like to think that kitties handle birthing like real pros, and most of the time they do - but not only did I have a c-section this spring, so did 2 other very close friends out of the handful of breeders that I know personally... that's a high average! All were emergency c-sections, and all of us could have lost our girls! Just something to remember.
Oops, lunch time for the babies! :-)
Poppy, due May 4
Our Poppy Love is doing VERY well and progressing nicely with her pregnancy. We are expecting beautifully marked kittens from her in the same color varieties as Jasmine had...
Boys - black, blue, red, cream, brown classic tabby, blue classic tabby
Girls - tortoiseshell, blue cream, red, cream, brown patched tabby, blue patched tabby
The tabby gene won't be as strong with Poppy as they were with Jazzy because Jazzy is a lynx point and doubled up on the tabby genes with Hooch. Poppy has a very strong chocolate line, which will be unlikely that we ever benefit from with Hooch, but when we get a cream point stud male, I will look for one who is a chocolate/lilac carrier.
Poppy has some lovely qualities we'd like to see her pass on to her children - she has a checkerboard chin and a beautiful blaze up her forehead, and her colors are very vivid! She should produce NICE reds and torties!
She moved into the newborn nursery yesterday and has already started nesting today... only 8 days now! I can't wait!
Boys - black, blue, red, cream, brown classic tabby, blue classic tabby
Girls - tortoiseshell, blue cream, red, cream, brown patched tabby, blue patched tabby
The tabby gene won't be as strong with Poppy as they were with Jazzy because Jazzy is a lynx point and doubled up on the tabby genes with Hooch. Poppy has a very strong chocolate line, which will be unlikely that we ever benefit from with Hooch, but when we get a cream point stud male, I will look for one who is a chocolate/lilac carrier.
Poppy has some lovely qualities we'd like to see her pass on to her children - she has a checkerboard chin and a beautiful blaze up her forehead, and her colors are very vivid! She should produce NICE reds and torties!
She moved into the newborn nursery yesterday and has already started nesting today... only 8 days now! I can't wait!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
We're 2 weeks old today!
We got a rocky start with Lily's babies and the c-section, but are are growing and thriving and just as sweet and precious as can be! They are all doing SO very well!
I'm still feeding because they just don't gain as much weight when I wait longer between feedings... so I'm going to stick to every 3 hours until they turn 3 weeks old, and by then, they will be able to lap the milk from a saucer. They will DIG that, and so will their mama! LOL She has become a milk addict since I've been giving it to her to supplement her milk making.
Here are our weights...
Milo - up to 9 ounces from a birth weight of 3 3/8 oz
Thunder - up to 10 1/4 ounces from a birth weight of 3 1/4 oz
Stormy - up to 9 ounces (HUGE SMILE) from a weight of 3 7/8 when I brought him home from the vet's office
They are really getting around and starting to roll and play with me and Lily. They are the cuddliest kittens I've had so far - probably because of all the handling and feeding. I read somewhere the other day that handling a kitten for 40 minutes a day makes it smarter - these oughta be SMART SMART smart kittens, that's for sure! We can do 40 minutes standing on our heads! hahaha
And thanks to ALL of you for all the thoughts and prayers and wonderful emails that kept me going through Lily's ordeal and also helped our babies heal, I'm sure! You are all very much appreciated!
I'm still feeding because they just don't gain as much weight when I wait longer between feedings... so I'm going to stick to every 3 hours until they turn 3 weeks old, and by then, they will be able to lap the milk from a saucer. They will DIG that, and so will their mama! LOL She has become a milk addict since I've been giving it to her to supplement her milk making.
Here are our weights...
Milo - up to 9 ounces from a birth weight of 3 3/8 oz
Thunder - up to 10 1/4 ounces from a birth weight of 3 1/4 oz
Stormy - up to 9 ounces (HUGE SMILE) from a weight of 3 7/8 when I brought him home from the vet's office
They are really getting around and starting to roll and play with me and Lily. They are the cuddliest kittens I've had so far - probably because of all the handling and feeding. I read somewhere the other day that handling a kitten for 40 minutes a day makes it smarter - these oughta be SMART SMART smart kittens, that's for sure! We can do 40 minutes standing on our heads! hahaha
And thanks to ALL of you for all the thoughts and prayers and wonderful emails that kept me going through Lily's ordeal and also helped our babies heal, I'm sure! You are all very much appreciated!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Meet Stormy and Windy...
They were joined at the vet's office by their earlier arrivals, Thunder and Flash. All four kittens are spending the weekend at the vet's office with their mommy, and everyone is doing well! The vet says she is nursing and caring for her kittens, so she started producing milk after all the kittens were delivered.
We have 1 solid black male, 1 classic red tabby that might be a boy OR a girl (probably boy), 1 blue cream girl and 1 solid blue boy. We will be waiting for the kittens to come home to be with us before taking reservations for them, but I will be in contact with those of you on our waiting list. We "might" be keeping Windy, the blue cream girl... I'm waiting to get a closer look at her sweet little face.
Thanks for all your kind thoughts and emails, and we certainly appreciate the prayers for our babies!
We have 1 solid black male, 1 classic red tabby that might be a boy OR a girl (probably boy), 1 blue cream girl and 1 solid blue boy. We will be waiting for the kittens to come home to be with us before taking reservations for them, but I will be in contact with those of you on our waiting list. We "might" be keeping Windy, the blue cream girl... I'm waiting to get a closer look at her sweet little face.
Thanks for all your kind thoughts and emails, and we certainly appreciate the prayers for our babies!
Update on Lily...
Update on Ms. Lily FooFoo... She is at the vet's right now having a C-section. The vet says there are quite a few kittens in there (how they are, we don't know yet), and he thinks one is just blocking the way. 2 shots of oxytocin didn't produce a kitten, and he said that was too much of that as it is. So we may or may not bring more kittens home. If the remaining kittens don't survive, Lily will also be spayed, and she will come home tonight. If the kittens do survive, we will take Thunder and Flash to join their family for the weekend - oh you know how it will kill me having them out of my sight!
Thanks for all prayers! Lily is being a wonderful girl, and the vet thinks she will be just fine... I'll post an update here in about an hour.
(((((HUGS)))))
Dar
Thanks for all prayers! Lily is being a wonderful girl, and the vet thinks she will be just fine... I'll post an update here in about an hour.
(((((HUGS)))))
Dar
Friday, April 4, 2008
We are most definitely in labor...
Lily's water has broken, and she's panting. She's behaving just like her mommy does in labor, so I should know just what to expect as we go along. I'll let you know the moment the first kitten is born!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Today's our due date...
We've got serious nesting and clinginess going on, but no signs of immediate labor... I expect her to go tonight or tomorrow sometime and will definitely keep y'all posted! All is well and appears to be on schedule! :-)
Monday, March 31, 2008
3 more days...
For the past few days, Lily has been really affectionate, clingy, meowing after me everywhere I go and not wanting me to leave her side... these are all good things! Today, however, she is SLEEPY! It seems all the girls like to get a good couple of days rest in before time to delivery.
She's sleeping on her back a lot, and I just love her tummy! You can see the babies moving from across the room now, and they are strong and active!
I'll be housebound with her until after she delivers now. During these times, my poor hubby has to do any grocery shopping or errands outside the home. I never want one of my girls to have to have her kittens by herself, but especially not their first litter.
So we're all doing well and hope to have good news for you very soon!
She's sleeping on her back a lot, and I just love her tummy! You can see the babies moving from across the room now, and they are strong and active!
I'll be housebound with her until after she delivers now. During these times, my poor hubby has to do any grocery shopping or errands outside the home. I never want one of my girls to have to have her kittens by herself, but especially not their first litter.
So we're all doing well and hope to have good news for you very soon!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
That's some impressive belly, darlin'!
We're doing great here - just wanted to make a quick post to show off Foofy's belly :-)
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Lily is due on April 3rd...
And she is doing just great. All her mommy hormones have kicked into gear, and she's affectionate and sweet as pie! She's the size of a house and is going to make her mommy proud, I'm sure. I'll be sleeping in our newborn nursery with her from now until she has her kittens, as I think she is very close. Her tummy was superactive today and lumping up a bit - you could see it from across the room!
By the way, we did some redecorating on our website, so y'all drop by and check it out! I was feeling springy, I think :-)
For all of you on our waiting list, you should be hearing from me VERY soon!
By the way, we did some redecorating on our website, so y'all drop by and check it out! I was feeling springy, I think :-)
For all of you on our waiting list, you should be hearing from me VERY soon!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
5 weeks old...
Aren't they adorable beyond words?! These are Jasmine's babies - they are 5 weeks old today. Dutches's babies were 2 weeks old yesterday, and as mentioned below, Lily is due on April 3rd. Hopefully, Poppy will be bred soon and will be due about 3-4 weeks after Lily. And yes, I have reservations for ALL the upcoming litters, and all but one of our current kittens has a home waiting on them already.
We'll be very busy in the upcoming weeks as expecting parents visit their kittens, and soon, some will be going home. We'll be keeping kitten of our own and purchasing a couple from other breeders. I wonder if I can teach these kittens to weed and mulch the garden this spring? That sure would help out! :-)
Anyway, just really wanted to show y'all how cute my babies are and then got chatty hahaha Have a great day!
We'll be very busy in the upcoming weeks as expecting parents visit their kittens, and soon, some will be going home. We'll be keeping kitten of our own and purchasing a couple from other breeders. I wonder if I can teach these kittens to weed and mulch the garden this spring? That sure would help out! :-)
Anyway, just really wanted to show y'all how cute my babies are and then got chatty hahaha Have a great day!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Lily is expecting...
Things are busy busy busy busy busy... well, you get it! We're busy! Dutches's babies turn 2 weeks old tomorrow, Jasmine's babies turn 5 weeks old on Tuesday, and Lily FooFoo is due to have her first litter of kittens on April 3rd, 2008.
Currently, her waiting list is too full to book anymore, but Poppy will be bred in March, and we'll be able to take new kitten applications for her litter.
All of the kittens we have now have homes except for one little solid black boy. He's the kitten we have nicknamed Romeo, and he will be a semi-faced kitten like our Lily here. You can see our website for details.
We also ran out of time and energy to continue writing at Suite101 Cats, but all of our articles will remain online there, and of course I welcome any of you to email me anytime if you have questions or need any kitty help. You can get a complete directory of our articles on Cats here - http://www.tnpersians.com/articles.html.
To our expecting parents, we sent out kitten updates this evening. If you didn't get an update, please drop me an email, and I will resend it. Everything is going very well with the kittens, and tomorrow is first bath day for Jazzy's litter! They'll be so pleased :-)
Currently, her waiting list is too full to book anymore, but Poppy will be bred in March, and we'll be able to take new kitten applications for her litter.
All of the kittens we have now have homes except for one little solid black boy. He's the kitten we have nicknamed Romeo, and he will be a semi-faced kitten like our Lily here. You can see our website for details.
We also ran out of time and energy to continue writing at Suite101 Cats, but all of our articles will remain online there, and of course I welcome any of you to email me anytime if you have questions or need any kitty help. You can get a complete directory of our articles on Cats here - http://www.tnpersians.com/articles.html.
To our expecting parents, we sent out kitten updates this evening. If you didn't get an update, please drop me an email, and I will resend it. Everything is going very well with the kittens, and tomorrow is first bath day for Jazzy's litter! They'll be so pleased :-)
Monday, February 11, 2008
Dutches's kittens are here...
Three darling little babies were born to Dutches and Hooch at 4:00 a.m. We had a long night, but mom and babies are resting and happy and well! Dutches had 2 little black boys and 1 blue cream girl. The blue cream and one of the blacks will be doll face, and one of the blacks will be a little flatter faced but nowhere near extreme. The boys were born right at 5 oz, and the little girl was 4 1/8 oz... which is pretty big for kittens. The average birth weight is about 3 oz.
The waiting list is extensive, but we may have one of the black boys and the blue cream girl available. We also have one tortoiseshell girl available from Jasmine's litter. Check Our Website for details.
The waiting list is extensive, but we may have one of the black boys and the blue cream girl available. We also have one tortoiseshell girl available from Jasmine's litter. Check Our Website for details.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Due yesterday :-)
...and She doesn't appear to be in much of a hurry. But then again, Duckie is pretty cool about the whole thing until she starts having contractions... and then she's mama's teensy baby drama queen!
And yes, I did shave that tummy, but her fur seems to have wintered up and grown back in fast and thick. Ah well, it will keep her babies warm and protect her tummy from little tiger claws!
For those on my waiting list, you'll know within minutes of us going in to labor, and you'll have pictures as soon as we have a kitten - promise! :-)
And yes, I did shave that tummy, but her fur seems to have wintered up and grown back in fast and thick. Ah well, it will keep her babies warm and protect her tummy from little tiger claws!
For those on my waiting list, you'll know within minutes of us going in to labor, and you'll have pictures as soon as we have a kitten - promise! :-)
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Daisy, 2 weeks old
Hooch and Jazzy's babies are two weeks old. Stop by Flickr to see their photos!
Also, any of you expecting one of our kittens knows that we are against declawing, but for any of you out there considering it, here's an article on The Pros and Cons of Declawing Cats. I personally believe that it is traumatic, and even the slightest risk of causing life-long litter box problems isn't worth the risk. And my cats don't do much damage to the house. We have the minor repair here and there, but I've got a LOT of kitties, and they're good kitties! :-)
Also, any of you expecting one of our kittens knows that we are against declawing, but for any of you out there considering it, here's an article on The Pros and Cons of Declawing Cats. I personally believe that it is traumatic, and even the slightest risk of causing life-long litter box problems isn't worth the risk. And my cats don't do much damage to the house. We have the minor repair here and there, but I've got a LOT of kitties, and they're good kitties! :-)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Dutches, due Friday
For those of you waiting on kittens from our Duckie dear, she is doing very well. As you can see, she's gotten just a teensy bit chubby, too! :-) She is due on Friday the 8th, and she has taken up residence in our bedroom with a special little nest for her and her babies right beside me when I sleep. I have decided I'm too old to sleep on the couch waiting for babies, so just moved all of us back to my bed, kitties included.
We'll send out an update as soon as Dutches shows signs of being close to labor. Keep your paws crossed for us! She averages 6 kittens a litter, and there isn't a better kitty mommy anywhere!
We'll send out an update as soon as Dutches shows signs of being close to labor. Keep your paws crossed for us! She averages 6 kittens a litter, and there isn't a better kitty mommy anywhere!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Haven't we grown!
9 days old, and Jazzy's litter is doing so very well! They've all doubled in weight, are starting to open their eyes, and are getting around all over the place. They are such a sweet little litter of kittens, and even at barely over a week old, they come straight to me and want to be loved on. All of these kittens have been reserved since 3 days old except for our one little tortie girl.
For those of you waiting on Dutches's kittens, she is also doing well and is due on Feb 8, just 7 days away! I don't think she's nearly as big as she usually is when she's preggy, but my hubby thinks I'm crazy if I think that hahaha She's nesting early, but Dutches is famous for making me wait several days after her due date. Dutches does have quite a few folks on her waiting list. She typically has a majority of black male and tortie female kittens, with a possibility for blue males and blue cream females.
I hope to try again to keep a blue cream girl from her litter. We will be retiring Dutches as the end of the year so she can go to a pet home and relax, so I want a girl kitten from her, and the timing on this litter is perfect to give Daisy (the cream kitten we're keeping from Jazzy's babies) a playmate as she grows up. I think the kittens do much better when they have a friend to play and snuggle with.
And that's enough out of me. I started the day behind and have a ton of catching up to do today - always the way with a cattery, I think! Y'all remember to stop by Cats at Suite101.com and check out our articles and discussion boards! And please feel free to email me any time at all if I can help with any questions!
For those of you waiting on Dutches's kittens, she is also doing well and is due on Feb 8, just 7 days away! I don't think she's nearly as big as she usually is when she's preggy, but my hubby thinks I'm crazy if I think that hahaha She's nesting early, but Dutches is famous for making me wait several days after her due date. Dutches does have quite a few folks on her waiting list. She typically has a majority of black male and tortie female kittens, with a possibility for blue males and blue cream females.
I hope to try again to keep a blue cream girl from her litter. We will be retiring Dutches as the end of the year so she can go to a pet home and relax, so I want a girl kitten from her, and the timing on this litter is perfect to give Daisy (the cream kitten we're keeping from Jazzy's babies) a playmate as she grows up. I think the kittens do much better when they have a friend to play and snuggle with.
And that's enough out of me. I started the day behind and have a ton of catching up to do today - always the way with a cattery, I think! Y'all remember to stop by Cats at Suite101.com and check out our articles and discussion boards! And please feel free to email me any time at all if I can help with any questions!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Litter HJa2008
Five beautiful kittens born 1/22/08 to Hooch and Jasmine. We had an amazing array of colors and patterns: 1 cream male, 1 red classic tabby male, 1 brown classic tabby male, 1 blue female, and 1 tortie female. Mom and babies are doing very well, and everyone put on weight from their birth weight.
By the way, these reds and creams in this litter proves that Jasmine is indeed a lilac cream point. This, as you can see, really expands the color possibilities in my breed program! We were really pleased to see Hooch's tabby pattern come out, too!
By the way, these reds and creams in this litter proves that Jasmine is indeed a lilac cream point. This, as you can see, really expands the color possibilities in my breed program! We were really pleased to see Hooch's tabby pattern come out, too!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Today is our due date!
Jazzy is very clingy today and cries for me when I go out of the nursery. She has spent some time in her nest and is still eating like a horse. I've never had a girl handle pregnancy this well, and I expect everything to go very smoothly as we progress towards delivery, which should be any time now!
Everyone is very interested in kitten colors right now because it is funny that Jasmine can't have kittens with Hooch that will be the color of either one of them. The Color Genetics of Red Cats is very interesting, and I enjoy the puzzle of breeding with them. All kittens get two color genes, with male kittens getting both genes from the mother and female kittens getting a gene from each parent.
What this means is that Jasmine's boys will get their color from her and will be black, chocolate, blue, or lilac. But her girls will get a gene from her and a gene from Hooch, which means he throws red or cream in on top of the other color, so she can get tortoiseshells like Lily and Poppy, chocolate tortoiseshells, blue creams, or lilac creams.
Now the color point genes are affecting everything, too. BOTH parents have to have color point genes to produce color point (himalayan) kittens. Jasmine is a color point, and Hooch has color point in his pedigree, so they CAN have color point kittens. Our problem is that it was Hooch's GRANDmother who was a color point, so the genes aren't very strong for that in him. He hasn't given us one yet. So none of our kittens while breeding with Hooch will probably ever be himalayans. That means we'll be adding a himmy male in here sometime soon because I do love the color points!
One day soon, I'll explain how we're playing Hooch's extreme face off our doll face girls to produce semi-faces, or chubby cheek Persians, like Lily.
Everyone is very interested in kitten colors right now because it is funny that Jasmine can't have kittens with Hooch that will be the color of either one of them. The Color Genetics of Red Cats is very interesting, and I enjoy the puzzle of breeding with them. All kittens get two color genes, with male kittens getting both genes from the mother and female kittens getting a gene from each parent.
What this means is that Jasmine's boys will get their color from her and will be black, chocolate, blue, or lilac. But her girls will get a gene from her and a gene from Hooch, which means he throws red or cream in on top of the other color, so she can get tortoiseshells like Lily and Poppy, chocolate tortoiseshells, blue creams, or lilac creams.
Now the color point genes are affecting everything, too. BOTH parents have to have color point genes to produce color point (himalayan) kittens. Jasmine is a color point, and Hooch has color point in his pedigree, so they CAN have color point kittens. Our problem is that it was Hooch's GRANDmother who was a color point, so the genes aren't very strong for that in him. He hasn't given us one yet. So none of our kittens while breeding with Hooch will probably ever be himalayans. That means we'll be adding a himmy male in here sometime soon because I do love the color points!
One day soon, I'll explain how we're playing Hooch's extreme face off our doll face girls to produce semi-faces, or chubby cheek Persians, like Lily.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Still patiently waiting...
Well, I lie when I say patiently :-) But no kittens yet, and she is still calm and relaxed and sleepy and hungry.
Today is bath day for Buttercup, Poppy, Lily, and Hooch. I don't like to give the preggy girls baths because 1) they hate it so much, and I don't want to traumatize them when they're pregnant, and 2) I don't want to chill them or anything that might harm their health. They're also pretty heavy to be tossing around in the sink to give them a bath hahaha Buttercup isn't very far along in her pregnancy, AND she is really not bothered a bit by a bath. So she's getting one!
Also, it was our writing day. If y'all are interested in ways to help the environment where our kitty products are concerned, you'll enjoy Green Living with Cats
If we go into labor, I'll post it right away!
Jazzy's waiting list, btw, is more than full now. Anyone interested in a kitten from us this spring should go ahead and get on Dutches or Buttercup's waiting list. You can find details on our website
Today is bath day for Buttercup, Poppy, Lily, and Hooch. I don't like to give the preggy girls baths because 1) they hate it so much, and I don't want to traumatize them when they're pregnant, and 2) I don't want to chill them or anything that might harm their health. They're also pretty heavy to be tossing around in the sink to give them a bath hahaha Buttercup isn't very far along in her pregnancy, AND she is really not bothered a bit by a bath. So she's getting one!
Also, it was our writing day. If y'all are interested in ways to help the environment where our kitty products are concerned, you'll enjoy Green Living with Cats
If we go into labor, I'll post it right away!
Jazzy's waiting list, btw, is more than full now. Anyone interested in a kitten from us this spring should go ahead and get on Dutches or Buttercup's waiting list. You can find details on our website
Friday, January 18, 2008
Jasmine is REALLY really close now!
Jazzy has begun the first stages of labor... of course she was due on Monday, so this is really just natural progression if she "plans" to have them on her due date. But I have thought she was getting ready for a couple days now, so it wouldn't surprise me a bit if she has her kittens before in the morning.
At any rate, I'm not leaving her side now. I'll be sleeping on the floor beside her nest, and we have everything all set up and ready to go. I will sit back out of her way and just be there for her, unless she needs me. It's best to let the new mommy handle things on her own, unless she either chooses not to (as Persians are known to do) or needs help in some way.
She is still very sweet and calm about the whole thing. A mother this content raises a great little litter of kittens! I'm really anxious to meet them all! :-)
At any rate, I'm not leaving her side now. I'll be sleeping on the floor beside her nest, and we have everything all set up and ready to go. I will sit back out of her way and just be there for her, unless she needs me. It's best to let the new mommy handle things on her own, unless she either chooses not to (as Persians are known to do) or needs help in some way.
She is still very sweet and calm about the whole thing. A mother this content raises a great little litter of kittens! I'm really anxious to meet them all! :-)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Belly cleaning...
Jasmine is cleaning the fur off her belly to get ready for nursing kittens... though when you're this far along in your pregnancy, licking your own belly can prove to be a challenge! She has finally started to do some mild nesting, and I think she is most definitely going to make us wait full term for these kittens. She's just so relaxed about the whole thing!
Dutches is starting to show, and Buttercup is still as petite as can be. These are my two oldest girls, and Dutches has had several litters for us now, but it will be Buttercup's first.
We originally intended to breed himalayans, but when we changed males, our Hooch ended up not being a very strong CPC (color point carrier). He "can" but hasn't produced any himmies for us. So this summer, we are hoping to keep a little solid male of our own that will definitely be a color point carrier, as well as bringing in a color point male from another cattery - hopefully a cream point so that we can focus on dilute colors.
I have recently published an award winning series of articles on breeding pedigreed cats. It starts with Becoming a Pedigreed Cat Breeder and ends with A Day in the Life of a Cat Breeder
Follow up on these articles should continue with Caring for Pregnant Cats and Caring for Newborn Kittens
Also, for those of you who would like to help feed hungry animals, check out this blog post on how A Click a Day Feeds Rescued Pets
Dutches is starting to show, and Buttercup is still as petite as can be. These are my two oldest girls, and Dutches has had several litters for us now, but it will be Buttercup's first.
We originally intended to breed himalayans, but when we changed males, our Hooch ended up not being a very strong CPC (color point carrier). He "can" but hasn't produced any himmies for us. So this summer, we are hoping to keep a little solid male of our own that will definitely be a color point carrier, as well as bringing in a color point male from another cattery - hopefully a cream point so that we can focus on dilute colors.
I have recently published an award winning series of articles on breeding pedigreed cats. It starts with Becoming a Pedigreed Cat Breeder and ends with A Day in the Life of a Cat Breeder
Follow up on these articles should continue with Caring for Pregnant Cats and Caring for Newborn Kittens
Also, for those of you who would like to help feed hungry animals, check out this blog post on how A Click a Day Feeds Rescued Pets
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Due one week from tomorrow...
The impatience is killing me! hahaha It's always like waiting on Christmas. What are we going to get? How many? What colors? Boys? Girls? Will they have their mommy's face, their daddy's coat? Oh the possibilities!
At least she's sweet and lets me rub her belly and feel kittens kicking!
For those of you who are waiting on Jazzy's babies, here's a link directly to her photoset on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnhimmies/sets/72157603272555568/
At least she's sweet and lets me rub her belly and feel kittens kicking!
For those of you who are waiting on Jazzy's babies, here's a link directly to her photoset on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnhimmies/sets/72157603272555568/
Friday, January 11, 2008
Only 10 days to go!
Jazzy and I have been busy getting ready for her kittens. Before the kittens are born, we do LOTS and lots of cleaning and sanitizing - you can never do too much of that, can you? Jasmine's sleeping a lot, and her appetite has slowed down a bit. When your tummy is the size of a basketball, you have to eat teensy meals. I've been able to feel kittens kicking around in there, and that's always such a joy!
She is a very mellow mommy kitty. Where some cats get anxious and others get pushy for attention, Jasmine is so very calm and sweet. She sleeps belly up and loves to have her tummy rubbed. When Dutches is pregnant, I don't go near her tummy with a 10' pole! hahaha
Jasmine should start nesting here in about 3 or 4 days. We've got her a little covered place set up for her to have her babies in, and so far, she hasn't touched her blankies. I'll know her hormones are getting ready to have babies when her blankets are all bunched up. From that time on, I don't leave the house until the kittens are about a week old. During the nights of the last week, I set the clock every 2 hours so that I can wake up and check on my kitty girl. So next week will be a long week, but it is worth the extra trouble!
And that's enough from me. Just wanted my expecting kitten parents to know how Jasmine was doing. I'll update y'all in 3 or 4 days, and of course there are always pictures of our chubby little furball on flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnhimmies.
Don't forget to stop by Cats at Suite101 for any help you might need with your beloved feline friend - http://cats.suite101.com Or just to chat!
She is a very mellow mommy kitty. Where some cats get anxious and others get pushy for attention, Jasmine is so very calm and sweet. She sleeps belly up and loves to have her tummy rubbed. When Dutches is pregnant, I don't go near her tummy with a 10' pole! hahaha
Jasmine should start nesting here in about 3 or 4 days. We've got her a little covered place set up for her to have her babies in, and so far, she hasn't touched her blankies. I'll know her hormones are getting ready to have babies when her blankets are all bunched up. From that time on, I don't leave the house until the kittens are about a week old. During the nights of the last week, I set the clock every 2 hours so that I can wake up and check on my kitty girl. So next week will be a long week, but it is worth the extra trouble!
And that's enough from me. Just wanted my expecting kitten parents to know how Jasmine was doing. I'll update y'all in 3 or 4 days, and of course there are always pictures of our chubby little furball on flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/tnhimmies.
Don't forget to stop by Cats at Suite101 for any help you might need with your beloved feline friend - http://cats.suite101.com Or just to chat!
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