DOMESTICS AND HOUSEHOLD PETS

My first cat - a beautiful silver mackeral tabby named "Silky" (photo taken in the mid '60s!)

Silky - a longhaired tabby and white spay - is our first girl and my "Special Smudgee Cat".  She came to us via a friend, who had a stray cat in her backyard.  Silky was one of this female's litter and when I saw her, I realised she was marked exactly the same as my beloved moggy, Smudgee, who had gone over the Bridge many years before!   I always knew in my heart that Smudgee and I would be reunited somehow ... and Silky was the one.  Our friend asked if I wanted the kitten and I jumped at the chance .. needless to say, Silky's been a much loved member of the household since 1996, coming up with our friend and staying - husband thought that friend had forgotten one of her cats!   He wasn't too impressed when I said "No, she's staying with us!" but when he saw her properly (she'd been in a kitten pen during the weekend due to us running a cat show and everyone was so busy - we didn't want the kitten getting frightened and escaping), he was rapt in this little furry creature.  We love her for herself too ... every morning, Silky is waiting for me when I come out to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and breakfast - she wants to share, but isn't a "coffee drinking" cat, much to my relief.

Our Silky, with her little Somali friend, Poopily (Berwendale Ndogo Kaka), guarding their food

Puddles - came to stay via the neighbours!  She looks like a blue & white British Shorthair, but is actually a Persian cross .. we have shown her once or twice, with good results.   Pud's a very pretty girl, but she's got a temper sometimes when something irks her ... she keeps to herself most of the time, but has lately taken to coming into the living room with us and is happy to sit on a chair, purring all the while.  We got this little cat via our neighbours as they couldn't keep her due to one particular bad habit (hence the name!!!!!) ... also, we found out she was pregnant.  As soon as possible, she was spayed and has lived the life of Riley ever since.  Yes, we also remained friends with the neighbours as well, until they moved away and we all lost touch ....

Old Fella - this huge cat is an ex-feral who has landed on all four feet!  He is a GIANT - a big tabby and white boy (now neutered - as are all our "moggies") and he is so gentle.  He has been living in the backyard for several years, (we'd glimpse him at night) finally gathering up courage to come to us, live in the house and become my much loved pet - he is such a trusting little soul.  We showed him last year after only having him a few months and, although he was a bit worried (so were we!), he took to it well, winning a few prizes into the bargain during the year.  I was so proud of the old man .. he's about 11 years old now .. as being an outdoors cat, he actually seemed to enjoy the attention.  Old Fella was friends with our late red tabby boy, Tommy, and just before Tom left us for the Bridge, we saw him with Old Fella - rubbing noses.  It was almost like Tom was telling him that he was leaving and could Old Fella come and take his place.  He certainly did that .... he loves the living room and all the attention he receives.  This cat weighs over 7.5kg, but has the most gentle voice, hardly purrs (if he does, it is almost inaudible), but loves his attention and his people.  He even gets on with the rest of the family - although he doesn't like to venture out into the rest of the house as he feels secure where he is.  He usually sleeps at my feet or on the table or a chair next to me ... he feels secure when people are with him and it is a joy to see such a change in him ... from a feral to a much loved housecat.

Old Fella - our lovely neuter and ex-feral .... he's a sweetheart - and a very BIG CAT!

Mrs Debbie Thomas (NSWCFA Inc), companion judge, with Old Fella at Kempsey Kat Klub's show, 2004.  He did quite nicely that day, winning an Award of Merit certificate - his first - and was placed in the Top 5 as well!  Not bad for an ex-feral ...... :)

MUCH SADNESS - 19.11.04:  "Old Fella ..... born 1992 (we think) - died 18.11.04 ... you had a rough start in life, but a glorious ending, so much loved and cherished - as all cats should be."  From Aunty Bev ... "RIP Old Fella, you were a helluva great cat. And a gentle giant. You will be missed."

On 19 November, 2004, our beautiful Old Fella passed away at approx 12 years old, leaving much sadness in our hearts and tears in our eyes - he is remembered always, we think of him all the time and sitting here, writing, I can still see the big fella sitting under my chair, or next to me on the table, always watching and always giving me much love.  Perhaps he had done his work here on earth and now is watching out for us across the Rainbow Bridge - he went as he wished, here at home ... although we knew it was time for the Last Ride, Old Fella was obviously having none of that.  He had a tough beginning to life and must have wanted it to end in his favourite place, "his" lounge room where he'd had the best times of his life.

Wogmog ... is a black/brown ticked tabby (a cross between an Abyssinian and a Balinese) who is a funny little character.  He's like his mum, Bali Maryna, with the arrogance of a Siamese (yes, we bred Siamese several years ago), tempered with the adorable nature of his late father, Magic.   Wogmog has been shown and made Champion Companion - he made a mark on the show scene as he's a character of the highest order.  This boy has made sure all of us know he's around - he is a big cat, solid muscle, and when he jumps up on you, you know you've got a cat on your shoulder!!  At his first show as a kitten, he was awarded "Best Companion Exhibit in Show" ... we are proud of this boy - he gets away with almost anything - within reason of course.

MUCH SADNESS - 29.5.05:  "Ch CC Wogmog ..... born 2.1.01 - died 29.5.05 ... you were our first Household Pet and first Champion Companion - we sadly said goodbye to you today.  You were our naughty boy, our little friend and our much loved baby.  You're now with your brothers and sisters, who you'll be bossing around and/or playing with happily.  Never forgotten, always remembered."

Ginger Snaps ... is a "red ticked tabby & white" (according to his registration).  This fellow has to be seen to be believed - very "in your face", very loving and also extemely naughty.  He and his 3 sisters are the half-siblings to Wogmog (Bali Maryna was a very, very naughty girl as GS and his sisters were sired by our late Somali, Poopily!) and he shares with his brother the same temperament, although he isn't as arrogant as Wogger Monster can be.   Snappy just loves people ... we cannot do anything without him wanting to be there .. cannot go into the living room without the Red Fox (another nickname - he has many of those) scampering in beforehand and almost knocking us over.  He's done very well in his show career too - Supreme Exhibit at our local show last year - and he has done well so far in 2004, by being named "Best Household Pet" at each show he's attended.  I enjoy showing these little characters - don't have to worry about standards and such .. it's all fun, fun, fun with them.  They just have to be clean, healthy and in good spirits - which they are.  Snappy's now a Bronze Double Grand Champion Companion - he's got the highest title of them all .. and he's made himself known to all and sundry by just being a total sook ...... this cat is so "over the top", he just can't help attracting people to him - if it's fun you want, go watch Snappy's antics!

At the Northern Rivers Cat Club Inc's show in Sept 2004, Snappy did it again - he was named Best Neuter Cat in Show .... he also was 3rd in another ring.  He had a great day out - even winning a big bag of his favourite cat biscuits :)  His sister, Feryl Cheryl and cousin, Moon Shadow, also did quite well - in fact, we don't have to buy cat biscuits for a while now .... ;)   Thank you, furkids - you all did very well.

AN UPDATE FOR BDGC CC GINGER SNAPS .... Snappy is currently running 4th in the NSWCFA Cat of the Year competition!!!!!!  He will be attempting this weekend (31.10.05) to gain a higher placing in this prestigious contest .... we are very proud of his achievements naturally - and we are hoping that he will, in fact, place at 3rd place - better to be in there with a chance, than not to be in there at all.  He has had several Best in Show wins during 2005 - including Overall Supreme Exhibit at Kempsey Kat Klub's show once again .... it has been a wonderful year for The Red Fox (one of his "nicer" nicknames .... LOL) and he's been doing very well - he also knows it!

I must at this point in time have a small brag ... Snappy has qualified for 3rd Place in NSWCFA Inc's Cat of the Year!!!  There is one more show to go (2 more rings), but he's in there - he could go down to 4th, but we will see!  Wherever he comes, he is a Top 5 Winner - we've never done this before with a Household Pet (we were 5th in 1996 with our beautiful Abyssinian boy, GDGC Uledo Rah With Love :) ) and of course, we are very proud of him ... he has been placed in the Top 5 at all the shows he has attended in 2005.  Good luck to ya, Snappy!!!  :D

IT IS OFFICIAL!!!!!!  I received an e-mail from the Cat of the Year scorer for the Companions/Household Pets the other day and BDGC CC Ginger Snaps (aka Snappy) is 3rd Cat of the Year with NSWCFA!!!!!!  He got through even though he didn't go to the last show of the year ..... now, I would like to sincerely congratulate all the winners in the NSWCFA Inc's Top 5 competition for 2005 and thank you to all who judged him or vouched for the lad - btw, we are also very proud of our boy's success in the show rings this year.  Hopefully, next year, we will be able to announce that he has reached his Gold Db Gd Championship - the highest a companion or household pet can go.

Photo taken last night (Nov 2005) - Beryl (left) and Snappy (right).  They were snoozing on top of the computer desk while I worked .... this is the most up-to-date photo of "Snappy The Third" as he was nicknamed recently ...... due to his Cat of the Year results (above).  We are over the moon with this one .. :)

The "Three Feryl Sisters" - Cheryl, Meryl and Beryl .. sisters to Ginger Snaps and half sisters to Wogmog ... these three girls band together and create havoc wherever they go .. we cannot do anything unless they are there too (like their brother); they get into the living room where they know they aren't allowed and generally just create havoc as they always are after attention ..... which they get.  I think these girls have a motto - and that is .. "if you can't get mad, just get even"!  The girls live up to that one .... I get mad, they get even with me .. LOL.

However, we do love 'em all dearly .. they are so "over the top" that you can't help but laugh at their antics.  Sometimes, late at night, Beryl will cause trouble by scampering over the keyboard, knocking stuff over, attempting to belt poor Old Fella (he was three times her size!) or just generally causing chaos.  They amuse me with their funny little ways - they squeak instead of saying "meow", which is their Somali heritage showing - and when something's happened or something's been broken, the three of them look at us with big eyes as if to say "it's not our fault".   You can't be mad at them forever!  We have shown Cheryl and she also is a Champion Companion - her nature is the same as Snappy's  .. friendly, happy and loveable.  Cheryl hasn't been shown all that much - she is now updated in the title stakes and is now a GRAND Champion companion - gaining this title with a Best in Show win at Northern Rivers Cat Club's show in September, 2005.

Moon Shadow ... a blue mackerel longhair tabby - so named as she was born just after we'd lost our Balinese variant girl, Ici, who was registered as "Fretomau Bali Moonshadow" - is the daughter of a night's passion between her Balinese mum and our friend's Persian boy.  We did not know that Bessie was calling .... yikes!  I worried about her having this litter but "Shad" arrived with no difficulties and has grown into a very striking cat.  She actually looks like a very old fashioned Persian .. and has had much success on the show bench, winning Best in Shows and a Supreme Exhibit as a kitten.  We are hoping she will make Champion this year - she's such a pretty cat and deserves it.  She's a funny little girl, very soft voice, but she loves to jump up onto my shoulder and ride around - she's the half sister to our late Balinese neuter, Ballz, who did the exact same thing ... come to think of it, their mum does this as well.  Obviously a genetic trait in this line -shoulder riding! 

STOP PRESS (August 2004): .. at Kempsey Kat Klub's show, Moon Shadow became a Champion Companion.  We are very pleased about this - it's taken a long time as she hasn't been shown a lot in 2004, but she made it eventually!!!

STOP PRESS (August 2005): ... at Kempsey Kat Klub once again - a year later!!!  Both Moon Shadow and Ginger Snaps have gained a new title each and we are very pleased.  "Shad" is now a GRAND CHAMPION and Snappy is now BRONZE DB GD CH!!!  We want to take him all the way to Gold and will continue showing - it's fun and they do enjoy the attention.  We also took Feryl Cheryl to the show - she also did well, gaining yet another Award of Merit, which takes her almost to Grand.  We are very pleased with them all and their results - and they know it too.  :-)

Oh - almost forgot - an important (to us) brag ... Shadow was named Best Exhibit in Ring 1 and Snappy was named Best Exhibit in Ring 3!!!  He then went on to be named OVERALL SUPREME COMPANION/HOUSEHOLD PET EXHIBIT IN SHOW .... winning some lovely prizes and also, most importantly, biscuits to share with the "family".

Here's Shadow with "Aunty Freda" (right) and "Nana Lynny" at the show on Saturday (20.8.05) .... Freda was rapt to be able to cuddle her because she misses having a cat of her own and Shadow loves cuddles!

I cannot forget the craziest cat of them all - little Krazee Kat - who was a cross between an Oriental and a Somali.  She's a very pretty kitty, looking for all the world like an Oriental, but with the Somali temperament .. when she wants attention (which is all the time), she makes sure she gets it by jumping up into your lap, watching what you are doing and putting her paw where it really should not be!  Being so "in your face" and jumping on your knee, shoulder, or wherever she can get are other Krazee Antics.  Krazee's colour is "different" - she is a fawn/lilac ticked tabby, with golden-green eyes ... a very striking colour combination.  

Sadly showing Krazee isn't to be .. she passed away quietly a couple of weeks ago :*(  However, she will always be remembered by us - she was a character like them all, full of fun and games, but sadly now she is a beautiful memory.  RIP Krazee .. you will also be remembered. 

The "Growly Family" is down to two .. Growly and her daughter, Sabrina (on right of photo).  I must get a couple of updated pix of these two ... Growly has become such a tubby tabby that I think if she keeps going, she'll end up in the Guiness Book of Records!  Only joking - there's no way she would get that obese!!!

Sabrina, who was totally wild when we first got her, is now a huge sook, loves to be with people and the other cats, and is growing into a very striking cat.  Her coat, which was long at first, seems to have decided to stop growing and she's a semi-longhaired brown tabby, who in certain light, looks like she could even be chocolate.  I will have to put up some photos and compare that to the above photo, which was taken when Sabrina, Tygar and Salem were first brought inside from The Great Outdoors.

Their mum, Growly, hasn't changed too much - except for becoming plumper - and she still doesn't like being touched, although she will sit with us.  At the moment, she's surveying the room from atop a cabinet ... and also nearly falling asleep.  A guard-cat, she most certainly isn't .. LOL.  She's turned into a very striking brown classic tabby and her coat is like silk .. such a change from a few months ago, when we first brought her inside, which is lovely to see.  I will give her time - she's a very independent missy, so I think it will be up to her to finally allow cuddles.  Can't force the issue with "The Growler" as she's affectionately been nicknamed around here!

All of these felines are much loved kitties - each with their own quirks and natures - but all give us much love and attention, which we give back to them all 100%.  We wouldn't be without any of them and they know it too.

Between us, we've had many domestics throughout our lives and they've all been so much different to each other, but all have been much loved pets.  We hope you have enjoyed reading about our different breeds and our companions and household pets ...... they all have their own little stories to tell, don't they?