Mariposa's Tales is hosting a new weekly meme, Tuesday's Tales! Though everyday here in the BLOGosphere is telling tales, Mariposa feels it would be nice to once in awhile sit back, enjoy good memories and enjoy it more by sharing those little love tales. After all happy times are best when shared with people! Tuesday's Tales is good way for us to get to know each other and share happy thoughts while making memories all at the same time.
This is my first entry for Tuesday's Tales, so wish me luck!
It all started with a kitten. Not just any kitten, though, a special kitten. A beautiful blue cream Persian kitten named Hibatullah which, when translated from Arabic to English, means "Gift from God." Hiba was going to be my very first show cat. Buying her was such a big deal that when it came time to drive from Southern California to Las Vegas to pick her up, it became a family affair as my daughter and niece made the trip with me.
Hiba's breeder had told me that she had only one kitten left from the two litters that had been born within days of one another and, if I was interested, I might want to look at the other kitten while I was there. She showed "potential" for showing, the breeder told me. I politely declined knowing full well that the Amazing Egyptian Dude would be less than happy if I came home with two kittens.
One very important lesson that I learned from this first trip to a cat breeder's house is that having three cat lovers together in a room full of felines can be dangerous. We cooed, oohed, and aahed over the kittens. Hiba got plenty of hugs, cuddles, and kisses from us as soon as the breeder brought her out of the kitty room for us to see. She was sweet, quiet, and gorgeous. While the girls played with her and I talked to the breeder, the subject of the only remaining kitten came up again. The breeder explained to me that she was a Tabby Persian and that tabbies were making a big splash on the show scene after having been largely ignored for a long time. I'd seen a few while looking for Hiba, but I have a penchant for blue cats (that's grey for the non-showing folks) and wanted to begin a breeding program dedicated to that color alone. Tabbies were not my cup of tea. Right!
My daughter and niece really wanted to see the kitten, so the breeder brought her out. All three of us melted -- just melted -- at the sight of her.
Her squishy little face and enormous eyes melted our hearts. How could anyone not fall in love with such an adorable face? My daughter wanted her something fierce. She felt sorry that nobody else wanted her. I had the same reaction. There was just something about her face that I couldn't fight.
And so it was that I came back to California with two kittens instead of one. Maggie, it turns out, was a much better show prospect than Hiba, whose personality wasn't cut out for public displays of cuteness. Maggie, on the other hand, was and still is the consummate show-off.
And so it was that I came back to California with two kittens instead of one. Maggie, it turns out, was a much better show prospect than Hiba, whose personality wasn't cut out for public displays of cuteness. Maggie, on the other hand, was and still is the consummate show-off.
Maggie didn't mind napping in her decorated cage while waiting to be called to the rings. She took all the noise and chaos in stride. I guess when you know you're the Queen of the World, those things just don't matter!
Maggie is now a CFA Champion. More importantly, though, Maggie is my constant companion. It is Maggie who, when she hears my car pull up in the driveway, waits at the door, calling for me, until I come into the house. It is Maggie who loves to be brushed and groomed, an activity that relaxes both of us when things get stressful. It is Maggie who sleeps in a croissant shape, on her very own pillow in my nest, nestled up against my face.
To this day, none of us girls can figure out why nobody else wanted Maggie. But we're awfully glad that they didn't!
Maggie is now a CFA Champion. More importantly, though, Maggie is my constant companion. It is Maggie who, when she hears my car pull up in the driveway, waits at the door, calling for me, until I come into the house. It is Maggie who loves to be brushed and groomed, an activity that relaxes both of us when things get stressful. It is Maggie who sleeps in a croissant shape, on her very own pillow in my nest, nestled up against my face.
To this day, none of us girls can figure out why nobody else wanted Maggie. But we're awfully glad that they didn't!
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Maggie is adorable and you a lucky to have such a sweet companion.
What a lovely story!
I am so happy that you got Maggie too...and I think I'd the same thing...she is just so cute!
Thanks for sharing your tale...
What a great tale. Too bad I don't like cats LOL. I'd say they were cute but...well okay they are I suppose. This Tuesday Tales is fun. I really like it. Is Camry then an addition to the family? Also, and tell me to mind my own business, but having a champion cat, is it expensive? I mean going to the shows, the grooming? Can Maggie go outside with the rest of the cats and just play are do you have to treat her with kid gloves? Does she fetch and sit, roll over on command? LOL. There's the big reason I don't care for cats...they look at ya like yeah right you want me to do what?
Thom, you are too much, ROFL! Yes, having a show cat is a very expensive hobby. A really good show cat will cost upwards of $1000, then you've got all the show fees, travel to the shows, etc. Having a Persian show cat is even more expensive because of the cost of grooming; however, most breeders take care of this themselves. The cats have to conform to show standards which, for Persians, is quite persnickety. The stray hairs on the edges of their ears have to be trimmed, the fur has to be fluffed just so, the "mutton chops" on their cheeks has to be trimmed so that their faces look round, and on and on. You just learn all the ins and outs as you go along.
My niece was my showing partner, and we had a blast when we were doing it. If The Brain hadn't decided to give me such grief, I would still have my breeding program and would still be showing. But when I learned that I had to have brain surgery and that the outcome was unknown -- relief of symptoms, paralysis, death -- I did the responsible thing and found homes for all but 4 of my cats.
Camry just showed up here one night when we were having a family gathering. A group of us went outside to chit chat in the moonlight, and my niece saw something under my car. Turns out it was a tiny little kitten. I promised the AED that I wouldn't go shopping for a cat again but that if one showed up at our doorstep, I couldn't turn it away because God sent it there for us to care for. He agreed, and we now have Camry. She got her name because she was under my car when we found her.
What a wonderful Tuesday Tale! My heart melted just by looking at Maggie's photo. She is an adorable beauty. You guys are so good at Mariposa's Tuesday Tales!
Me too much? you gest LOL. Thanks for explaining all of this. I wondered about Camry and her name... I thought Why would she have a car name LOL...now I know. I still say cat's are pffft...And my goodness...that much for a ribbon? Do ya make any money on them? or is it just when they have sex and have offspring? Don't get me wrong Zip...I love ya with or without cats...I kinow you are so attached to those beasts .. .and I'll probably always give you a hard time about them...just my loving way with you :)
Honestly, I don't know of a single cat breeder who makes money from their animals. Between the cost of specialized foods, vet bills, vaccines, grooming tools and materials, litter, flea prevention, etc., a breeder is lucky to break even. When I was still participating, I had a total of 3 litter of kittens with 9 kittens in all. Of those 9, only one was show quality (that's Frankie, the kitten on the pink and purple blanket in a previous post). I still have 1; I sold 2 and gave away the others a few weeks before I had surgery. If it weren't for the fact that I got so much love from my cats, I'd have to say that I lost out big time on them, LOL!