OUR CATS Annual 2005
If you have not already got your copy, you can order an OUR CATS annual on line at www.ourcats.co.uk or telephone Fiona on 0870 731 6502.The annual contains some great articles, on a diverse range of subjects. For example, there is an archive article about the Rex cat, one on homeopathic first aid and advice on how to build a cat climbing frame - and lots more besides! The directory pages have a wealth of useful information and, of course, the annual is the best place to find breeders of many breeds of pedigree cats! Don’t miss Nick Mays’ Review of the Year and the ‘Showtime’ pages - they include many photos from the shows - you might even see your own cat’s picture included!
This Years OurCats Annual 2005
Cat Photographs Wanted!
Please remember that your cat photographs are always welcome. These may be used in two ways…for possible inclusion in the ‘Cheshire Cat Page’ or they may be sent to keep in the OUR CATS’ photo ‘Library’. All photographs must be your own and not those taken by a professional photographer.
‘Cheshire Cat Page’ photographs can be of a favourite cat, living or deceased - either a regular portrait style or an amusing picture. For these, your name and a caption are needed.
‘Library’ photographs are for use whenever an illustration is required. If used, please note that they will NOT be captioned with either your name or the cat’s name.
Publication cannot, regretfully be guaranteed, but I try to use as many as possible. Digital photographs (sent as jpegs) are preferable. Many people, whose photographs we have used in the past, have been delighted to come across their cat in print!
A “Ripping Read!”
Jen Lacey sent this super photo of Hibreeze Jay Silverheels, her Korat kitten. Jen says “Jay sends greetings to all at Our Cats… he says he found the latest edition most entertaining! However, I wish he’d let me finish reading it first! He was caught on camera, in the midst of his havoc-ripping read!”
Jay rips it up
Marc Meets the Public!
Photographer, Marc Henrie, took some of the photographs at the National Cat Club show, last November, which are included in this edition’s special feature. Marc told me about some of his impressions and encounters from the show and I thought you would enjoy reading about Marc’s day…
“I was stopped on many occasions by members of the public who wanted to know about a particular breed. One lady (aged anything between 50-90 years), made my day by saying, ‘Excuse me, young man, but where are the loos?’
I met two lovely ladies in wheelchairs, the Misses Bloxam and Peters. They have been coming to the National every year since the days of Grace Pond.
Two small boys, their faces covered in ice cream - Philip and Alec- lost their Mummy. They seemed unperturbed when a somewhat hysterical lady with bright red hair ran up to them shouting ‘you bad, bad boys!’ at the same time giving them a hug!
I sat having coffee with two young men, sporting rather startling, Mohican-styled hair. It turned out that Dominic and Charlie are university graduates, chilling out for a six month sabbatical. They had an amazing knowledge of felines, both wild and domestic and explained that their hair cuts were in aid of animal welfare. They had been sponsored for £200. If they kept their weird hairstyles for a month!
The owners of the winning cats, Pam Potter and Lynne Hedlund were clearly, ‘over the moon’. Pam was crying and Lynne was laughing - what super choices the judges made - both felines were quite excellent!”
Breeders, Breed Clubs and Breed Features
Last year, OUR CATS ran a fabulous series of breed features. During the year we covered the Selkirk Rex, LaPerm, Orientals, Lilac Point Siamese, Korat, Turkish Van, Bengal, Ocicat and Asian (see above photo of Steve Crow & Thomas Goss’s Tiffanie) breeds. These features are a great way of providing readers with specific breed descriptions, history, development and up to date information. Both breed clubs and individual breeders are welcome to place an advertisement within the feature pages.
Steve Crow & Thomas Goss’s Tiffanie
If you are a breeder or a breed club member and would like to see your breed featured in 2005, please contact your breed club and ask them to contact us. If you would like to write or contribute photographs for a breed feature, OUR CATS would love to hear from you!
Among the breeds we are particularly keen to include this year are the Persian and British groups. Features can cover a whole group (as did our Asian Feature, last November) or a particular colour, within a goup, such as the Bi-Colours or Smokes in the Persian group or the British’s Tabby or Smoke, for instance.
Coventry & Leicester Cat Club Show
Missing from the GCCF’s list of next year’s shows in the last issue of OUR CATS (page 6/7, was the Coventry & Leicester CC Show, to be held on 25th February 2006. This was a typographical omission for which we apologise.
This year’s show, however, WAS listed in the SHOW DIARY on page 12 of the same issue. Entries for this year’s show on February 26th 2005 (at the Stafford County Show Ground) close on 14th February. So for those of you who receive this issue of OUR CATS on subscription - there is JUST time to enter, if you have not already done so!
OUR CATS will be at the show - so see you there!
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who sent us Christmas Greetings and cards. Many of you said how much you enjoy reading OUR CATS and offered us your support - we do appreciate your kindness!
East Anglian News
By
AUDREY NEWSOME
I WAS very upset to learn that one of my favourite cats to be entered at the Eastern Counties Cat Show in recent years had died suddenly.
His name was Father Ted, a beautiful white household pet, owned by Mrs Doherty from Old Leake, Nr Boston. Father Ted had won many classes, not only at our show, but at other shows as well. I am pleased that I have a photograph of him when he won one of our Club’s Anniversary Awards.
His death was sudden and in the same way that I lost one of my own cats, Foxavon Daniel, who died just a few weeks before his 14th birthday, during 2004. My three remaining Persians are now past their 16th birthday.
May I remind Eastern Counties Members that 2005 subscriptions became due on 1 January and should be sent to Mrs A. Howes, Blowers Barn, Blowers Lane, Rushmere, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 8ED. Single £5.00, Joint £7.50, Senior Citizens & Under 15s £2.50. For new members, entry fee £1.00 (Adults).
