CATEGORIES

Remembrances: Douglas Myers

"Respect the cat, and treat it with care. Exhibitors will forget if you don't final their cat; they'll never forgive if you mishandle it."

Remembrances: Donna Jean Thompson

"We Thought She Would Live Forever"

The Challenge of Gracious Competition

It's often said that good manners and civility have become a thing of the past.

Up Close And Purr-sonal

While cat people can seem to be just about the cats, they’re almost always about other things, too. In the case of Sibyl Zaden, that’s actually a LOT of other things: the arts, politics, academia, marathons, triathlons, and more.

Help! My Cat Is Stuck In A Tree!

It happens in an instant. Your door is open a split second too long, and your indoor-only cat is outside and up a tree—way up a tree, beyond reach of most ladders. You hear the piteous cries from above. Now what?

Why Pet Insurance Belongs in Your Kitten Kit

Most of us send our kittens off to their new homes accompanied by a packet of information: food samples, toys, vet records and lots more essentials and goodies. We want our kittens to get off on the right foot! Unfortunately, with the rapidly increasing cost of vet care, there are sure to be unforeseen expenses as the kitten matures, and very few of us educate new owners on how to manage the risk of major vet bills down the road.

What You Don't Know About Burmese

The Chatty Cathy of Cats … Burmese, Please!!!

Patrick Learns of a Sweet Girl's Passing in this 'Life With Patrick' Crossover

Lucille a reminiscence of GC, GPD, NW McPride Lucille Ball of Jaspurrcats, owned by Beth Feiniger

New Rules for Flying with Pets

On December 2, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it was revising its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) regulation on the transport of services animals by air.5 One of the main revisions to the act was airlines would no longer to be required to treat emotional support animals (ESAs) as service animals. Airlines are required to allow service animals to fly in the cabin free of charge with their owners. Prior to this ruling, pets that the traveler needed to provide them with emotional support had been able to fly for no charge. The only documentation a traveler was required to produce was a letter from a licensed mental health professional that the traveler had some sort of emotional disability that required them to travel with a pet.

If Fluffy Can't Brush The Dental Health Challenge

Part of our everyday grooming routine is oral hygiene; we know we should brush and floss our teeth twice a day, and according to dental hygienists, for two minutes at each brushing. But consider the cat. Unless it became accustomed to a tooth brushing regimen during kittenhood, tending to an adult cat’s teeth may be difficult at best or impossible at worst, compared to “pulling teeth” if our readers will pardon the pun.

FUR NAMES

Names. Oh, what an important choice in the life of cat! It is how a cat will be known in the show rings and in daily life. A name can alternate between words of delight or new forms of cursing. Each name tells a story and this is the story of GC RW Starbourne Three Ring Circus, aka Ellie

CFA Breeder Publishes New Book About Siberians

A new breed book, The Siberian Cat, written by long-term CFA breeder Alice Wright, was released via Amazon, in paperback and Kindle formats on May 26, 2021. The book is a comprehensive history of the breed, providing extensive details of how the Siberian cat has traveled and expanded its conquest into hearts and families all over the world.

A Short Tale From a Short Season

Most of us have had that special cat—a heart cat with whom we had a deep connection. It may have been one we had as a child, or one that saw us through a troubled time, or one with whom we bonded as we exhibited at cat shows. Whether the cat found us or we sought it out, the connections cannot be denied. These are the stories of some of those special cats and what they meant to us.

That Kitty Mess Could Mean More Than You Think

Living with cats pretty much means living with a fair amount of kitty barf. For most of us, hearing the unmistakable sound of a cat upchucking means you drop everything and run for the paper towels. But it could also mean there’s more to worry about than the risk of stepping in goo barefooted. Determining whether your vomiting cat needs more than a cleanup depends on a number of factors. It’s best to gather as much information as possible about what’s going on before you get your vet involved. So, before you call, try to have the answers to the following questions handy.

Up Close and Purr-sonal

Just about everyone who knows CFA knows Kathy Calhoun, CFA treasurer and Allbreed judge. She’s also a breeder of national winning Maine Coon cats, national winning American Wirehairs, Tonkinese and American Shorthairs, a former Regional Director, and one of the founders of the Basic Black Cat Club. But as busy as Kathy Calhoun’s CFA life has been and is, cats are just one part of her story.

Teacher's Pet, Classroom Assistant Lady Bronwyn

Most of us have had that special cat—a heart cat with whom we had a deep connection. It may have been the cat we had as a child, or the one that saw us through a troubled time, or one with whom we bonded as we exhibited at cat shows. Whether the cat found us or we sought it out, those connections cannot be denied. These are the stories of some of those special cats and what they mean or meant to us.

Gromit The Rockstar

There are very few cats, no matter how long they are shown, or what they achieve, that belong in the “rock star” category. In pedigreed cats, we have a few that have become legendary.

Conducting Cat Shows During the COVID-19 Pandemic

It was just over a year ago that we were all enjoying our hobby of showing cats. Some traveled extensively seeking high titles, and some just supported local shows. In all cases, there was social interaction with everyone, and we generally did not worry about spreading infections.

Major Tom

My first pet was a cat named “Major Tom,” or “Tommy.” He was a domestic shorthair silver tabby and white. From what I was told, my parents purchased Tommy for $1.98 from the 5 & 10 cent-store in Trenton, NJ as a young kitten after they moved into their first place.

Crosby the Blind Cat

My name is Crosby. I was born blind in a litter of barn cats in 2011 near Webster, KY. My first humans (friends of my mom-to-be) realized I was blind early on, so they took me into their home.

SO You Want to Be in Pictures?

Have you ever caught yourself wandering through a pet store and noticing all the pictures of the cats, dogs, and other assorted furry and feathered critters, and wonder, “How did they get there? My Fluffy is cuter than that. How can I get a piece of that action?”

What You Don't Know About Balinese & Javanese

Overheard at a cat show: “Oh Mylanta! Would you look at that!!!! It’s a longhaired Siamese! Oooh! And would ya look at its tail!!!!”

Notes for new breeders

Experienced breeders will tell you that there are a number of things they wish someone had told them before they had their first litter. This article will share a few of those items with you in the hope that it will encourage you to read more and ask more questions.

“Take Two Kittens and Call Me In the Morning”

Can Cats Help Humans Be Healthier?

What You Don't Know About Somalis

Ablaze with color, aglow with love!

Using Advanced Technologies: Within a Breeding Program

Most dedicated animal breeders have more than a passing knowledge of basic genetics and will carefully screen their breeding stock for genetic defects and phenotypic traits.

Up Close and Purr-sonal

Welcome to the new Cat Talk series "Up Close and Purr-sonal." While we might know what someone breeds and shows, we often have no idea about what their life and interests are outside of the show hall. And we are surprised at what we are learning about them as well! Do you have a recommendation for someone to interview? Let us know! Email Teresa Keiger at tkeiger@cfa.org.

The Way We Were–2020

I thought that with the mandatory slowing-down-of-life, stay-home-time, my cats would be and stay perfectly groomed.

State Breeder Laws Every Resident Fancier Should Know!

CFA State Breeder Law Series, Part 5 – U.S. States of Region 6: Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin

My Special Cat

Most of us have had that special cat—a heart cat with whom we had a deep connection. It may have been the cat we had as a child, or the one that saw us through a troubled time, or one with whom we bonded as we exhibited at cat shows. Whether the cat found us or we sought it out, those connections cannot be denied. These are the stories of some of those special cats and what they mean or meant to us.