Mary Kolencik
Long before I knew there were cat shows, I had a tuxedo cat named after the cat in Disney’s Pinocchio, Figaro. She was about six months old when she wandered into the yard one fall day. I was still living at home and commuting to college. Much as I wanted Figaro to come inside, we already had an inside cat, a seal point named Kitty who was not exactly fond of Figaro. My parents were also not fond of Figaro at first, not wanting another cat to feed. But Figaro hung around and I snuck food to her, so she stayed in the neighborhood, a friendly feral cat.
You probably can guess what happened next. Figaro attracted the attention of numerous toms and became pregnant in the spring. I was gleeful, and my parents relented and allowed me to bring Figaro inside to have her litter. Kitty was not pleased but was somewhat tolerant of the interloper. Figaro’s litter was my first official breeding, and she produced four adorable kittens that I will never forget—two tabby and white kittens and two calico kittens. Being a newbie, I couldn’t sex them and thought they were all boys so I named them John, Paul, George, and Ringo, the Beatles litter.
The day after the birth just happened to be Mother’s Day, and in the morning, Figaro wanted out of the house. She had been staying inside while pregnant but went out during the day for some fresh air, so I thought nothing of it and let her out. Figaro did not come back. That night I was in a total panic. How could a momma cat abandon her babies on Mother’s Day? I scoured the neighborhood for hours calling for Figaro with no luck. Kitty decided she wanted the kittens for herself and took up residence in their box, but she had no milk for them. On Monday, Figaro was still missing and I took the kittens to the vet to ask for help, which is when I found out the sexes. The vet told me about KMR and using a medicine dropper to feed the babies, and all about rubbing their tummies to get them to poop.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
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.
A modern terminal emulator Here, Kitty, Kitty
Kitty, a terminal emulator by the creator of Calibre, promises customization and graphical acceleration at the command line.
Kitty Cleanup
HAVE YOU EVER wondered how your cat does such a good job of cleaning herself using just her tongue? Try this activity and find out!
Royals en pasarela - Olympia de Grecia, Kitty Spencer y Amelia Windsor
Rubias, de sangre azul y con cuerpazo. Este trío de royals ha venido a darle un toque diferente a los desfiles de modas. Convertidas en todas unas influencers de la moda, las tres jóvenes millennials tienen miles de seguidores en redes sociales y son más conocidas que muchos otros miembros de la realeza europea. Ellas son la imagen de lujosas marcas de moda y han sido retratados en decenas de revistas de renombre. ¿Quién dice que la moda está peleada con la realeza?
How Twitch Turned Video Game Voyeurism Into Big Business
Entertainment you dont understand is now a business too big to ignore.
COLOURFUL PALETTE
Blooming brights, contrast and oversized patterns are what we are craving this season. We've been inspired by lots of little ways to inject a bit more colour into our every day and make the most of the mood boost.
‘I like mixing VINTAGE AND NEW'
By introducing colour through artwork, painting and furniture hacks, Jen has given her bland new build a vibrant fresh look full of personality
Historian fears being left out of Reese's NFTs plan
REESE WITHERSPOON’s newly announced sideline in converting NFTs to films and TV shows has landed her in hot water with a British historian.
Figaro's Pizza forays into Indian market
AMERICAN QSR restaurant chain Figaro’s Pizza has partnered with market entry firm FranGlobal for their India foray. The brand plans to open 250 stores in India over the next four years.
Top cat pet photography
Dan Mold teaches you how to photograph your kitten (or any pet) indoors for images that are the cat’s pyjamas
‘Brave' gelding takes the lead
Stephen Heal and Quidam De Lux claim the closely fought seven-year-old championship, while an Australian rider has Olympic hopes for his three-star winner