This is a great question I saw discussed between two Pendraig Siberian Cat owners concerning strategies to keep their floors clean when feeding raw food.  Immediate spills are relatively easy to clean up but some floors may be more sensitive than others to being used as a feeding surface plus the potential for contamination of the food depending on floor types (sealants for example may leach into foods or licked up by an eager kitty.)

One of our buyers uses and recommends those silicon food mats.  They are flexible, easy to sanitize and not very expensive.  She has only one cat but has trained him to go there to eat and eat his food at the mat.  People with more than one cat may find this harder to keep the food in one place and we recommend a mat per cat or perhaps every two cats though we find it impossible to keep them eating “their” food unless you separate them in rooms for meals.

When feeding ground mixes it’s a bit easier, you can put it in a stainless steel or heavy duty glass or ceramic bowl.  We recommend still putting it on the mat in case of spills and they will grab a bite of food and move away a bit to eat especially if there is more than one cat.  Placing the mat or a food service tray underneath can drastically cut down on the mess.  It also can spare your floor from scratches when they drag the bowl around as they often will to keep it away from their buddies.

If you are feeding raw meaty bones or large chunks the mats are very important because they will move around their food as they eat it.  The trays or mats can be wiped clean, disinfected and put in the dishwasher between uses.  The silicon type mats are less likely to slide/slip on the floor though we don’t find this a huge issue with the trays because the cats tend to stand on them while they eat.

As for cleaning we always recommend eco-friendly and non-toxic cleaning for your entire household.  We run a green cattery and home and it is pretty easy if you know where to look for products and how to shop to save money.  We use all natural food grade hydrogen peroxide we buy diluted down from 33% to 3%.  This will kill almost any bacteria, fungus, or virus but should be sprayed on or applied and allowed to air dry.  So we use this as a final measure for any disinfection.  It is safe to use on most surfaces but it may/can bleach fabrics so be sure to test them first.

When picking natural cleaners be careful of any scents as they are often using natural essential oils which are healthier for humans but can be extremely toxic to cats.  When you can opt for the scent free ones for anything your cat will be using.  We love the Free & Clear dish soaps and cleaners from 7^th generation.  For our own use we get lavender or citrus which is not as dangerous to the cats but not used on their bowls or eating/sleeping surfaces.  These wonderful non-toxic and eco-friendly cleaners used to be hard to find and expensive but now due to their growing popularity you will likely be able to find them at most larger grocery stores and places such as Target.

To mop up we use a floor steamer but that’s a subject for another post.

Pendraig Red Sonja SunFire

Hard to believe, 7 years ago today, we welcomed our first ever Siberian cat litter here at Pendraig Siberians.  It was a time of turmoil for me.  A time of major upheavals and changes but somehow I had managed to hang onto my cattery as it was just starting up.  Into all this chaos and uncertainty, as well as my deep sadness, came a gorgeous litter of reds and torbies with one tortie.  Sonja was my first ever red female, along with one lovely red sister.  She was unique and unusual with bewitching green eyes and a rich and full red color, solid and very rare.  My love for reds already strong blossomed into a thriving passion.

Pendraig Red Sonja SunFire the Siberian Kitten

Pendraig Red Sonja SunFire was named for a female warrior hero I had loved as a girl, from the movie “Red Sonja”.  Perhaps not the highest quality flick it never-the-less reached a part of my soul.  It reached deep into me that has always loved sword fighting warriors strong enough to fight the evils of the world and resonated with me keenly as I sought this strength within myself.  The “SunFire” in her name was for her mother a rare and sweet foundation queen from Russia that I was lucky enough to have offered to me by a breeder friend I knew.

Sonja the Siberian Kitten

I had planned, as a newbie breeder, not to fall in love with my first litter.  I had many many books over the years, mostly on dog and horse breeding and wanted to be responsible and strong, and my cattery to be a positive influce.  I decided to go ahead and place the kittens, hopefully one in a breeding home, to continue on a rare bloodline and new foundation line.  My next step was to repeat breed the queen again later and finally keep one for myself.  Unfortunately, fate intervened and this was the only litter I would get out of SunFire of Pendraig.  And as fate would have it, long before I knew this would come to pass, Sonja dedicated herself to becoming my best friend.  She was besotted with me right from the start and as she grew big enough to crawl she sought me out no matter what else was going on.  As soon as she heard my voice or knew I was there she’d be seeking me out, meowing if needed to get my attention.   One day I woke up certain there would be no new home for Sonja, she had taken up a place in my battered heart and there was never going to be a way to dislodge her.

As time went on I still struggled with daily life’s trials but was blessed to meet my now husband when Sonja was 1.5 years old and having her first litter.  She didn’t do well, not being a very confident mother and the birthing was difficult for her. Her kittens were sickly and only one survived.  A few days after the birth she developed a uterine infection and had to go to the ER Vet and had an emergency spay done.  I bottle fed the little Aslan  and his siblings but he was the only one to survive and she had little energy for him when she got back  having barely escaped death.  The Vets were not sure what else was wrong but she would not eat and after a few days on IVs in the ICU they told me to take her home to die in peace.  It was my birthday and I was going to lose my beloved Red Sonja.  My then fiance paid all her medical bills, a vastly sum for me at the time and not an easy sum for him either.  Though he knew Sonja not at all, and was a confessed dog person, for my sake he helped her and thanks to her plight I knew I had a good man that loved me.

Sonja after her stay in the ICU with her fur trimmed

Sonja came home with me and I begged her desperately to eat.  I bought some of her favorite food and sat with her, coaxing and talking and begging her to stay with me.  And slowly she began to lick the food off my fingers and eat.  And to this day I believe she had given up at the hospital because they would not allow me to visit her and she believed her heart broken, her person gone forever, and she lost the will to go on.  Silly cat…  She should know better.

Soon she was on the mend though looking funny with her fur shaved off belly and arm (where the IV was).  Even if her eyes were still glassy and she was emaciated you could see the love she had shining through.  I took some photos to remember this time and to remember how blessed I was that my prayers were answered and that she had decided to stay with me… and not leave.

When I in my own time became pregnant, just a few months later, I did worry she would be jealous or sad but instead she took a special delight in it.  Seeking to lay on my tummy especially as the babe grew and there was more and more of a “shelf” for her to lay upon purring like mad and utterly content.  I guessed at the time she figured I had cared for her kittens she would care for mine.  But it was so much more than that.

When Gabriel came home from the hospital some of the cats were curious, Aslan was downright jealous but Sonja… she was besotted.  His strange sounds and smells were not odd or scary to her but a delight and she would do all she could to sneak into his crib to sleep with him or lay near him on my lap as I nursed or he was asleep in my arms.  She would lean on him as much as she could and though she never was allowed in the crib she didn’t stop trying.

Gabriel and Sonja with the toy drum

As Gabriel grew she delighted in him more and more and not only tolerated the inevitable tail or ear grabbing but she seemed to find it blissful.  Silly cat.  When he began to walk she was right there with him though more of a hindrance than a help as she rubbed on his legs in encouragement which most often resulted in knocking him down sometimes on top of her.  She didn’t mind.  Her eyes said she was there to catch his fall, not to worry, she had it covered.

She would sleep in his toy box and anywhere else to get as close as she could including in his little toy drum and I will never forget catching him pushing her around as he scooted on the floor in the drum, her all crammed inside happy as a clam while he piled blocks on her head.

Now Sonja is 7 years old and I can’t help but wonder how many more years will we be blessed with her love?  Sonja isn’t perfect, she has some bad habits that can drive me insane but it all pales beside the love she has for me and my son and even my husband (she was jealous of him for awhile!).  I hope and pray she will be here with me to welcome my grandchildren but I know that’s an unlikely fantasy except perhaps maybe she will watch us from the rainbow bridge and always remind me as Gabriel grows up, goes to college, builds a family of his own that it’s ok, she’s got this, nothing to worry about, she has it covered.

I love you, Sonja!  Happy Birthday Girl!

Sonja's surprising and intense green eyes

Enjoy the slideshow we created for our Siberian Cat Pendraig Red Sonja SunFire…. through the years. =)

Though these particulars aren’t going to make or break the beauty of a Siberian cat to a pet owner it is part of the distinctive look that makes this breed unique especially compared to the often confused breeds that some mistake for Siberian cats such as other forest cat types – Norwegian Forest Cats and Maine Coons or even the man made breeds like Ragamuffins.

These cats should not be huge, they are not Maine Coons.  But they should have a decided feeling of “heft” as the standard calls it.  Almost as if they are partly made of lead somewhere in there.  They should not be overly long cats, more stocky of build with shorter legs and tail but those legs should be heavily boned and the chest broad between.  Younger cats will of course often lack this broadness but the hints should be there.

Actual weight ranges will vary by many factors including and especially diet.  We find with cats as obligate carnivores, meaning they must consume animal products only to be healthy that obesity (and diabetes, kidney disease, urinary tract disorders) come hand in hand with commercial food diets especially the grain based products.  The lower carb, grain free products are much better but not ideal.  With our cats raised purely on our natural rearing model we see a more even growth with less strange growth spurts, larger (but not obscene) birth weights and fuller boning.  They tend to be large as adults without an exaggerated “famine pouch” (common for our breed, a pocket of fat in the lowest part of the belly and not necessarily a bad thing unless it’s pronounced).

To use the average weight ranges for males would be 12 – 18 lbs with ideal being 15 – 18.  Some few males may reach greater than 18 lbs but not many that aren’t indeed overweight or obese.  If your cat is tipping these scales check to make sure there isn’t too much padding on the ribs or a noticeable swing in the belly when the cat trots or walks.  Consider switching at least to a grain free diet if not an entirely raw diet.  This can take time and effort especially since the cats with more problems tend to also be addicted to the commercial foods (due to the opioid peptides in the grains, similar effects occur in humans and we tend to be addicted to foods that are toxic to us in the long run).

Females are usually much smaller than males and we find a healthy range to be between 9 – 14 lbs with our preferred size 12 – 14 lbs.  Though we’ve had some small queens at 9lbs and a couple that were smaller once put on a raw diet they packed on another pound of two of dense muscle and also produced larger kittens even with the same sires.  Lily was one such girl and once we had our cattery fully into Natural Rearing with all raw diets her last few litters had increased birth weights and now as their 1 and 2 year old reports come in we are seeing larger sizes in the maturing adults.  Again, a female much over 14 lbs may be obese though not always.  Check for signs of obesity but don’t let your veterinarian assume your cat should look like a typical domestic long hair from the shelter.  In perfect form they will be stocky, full chested and broad gals not slinky waifs.

A good article on Recognizing Feline Obesity and one from a great website CatNutrition.org on Feline Obesity and last but not least the Feline Nutrition Education Society has a few articles on the subject but this can get you started, Feline Obesity: A Cat as Big as Omaha.

Remember, malnutrition goes both ways and just because a cat is fat does not mean he or she is receiving proper nutrients but can in fact be as deprived of vital minerals and vitamins as an emaciated cat.  Diet pet foods are deadly, upping the carbs and lowering the quality fads they need so steer clear of those.  We will do a more in depth discussion about cat obesity and nutrition later and it will be featured also in my upcoming book.

So far we’ve not found a fool proof system but it helps to figure out what may be causing the issue to begin with.  It’s not just the long hairs though giving the cat a careful trim with some scissors just to get the hairs that straggle or hang too loose down the leg and underside of the tail can help.  Some cats if they get very bad can be given what groomer’s call a “Sanitary trim” usually for Persians where they use an electric trimmer to shave most of the fur off the back of the legs.

The cat can be causing this too by not crouching properly while eliminating and this can be caused by a litter they don’t like being “odd” to their feet, too deep, hard to walk on or keep traction or the litter box could be too small so that they have to slouch and scrunch up and cannot get the crouch right.  So, especially if you have a big cat make sure there’s a big enough box to fit at least two cats in.  If you have more than one cat make sure you have a minimum of one box per cat and one extra.  So three cats you would have four boxes placed around the home.  If a cat feels rushed or harassed while using the box she may not use her box correctly.  So, make sure she has options in case another cat is playing territory games not allowing others access to the litter boxes or the freedom to use them in peace.  Also other pets and children.

The next possibility is that the cat is not getting enough liquids.  Even with raw feeding they are missing out on the natural blood that would be in fresh kill prey.  Most processing of food animals starts first with a bleeding out where the blood is drained from the carcass.  Only one pet food company that I know of puts the blood back into the product and this is one of my many arguments for why even a 100% raw diet is not adequate in nutrients since the fresh blood is lost carrying with it many of the most important and bio-available vitamins and minerals not to mention moisture.  Cats being obligate carnivores and we believe descended from desert dwellers are designed not to need to drink water so they do not often even when they need to do so.  Dehydration can cause the feces to be too tacky or sticky so when it comes out without any mucus in the intestinal lining due to the dehydration it sticks to whatever surface it gets near including their fur, tail or even to their anus.

In order to make up for the loss of fluids in the food a simple fix is adding some filtered water into anything you feed especially commercial foods. This of course would negate the supposed “tooth cleaning benefit of kibble” but I find that difficult to swallow as believing Captain Crunch Cereal cleans children’s teeth.  We add about 10% water to any raw food we mix up especially if we add any powdered or granular vitamins and probiotics.

Next could be a lack of fiber in the commercial diets.  The unnatural grains in most commercial foods and even the non-grain ingredients like potato and peas can not move through as they should so adding a natural fiber can benefit them immensely.  And all cats can benefit from the cleansing action of some Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (only food grade, never commercial grade).  The DE cleanses out parasites, protozoa and helps also pull out toxins and viruses.  For information and studies on the efficacy of DE internally this article has several studies cited and quoted http://www.phdproducts.com/main/phdpage.asp?page=141.

Supplementing probiotics can help your cat digest his food better and the fecal matter is thus less abundant and less tacky/sticky as a result.  We highly recommend all pets are put on Primal Defense powdered probiotic and also we now supplement with others such as Jarrow.  We are looking into a more specific pet strain of probiotic to add and will be reviewing a new vitamin supplement that has it included in the weeks to come.

Last but not least we recommend feeding a quality high vitamin cod liver oil and also a fish oil such as sardine/anchovy oil by Iceland Pure.  These oils add important highly bio-available nutrients missing from the diet (again, including raw due to processing, blood loss, aging in freezer and loss of freshness plus the poor soil quality in many countries).  The oil can also act like a lube in the gut as any not digested will be eliminated and ease out stuck hairballs and help address constipation.

We hope this helps you get your cat out of that nasty mess so you can stop getting surprises found on floors and furnishings or when you pet your cat in your lap (eeew, we’ve all been there.  Surprise!! kitty has cling-ons).  Thank you to one of our kitten buyers and long time cat owner JM for submitting this question for our Siberian Cat Tipday Thursday.  If you have a cat related question, it doesn’t have to be just Siberian cats please submit it in a comment or contact us!  We can’t wait to hear from you.  Until next time, here’s to clean kitty butts!

I was overjoyed today to get to view the results of the photography session of one of the most beloved of our graduated Siberian Kittens at Pendraig.  Lazar has the most amazing owner, who not only offers him love and comfort but has taught him some fun skills and tricks and continues his raw diet with the passion of dedication and love she bears for him.  You can see how much he shines, not just because of good breeding and the short time he spent with us but because of the love and holistic care given by his “mommy”.

Lazar is out of TGC Jorrah Karat and one of most influential queens, though she is retired now, Sunbeam Lilyana Krasa of Pendraig.  He is a lovely darker silver with green eyes.  Though not as big as some of his brothers he is a good sized boy no doubt thanks to the large appetite he has and the nutritious raw food his owner provides.

Lazar and his owner share a special bond and it is one I hope they will share for many many years to come.  Lazar is still growing, still has maturity to reach but it brings tears to my eyes to see how much he’s changed since he was a kitten and left us here for his new life.

I love you, Lazar.  And I am overjoyed you have the love and home every cat deserves but not all get.  Thank you, Carrie for your care of him which is evidenced daily and your constant and welcomed contact and updates that I cherish.  Thank you also to the photographer Kim for capturing his beauty in all it’s glory.  Cats are so much more difficult to photograph than anyone realizes.  They never sit still even when sleeping!

I get this question a lot, and even as I write my natural and holistic care guide for cat owners people need immediate answers and help with spring around the corner.  So, I’ve decided to share some of what will be in the book and also to start a new Thursday weekly blog where I answer your questions (you don’t have to have a Siberian Cat either!)  Just comment with your questions and I will pick a new one every week.

Now, onto those disgusting and frustrating fleas!

Understanding the life-cycle of fleas is paramount to defeating them naturally.  It is more detail than I will go into in a blog post but you can read the Wikipedia article for a breakdown.  It is not pleasant to read about fleas, I know but you can get through it.  It is especially difficult us girls with our squeamishness towards bugs but it’s better to learn about them than live with them!

“It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.” – Sun Tzu

Never forget, it is a war you are fighting.  Fleas can jeopardize the health, longevity, and happiness of your beloved Siberian cat or other pet.  It is a war with many battles, and you must be strong, give no quarter and no compromise.  Be prepared to win.  Winning requires planning, discipline and quick action.  You must strike not only at the adult fleas feasting off your Siberian cat but also at their home where they lay their eggs and where the larvae feast off flea “dirt” that falls off the animals.  Fleas do not lay the eggs on the host.  One vet taught this to me with a saying I will never forget so I pass it onto you.  The fleas do not lay eggs on your Siberian Kitten or Cat but instead find other places.  There is “too much motion in the ocean” so they lay their eggs somewhere more stable, your carpets, your upholstery, your lawn and in the bedding and sleeping areas of your pet.  For this reason they make dog beds with cedar chips, but cats are extremely sensitive to wood oils and essential oils so it’s best not to go that route for them.

Strike first at the future generation.  We use food grade diatomaceous earth (DE).  This is found often in feed stores as it is still given to livestock internally to fight parasites (we use this internally at Pendraig for our pets and also for heavy metal detox myself).  Food Grade DE is safe and effective and is becoming more mainstream as I see versions with “bait” at Home Depot for pest control.  You can use that for your lawn but for the carpets, furniture and on your pet opt for the food grade DE from a trusted source.  We buy ours from Azure Standard online and have it shipped, it is cheap the shipping costs more but if you are lucky Azure Standard will have a truck route in your area you can sign up for and they have many natural food, personal care and supplement items you can explore as well.  I’ve also found it at RevivalAnimalHealth.com and Amazon.com.

Food Grade DE can be irritating to the lungs if inhaled so it’s best to do the dusting when you have the room cleared out and try no to get it billowing up in the air around you.  If you are sensitive to dust inhalation wear a simple mask that is for fine particles.  Do not ever use the commercial DE it is dangerous due to the high heat treatment it receives.

Dust carpets liberally and pay especial attention to low traffic areas such as under couches, tv stands, book shelves and in bedrooms.  Allow it to sit in the carpet at least 2 days as this is the average time to penetrate deeply enough before you vacuum it up.  We leave it in the hard to reach places as a deterrent.

When dusting your pet again limit their inhalation.  I do this by either putting it into a seasoning shaker and carefully shaking it over their body as close to them as i can get and using my hand to work it in.  If you don’t have one of those you can buy one at Amazon.com or your local World Market or kitchen supply stores.  The metal kinds with handles work great.  Alternatively you can just scoop it up in your hand and rub it in with the other hand a bit at a time.  Pay special attention to the undersides of your Siberian cat.  The tummy, under arms, neck and behind the ears.

If you live somewhere with lots of rain or moisture outside DE probably won’t work well.  The best route then for the outdoors and lawn is to purchase nematodes.  These tiny creatures are harmless to you, your pets and the plants but will destroy all types of pests and their young.  These can be found at most garden centers and home improvement stores.  Nematodes require moisture themselves so you may need to reapply after a dry spell.

If your pet is especially infested a bath is in order.  Fleas will drown pretty easily and just allowing a good shampooing to sit on the Siberian Cat (or other pet) for about 5 minutes will do the trick.  With a bad infestation as we saw when we did rescue we would apply a ring of shampoo around the neck just behind the ears and around under the chin because the fleas will climb up the body towards the head when the pet gets wet.  This is a natural reaction for them because in the wild cat or wolf would swim with their head above water if submerged for some reason.  The shampoo ring there will prevent them getting away and jumping off the head to hide.  Fleas are amazing jumpers and excellent at hiding out until the coast is clear so don’t give them the chance.  After applying the ring work the shampoo all over the body and finish up around the head but be careful of the eyes.  We use an all natural pet shampoo for this, be careful of anything with essential oils or harsh detergents.

A flea comb is a good tool to have while you wait those 5 minutes you can begin combing out fleas.  Have a shallow dish next to the sink with soapy water and you can dip the comb into it when you catch a flea to assure they are drowned.  Work the flea comb through the fur going down the body (not against the grain as this will irritate your already irritated Siberian cat).  If you have a kitten they could get chilled fast so perhaps cut the shampoo time to 2 or 3 minutes.

Rinse gently with warm water, but thoroughly leaving no residue behind.  When you think you are done rinse another 2 minutes.

You can now blow dry your Siberian Cat or if they really hate that just use a shami type towel (Revival’s “Metro Towels” are great) to wick away as much moisture as you can and let them groom themselves and give you dirty looks.  If you have a kitten this is an excellent time to get them used to the blow dryer.  You can also purchase a specialty dryer that works with a carrier and put the cat in there on a shami towel and set up the fan but be sure they do not get over heated or overwrought.

Once your pet is fully dry, and if you are dealing with a bad infestation or close neighbors with pets and a dog bringing it indoors.  We hope none of your cats are allowed at liberty outside but instead kept in escape proof enclosures, where flea remedy may be necessary.

If you do this right you should cease having a flea problem by the end of the week.

Finally the ultimate way to combat the flea is to make your Siberian cat or other pet unappealing as possible.  The best way to do this is to feed them a species appropriate and nutrient dense diet.  This means for our Siberian Cats a raw and natural diet with organs, bones, fat and preferably pasture raised animal meat.  Adding some high quality brewer’s yeast and probiotics helps also.  Fleas prefer a host that is unhealthy with an immune system too exhausted to fight them off.  We find our raw fed animals do not get fleas unless exposed to a heavily infested animal or environment and then only briefly.  (We had one unlucky kitten pick up some fleas while traveling via cargo but this is unusual and must have been an extremely infested animal that exposed her.)  A healthy immune system also requires plenty of quality, animal source Vitamin D which we supply with the organs we feed but also with a high vitamin cod liver oil.

For dogs you have extra options of creating citrus sprays at home, and adding some pest repellent herbs such as rosemary.  Cats however are very sensitive to many oils so it is best in general to avoid this for them.  However many of our Siberian Cat owners have dogs as well so we share the recipe so you can spray your dog down before he or she goes out and limit the likelihood of them bringing in pests.  Also remember, the same diet rules apply to them as well.  A truly healthy dog will repel fleas.

And an extra CAUTION here… Essential oils can cause serious damage to your cat, including neurological symptoms and even death.  I’ve seen many recipes for natural flea repellents which are fine for most dogs but do not ever put or use an essential oil on or around your cat.  If your cat loves rubbing on, playing with or sleeping on your dog do not use it on them either.

(Natural Flea spray RECIPE in an upcoming post.  My book will feature a number of recipes an options so be sure to check it out!)

A good, responsible and ethical breeder will always require you to sign a contract of sale.  This contract then acts as your guarantee and warranty.  It spells out the purchase agreement so it also functions as a receipt and proof of the sale which is of vital importance to the buyer as well as the seller.  How do you know you are not getting scammed by someone pretending to have kittens for sale if they aren’t offering a contract?  How do you expect to get a health guarantee, and proof you are receiving a healthy kitten without a contract?  How do you know what the steps are to have any health guarantees honored?  Without a contract you don’t.  Without a contract you won’t have any health guarantees or proof that you bought that kitten at all.

A good and responsible Siberian cat breeder will provide a contract that first describes the kitten or cat being purchased and lists the microchip number (if they chip, which most still do not but we do), the registration numbers if they are available at the time of sale (more often the case with retired adults), and the sex (plus intact status), color, date of birth, names of the parents and any other identifying marks.  This means the contract also acts as your proof that you own the cat or kitten.  This could become important in a court hearing if someone were to falsely accuse you of stealing the cat you’d have proof of sale.  Just like a title to your car or a deed to your house.  And this is before any registration papers may be available (they take time to process especially through TICA).

A good and responsible Siberian Cat breeder outlines the terms of the sale, so you know exactly how much money is owed with no hidden fees to surprise you at the end.  It will also outline what happens if you fail to make payment as promised, since it’s not fair to leave a kitten and breeder hanging there while you disappear or decide not to finish the purchase.  It also makes it clear when the transfer of ownership occurs and declares you rights to ownership of the kitten so the breeder cannot sell him or her again without legal consequences.

A good and responsible Siberian Cat breeder offers at minimum a 24 month health guarantee against congenital defects.  That is genetic disorders that often do not appear until maturity which for a Siberian Cat only starts at 12 months old and often doesn’t finish until 5 years of age.  If you have less of a guarantee then by the time your vet can pick up on the signs your guarantee has run out.  If you have no contract at all, you have no guarantees at all and kitten is sold “as is” which may mean sick or dying or costing you thousands of dollars to treat.  And the priceless costs of grief to you and your family.

An exceptional breeder offers much more than just the standard health guarantee but includes the rare and deadly FIP disease, as we do because there’s no way to guarantee against it happening and no cure.  An exceptional breeder offers a longer health guarantee because they know they are raising healthy cats, have done important health screening of breeding cats and DNA testing and that they are selling only healthy cats and kittens as we do.  In fact we are unique in offering up to a 12 year health guarantee if you opt to feed the Ideal Diet and follow the Ideal Care plan.  But it’s optional.

A responsible Siberian cat breeder has a contract that states you were sold a healthy kitten and requires you to take the kitten to the vet within a small time frame of your receipt of the kitten to prove the cat is healthy and to set that baseline of health with your veterinarian.  The contract will also require you to take care of your kitten, to provide minimums of care and has certain restrictions for the well being of your kitten but also often for your own good.  Take declawing for example, banned by my contract, is a cruel and inhumane treatment of the animal and there are other ways to avoid problems with scratching.  The procedure also often leads to behavior problems that may make your life miserable with your pet and jeopardize your happiness and the cat’s future as part of your home including litter box aversion leading to inappropriate elimination.  So once again you see the contract is protecting the buyer.

This list is far from complete but I hope it gives you an idea of why contracts are so important and why you should not only be happy to find a breeder who requires contracts for sale of their Siberian kittens but it should be a requirement you have of any breeder.  If they don’t have a contract, and a good health guarantee you should walk away.  Find a good and responsible Siberian cat breeder.  Find a contract that asserts that responsibility so that you can enjoy a worry free experience as a new Siberian kitten or Siberian Cat owner.

Pendraig Quantocius @ 6 months, photo by Helmi Flick

So, we’ve been asked by many people what the story is behind the unusual name, Quantocius.  Why did we choose to name our long awaited red classic tabby male Siberian kitten such an odd name?  Where did it come from?  Why is it so special?

I can answer it all in a word, Love.

For those of you not in the know about how my husband and I met, let me explain so the answer above will make sense to you.  My husband and I both had been rather ill used in life having difficult relationships we left, even after investing many years, money and tears into those relationships.  Both of us found a way to engage ourselves by playing an online game EQII.   I cannot speak for him but for me it was a way to enjoy friends that I had something in common with, play a game, and most importantly ignore reality that I was alone and hurting.  I had barely survived leaving my ex-boyfriend of 7 years, emotionally and physically, and was further ravaged by selfish parents who only seemed capable of putting me down and trying to control me in every aspect of my life.  Not to say they didn’t take me in, help support me but it came at a high price.

The only thing I managed to cling to was my cattery and it was by tooth and nail while everything else was systematically ripped from me and promises broken.  It is no surprise then I found myself spending all my spare time when not working, or looking for a job, playing a game to escape all of that.

Pendraig Quantocius photo by Helmi Flick

Well one day a new character joined our guild in the game… a fellow that was smart and funny, and knew how to make me laugh and oh how I needed to laugh.  It took me so long to learn to laugh again before I met him and I’d had my heart broken again since but here he was, gentle and fun and we had a blast playing that silly game together.  His character had the ability to transform into a big orange tiger…. and mine into a wolf.  We’d goof around while waiting on raids (you know, big groups of characters played by us geeks killing dragons and other “mobs”).  And his name, this lovely dark elf monk / orange tiger character?  Quantocius.

So, I named the cat for my husband, for the guy who made me laugh and showed me a truly selfless love that I have never known before.  Everyone always wanted something out of me, if it was to abuse me, use me, smother me, berate me, and ignore me but not him.  He just wanted to be with me in whatever way I was comfortable.  Friendship turned to love, he came from Florida to Texas so we could meet in person… and it was Love.  Love that manifested itself into a proposal, and a surprise pregnancy that has brought ultimate joy into both of our lives with a boy that is now 4 years old and yes… he loves the cats too.

Doug was a confessed dog lover, as am I, and he resisted the cats but this breed won him over and he is a wonderful partner in my cattery even though I started it a long time before I met him.  And I am still amazed he stuck around after hearing I was a cat breeder.  Most guys hear “cats” and take off, dating is rough.

Quantocius is Latin, it means “Sooner the better” according to the online dictionary.  My husband says “quickly as possible” and truly that is how he entered my life once we finally found one another.  To say he swept me off my feet and took my breath away is not an exaggeration!  His trip from Florida to Texas was dangerously swift and he was there before I knew it.  So was Gabriel for that matter…

For me Quantocius means Love.  The true, abiding, selfless love I found in my husband.  The man, who supports us, protects us, loves us and is completely devoted to his new family.  It only made since then to name the red classic kitten I wanted so badly after this Love and I hope more than ever for him to be a great champion show cat so all the world learns his name and the Love he represents.

Pendraig Quantocius photo by Helmi Flick

(N)Nordskjæret Eamonn of Pendraig and Gabriel

Pendraig Siberians is happy to welcome our new boy from Norway.  He is a lovely red classic tabby out of lines we’ve long wanted to have as we build our traditional cattery up.  His name is   (N)Nordskjæret Eamonn.  He is everything that we hoped for in a new stud.  A robust but balanced build, promising type, a lovely and strong head that will help us bring strong heads to our lines in the future.  He is a red classic which is our favorite color and pattern besides goldens.  he is also a darling boy that loves attention and is intelligent and fun.

It was a long trip for him from Norway but he traveled it well and arrived clean and neat too!  What a good boy he is and it’s amazing for a kitten too.  He is our fourth Siberian kitten imported from Europe and our second from Norway.  We are grateful and truly blessed to have him join our family.

(N)Nordskjæret Eamonn of Pendraig

Eamonn will help us towards our goals and we plan for him to have a long reign as a king at Pendraig Siberians.  It has been a few years since we had a red stud and now we are lucky enough to have two, Eamonn and our up and coming boy Pendraig Quantocius.  We started our cattery in 2003 with our first Siberian cat a red mackerel tabby and it is a wonderful feeling to get back to those roots.

There is so much we can say about this wonderful Siberian kitten but the most important thing is that we love him!! Thank you so much, Synnove of  (N)Nordskjæret cattery  for these amazing little guy and the beautiful photos too.  We have started a photo album on our Siberian Cat Fanpage on Facebook.

Even if you do not live in Texas please consider helping.  No donation is too small.  Those of you who have a Pendraig kitten or cat, are planning to get one or just appreciate the work I do for cats everywhere please consider making a donation in the name of your beloved cat(s) or for our sake.  We would be so grateful.

We always try to make donations to charities, rescues and feline health research with each kitten sold but now we will be making another donation towards the RPOA to help fund this endeavor to stop this travesty from continuing.

Bless each and every one of you, with your help I know that right can prevail and responsible breeders will be protected instead of persecuted.

Dawn

Pendraig Siberians

—–

TX-RPOA E-News
>From RPOA Texas Outreach and
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
“Animal welfare, not animal ‘rights’
and, yes, there is a difference.”
Crossposting is encouraged.
Monday, July 11, 2011

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! Where do we go from here?

RPOA Texas Outreach has launched a legal initiative regarding HB 1451, the
misnamed “Puppymill” Bill, that just passed affecting dog and cat breeders.
The bill was signed into Texas law by
Governor Rick Perry June 17th. We have an attorney on retainer and will
be filing injunctions at the appropriate times to block administration and
enforcement of the new Texas Law in any way legally possible. This law must
be rescinded.

It’s not a time to panic but rather a time to rally the troops and move
forward with an Action Plan. It takes much more than just a court case.
This is a major undertaking and will be expensive. We hope Texas animals
owners care enough to support RPOA. We must take back Texas and be the
“reasonable” voice regarding all animal issues.

Just a few items RPOA is working on, but certainly not a complete list yet:

1) RPOA hired an attorney and set into motion years of litigation in the
courts regarding our constitutional rights as Texas animal owners and the
unconstitutionality of HB 1451. Be assured HSUS will be involved at all
levels on the “other” side.

2) We’ll encourage our members to apply for positions on the Animal
Advisory Committee for Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR).
Per TDLR’s deputy executive director the application will be on their
website August 1 – September 15. The appointments will be made around the
end of October, he says. And,

3) Monitor the administration and enforcement of HB 1451 by TDLR. Our
members are
to inform us of any harassment from “animal rights” extremists or attempts
by anyone to enter their premises without a Search Warrant. And,

4) Activate the 16 RPOA Chapters blanketing the state that we were
organizing before 36 bills hit us at the legislature this session. And,

5) Continue to educate the media regarding animal issues and what’s
happening in Texas. We have an RPOA “Media” email list which has been used
throughout this legislative session and resulted in much more balanced media
coverage regarding HB 1451. And,

6) Conduct a PR Campaign to promote responsible breeders and purebred dogs
and cats. According to PETA, there’s no such thing. And,

7) As an “Alliance” we’ll continue to network with other statewide and
national animal interest groups who oppose the radical “animal rights”
agenda. And,

Encourage our membership to develop an ongoing relationship with their
local and state elected officials. Send their representatives informational
material that we’ll distribute through E-News on a regular basis.

Donations to RPOA Texas Outreach can be made on our website with Pay Pal
www.rpoatexasoutreach.org
or mail in to: RPOA Texas Outreach, 900 NE Loop 410 #311-D, San Antonio,
TX, 78209. These donations are not tax deductible.

For Tax Deductible Donations: Go to Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
www.responsiblepetowners.org and use Pay Pay or mail in to RPOA same
address. These funds keep our office open with all that entails.

Subscribe to this announcement only email list to stay informed regarding
all Texas animal issues by emailing:
TX_RPOA_E-News-subscribe@yahoogroups.com