The First Day with Anna Shea!

Prekrasne Anna Shea, all 3 pounds of her, arrived today at 1pm with her breeder, Sue of Prekrasne Siberians. We had our large (8x12) laundry room set up with the litter box, food and water, and her 5' tree/condo ready to go. Sue set the carrier down on the tile floor, opened the door, and without a moment's hesitation Anna Shea strolled right out. She surveyed the new land that was to become hers by walking through the litter box, taking a sip of water and a bite of food, and then climbing the tree.

She rubbed up against our legs to say hello, batted mice about, and tried very hard, without success, to get the ball out of the blue plastic toy.

She played for almost an hour before once again climbing to the top perch and falling asleep, totally exhausted with her tongue hanging out of her mouth!

The rest of the afternoon and evening were filled with naps, stroking and purring, playing and then napping again. We're so excited that she's here at last! More stories and pictures tomorrow. - jlr

Anna was spayed last Tuesday and you can see that her belly is shaved.

Cat tree

Hi: I finally ordered the cat tree/condo/
scratching post combo from http://www.acecatfurniture.com/ I don't think it will make it for Anna's arrival but we can hope. She will be three months old on Thursday and is scheduled to be spayed next Tuesday. Now, that we have the food bowl issues sorted out I'm ready to move ahead and buy the food; maybe. We're thinking about feeding raw? I just don't know - - sounds like work but sounds like the right thing to do. Our breeder is sending out the kitten package today so I might wait and see what we need to buy. It will all work out. I'm just acting like an expectant mother.

We have everything else I think. Now we're just counting the days: ten (not inlcuding today or the day she arrives). Take care everyone.

Bowls

I went to Costco yesterday (one of those huge member warehouse stores where you can’t leave without spending a small fortune and picking up items that look cool but have no use). I saw some pet food dishes made out of stainless steal and picked them up thinking they would be perfect for the kitten. I keep reading that the stainless steal and the ceramic dishes are best because of their weight and ability to clean.

I brought them home, happily rinsed them and set them in their “spot” for the kitten. I was very proud as we only have 15 days until the Anna Shea arrives and I need to start prepare (yes, it’s very much like prep for a baby but it’s a kitten). My husband came home from work and said they were dog bowls. I said they were pet bowls but perhaps there was a picture of a dog on the labels but wouldn’t they do? He was very sweet (he’s the guy who grew up with four cats) and got that special tone with me (indulgent but not patronizing), “Darling, whatever you think. It’s just that Anna will be so tiny she could curl up in one of those bowls and nap and she would even need to step into one to eat or drink.” I’m paraphrasing because I don’t think I actually heard everything he said as my mind was whirling trying to figure out how I could have thought these enormous bowls (a kin to a soup tureen) would work for a cat let alone a kitten.

I’m still a dog person. This is the underlying issue. I think “dog”.

Well, enjoy the latest picture of Anna Shea: Big yawn by the 11 week old Sib.

Great news! Anna Shea (now ten weeks old) is coming home in less than three weeks (over U.S. Labor Day weekend). I have another website for you to check out: http://www.welovesiberians.com/ and our breeder, http://www.prekrasne.com/ has kittens: one little girl is left from the C litter and several from the D litter. You can also put your name on her wait list for what will be a bunch beautiful kittens in the winter and early spring.

The kids are back to school here in Tucson and so I must go help with homework. Take care, everyone! -jlr

The Return of Anna the Brave!

Here's of a story of nine week old Anna Shea from her breeder (link on left). Remember while you're reading that Anna is 2 pounds and the Ragdoll is upwards of 20 pounds.

"Little Anna story for you: Seamus, the big Ragdoll, harasses the kittens to no end.

Katie [Anna's mom] clobbered him when she was in big bad momma mode but now that the babies are older the momma hormones are fading. Anyway, he'll casually walk by one of them and just give them a cuff. Well, he walked up to Anna today and what did she do? She stuck her tiny little paw out and gave HIM a cuff! He just sat there - probably thinking "Did she just do that??" I think she won that time out of sheer shock factor."

Solid Blue?

We’ve learned this week that our Anna Shea (nine weeks old) is not a Solid Blue with White but a Blue Mackerel Tabby with White. That translates in layman’s terms to a gray cat with bits of white to a striped grey cat with white bits. Mackerel means having narrow stripes that run parallel down the side or in layman’s terms again: tiger stripes.

Anna is doing great. She’s got the run of the breeder’s house now with ten other kittens her age. I imagine it’s sort of like going Chuck E. Cheese or Peter Piper Pizza for a three-year child’s birthday party. The kids are having a blast and will sleep really well that night and the adults need a nap immediately upon entering, or an Advil, or maybe a stiff drink. The breeders of this world deserve every penny! And you would agree if you’ve ever spent the afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese or cleaning-up after several litters of kittens or puppies!

Anna will be here in five weeks. We’ve been waiting to buy the kitten stuff. Okay, I have been holding myself back from purchasing a wide range of cat paraphernalia. My husband assures me that the kitten will be very happy to play with a waded up piece of paper formed into a ball, or a bit of yarn, or something else equally recyclable. How dull!

Every toy manufactures cringes at the thought that we would be so “inventive” as to make our own toys fashioned out of toilet paper rolls and cardboard boxes. A kitty condo out of paper sacks – they would think it's absolutely horrific!

So I’m torn between the pretty colored catnip infused mice and sparkly, dangly bits of tinsel, foil and plastic verses the make-your-own-fun House brand. Do I buy the golden domed litter box or the basic litter box or even more economical and practical plastic storage bin? $31, $16, $4 respectively. Will the cat care as long as I clean it?

I’m debating big stuff here, don’t you think? Okay, it’s not international relations or world economics but it our family and our money. Same difference right - - just a smaller scale? Yeah, okay, not really the same at all.

I’ll leave you with the fact that in the next few weeks we will have to get the basics and it will be fun to both buy and make our own toys. Moderation in everything!

Happy Day - jlr

I'm A Fierce Kitty!

Here are the latest photos of Anna Shea! Eight weeks old now and coming up on 2 pounds! Sorry that we're late adding to the blog this week but we've been busy with the end of summer stuff. Anna will be home with us in five and half weeks...

She had "red eye photo" that I didn't do too well getting out but we still think she looks cute.

Dog to Cat Convert – In Progress

Kerry, a friend of the family, is a cat person and is in heaven having heard that I’m coming over to the other side…CATS. She loves to hear the ‘Dog to Cat Convert’ stories. Yet, I should mention that this conversion is still in progress. I’m remembering fondly the mother and six puppies we fostered for the Humane Society last summer.

Yeah, it was hard work and difficult to let them go but for me – the dog person – I was so very happy. Okay, maybe I wasn’t happy at 5AM when the whining started or the fact that they were learning to be house broken so we had to go out every 2 hours. Yet, they were adorable when they became a miniature pack and followed me outside running like a little herd of wildebeests.

My husband took to them rather slowly (i.e. I’m not sure he actually touched a puppy until they had been in the house three days) and my daughter thought they were cute as long as they were small (the mother dog held no interest to her). This proved to me that they really, truly, honestly, loved cats more than dogs.

It took me the better part of a year to accept that if we got a pet it would have to be a cat – majority rules. Then magically I heard about the Siberian breed and Anna Shea followed. Prekrasne Anna will be home in a little over six weeks.

Anna Shea (top) at 7 weeks old. Puppy pictures from last summer (below).

Fur Ball!

Anna Shea has that “about to explode fur ball” look at 7 weeks, don’t you think? Wish we had lots to share this week but it’s quiet, it’s hot, and we’re getting our heads around the fact that school starts in three weeks. However, we’ve been having some amazing thunderstorms with superb lightning shows.

Here’s a picture of Anna at 1 week with her mum Katie. Anna was only 58 grams at birth. 58 grams = 2.045 ounces or 0.127 pounds. Super tiny baby! Yesterday she weighed in at 1 pound 6.8 ounces. It looks like it could all be fur – is there a cat in there somewhere?

Anna is Six Weeks Old Today

Anna is six weeks old today and we only have eight more weeks until it’s time to bring her home. Anna has been dubbed, “Anna the Brave” as she was the first to almost get over the gate, the first to make it to the top of the Kitten Tree, and never even makes a peep when left alone. Sue (her breeder) says that she is rambunctious as all the other kittens but is more reserved in her personality. Sue wrote in her weekly report to us, “Anna is doing the classic kitten hop – she chases her brothers or sisters while doing this little stiff legged hop with that tail straight up. It’s hysterical.” She’s met the dogs without effect and is the sixth largest in weight of her litter of seven.

These are the latest pictures of Anna Shea at six weeks.

Allergies & Siberians

You might be looking at this blog because you are interested in a Siberian or it might be that you know our family and are just catching up on the latest. Either way, welcome.

As you may know, I’m allergic to cats and so it comes as a huge surprise that we’re going to be a cat owner. So I thought I’d offer some information on the scientific studies on Siberians and why they think some people don’t have severe allergic reactions to Siberians. Also, I hope that I’m part of the informal study that many breeders are doing to see if their breeding lines will be tolerable to allergic people.

The following is an excerpt from Lundberg Siberian’s website about allergies and Siberians (http://lundbergsiberians.home.comcast.net/allergies.html), which was taken without permission but I hope credit will count and they won’t mind too much.

ABOUT FELINE ALLERGENS
Q. Are Siberian cats hypoallergenic?
Some Siberian cats have much lower levels of feline allergen than traditional domestic cats. Siberians have enjoyed excellent placement rates in homes with cat allergies, but no pet should be considered fully hypoallergenic.

Q. What causes cat allergies?
The majority of cat allergies are caused by a small stable protein called Fel-d1. This allergen is found only in cats, not other animals. Fel-d1 is very small and remains in the air for a long duration.

Q. Where is the allergen found?
Fel-d1 is produced by salivary, skin and anal glands. During grooming, Fel-d1 from saliva becomes airborne. Allergen from skin glands remains on the fur for a long time. Litter boxes can also contain substantial amounts of Fel-d1 from excretions.

Q. Do long hair cats cause more reaction?
Fur length is not related to feline allergens. Long hair does not increase or decrease the amount of allergen produced. Some people may have problems with eye irritation caused by the fine hair in the undercoat. This is most common during early spring when cats tend to shed more.

Q. Does neutering affect feline allergen production?
Multiple studies have shown neutering sharply reduces Fel-d1 levels and allergic reactions. The allergen is hormonally controlled, and non-neutered males produce the highest levels. After neutering, allergen levels drop sharply in both males and females. We recommend early neutering in households with cat allergies.

Q. Are people allergic to dogs also allergic to cats?
About 20% of people allergic to cats also react to dogs, horses and other pets. These reactions are to allergens other than Fel-d1. When an individual is highly allergic to dogs and cats they are unlikely to benefit from Siberian cats with reduced levels of Fel-d1. We do not recommend keeping pets in these situations.

After reading this and many other web sites (some that are very scientific and not layman friendly at all) I thought there was a good chance for me. I’ve also started taking an allergy medicine. Wish me luck. I’d love your comments about your experiences with cats and allergies.

This is Anna Shea from last week (all pictures courtesy of Prekrasne Siberian Cat) but I think every post needs a picture. Don’t you? -jlr

The Future Cover of TICA Trend Magazine

A new picture of Anna Shea to the left. Sue says she named this picture of Anna, "The Future Cover of TICA Trend Magazine". She's becoming a little fluff-ball and all is well in her little kitten world. I'm completely ignorant regarding everything about cats, let alone showing cats. However, I'm learning by reading and soon I guess I'll be learning about kittens by doing! -jlr

Nine weeks to go!

Happy 4th of July! Anna Shea is almost five (5) weeks old (tomorrow) and she's just 1/2 oz away from a pound in weight. She's really going to town on her cat food. She was the biggest in the litter but soon after the boys took over, but she's still the largest female. Sue, her breeder, says she's the first to scoot over to the food dish. Sue says she's a very sweet kitten and crawls all over her.

My husband grew up with cats and my daughter is naturally a cat person. Intuitively they just make sense to her. I, on the other hand, grew up with dogs so I seem to be asking everyone I know questions. What litter to use, toys, if they jump can they reach our mantle? I've discovered there is quite a chasm between those who declaw and those who don't. We're honor bound by our agreement with Prekrasne Siberian Cats to keep her inside (which isn't an issue in the desert with coyotes and we even have bobcats in our back yard from time to time) and never to declaw her.

Another week has passed; only nine to go! - jlr

(Picture of Anna and her brother)

Visit to the breeder

Today we went to visit the breeder, Sue of Prekrasne Cats. It's a great house, happy cats, a couple of dogs who also are happy and play with the cats. We couldn't see little Anna today as Sue keeps the kittens with their mom and separate from the rest of the house (which is perfect). However, her other cats are gorgeous and we enjoyed learning about them and her work as a breeder even more. I think Sue has another litter coming up in July and one in late summer.

(Anna's Mom - Katie to the left & Anna's Dad - Sultan to the right)

Anna was small at birth due to the size of the 9 kitten litter. Well, all the babies were small. They've caught up quickly! Now they're getting close to a pound a piece and just started eating cat food and using the litter box.

Exciting times ahead. - jlr

Anna Shea is Ours!

Anna Shea, a four (4) week old Siberian Forest Cat, is ours. Granted, she'll be living at the Prekrasne Siberian Cattery until September when she's been spayed and is 13 weeks old. Yet, she's still ours. We put the deposit down the day before yesterday.

We had several breeds of which our family liked the look. However, the Siberian, a newer breed in America (1990), is not only known to be active and intelligent but also people with allergies seem to have less problems with them than other breeds. Siberians are also thought to almost be dog-like in their quality to greet you at the door, follow you around the house and be super social. We'll let you know.

Anna Shea is a blue solid with white (seen below in profile at 3 weeks) and she's growing like a weed. Go Anna! - jlr