Boreal Cattery

Bloke in Durham’s Field Of Dreams

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:25:25 -0500

Our quest for glory has taken us once again on the road, this particular cat show was organized by the Field of Dreams Cat Club and was held at the State Fair Grounds in Raleigh, NC on February 16 and 17.

This time the adventure was different because Bloke was going to be my sole traveling companion. So there we were on this fine St. Valentines day heading south again for another TICA cat show. Something else made this trip even more different, Natalie arranged for me to deliver a kitten to one of our adoptive family in Brooklyn, NY and stay over for the night.

For those of you who have traveled to NYC before you will sympathize with me for embarking on such an adventure. Anticipating difficulties due to a previous experience traveling to Manhattan, I decided to purchase a GPS navigation system. I cannot emphasize enough how much time and trouble this little device saved me. It gave me step by step directions from our home to the client’s residence, all with a soft feminine voice; it never scorned me when I made wrong turns. I have great respect for this technology and I for one very happy that it will be part of every road trip from now on.

The stress level has gone down so much, I now have time to enjoy the scenery knowing that if I do make a wrong turn it will recalculate corrective actions immediately and point me in the right direction without having to consult a map or ask a stranger for directions.

My experience traveling in New York City was again memorable to say the least. I never knew how much New Yorkers love Canadians. So many people kept blasting their klaxons and waiving gestures to me all the way from the Holland tunnel to Brooklyn, it made me feel good knowing that I was among friends and perhaps Valentine’s day had something to do with it all.

The next morning we embarked on the second leg of our journey, first we had to get out of the city. My new trusty device was not aware of the many road repairs going on from a day to day basis in this vibrant metropolis. I was fortunate have the opportunity to discover parts of the city that otherwise I would have never seen. Finally I was on the Staten Island Bridge and on my way. I suspect the GPS manufacturers made a deal with the government, I have never had to pay so many tolls in my life. Funny how the States with the most industry also have the most toll roads.

After another nine hours of traveling Bloke and I were happy to finally arrive at our hotel and relax. Bloke as usual didn’t waist any time checking every part of the room as I consulted my trusty GPS for a place to dine. Again I wasn’t disappointed, there was an inexpensive chinese restaurant just around the corner that otherwise I would never had known about.

Tired from all this traveling Bloke and I retired early, looking forward to the following day’s show. Bloke presently needs one best in show award to achieve Supreme Grand Champion and it is proving to be very difficult. All the other campaigners are now trying to earn as many points as possible because the show season’s end is near. The competition is fierce and the cats shown are of superior quality.

Bloke is just getting into his prime and is getting a lot of attention from the public. He has such a sweet character and his look attracts many admirers, it is always my pleasure to show him to as many show visitors as possible. Bloke has this inexplicable attraction toward women. He has now kissed more women than Rudolph Valentino.

We met new friends and got to see first hand a wonderful Savanna cat by the name of Matanah Me Al ( Motzie ).
His owner Debbie was kind enough allow me to photograph him and feel the strength of this fantastic new breed.
The Savanna cat is being shown as a provisional breed and many cat associations are now considering adding this new breed to their registries.

The return trip home seemed like it would never end. I would like to say that fifteen hours of driving went by quickly but I would be lying. My main motivation was to get home, hug Natalie and check how much the little kittens grew in my absence. I was amply rewarded in every respect.
It’s good to be home.

Trip to Detroit, Michigan

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:48:43 -0500

The Detroit TICA Cat Show on February 8 - 10, 2008

On the road again as Willy Nelson so many times said.

The ambition and desire to achieve Bloke’s Regional Winner and Supreme Grand Champion title has now taken us to Livonia, Michigan, a part of Metro Detroit Area, Michigan. This time of the year undertaking any kind of road trip is always an adventure. Mary, our friend and Ragdooll breeder expressed an interest in attending the show. One of Mary’s cats was ready to challenge her Champion title and another was so close to her Grand title... the opportunity to attend this local show couldn’t be passed.
So here we were Thursday morning loading Bloke in Mary’s van and setting our sights toward Detroit, Michigan. The roads were ideal for a February day and I was hoping for a trouble free trip. Great weather, good conversation, great tunes made the four drive a breeze, it felt like in no time and we were at the United States border. Everything was too good to be true, for those who have read the previous account of our road trips, I kept thinking something is going to go wrong soon.

We crossed the border without incidents and soon arrived at the show hotel without getting lost, can you believe it. The show was scheduled to start at four in the afternoon, so we didn’t waist anytime setting up the show cages and quickly began grooming our cats for the start of the competition. Bloke’s grooming routine consist of a good brushing followed by checking his ears and eyes and derriere for he obvious. British Shorthair cats don’t require as much effort to prepare as long hair cats, they are so easy to show.

The event was scheduled over a three day stretch from Friday afternoon consisting of 6 rings followed by 7 rings Saturday and Sunday respectively. I was thrilled to be called for our first final in the Specialty category hosted by Harvey DeVilbiss of Texas. Bloke received a tenth best cat award followed by good words of encouragement.
Bloke is displaying great potentials for a young 16 month old male; his future show career is very promising, a great honor for his breeder Carolynne Power of Australia.

The Friday portion of the competition was scheduled to start at four and finish at nine o’clock in the evening carried on pass midnight. The exhibitors were expected to return to the show hall for nine in the morning, no need to comment on the mood in the hall. I crawled into bed at one in the morning, leaving Bloke free to roam around the room and play with the Ragdolls, something I should have known better. The already short night was frequently interrupted by cats jumping from one bed to another as if the room was a feline track and field event. Funny how they rapidly became very quiet just as the alarm clock rang. I knew we were in for trouble because the cats could be seen as we prepared ourselves for the show. Those newly discovered hiding places quickly found occupants, having been through this situation before I was ready for the task. Our little Houdinies were rounded up one by one and taken into their individual carriers for the short trip through the hotel into the show hall.

Another day began and ended without collecting any awards. We were competing against the very best British Shorthair cat in the United States and some of the best cats from South America, Italy and Canada. This show proved to be our toughest show ever. I returned to the room Saturday empty handed but still happy from the experience and the opportunity so show Bloke to the public. Shortly after returning the cats to the room we headed out to the nearest restaurant for a good meal and a pint of the good stuff. The conversation centered around the next day’s event and the possibility of some of the other participants dropping out of the competition. I knew it was the only way we had a chance at getting another award, sadly I knew it wasn’t going to happen, so I had another one.

Upon our return to the room, not having learned from the previous night I left Bloke and the Ragdolls free to party the night away. A mistake I will never do again, my boy Bloke being a male decided to advertise his masculinity on various items in the room including my camera bag, the laptop bag, a suitcase and God knows what else, needless to say that people around me can easily tell that I have a cat. Lets hope that the cleaning lady at the hotel has sinus condition otherwise Visa will come calling. Thank God one of the vendors at the show was selling Knock Out odor remover by the gallon. Lets hope it works as good as they advertise.

The Sunday show started with a faint hope of doing better but sad reality became evident, we were up against the best of the best and there is nothing we can do about it. I would like to congratulate Trucker and his owner Debora Stenwick of Chicago for a great competition. And I am now looking around for a Cat Woodoo Doll for the next show....

I was pleasantly surprised at the organizing committee for one of their initiative, a balloon release ceremony in memory of lost loved ones. I readily purchased a balloon for my dear Mourka who passed away almost a year ago. More than two hundred people wrote names of parents and four legged companions on the pink balloons. Symbolically the balloons rose toward the heavens in this cold February afternoon with a message of love from many tear-eyed loved ones. The cold and wind became irrelevant to all as our hearts warmed with the thoughts of our missing companions.

Our trip back to Canada wasn’t without concerns as many of the show participants suddenly got stranded in Detroit due to the bad weather around the Great Lakes. We decided to brave the elements and take on the long road ahead. In fact we were lucky as the winter storm and strong winds were mainly concentrated around the Chicago, Illinois area. Nevertheless, on the way home our van felt at times like a sail boat but what is life without some excitement?

The custom officer being originally from Australia was amazed that we travel all over, promoting our cats and taking part in international cat shows. She liked the name of Bloke as she checked his medical record, a truly Australian name, she said as she wished us a good return home and welcomed us back to Canada.

Home was sweet and the sight of our little kittens that will soon leave us to join their new families warmed my heart. They grow up so fast and then move on to their new lives. Thank you to all our adoptive families for caring and choosing Boreal cattery for their new best friends. God Bless.

Cat Show in Reading, Pennsylvania

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:40:52 -0500

Reading Pennsylvania was another one of our latest stop on our Bloke USA Tour, it’s like he is a rock star and we are his roadies. The long drive south was for the most part uneventful as we left Toronto prior to the ice rain system predicted to shower a large part of the Appalachians and the South East. Many show participants were delayed for the show.

The Quality Inn Conference Center has been the venue for the event for a few years already and their hospitality again was second to none. The Karousel Cat Club did an outstanding job at organizing the event once again a job well done.
Our time in Reading was a journey of discovery as we took time tour the city and see some of the attractions.
We discovered that in Reading PA you take Sundays off, a nice touch in today’s pace of life, it just takes getting used to as we discovered, finding a restaurant for dinner Sunday evening was a little difficult.

Bloke as usual experienced nothing but the best during his trip, sleeping all the way and acting as if he was Elvis, kissing every woman he could and spreading his charm all around. He made many new friends and admirers. We are showing British Shorthair and promoting this wonderful breed as much as we can. It is always a pleasure to meet cat fanciers everywhere we go and see them discover the British Shorthair cat for the first time is always a good feeling.

Long Live the Brits.

Visiting a Canadian artist Maria Klokkou

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 12:19:35 -0500

Maria Klokkou, a Canadian artist who lives and works in Niagara Falls, is also the proud parent of two British Shorthair cats - Blue Poppy, a blue Brit and Hermione a dilute calico British Shorthair.

Here is how Maria present herself on her web site

“Maria Klokkou is a Canadian immigrant who originally hails from Romney Marsh in Kent, England where she successfully owned and operated an art gallery for more than 10 years.

Maria has dedicated her life to the arts and actively works toward fostering young adults and helping them in developing their talents. Her dream is to create an art district on Lundy's Lane in the vicinity of the present Romney House Gallery in Niagara Falls.

She sees this as an excellent way to promote the arts within the Niagara Region and to leave a lasting mark within the community.

As an active community volunteer, Maria has been involved in various projects, some of which include:

24" x 36" oil painting donated for the 50th anniversary of the Niagara Symphony;
a limited edition print commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Niagara Regional Police Service which featured the signature of Queen Elizabeth II;

a large painting donated to the Breast Cancer Screening Clinic at the St. Catharines General Hospital.

Most recently, her painting "Pink Poppy" was chosen as the new logo for the Life After Breast Cancer Society of Hamilton. As a breast cancer survivor, this accomplishment is near to Maria's heart.

Working primarily in oil and pastel, Maria's large floral canvases and portraits can be found in many private collections around the world.

Maria plans to continue to work to promote the arts, and develop her dream of realizing an art district in Niagara Falls.”

We are proud to have two of our babies live at Romney House Gallery surrounded by beautiful paintings and artifacts. A fitting environment for a truly beautiful distinguished cat as the British Shorthair.

We wish Maria and her pet the best for years to come and may they live long lives filled with health, love and happiness.

Our Year End Adventure

Tue, 1 Jan 2008 00:07:47 -0500

This was the day after Christmas and as per Natalie’s plans, we embarked on the road trip to Raleigh, North Carolina in order to attend the 2007 “First In Flight” TICA cat show scheduled on December 28 to 30 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds. We were lucky that at the last minute Mary, a Ragdoll breeder and our dear friend offered to join us and use her minivan for the trip. This was a blessing, we now had two drivers and welcomed company for the long trip ahead.

After packing our cats, clothes and everything needed for the long trip, we headed south to the US border. We were full of ambitions and high expectations for our cats and looking ahead to a fun trip and meeting our old friends.

Our plans included a quick stop-over at a friend’s home near Rochester, NY to pick up some pet supplies. Our short visit turned out to be very eventful to say the least. On our arrival we discovered that Cheryl had arranged for a relative to check on her expecting queen during her absence, Hermione was due December 30.

Oh well, enough for scheduled delivery, Hermione had already started giving birth earlier that day, a week sooner than expected. We were greeted by a bunch of people desperately trying everything possible to save the newborn kittens.
After doing our best to provide assistance, advice and comfort, we wished the good samaritans luck and offered our prayers for the little ones and the mom.

If we could have foreseen what our planned shortcut was going to be like, I think we would have opted for the long way instead. Our itinerary had us going through some very pretty country side between Rochester and Elmira, NY. Instead we found ourselves getting into a series of zigs and zags from one country road to another.

The Appalachian Mountains offer very pretty scenery, rolling hills, beautiful creeks and rivers, truly, a wonderful place to live for those who enjoy being close to nature. For those wishing to get quickly from here to there, it’s another story. We frequently had to stop and ask for directions, Natalie appeared to enjoyed every minutes of my torment. She claimed to be a great navigator, funny, these were her directions we were following.

The sound of dueling banjos and images of Deliverance flashed frequently in my head as I asked strangers for directions. A kind waitress in a small road-side diner unmistakably recognized that I was lost the moment I sat at her counter. She pointed me in the right direction and up the hill we went.

Many hills passed and we still had not seen that elusive highway. I stopped once more at a dimly lit house decorated with Christmas lights. The customary barking dog alerted the resident and the old wooden front door squeaked open. A kind bearded gentleman greeted me and saw my despair. He generously offered a few different ways to get where I was going. After bidding me good by he asked if I had seen Santa Claus. I figured that perhaps jolly St. Nick also got lost in the neighborhood and didn't get to this kind man’s home. We turned around once more and proceeded toward the less complicated direction with the hope of soon finding the road that would bring us back on track. Just as I was told, at the end of the road we would see a town square and find directions to the highway. The small country road led to a two-lane road and finally to the highway south. We were saved!

The cats, who until then quietly slept in their respective carriers were another story. By this time they were in urgent need of accessing the litter box, which was conveniently placed behind the driver's seat. Five cats doing their business in a minivan can really bring tears to your eyes. There is just isn’t enough windows to roll down.

After what seemed like an eternity we decided to break for dinner at a truck stop and later find a place to rest for the night. Not having arranged for overnight reservations did allow some flexibility for our stay over. Unfortunately most places did not like the idea of having five cats share the room with us. Finally a small establishment at the side of the road was still open for business, not telling the clerk of our traveling companions proved to be a wise decision. He may never figure out where that smell is coming from.

The following morning we got up early and quietly departed for the second leg of our journey. The early morning fog made it difficult to read the fog warning sings frequently placed by the road side. We kept going from thick fog to drizzling clouds as we went from mountain tops to valleys. Let me tell you that there is nothing like seeing a white pickup truck suddenly appearing through the fog in front of you to make your heart speed up to an alarming rate. Parts of my childhood suddenly flashed through my mind. I was from then on in no need of caffeine.

Arriving in Raleigh was such a relief, finding our hotel was another thing. We finally made it but not without a few hairy moments accentuated with some colorful comments from the back seat. The cats never even bothered opening their eyes, they apparently have nine lives anyway. The whole gang just loved the room, two large beds, sofa and chairs, beautiful curtains and a bathroom the size of my first apartment. We could tell the cats were in their glory, they particularly loved the carpeting, they were racing from one end of the suite to the other as if there was no tomorrow.

Tomorrow soon arrived and all of a sudden cats disappeared. It seems that they have a way of knowing something is a foot and conveniently find impossible places to hide. I must say that those big beds weight a ton and are not easy for humans to get under. I heard stories from cat breeders telling of cats finding their way into box springs of beds and refusing to come out. Finally the last cat was caught and we took off for the short trip to the show hall.

Set up was easy for me as I silently watched Natalie assemble the show cage and introduce Bloke to his digs for the day. Sometimes it is better to just let things come together and complement how great it all looks. Bloke being a pro at this by now didn't waste any time and soon could be heard loudly purring with content. His day was broken up by short appearances before the judges followed by treats and back to napping.

Many visitors asked if British Shorthair cats sleep a lot. I had to explain that the night before Bloke was partying with the Ragdolls and he needed to recuperate. One little girl thought it was so funny, she laughed and told her dad that the dolls were partying all night. The first day of showing was scheduled from 2 to 9 PM. At 11 PM many of us were grumpily staring at a judge who for some reason just took her sweet time. Our long wait was soon rewarded as Bloke was called for his second final of the day. He placed third and forth best all breed champion out of 75 competitors.

The second day of competition was in all aspects quite fruitful, Natalie and Bloke arrived at the hotel room brandishing four awards for the day, making our total so far at 6 finals. The last day of competition our expectations were high to say the least. We were rightfully treated to a lesson in humility, Bloke got his one and only final of the day at the very last ring as we were packing our gear and loading the van for the trip home. Such is show business...

Looking back on the whole experience we feel gratified by the results, we faced the best cats at the international level and a couple times placed third best all breed champion behind spectacular example of the breed. We experienced first hand the highest level of competition ever, we met some of the most dedicated cat fanciers from all over including Italy, Belgium, Argentina, not forgetting the cats from the United States and Canada, which were of the highest calibre.

We are very proud of our boy Bloke, he is demonstrating the finest traits the British Shorthair breed is known for. He is an ideal traveling companion and every time people stop at our display and take a look at him they are always amazed at how strong and confident British Shorthair cat are, to our surprise many visitors have never heard of this breed. It is always a great pleasure for us to promote and show British Shorthair cats to the public and we look forward to meet you at our next cat show.

We would also like to thank the very honest woman from West Virginia who recovered Natalie’s wallet from the washroom and took it to the front counter and the fine young man who offered to let us use his cell phone to call home on New Years Eve. Such acts of kindness and honesty are rarely seen in today’s world.

God Bless and Happy New Year!

Updated on January 4, 2008 11:48 PM