An
explanation about Ticked kittens in an Ocicat litter -
Firstly
an explanation about Supplementary Breeding - The Ocicat is a relatively new
breed - just over 50 years since it was first developed. Therefore, to
ensure Ocicats continue to develop with strength, health and vitality by
widening the gene-pool, experienced breeders may be given special permission by
their registration bodies to cross-breed Ocicats with one of the foundation
breeds - the Abyssinian. This is referred to as Supplementary Breeding.
The breeding results under the Supplementary Breeding Program are closely
monitored by the registration body to ensure kittens selected for further
breeding are up to standard for the breed.
Oz
Catz has registered for Supplementary Breeding under the GCCFV to cross-breed
Ocicats back to the Abyssinian.
Rubichi
Wild Choc Bits or Leah as she was less formally known, was the result of a
mating between a pedigreed Abyssinian father and a pedigreed Ocicat mother -
therefore Leah was a Generation 1 Ocicat.
Leah
was mated with my fully pedigreed Ocicat stud, Gold Champion Ocivalley Flek and
produced Ozspots Sir Sydney who is a chocolate spotted Generation 2 Ocicat.
Ozspots
Sir Sydney (Gen 2) was then mated with my fully pedigreed Ocicat queen, Ozspots
Oci Iris Ella to produce Ozspots Jindabyne, a chocolate spotted Generation 3
Ocicat.
I
plan to mate Ozspots Jindabyne (Gen 3) with another of my fully pedigreed Ocicat
queens when he is old enough to produce a litter of Generation 4 Ocicats - fully
pedigreed kittens.
Now
about the Ticked kittens - In the first couple of litters when
cross-breeding back to the Abyssinian, some of the kittens are born without
spots but with ticking, resembling the Abyssinian in coat colour.
Although
these ticked kittens more closely resemble their Abyssinian ancestor in appearance,
they carry the genes of both breeds, the Ocicat and the Abyssinian. And if
the Ocicat parent carries the silver gene, for instance, kittens from Leah and
Merrydancer Cocolatino, some of the kittens will be unusual and beautiful ticked
silver cats.
Millie
- December, 2007
Hi
Nola, I just wanted to send a picture of my little girl
Milly. She is a continual delight, she has got a great personality and nature
and makes me laugh. We are great friends too and she seems to know what I’m
saying. I am so happy I got her. She travels in the car with me to my
parent’s house (about 10 minutes away) and likes to roam around their garden
on her lead.
H
ere’s Milly with her Christmas toy. Merry Christmas to you and
yours. Regards, Eleanor
Hallo
Nola - He is just magnificent and we are dotty about him.
Plays up a
storm with a piece of newspaper on string
and carries his prey off!
We have finally settled on
Kruger. Sounds like Cougar which he responds too but is a
reference to the famous wildlife reserve in South Africa where we were
privileged last year to spend 20 minutes in the middle of a pride of lions in
an open air jeep. (lots of adrenalin!). He is so lithe like a lion
that we wanted to have a connection. Our South African Rellies who have
seen the pics already are thrilled. Will keep in touch, kind regards,
Sandy
Kruger - July, 2007
Kruger - September, 2007
Aslan
- May, 2007
Hi
Nola,
Here's some preliminary
photo's of Aslan, or Azzi for short! He's doing really well and
has settled into his new life nicely. He's eating, sleeping and playing
well. He has of course made his way into our bed at night...that took
about 2 days....and it was his choice! He's not interested in his bed at all,
prefering the couch or our laps for a snooze. Hope you are well,
Sarah
"I
knew life at Oz Catz was a laugh - But, you gotta hear what goes on
here!!!"
Kruger - September, 2007
Hi Nola,
Aslan is great ...
he is huge now but seems to have stopped growing in length and started to fill
out instead ... he looks more of a cat now than a kitten. We
have been training him on the lead so he can roam the back garden, which he
really enjoys of course.
Hope you're well, regards, Sarah
Felix
- February, 2006
Here
is Felix,
Regards Joan
Ralph
- December, 2006
Just thought I’d touch base to tell you that
the 6 vets at our local clinic absolutely adored them and my brief 10 minute
visit turned
into an hour long showing to all the fascinated staff .... Ralph
is under constant bombardment from Coco all the time.
I have
attached a photo of them in a “very stressed” state in their new
surroundings. Cheers,
Leeann
He is very particular about removing clutter
from mantlepieces and investigating what is behind pictures. He does not
really approve of pictures on
the wall. I took the photo of him in the middle of the night. I
just happened to have the camera near the bed and he was investigating what is
behind pictures. He does
not really approve of driving me nuts so I took the photo with the flash. He
was very cross about it.
The other two photos are self-explanatory. He
sleeps in a bay window during the day. It's a good observation
point and he can keep track of what is going on outside.
The third is a posed shot
when he was in a mood to show how handsome he is and I just happened to have
the camera handy.
He is a big, handsome cat. He
is very vocal and I can understand the different phrases which range from
"get up" to "I want a chicken neck", "there's
a bird out there", "you've left the gas ring on
again" and "there's someone at the front door".
When he can be bothered, he
can be quite athletic. I have two soft balls about the size of
grapefruit. We play catch in the hall. He will jump up a
metre or more in the air and catch the ball with both front paws. He
flies in all different directions with his body upwards, downwards, sidewards,
etc.
He is a great jumper and has
to be persuaded down (ladder sometimes) from the tops of cupboards and
wardrobes.
He's sitting on the coffee
table at the moment telling me what to write.
Do I think he's
wonderful? Absolutely! All the best for 2008.
Regards, Jean
