Cait,
I could not agree with YOU more. I have been doing this for over 10 years and am not downsizing due to many reasons, and also because of the type of breeders out there that you talk about in your e-mail. It is not enough for them to win at every show, but they also have to put others down, discourage others and even ask them to take their cats out of the ring so they can get every single final. While I am not a show breeder, when I started out breeding I went to every show I could so I could meet these people and try to make some new "friends" and people who could give me a hand. I did meet some nice people as well, but when you have "newbie" written all over your face, people take advantage of you so easily and then they aren't around when it comes time to clean up the mess that they helped create in your cattery. I decided early on that I could not get involved in this political game while working full time, teaching at night and raising a teenager. But I did forge on and tried so hard to breed according to CFA breed standards and produce nice, healthy, well-socialized kittens for both pet, breeder and eventually show. It took a long time to get there and so much blood, sweat and tears. Yes, I also shed more tears over the thing that brought me more joy than anything else ever had in my life. But I was determined to continue and breed quality Himalayans and also strive to breed great breeder quality and even show quality chocolate points. I also, for the life of me, cannot understand why breeders can't unite together and help each other and support each other, both in good times and bad, but that just isn't the way most breeders are. I wish I had met more people like you along the way instead of the other kind that you talk about in your e-mail. But, unfortunately, I am meeting these wonderful people as they are going out of cats and closing their catteries. It is such a shame. I am now reducing my cattery due to health issues, future relocation and for the reasons that you so eloquently discussed in your e-mail. I wish I could have written something like that. I wish I could have expressed myself and said those things to certain people, but it would have just fallen on deaf ears, because most don't even care. They live in their own world and have their own small circle and outsiders are not welcome in any way. What happened to the mentoring program and being there to help each other out?? I don't know you, but I can see that you have built a cattery with beautiful cats from wonderful breeders. Don't give up. The Cat Fancy truly needs people like you to keep going no matter what and persevere and say to heck with the ones who want to ruin you and are secretly happy when you thrown in the towel. I refuse to give up, but I have decided to downsize and focus my breeding program on producing healthy, beautiful, well-socialized Himalayans to sell to wonderful, forever pet homes, with an occasional exception when I will sell to a proven, reputable, honest breeder. And that does NOT mean that they have to show to earn that reputation.
Your e-mail has truly inspired me to forge on and continue doing what I love so much and to care less about what those others have to say or think. It is NOT about them. It is about what we love to do and about how we raise our beautiful cats and kittens and about putting them first. I think that many have forgotten that these animals didn't ask for this life and that they MUST come first and their needs must come before ours.
Thank you so much for having the courage to post your e-mail. You have no idea how much it has inspired me and has given me another reason to continue on no matter what. I truly hope that it does the same for others who feel the way you and I do, but do not want to say it out loud for fear of feeling that they will be "forced" to throw in the towel. Nobody should allow anyone to have that kind of influence on their hopes and dreams.
God bless you and your beautiful cats and kittens !!!
Joan Miles, CFA-Registered Breeder
Angel Paws Himalayans
Richmond, VA (USA)
PKD DNA Negative Cattery
Member, Atlantic Himalayan Breeder's Club
Tel. (804) 323 5583/(804) 350 2524
angelpawshimalayans2009@yahoo.com
From: Cait <heartnsoulcw@yahoo.com>
To: Persian-Fanciers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, July 19, 2010 9:37:28 AM
Subject: Re: [PER] Re: Cattery closing
I must say that I couldn't agree more. I started my cattery just a year ago, in the hopes that I would make new friends and great memories. I am a stay at home mom and rarely get out. Going to show was going to be my 'outing'. I was so excited to find some thing to do that included some thing I love so much. But I must admit, I was not prepared for all of the competition and hate that is also part of this wonderful hobby. I can't understand why it is necessary to discourage other breeders and to "put them down". Why you cannot be happy for them when they do well and support them when they don't.
Don't get me wrong, I have made many friends and there are many breeders out there who, IMO, are "GREAT" and very helpful and understanding. It's just so sad that FAR too many breeders out there are all about competition and "ruining" other breeders who get in their way. As a "newbie" I expected support from all of those experienced breeders but instead was told over and over, in different ways, that I may as well give up now.
I can understand why you have decided to close your cattery. I have only been doing this for a short time and there have been many days where I have sat and cried and been so very close to throwing in the towel. The support I have been given but my breeder friends and family is what has given me the strength to keep going.
I don't know you, but do know (by looking at your website) that you have beautiful cats and by reading your "message" I can see that you are one of the good ones. You have obviously worked very hard... and I am sorry that you will no longer be showing and breeding.
I don't know you, but do know (by looking at your website) that you have beautiful cats and by reading your "message" I can see that you are one of the good ones. You have obviously worked very hard... and I am sorry that you will no longer be showing and breeding.
HUGS
Cait
Concentrating on the beautiful and rare Chocolate & Lilac Persians & Himalayans!
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