Thank you so much for this email Joan. You put a smile on my face 
.
.I guess it doesn't bother me rude, obnoxious "breeders" don't like me. I don't want to be friends with, or receive advice from, breeders like that any ways. I have had a very hard start and at times when I was so vulnerable and needed nothing more then support and encouragement to keep going, many breeders preferred to tell me how hard this hobby was and that I may as well give up now. Believe it or not, those were the "KIND" things they said. Apparently, I should only ask questions to my mentor and shouldn't bother the 'group' with my questions, concerns and fears. Strange, as I thought that's what this group was for? I've received many private messages in regards to the questions I have asked and I have had many breeders stick up for me, give me advice and to tell me "don't give up". I appreciate all of those emails so much, and now understand why those people would not post their reply on the list although I sure wish they did.
The truth is, along with the support of my family and friends there was ONE other thing that gave me the inspiration to keep going. Many will think this is silly, but I could really care less. My dad passed away of kidney cancer at age 59 (2007 - God rest his soul). For a couple months, before he passed away, he listened to a song on "repeat". It was a message to his "girls" from him. Although he didn't get the chance to walk us down the aisle, or to see his grand children grow - he left us with a very inspirational message, one that I feel is SO important for ANY ONE to hear and believe. Here is the chorus to the song.
You're gonna fly with every dream you chase
You're gonna cry, but know that that's okay
Sometimes life's not fair, but if you hang in there
You're gonna see that sometimes bad is good
We just have to believe things work out like they should
Life has no guarantees, but always loved by me
You're gonna be
You're gonna cry, but know that that's okay
Sometimes life's not fair, but if you hang in there
You're gonna see that sometimes bad is good
We just have to believe things work out like they should
Life has no guarantees, but always loved by me
You're gonna be
I have NO intention of giving up, regardless of how many times I am put down or told "this hobby will be too much for me". I also believe that the cat fancy needs breeders, like you and I (and many others I know who are out there), to keep going and the breeders who keep trying to "ruin" us should take a good look at them selves. All I can say is, what goes around comes around.
In regards to showing, I have been told that my cats are worthless without a title. That no 'good breeder' would buy any thing from me, because my cats are not even championed. Pretty well EVERY cat the goes into the show hall over eight months old comes out with a CH title, every one knows that. Don't get me wrong, I WISH I could have gone to the shows as I did have a ton of fun that ONE weekend I was able to go and show my kittens. But, matters beyond my control made it so I couldn't. I do plan to go back, but not to prove any thing as I know my cats are great, but to have fun. I am sorry if that is not good enough for some.
A little harmless competition is great. You should be so proud if your cat does GREAT at a show! I know I would be on cloud nine! BUT, on the other hand, if another cat did better then my own, I wouldn't walk away planning revenge, but would say "congrats" and give my own cat a big kiss for being so wonderful - regardless of placement.
Well - now that I've probably got some "backs up", I am going to go and cuddle my kids and cats and I will be proud of myself and my accomplisments. I am strong and will not give up easily... I'm just getting started.
HUGS
Cait
Heart'nsoul CatteryCait
Concentrating on the beautiful and rare Chocolate & Lilac Persians & Himalayans!
From: Joan Miles <angelpawshimalayans2009@yahoo.com>
To: Persian-Fanciers@yahoogroups.com; heartnsoulcw@yahoo.com
Sent: Wed, July 21, 2010 12:28:03 AM
Subject: Re: [PER] Re: Cattery closing
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
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