Bringing home a new kitten is an exciting event. As exciting as it is for the family or individual, high levels of activity and noise need to be moderated for kittens as it is a stressful event to leave their cat family. Some kittens may hide initially; others may be immediately comfortable. Either way,
Last weekend was a big deal in the cat world. It was the return of the Cat Fanciers’ Association International show. It was the first one since 2019, prior to COVID. I looked forward to it for months. It was held in Cleveland this year. I’d been to the venue in years past. It is
I am a science based person. My education includes degrees in Animal and Poultry Science, and Biology. In addition, I am a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Did I have classes in nutrition? This comes up as I often read on the Internet that vets do not have nutritional training. Well, it's a simple answer- yes,
One of the tricky things about being a breeder is planning in advance for cat shows or other events that lead me out of town. It’s not convenient to have to plan, but it is necessary. If I see a show post within an easy driving distance with at least some judges that generally
Recently there was an outbreak of panleukopenia after a cat show. A small number of cats got sick. This is frightening, as this is a deadly virus. It is in the same class of viruses as canine parvo virus. Yes, there is a vaccine. And, while no vaccine is perfect, there are critical factors that
In previous blogs, I have written about hanging out all day at cat shows with friends. We make it a point to “bench” together- which means we request the person designating where we are to set up our tents and grooming spaces that we wish to be near each other. Cat shows are an all
What does it mean to mentor someone? It means training a person to learn how to proceed in their occupation or avocation and become successful in that endeavor. In my profession, I mentored a number of veterinarians over the years, teaching them a spectrum of skills, some that I learned the hard way and
Pixi Stix debuts in her first ring after a long break from shows, Anybody who is familiar with me and my RagaMuffins knows that I get teary eyed and weak in the knees when the name Pixi Stix comes up. Pixi Stix knows this as well. GC RW BWR PR iCandy
Smartie shows off for the judge. Last weekend was a fun show in Maryland. It was the first time Smartie was in championship class, having paid her dues in kitten class. It was also the first time out for Pixi Stix in premiership. It’s her fourth career after kitten class, championship class and
Last week, I got up as usual in the morning, started my rounds of feeding and cleaning litter boxes throughout the house. I finished up and realized I had not seen Jolly Rancher. That happens sometimes if a kitty is sleeping in. My usual action is to look around at all the
RagaMuffin Cat Fanciers joined with two other cat clubs the fourth weekend in April to produce the Fabulous Feline Festival at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. To say it was a lot of work is an understatement. The preparation and planning took months. It required a team of people putting forth an effort to
Late winter and early spring this year turned into a time of goodbyes. You see, it is retirement time for a number of RagaMuffins. I hate this more than anything else about breeding. I love these cats. But, when they are done showing/ breeding, I want what is best for them. And for most of
I am both a veterinarian and a breeder. I have been both a long time. I have been a licensed veterinarian for almost forty years. I bred a few horses many years ago, then bred Labrador Retrievers for almost 25 years. Now, I have been breeding RagaMuffins for more than eight years. Sometimes the
GC BWR RW iCandy Fudge Ripple- an excellent example of length, texture, and density of coat. The CFA RagaMuffin breed standard calls for a coat that is medium to medium long in length with the texture being soft, dense and silky. Sounds great doesn’t it? The truth is there is a spectrum
When I got my first RagaMuffin, one of the things I noticed on RagaMuffin breeder websites is that none of the cats looked alike. Coming from a background of pedigreed dogs, I found that odd. But, after consideration, I realized that this breed was still in development. When I made the decision to throw my
I bought a cute small cat tree on the Black Friday sales on Amazon last year. It was a mushroom, a butterfly and a flower, with the primary color being pink. I thought kittens would love it! When it came, I put it together. It was relatively sturdy for the price and size. What
Earlier this year, RagaMuffin iCandy Raisinette went to shows looking to earn points for her grand championship. It is a mountain to climb for sure. Coming from the dog world, it is very different. In the dog world, the title of champion is quite an accomplishment. It takes a good dog and judges that
I recently bred iCandy Toffee Crunch to Adoremuffins Walnut. I think they will make awesome RagMuffin kittens. But the expected litter has a downside. You see, Toffee has type B blood. She is my only cat with this. Most cats are type A, some AB. In order to safely breed a type B female
Putting together and developing a RagaMuffin breeding program is much more than buying a male and a female and allowing them to mate. There are a number of different factors to consider. First is always health. Starting with vigorous individuals with clear health testing (Health Clearances), current vaccinations and regular parasite control is vital.
When I was closing in on my 50th birthday, I was looking through a magazine called Cat Fancy that regularly arrived at my veterinary hospital. I have always had a passion for cats, so this was one of my favorite magazines to peruse. This issue featured a breed called the RagaMuffin. I read the