January 2008 Newsletter - United Burmese Cat Fanciers

How I Met My First Burmese
I was twelve years old when I saw an article in National
Geographic about cat breeds. I couldn’t take my eyes off
the sable Burmese in the picture. I looked at the beautiful
rich brown coloration and the deep gold eyes of the mother
Burmese pictured and thought, “One day I will own a cat
like this!” I still have that National Geographic.
In 1979 I got my opportunity. I was living and working
in the Houston area and saw an ad for Burmese kittens in
the newspaper. The cattery was Springcrest, and I immediately
went there and met Carol Cummings, who showed
me GRC Senshu’s De-Fender and Springcrest Seaport, and
I chose a girl from a litter of 3 boys and a girl, much to
Carol’s dismay. She tried her best to talk me into a boy,
but I was stubborn. I didn’t know why then, but now, of
course, I understand totally -- she wanted that girl and
always maintained she was the best that cat ever produced.
I named the kitten Mai Tai, and I just wanted her for a pet.
Carol told me that if I decided I wanted the papers to breed
her, just to send $85 extra dollars and she would provide
them.
Mai Tai was a fabulous retriever that made most dogs
hang their heads in shame. She could catch the ball in
midair, when it was banked off a wall, and go after it if
I bounced it. She hunkered down like a dog when I was
holding the ball, and she would bring it to me constantly
to entice me to play with her. If I ignored her, she could
chip the ball with her paw from the floor onto my lap as
I sat on the couch. She never missed. She putted better
than Arnold Palmer. I sent the money for the papers, and
that was the beginning of my love affair with Burmese. I
started breeding in 1980.
During the 80’s I had the good luck to see many beautiful
cats from catteries that no longer exist, and I got to talk
to many old time breeders about their experiences. I had
long discussions with Brook Anderson (Summersage) and
Burmese queen and kittens from the April 1964
issue of National Geographic Magazine that
inspired Shirley Storey:
“The Cats in our Lives -- Mother and kittens
reveal the Burmese to be compact and muscular.
The three appear to be smiling gravely, an
illusion created by upturned mouths set in full
faces. Their eyes glow with deep gold . . . The
unique and wonderful color of the Burmese
is a ‘rich, warm sable brown.’ Coat is short,
lies close, has a glossy sheen and satiny texture.
Fastest growing in popularity among the
Shorthairs, the Burm commands a handsome
price.”
acquired Summersage Kirby from him. I talked often with
Mary Tichenor, and managed to acquire Brandolion’s Cozette
from her, and “Cozy” was a grand old cat with a chest
like Mae West and was a great foundation for my cattery
along with my nine pound Springcrest Mai Tai. Cozy had
seven kittens at age eight by c-section, was spayed, and on
her feet, and nursing (or at least trying) a day later. What
an Iron Maiden! I bred her to GRC Jade Orchid Jaguar
twice and had a long distance friendship with Jane Billings,
who was a lovely person who played the harp in concerts
and was a court transcriptionist. My hoped for litter from
Jaggie was born four days early, and I raised the two surviving
kittens on a tomcat catheter. My vet said they were
my miracle kittens.
Red Barn’s Jess Godiper was acquired from Red Barn
cattery in Roanoke, Virginia, from Diane Bollinger, who I
recently sold three pets to (for both her and her family).
I lived in Virginia a while and regularly showed against
Diane’s lovely Sweet Sioux, as well as Randy Madden’s
gorgeous Sau-Nee Azure Dee of Leia. I saw the majestic
KoKo King Mr Fantastic both at Randy’s and later at
Diane’s. Diane told me, “He doesn’t like me. He always
belonged to men, and when he sees my husband he comes
running and is all over him.” I wish I had taken his picture
as he had a head like a dinner plate. He lived to be 14+
years and made his way to Ishta cattery in Las Vegas. I
also had cats from Ishta cattery, and Sandy Maher proved
to be one of the most interesting people I have yet to meet.
In the mid-eighties I met Linda Jeske at the now defunct
Empire Cat Club Show in NYC. She was showing a drop
dead gorgeous blue spay who so impressed me that I pestered
Linda for every detail about this cat and she obliged,
of course. Unfortunately her blue girl had no offspring, but
Linda, as we all know, produced many, many other fantastic
show cats. At this show I also met Zelda Markowitz of
Page 10 UBCF January 2008