PATTERNWALK
Cattery
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The edea of Patternwalk cattery was born in mid-summer of 2004.
Looking back I think the edea was actually concieved in December of
1981. I was showing my British Shorthair male at an ACFA show when
i first encountered a very regal example of the Scottish Fold. Initially,
of course was the question; "What's wrong with that cats ears?" a
very appealing cat as I discovered over the course of a two day show.
However, with two small childern, job, housing, and family upheavals
the thought was filed away as I could no longer even manage show
travel etc with my Brits and reluctantly I gave them upto live without
cats (can you imagine?).
Fast forward two decades of minutiae; we find ourselves in July of
2001. Everyone has those times when, contrary to our plans; life
explodes around us. 2001-03 was that time for us.
The proverbial bovine defecation came in contact with the oscillating
blades. A whirlwind round of childern graduating, going to college,
getting married; I was to undergo exploratory sugery for cancer and
the couple who owned my house got a divorce. These things weren't
hard to solve:sew the wedding dress, bake a three tiered cake; with
fountain! Then buy the house; all took two years. After that throw in
back surgery and short term disability. We now find ourselves in the
spring of 2004.
Now enters my best friend and kitty daddy-surrogate partner; Mike.
We had worked together since 1993 and became good friends over
the previos decade. Mike drove me to all of my Dr. appointments and
physical therapy sessions for months; it was during one of these trips
that we were discussing future possibilities.
Mike is the primary caregiver for his elderly mother and at that point;
for me as well. He being very perceptive; decided that it would be a
good thing to fill my 'empty nest and give me something that I could
do (We still weren't sure if the surgery had worked). I went back to
work part-time in May, 2003. It was shortly after I resumed working
that we had a conversation that must be reported verbation as it was
just too funny.
Mike came in one day and said;
Mike "I was thinking about raising some puppies but I'll need help
and Mom won't do it".
Carla "I'm not a dog person - but I'd help raise cats".
Mike "Sold-American! What kind of cats should we
raise?"
Carla "We'll raise Scottish Folds"
Mike "Sold-American! Um-whats a Scottish Fold"
Twas after much merriment that we began to do our homework and I
realized that the 'cat with the funny ears' had hidden in my heart all
these years.
Our oydessy had begun. For the next eighteen months we comed the
internet, Cat Fancy magazine, any and all literature about Folds,
veterinarians, and haunted every cat show in the area.
Bast smiled upon us and in late 2004 we found a breeder who was
willing; as indeed, most are not; to help novices get started. Our first
adorable baby was in February 2005 and came to live with us in April.
Christene;, Corwin Blackraz'ear, he promptly settled in and took over.
My three year old grandson would walk into the house and promptly
tell everyone "Shh-baby sleeping , so he growing". Since we hed
designs on showing, after Corwin was fully vaccinated we started a
program of socialization to different people. I work overnight in a
hotel, so on the weekends Corwin accompanied me. We probably had
the only lobby where, at 3:00 am, you could find the auditor and a cat
playing in a cardboard box!
We had now reached the point where we needed to choose a cattery
name to register. Fate intervened again in the form of a couple who
came to the hotel to check in around 2:00 am. Corwin was in his
accustomed spot on the counter when they came in. The lady
commented on how inviting the lobby was with Corwin there. We then
did the obligatory introductions, petting, ear scratching etc. Mike
brought the photo album in from his car to show them baby picture
and such. When we got to:"...and this is Corwin's sister, Amber", the
gentleman asked, "Would that be from the Zelazny novels?" ( Roger
Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber) I told him yes, they were. He
scratched Corwin's chin and told him to be careful while he was
pattern-walking overnight. The conversation stayed with us and we
made Patternwalk one of our cattery name choices. Tin Nan 'Og was
another choice (loosely translated from Gaelic as ' place of your
heart's desire'). CFA and ACFA accepted Patternwalk and we were
on our way. I like to tell people that we; here at Patternwalk, reside in
Tir Nan 'Og.
With our wonderfull babies and their babies; how could it be
otherwise? Our objective here at Patternwalk is to improve and insure
the continuation of this wonderfullysweet and unique breed. If we can
share our babies with others; that will be a bonus of love that we are
incredibly priveleged to be a part of.
We want to take you throught the day-to-day how and what we do
here at Patternwalk.
While working in the corporate world. I have discovered that everyone
has a Mission statement. We thought about this and decided that we;
as indeed are most cat breeders, were more philosophers than CEO’
s. Given that Mark Twain has been quoted as saying, “A home
without a cat, and a well fed, well petted, and properly revered, cat
may be a perfect home, perhaps; but how can it prove title?” a good
working premise we thought.
All of our babies are individually socialized to both adults and
children. They are home raised under foot. A 42’ x 32’ x 6’ enclosure
provides supervised outdoor exercise and playtimes weather
permitting, (above 50’f – below 80’f) . We feed Science Diet both
canned and dry. Treats for both variety and training purposes are all
AAFCO certified 100% complete. The small bits of turkey for holidays
are just something we can’t help. Who could resist those winsome
little faces? All breeding stock is blood-typed. As well as being tested
for Flv Fip. Vaccines are given on schedule and kept current. The
exercise area is kept mown and treated to reduce exposure to out
door pests and we use Revolution spot-on monthly. (Amazing stuff-
ask your vet). Grooming includes regular claw clipping bathing as
needed combing brushing and enough treats to make it tolerable. It
takes a lot of treats for the blow dryer!
A Note about blood typing. While it is useful for anyone and could
save precious minutes as well as possibly lives in the event of trauma
that could require blood transfusions. Those of us who work with at
risk breeds like our beloved folds should encourage typing of all
breeding stock. Type B blood is rather rare among cats in general.
American Shorthairs as a breed generally present type B at a
frequency of less than 1% British Shorthair however, evidence Type
B at somewhere around 48%. Since these are the allowable outcross
breeds for our Folds we need to be aware of the dangers of mis-
typed mating. A female with type B blood who is mated to a male with
type A blood can produce kittens afflicted with neonatal isoerytholysis
(NI) in which the mothers' colostrum will stimulate formation of anti-A
antibodies which destroy the type A kittens red blood cells. Think
similar to the Rh-factor in human women.
Almost as important as the above technical stuff all our babies get all
of the hugs, kisses, lovey words, catnip rattle-mice, laser pen and
catnip bubble time that two people with the occasional borrowing of
nephews and grandchildren can provide.
Our veterinarian Dr.Lance Blackburn Has graciously allowed us to
include his e-mail address if you should wish to contact him as to
general health, temperment care, etc of the babies born and living
here at Patternwalk.
Looking back I think the edea was actually concieved in December of
1981. I was showing my British Shorthair male at an ACFA show when
i first encountered a very regal example of the Scottish Fold. Initially,
of course was the question; "What's wrong with that cats ears?" a
very appealing cat as I discovered over the course of a two day show.
However, with two small childern, job, housing, and family upheavals
the thought was filed away as I could no longer even manage show
travel etc with my Brits and reluctantly I gave them upto live without
cats (can you imagine?).
Fast forward two decades of minutiae; we find ourselves in July of
2001. Everyone has those times when, contrary to our plans; life
explodes around us. 2001-03 was that time for us.
The proverbial bovine defecation came in contact with the oscillating
blades. A whirlwind round of childern graduating, going to college,
getting married; I was to undergo exploratory sugery for cancer and
the couple who owned my house got a divorce. These things weren't
hard to solve:sew the wedding dress, bake a three tiered cake; with
fountain! Then buy the house; all took two years. After that throw in
back surgery and short term disability. We now find ourselves in the
spring of 2004.
Now enters my best friend and kitty daddy-surrogate partner; Mike.
We had worked together since 1993 and became good friends over
the previos decade. Mike drove me to all of my Dr. appointments and
physical therapy sessions for months; it was during one of these trips
that we were discussing future possibilities.
Mike is the primary caregiver for his elderly mother and at that point;
for me as well. He being very perceptive; decided that it would be a
good thing to fill my 'empty nest and give me something that I could
do (We still weren't sure if the surgery had worked). I went back to
work part-time in May, 2003. It was shortly after I resumed working
that we had a conversation that must be reported verbation as it was
just too funny.
Mike came in one day and said;
Mike "I was thinking about raising some puppies but I'll need help
and Mom won't do it".
Carla "I'm not a dog person - but I'd help raise cats".
Mike "Sold-American! What kind of cats should we
raise?"
Carla "We'll raise Scottish Folds"
Mike "Sold-American! Um-whats a Scottish Fold"
Twas after much merriment that we began to do our homework and I
realized that the 'cat with the funny ears' had hidden in my heart all
these years.
Our oydessy had begun. For the next eighteen months we comed the
internet, Cat Fancy magazine, any and all literature about Folds,
veterinarians, and haunted every cat show in the area.
Bast smiled upon us and in late 2004 we found a breeder who was
willing; as indeed, most are not; to help novices get started. Our first
adorable baby was in February 2005 and came to live with us in April.
Christene;, Corwin Blackraz'ear, he promptly settled in and took over.
My three year old grandson would walk into the house and promptly
tell everyone "Shh-baby sleeping , so he growing". Since we hed
designs on showing, after Corwin was fully vaccinated we started a
program of socialization to different people. I work overnight in a
hotel, so on the weekends Corwin accompanied me. We probably had
the only lobby where, at 3:00 am, you could find the auditor and a cat
playing in a cardboard box!
We had now reached the point where we needed to choose a cattery
name to register. Fate intervened again in the form of a couple who
came to the hotel to check in around 2:00 am. Corwin was in his
accustomed spot on the counter when they came in. The lady
commented on how inviting the lobby was with Corwin there. We then
did the obligatory introductions, petting, ear scratching etc. Mike
brought the photo album in from his car to show them baby picture
and such. When we got to:"...and this is Corwin's sister, Amber", the
gentleman asked, "Would that be from the Zelazny novels?" ( Roger
Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber) I told him yes, they were. He
scratched Corwin's chin and told him to be careful while he was
pattern-walking overnight. The conversation stayed with us and we
made Patternwalk one of our cattery name choices. Tin Nan 'Og was
another choice (loosely translated from Gaelic as ' place of your
heart's desire'). CFA and ACFA accepted Patternwalk and we were
on our way. I like to tell people that we; here at Patternwalk, reside in
Tir Nan 'Og.
With our wonderfull babies and their babies; how could it be
otherwise? Our objective here at Patternwalk is to improve and insure
the continuation of this wonderfullysweet and unique breed. If we can
share our babies with others; that will be a bonus of love that we are
incredibly priveleged to be a part of.
We want to take you throught the day-to-day how and what we do
here at Patternwalk.
While working in the corporate world. I have discovered that everyone
has a Mission statement. We thought about this and decided that we;
as indeed are most cat breeders, were more philosophers than CEO’
s. Given that Mark Twain has been quoted as saying, “A home
without a cat, and a well fed, well petted, and properly revered, cat
may be a perfect home, perhaps; but how can it prove title?” a good
working premise we thought.
All of our babies are individually socialized to both adults and
children. They are home raised under foot. A 42’ x 32’ x 6’ enclosure
provides supervised outdoor exercise and playtimes weather
permitting, (above 50’f – below 80’f) . We feed Science Diet both
canned and dry. Treats for both variety and training purposes are all
AAFCO certified 100% complete. The small bits of turkey for holidays
are just something we can’t help. Who could resist those winsome
little faces? All breeding stock is blood-typed. As well as being tested
for Flv Fip. Vaccines are given on schedule and kept current. The
exercise area is kept mown and treated to reduce exposure to out
door pests and we use Revolution spot-on monthly. (Amazing stuff-
ask your vet). Grooming includes regular claw clipping bathing as
needed combing brushing and enough treats to make it tolerable. It
takes a lot of treats for the blow dryer!
A Note about blood typing. While it is useful for anyone and could
save precious minutes as well as possibly lives in the event of trauma
that could require blood transfusions. Those of us who work with at
risk breeds like our beloved folds should encourage typing of all
breeding stock. Type B blood is rather rare among cats in general.
American Shorthairs as a breed generally present type B at a
frequency of less than 1% British Shorthair however, evidence Type
B at somewhere around 48%. Since these are the allowable outcross
breeds for our Folds we need to be aware of the dangers of mis-
typed mating. A female with type B blood who is mated to a male with
type A blood can produce kittens afflicted with neonatal isoerytholysis
(NI) in which the mothers' colostrum will stimulate formation of anti-A
antibodies which destroy the type A kittens red blood cells. Think
similar to the Rh-factor in human women.
Almost as important as the above technical stuff all our babies get all
of the hugs, kisses, lovey words, catnip rattle-mice, laser pen and
catnip bubble time that two people with the occasional borrowing of
nephews and grandchildren can provide.
Our veterinarian Dr.Lance Blackburn Has graciously allowed us to
include his e-mail address if you should wish to contact him as to
general health, temperment care, etc of the babies born and living
here at Patternwalk.
CONTACT
information
information
Carla W.
e-mail address
CarlaW@patternwalk.com
phone
417-576-1927
You can also text
message at the above
number.
e-mail address
CarlaW@patternwalk.com
phone
417-576-1927
You can also text
message at the above
number.
Michael S.
e-mail address
MikeS@patternwalk.com
phone
417-576-2122
You can also text
message at the above
number.
e-mail address
MikeS@patternwalk.com
phone
417-576-2122
You can also text
message at the above
number.