I went to the cat show at the Garden (plus Cloning rant)

I hate to burst your bubble but yes she is a Bombay. She was not originally
labeled a Bombay at the shelter but a DSH. I discovered that Isis was a
Bombay later when someone pointed out the breed in a book on cats. The cat
pictured looked just like Isis. I also had her breed verified at a cat show
by a breeder of Bombays which said that Isis is one. Maybe not the show
quality to compete amongst other purebreds because she was a rescue but a
Bombay nonetheless. Are you going to say that a book on cats as well as a
breeder of Bombays is also wrong.

I also take offense to your saying "her type." It kind of seems like you
think that the cats found at shelters such as her are not worthy of being
adopted and are beneath you adopting. I myself love shelter cats and don't
have a problem adopting from rescue whether they be a purebred or not. All 3
of my cats were rescues.

I know you like to come across as an expert on cats Orchid but purebreds can
end up in shelters. It is becoming a lot more common and a lot of shelters
don't need to give a cat a breed name in order to adopt them out. In fact I
have seen Persians, Russian Blues, and other breeds turn up at local
rescues. I have to wonder how you can come to such outrageous conclusions
that shelters give cats a breed title in order to get them adopted? Believe
it or not they also have shelters that rescue certain breeds. Are you
intending on writing them and saying that the cats up for adoption are not
purebreds either but rather DSH, longhairs or medium hairs?

I have to wonder how you got your Bengals. Did you get them from a shelter
or from a breeder? They are beautiful cats but I have to wonder how you came
across them.
--
Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com
"Orchid" wrote in message
...

Right. CP, I am sorry to break it to you, but Isis is not a
Bombay. She's a very pretty black self DSH with gold eyes which is
perfectly, absolutely, wonderfully fine. Her type is nothing like a
Bombay.
Shelters tend to hang breed names on anything that even
superficially vaguely resembles a breed to make them more adoptable.
This practise is really stupid, and drives me insane.


Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat? Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid

Cat shows are okay, but I didn't care much for them. I found all but a
handful
of owners to be snooty and pretentious, and I couldn't really talk to them
because it was like talking to someone from another planet--that's how
different our basic beliefs were

I've never been to a cat show probably because I have been to dog shows and
those things were insufferable. I used to have a friend many, many years ago
who showed Afghans and I went with her a few times. The owners and handlers
were about the most disgusting, despicable, shallow, mean-spirited people I've
ever met. Plus it was unspeakably boooooring.

Have you ever seen "Best of Show"?

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

Cat shows are okay, but I didn't care much for them. I found all but a
handful
of owners to be snooty and pretentious, and I couldn't really talk to them
because it was like talking to someone from another planet--that's how
different our basic beliefs were

I've never been to a cat show probably because I have been to dog shows and
those things were insufferable. I used to have a friend many, many years ago
who showed Afghans and I went with her a few times. The owners and handlers
were about the most disgusting, despicable, shallow, mean-spirited people I've
ever met. Plus it was unspeakably boooooring.

Have you ever seen "Best of Show"?

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:24:31 -0700, "Cat Protector"
wrote:

I discovered that Isis was a
Bombay later when someone pointed out the breed in a book on cats. The cat
pictured looked just like Isis. I also had her breed verified at a cat show
by a breeder of Bombays which said that Isis is one. Maybe not the show
quality to compete amongst other purebreds because she was a rescue but a
Bombay nonetheless. Are you going to say that a book on cats as well as a
breeder of Bombays is also wrong.

I am going to say that your eye for type and my eye for type
are fairly different, and comparing pictures in cat breed books to
living animals is difficult to do. To my eye, Isis' head is too
angular, her earset and shape are not correct, and her tail is
whippier than is called for by the standard. I could be wrong, but
the relative rarity of the Bombay breed would also suggest black self
DSH.

I also take offense to your saying "her type." It kind of seems like you
think that the cats found at shelters such as her are not worthy of being
adopted and are beneath you adopting.

*sigh* Type. As in conformation. As in the musculoskeletal
structure of the cat that conforms to the written breed standard. A
cat with correct structure is 'typey'. Isis is not typey.
As for moggies, I am currently fostering and socialising a
adorable tiny grey tabby DMH kitten that I found wandering my
neighborhood, extremely emaciated.

I know you like to come across as an expert on cats Orchid but purebreds can
end up in shelters. It is becoming a lot more common and a lot of shelters
don't need to give a cat a breed name in order to adopt them out. In fact I
have seen Persians, Russian Blues, and other breeds turn up at local
rescues.

Russian Blue is more than a grey self cat -- it is type
(conformation). I work with several local rescue groups, and I have
never seen a 'Russian Blue' that was one. Every longhair becomes a
Persian, unless it becomes a Maine Coon. Very very few of these cats
conform to the standards of the breeds they are purported to be, and
it's extremely unfair to the cats, the prospective owners, and the
breeders of the breeds. Breed is more than type and pattern, it's
also temperament and activity level and to mis-identify a cat gives
people certain expectations that may or may not be fulfilled.

I have to wonder how you can come to such outrageous conclusions
that shelters give cats a breed title in order to get them adopted? Believe
it or not they also have shelters that rescue certain breeds.

Do you mean breed rescue groups? If so, I work with Bengal
Rescue -- we try to screen potential cats that come into rescue for
the appropriate breed characteristics. As for my 'outrageous
conclusions', merely look at Petfinder. Just about every grey self is
a 'Russian Blue', longhairs are 'Persians' unless they are very large
brown tabbies, after which they become 'Maine Coons'. Any cat with
any hint of a spot becomes a 'Bengal', and any pointed cat becomes a
'Siamese'.

Are you
intending on writing them and saying that the cats up for adoption are not
purebreds either but rather DSH, longhairs or medium hairs?

If I thought they would listen, absolutely. The groups I work
with do not mislabel cats -- if we get a cat in that meets a breed
standard in a reasonable way, we let potential adopters know it may be
a 'whatever' or a 'whatever' mix.

I have to wonder how you got your Bengals. Did you get them from a shelter
or from a breeder? They are beautiful cats but I have to wonder how you came
across them.

My boys came from Nodngait Bengals, and are champion show
alters.



Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat? Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 15:24:31 -0700, "Cat Protector"
wrote:

I discovered that Isis was a
Bombay later when someone pointed out the breed in a book on cats. The cat
pictured looked just like Isis. I also had her breed verified at a cat show
by a breeder of Bombays which said that Isis is one. Maybe not the show
quality to compete amongst other purebreds because she was a rescue but a
Bombay nonetheless. Are you going to say that a book on cats as well as a
breeder of Bombays is also wrong.

I am going to say that your eye for type and my eye for type
are fairly different, and comparing pictures in cat breed books to
living animals is difficult to do. To my eye, Isis' head is too
angular, her earset and shape are not correct, and her tail is
whippier than is called for by the standard. I could be wrong, but
the relative rarity of the Bombay breed would also suggest black self
DSH.

I also take offense to your saying "her type." It kind of seems like you
think that the cats found at shelters such as her are not worthy of being
adopted and are beneath you adopting.

*sigh* Type. As in conformation. As in the musculoskeletal
structure of the cat that conforms to the written breed standard. A
cat with correct structure is 'typey'. Isis is not typey.
As for moggies, I am currently fostering and socialising a
adorable tiny grey tabby DMH kitten that I found wandering my
neighborhood, extremely emaciated.

I know you like to come across as an expert on cats Orchid but purebreds can
end up in shelters. It is becoming a lot more common and a lot of shelters
don't need to give a cat a breed name in order to adopt them out. In fact I
have seen Persians, Russian Blues, and other breeds turn up at local
rescues.

Russian Blue is more than a grey self cat -- it is type
(conformation). I work with several local rescue groups, and I have
never seen a 'Russian Blue' that was one. Every longhair becomes a
Persian, unless it becomes a Maine Coon. Very very few of these cats
conform to the standards of the breeds they are purported to be, and
it's extremely unfair to the cats, the prospective owners, and the
breeders of the breeds. Breed is more than type and pattern, it's
also temperament and activity level and to mis-identify a cat gives
people certain expectations that may or may not be fulfilled.

I have to wonder how you can come to such outrageous conclusions
that shelters give cats a breed title in order to get them adopted? Believe
it or not they also have shelters that rescue certain breeds.

Do you mean breed rescue groups? If so, I work with Bengal
Rescue -- we try to screen potential cats that come into rescue for
the appropriate breed characteristics. As for my 'outrageous
conclusions', merely look at Petfinder. Just about every grey self is
a 'Russian Blue', longhairs are 'Persians' unless they are very large
brown tabbies, after which they become 'Maine Coons'. Any cat with
any hint of a spot becomes a 'Bengal', and any pointed cat becomes a
'Siamese'.

Are you
intending on writing them and saying that the cats up for adoption are not
purebreds either but rather DSH, longhairs or medium hairs?

If I thought they would listen, absolutely. The groups I work
with do not mislabel cats -- if we get a cat in that meets a breed
standard in a reasonable way, we let potential adopters know it may be
a 'whatever' or a 'whatever' mix.

I have to wonder how you got your Bengals. Did you get them from a shelter
or from a breeder? They are beautiful cats but I have to wonder how you came
across them.

My boys came from Nodngait Bengals, and are champion show
alters.



Orchid
See Orchid's Kitties! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/bengalpage
Want a Purebred Cat? Read This! -- http://nik.ascendancy.net/orchid

You meet a lot of friendly people at cat shows. Yes there are a few stuck up
people at the cat shows which wouldn't sooner give you the time of day but
generally the shows are a pleasent experience. The HHP category is really
cool because everyone roots for the cats.

--
Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com
"MacCandace" wrote in message
...
I've never been to a cat show probably because I have been to dog shows
and
those things were insufferable. I used to have a friend many, many years
ago
who showed Afghans and I went with her a few times. The owners and
handlers
were about the most disgusting, despicable, shallow, mean-spirited people
I've
ever met. Plus it was unspeakably boooooring.

Have you ever seen "Best of Show"?

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye
other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

You meet a lot of friendly people at cat shows. Yes there are a few stuck up
people at the cat shows which wouldn't sooner give you the time of day but
generally the shows are a pleasent experience. The HHP category is really
cool because everyone roots for the cats.

--
Cat Galaxy: All Cats! All The Time!
www.catgalaxymedia.com
"MacCandace" wrote in message
...
I've never been to a cat show probably because I have been to dog shows
and
those things were insufferable. I used to have a friend many, many years
ago
who showed Afghans and I went with her a few times. The owners and
handlers
were about the most disgusting, despicable, shallow, mean-spirited people
I've
ever met. Plus it was unspeakably boooooring.

Have you ever seen "Best of Show"?

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye
other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

Cat shows are okay, but I didn't care much for them. I found all but a
handful
of owners to be snooty and pretentious, and I couldn't really talk to them
because it was like talking to someone from another planet--that's how
different our basic beliefs were

I've never been to a cat show probably because I have been to dog shows and
those things were insufferable. I used to have a friend many, many years ago
who showed Afghans and I went with her a few times. The owners and handlers
were about the most disgusting, despicable, shallow, mean-spirited people
I've
ever met. Plus it was unspeakably boooooring.

Have you ever seen "Best of Show"?

Candace

No, I haven't! Do tell. :-)
I got drug to the cat shows because my daughter was showing her cat. (Yes, I
know, I know..... )
The other thing I forgot to mention is, that it *was* a chance to see the
purebred cats like Bengals, Scottish Folds that I'd only seen in books before.
But all in all, I wouldn't go again probably. I still hated to see the poor
household cats that were cowering in their cages, because they were afraid.
People ought not to show cats unless the cat likes it and is used to being
taken out.

Sherry

Cat shows are okay, but I didn't care much for them. I found all but a
handful
of owners to be snooty and pretentious, and I couldn't really talk to them
because it was like talking to someone from another planet--that's how
different our basic beliefs were

I've never been to a cat show probably because I have been to dog shows and
those things were insufferable. I used to have a friend many, many years ago
who showed Afghans and I went with her a few times. The owners and handlers
were about the most disgusting, despicable, shallow, mean-spirited people
I've
ever met. Plus it was unspeakably boooooring.

Have you ever seen "Best of Show"?

Candace

No, I haven't! Do tell. :-)
I got drug to the cat shows because my daughter was showing her cat. (Yes, I
know, I know..... )
The other thing I forgot to mention is, that it *was* a chance to see the
purebred cats like Bengals, Scottish Folds that I'd only seen in books before.
But all in all, I wouldn't go again probably. I still hated to see the poor
household cats that were cowering in their cages, because they were afraid.
People ought not to show cats unless the cat likes it and is used to being
taken out.

Sherry

On Tue, 12 Oct 2004 09:45:09 -0700, "Cat Protector"
wrote:

Nope. I adopted her from the Humane Society.

Right. CP, I am sorry to break it to you, but Isis is not a
Bombay. She's a very pretty black self DSH with gold eyes which is
perfectly, absolutely, wonderfully fine. Her type is nothing like a
Bombay.
Shelters tend to hang breed names on anything that even
superficially vaguely resembles a breed to make them more adoptable.
This practise is really stupid, and drives me insane.


Orchid

I know it makes you nuts. :-)
But I don't see the harm. Maybe you can explain your position to me. The cats
adopted from shelters aren't going to be shown, and they're never going to have
papers anyway.And they're never going to be bred. If it helps the cat get
adopted, I don't see the harm. I don't mean trying to pass a cat off as a
purebred, but labeling the obvious, the masked cats as a "Siamese Mix" just
helps give the cat a little push, and an identity. Same with the dogs. If it
looks like a Boxer, they call it a Boxer, but have no idea whether it's 100%
Boxer or not.