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 -=> Quoting Ivy Iverson to Walter Luffman <=-
 II> My error... it IS Comet.  (I knew it was SOMETHING tht moved fast!)
 II> 
Sheepish?  Wouldn't a grin like that be off-topic here?  A
Cheshire-cat grin would be more suitable in this echo...see, like
the one on _my_ silly mug!
 WL> over thirty years,  but I do have a soft spot for all kitties.
 II> 
 II> As you know by now, so do I.   ^oo^
Who in this echo doesn't?  (If anyone raises his/her hand, ignore
them until they go away.)
 II> the park).  Nowadays I rarely see a feral cat (or dog)... the local
 II> constabulary keeps them pretty well off the streets.
Around here, the leash law applies only to dogs.  You'd think this
little town would be overrun with feral kitties, but it isn't.
Some fall to predators, I'm sure, but mostly the cats' humans
prevent overpopulation by neutering.  And the kittens that are
born around here usually find homes quickly.
 II> Good idea.  That way you are less likely to have any rodents, (not to
 II> mention the reduction of bird population.)   :-<
It's been ages since I've seen a cat catch a bird.  Most of the
local cats are indoor kitties, and most of the bird-lovers (myself
included) have learned to position feeders and birdbaths where cats
can't approach from cover.  Doesn't stop the cats from trying, of
course...like many cats, Meko even makes a high-pitched "bird call"
when one perches anywhere nearby while she's sitting in one of her
favorite windows.
 II> The only "problems" which COULD be genetically-related that I have
 II> seen, one of Shadow's upper "fangs" was underdeveloped, and has come
 II> out.  One of Scamper's siblings had a deformed leg when he was born,
 II> however it was completely straightened out and normal by the time he
 II> was weaned.  I put that down to being cramped in the woumb.
Sounds like Goldie passed along some good genes to Spiker and the
rest of her line.
 II> This is how the different breeds of cats, (longhair/shorthair/special
 II> markings/bone structure, etc.), dogs, miniature horses, potbellied
 II> pigs, sheep, or any other breed of animals... they were ALL bred the
 II> same way: by inbreeding!  I am breeding for a particular pattern and
Outbreeding (to other individuals with desirable characteristics)
is also necessary to keep the line strong.  Otherwise, you wind up
with the situation that endangers the cheetah today -- a gene pool
that is much too small, resulting in some serious recessives
throughout the entire cheetah line, and a low survival rate in the
wild.
(For any who aren't familiar with the situation, geneticists say
the entire breed nearly died out through natural causes at one
point, and today's cheetahs share far more of their genetic
heritage than most other breeds of big cats.  Zoos are doing what
they can to breed captive cheetahs as diversely as possible, and
the offspring of captive-bred cheetahs may someday be used to
strengthen the "free" cheetah population.)
 II> coloring: Black/gray bullseye shorthairs with a "cross" marking accross
 II> the shoulders.  Spiker is the basic prototype, but he has absolutely NO
 II> tan color anywhere, although the females of the line do have slight tan
 II> coloration.  These two latest babies, (I now believe they are both
 II> males), do have some tan in their faces, so I am on the right track.
I'm glad the selective-breding program is going well so far, but
there must be unrelated cats with complementary genes in your area.
Is there a cat-fanciers' club near you?  You might consider joining
one.  Another possibility would be taking one-page (or even
half-page) advertising flyers to local veterinary clinics,
explaining your goal and soliciting suitable breeding stock of both
sexes -- with you getting the pick of the litter, of course.
 II> There have been a couple of heartbreakers from previous litters, I
 II> know at least one was because the mother laid down on the poor thing. 
 II> (IIRC, this was the runt in a litter of 6.)  I only remember one runt
 II> that died of "unknown cause."  Both of the current litter are plump and
 II> growing like weeds: they are at least an inch longer than they were at
 II> birth and a lot heavier.  BTW, one is starting to open his eyes.
 >>> Continued to next message...
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