Happy Gotcha Day, Zilya

The Z litter at 17 weeks.

Russian Blues are like potato chips: You can’t have just one. So after Tekla, our Russian Blue from Ingeborg Urcia, and Mollie, our black and white girlie, passed, there was just beautiful Sofiya, our Dutch-bred Russian Blue with a side of Aussie genes.

You know what that means.

‘Owned by cats’: long-time cat-writer Sally Bahner authors ‘The Art of Raising a Kitten’

Lisa Reisman interviewed me about “The Art of Raising a Kitten” for the ShoreLine Times.

Author Sally Bahner photographed with her book, The Art of Raising a Kitten, at her home in Branford.
Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media

BRANFORD — This is the tale of Sofiya and Skitch Henderson and Skitch’s offspring Dewey and Tinkerbill.   

It’s the tale of long-time local reporter Sally Bahner who’s spent the last 50 years, as she puts it in her delightful “The Art of Raising a Kitten,” “being owned by cats.”

“I can describe my life by the cats I’ve had over the years,” she said at a recent pop-up book signing as part of the Holiday Cookie Sale & Gift Fair at the American Legion to benefit the Branford Compassion Club. 

“They’re just exquisite,” she said, when questioned on her love affair with felines. “Everything from their different personalities to their presence. They have such a presence.”

Continue reading here:
https://www.ctinsider.com/shoreline/article/Owned-by-cats-long-time-cat-writer-Sally-17661199.php#taboola-1

Want a pedigree cat? Here’s what to know

Originally posted at FearFreePets.com.

More than 30 years ago, I said to my husband, “Someday I’d like a gray kitty – a Russian Blue.” Armed with an issue of Cat Fancy, he found a breeder in New Jersey and we traveled two-plus hours to pick up Ashley, my first Russian Blue. Thus began a love affair that continues to this day and recently culminated with Sofiya, who hails from the Netherlands.

The question arises: Given all the cats in shelters, what attracts people to a pedigree cat? All cats are wonderful, but there can be good reasons to purchase a cat of a specific breed.

Read more here.

Sofiya Comes Home – Part 2

At Amsterdam Airport. Screenshot from video by Maartje Schoenmaker.

Maartje sent a short video of Sofiya at the airport – Pawel’s flight from Warsaw to Amsterdam was late, so the handoff was quick. Then Pawel messaged me from the plane with a photo that all was well. I spent the afternoon tracking the flight on Flight Tracker. We packed for an epic journey – food, water, various kitty supplies including litter box, some food, an extra blanket for the carrier, paper towels, and cleaner.

We left about 5:30 p.m., allowing at least two hours for the drive and finding our way around the airport; the plane was due in at 8:30, and was even running a little early. Turned out the airport and Terminal 4 was a clear shot. Our research had paid off and we found decent parking right near the terminal.

Our Little Dutch Girl – Part 1

Sofiya at 16 weeks. Photo by Maartje Schoenmaker

When you love cats, there comes a time when you feel the siren call, even after a loss. Friends post photos on Facebook. Litters of adorable kittens are born. There’s this tugging on your heartstrings.

More than two years after losing Celica Blue, I felt that tug. There was Stormy, who was a sweet older kitty with various health issues, and yes, an unlimited number of adorable shelter kitties who paraded across my Facebook pages. But my heart longed for one last Russian Blue.

Fearless Kittens: Are They Made or Born?

This article was originally published on the Fear Free Happy Homes website.

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It’s a little bit of both. These tips can help you choose the one who’s just right for you.

Stories abound about kittens who are adopted into new homes, then promptly disappear for days at a time, coming out only at night to eat and use the litter box. It doesn’t have to be that way. Here’s how to improve your chances of bringing home a confident, outgoing kitten who will be comfortable in any home or situation.

Read the rest of the story on the Fear Free Happy Homes website.

Celica Blue and Lymphoma: The Journey Ends

Celica Blue on Dec. 13, 2016

On Dec. 22, 2016, exactly six months after she was diagnosed, Celica Blue lost her battle with lymphoma. It’s taken me more than two months to finish her story.

She was the love of my life and brought the most incredible amount of joy in the two short years she was with us.

A Year With Celica Blue

Just one year ago in a land far away, two Russian Blue kittens were born. Little did their moms (human and feline) know that one of them would travel 5,000 miles to live in her new home.

November 2014

From Russia With Love: Part 2

Celica Blue at about 6 weeks.

We arrived at the airport in plenty of time. The board noted that the plane was on schedule and going through the normal de-planing process. We cruised the food court and got something to eat – I ate a half a wrap, ham with Swiss cheese.

The arrivals were in one general area, so it wouldn’t be hard to miss them as they came through. We chatted with a cute young guy who was waiting for his Russian fiancé; they hadn’t seen each other in a year and a half. Turns out he was a native of Cuba and worked for a printer in Virginia.

I wonder if anyone noticed that I was ready to jump out of my skin and that my eyes were spinning around in my head.

From Russia With Love: Part 1

I’ve had a love affair with Russian Blue cats since 1987, when I got my very first kitten.

Seven Russian Blues later and fueled by an amazing international Russian Blue Facebook community, I again felt the kitten siren call. I tried to ignore it, reasoning that there are so many cats in my own backyard that need homes. However, once you’ve been owned by a Russian Blue cat, there’s no going back.

Tekla, now 11, was bred by Ingeborg Urcia.

Tekla, now my sole Russian Blue, was 11 years old. She was from the breeder who wrote the book on Russian Blues, Ingeborg Urcia. My Facebook friends on the other side of the world were posting photos of their kittens and cats, and I started making inquiries. I put aside a chunk of my freelance income without any particular plan of action, but in the back of my mind I was preparing myself.