I Am Your Cat
Current mood: melancholy
Category: Pets and Animals

I Am Your Cat...
by Donna Norris for Lelani

Do not think of me as an object to bring you fame in the show ring.

My most prized trophy is a gentle touch from you.

Do not expect from me a new family of babies every four months.

I love my little ones and want them with me so I may teach and play with them for many months as a good mother should.

Do not keep me confined in a cage.
I am a free spirit.
Let me live with you in your home.

Do not think of me as an unknowing, uncaring or an independent being, for I need you.

Accept me as I am, care for me, love me and be my friend I will give you in return:

A soft touch of my paw on your cheek when you are troubled,
A companion when you are lonely,
A clown when you are depressed
A trusting, loving, purring being,
Content to share your happiness and sorrow.

Let me be with you in our small part of this world for He has created you and me.

Do not think of me as a simple creature, for I can see angels you cannot see.

I can feel the vibrations and wonders of the Universe you can not feel. And when the time comes when I will have to leave you, remember, I will always be with you for our spirits are One.

Love me. Cherish me. Care for me.

I am your Cat.

I didn't write this poem- it was written by a former CFA judge and breeder who has now passed on. I wanted to give my friends who may not have had the opportunity, the chance to read it, because it expresses perfectly my approach to breeding and showing. I wish I could meet more show breeders who shared this philosophy with me.

10:37 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Dirty Little Secrets
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Pets and Animals

Another scandal is in the process of being swept under the rug by the powers that be within the "Cat Fancy". The media rushes like a pack of wolves to descend upon the chaos and record the wreckage in vivid color. Reports of a "breeder gone bad" first hit the internet lists, and then eventually make their way into the mainstream news to paint a nasty image that we all must bear. Every time I hear reports of animals being kept in cages stacked to the ceiling, many times in horrific condition, neglected to the point of abuse, it makes me think, "Oh, that must be another back-yard-breeder or kitten mill that is involved", but no- these stories are not confined only to those breeders who were obviously motivated by greed or a desire to make money. More and more, I am reading of Top Show Breeders, judges and respected "old-timers" who have obviously been leading a double life.

     It is sad really. It is sad for the breeder who finds themselves overwhelmed and it is sad for the animals who suffer under their hands. I wish I could feel more empathy for the breeders and the circumstances that led to their downfall, but the simple fact is- not everyone can be a breeder. It takes a certain kind of personality to be able to both give unconditional love and care to an animal and then place it with someone else. It takes a certain kind of person who is so completely passionate about the big picture, that they can sacrifice their own personal favorites to move on.

     I often have friends who do not breed ask me how I am able to re-home and retire cats that have been with me for several years. How am I able to remove myself emotionally from a cat who has given me love and beautiful babies, but who's time has now come to retire? This is one of the most important things a breeder must do if they want to survive, and in my opinion, if you can't do this, you should not breed at all. The time to retire is not always set in stone and it can vary from cat to cat, but generally, I retire females by the age of 5 or 6. If a female has produced an exceptional replacement girl, after breeding that girl once without any problems, I may decide to retire the mother sooner. Sometimes I may breed a very special girl to the age of 7, but to go beyond that is not usually wise. Many older girls have complications or deliver kittens who are deformed, the same way an older human mother might. I consider the gift of a Pet Home the greatest gift that I can give to a retiring mother. She has given me babies and worked hard to raise them. She has had to share my love with others and rarely gets the same one on one time that a family pet would experience. I do not cage my cats, so they must learn to live together peacefully, and that isn't always easy for certain personality types. A pet home gives them the space they need to live a more carefree life. I do have certain girls, like Symphony and Edie, who will stay the rest of their lives with me, but I try to always keep in the back of my mind, that there will come a day when the majority of my cats will move away from my home, just the way that human children do. If they didn't, it wouldn't be long before I would have more cats than I would be able to care for, so retiring them in a timely fashion is essential for my cattery's survival.

     Another way that I keep my numbers small is by keeping every cat I own in coat and not shaving them down. This achieves two things. First, I have to keep cats that are in full coat groomed and bathed and this take time. If they were shaved down, that would free up more time for me and I may be tempted to add more cats. Second, by keeping a cat in full coat, I know that I can place that cat in a pet home at any time and that I don't have to wait for his coat to grow out. No one wants to buy a Persian cat that is naked. This enables me to retire a cat at a moment's notice if something unexpected were to happen in my life. I have had many breeder friends tell me that I am absolutely mad for keeping my cats in full coat and many jump at the first opportunity to get rid of their fur once they have finished showing. However, my take on it is this: One of the main reasons I started breeding Persians, 18 years ago, was because I love their fur. There really is nothing more luxurious than a Persian with a full, flowing coat. When you stripe him of his crowning glory, you reduce his beauty down to practically nothing. A shaved down Persian is skinny and awkward. Even a cat in his summer pajamas looks better than any cat that has just had a lion cut. Why have a Persian at all if you are just going to shave him down? I enjoy the coat on all of my cats, and even though it is tempting to shave down my sometimes dirty breeding males. Instead, I look at that cat that I've been hanging on to even though they are already fixed, and hopefully place them in a pet home so I can spend more time with the cats in my program that are actually producing.

    In my opinion, forcing a cat to live the majority of his life in a cage with only time out for "exercise" is not any kind of life for a breeding cat to have to live. Certain situations do require that a cat be temporarily caged, but I really consider full time caging which is done in order to house more cats and use less space, to be a form of abuse. Cats need love and attention, and breeding cats are not exempt from this. A breeder should never have more animals than he can spend one on one time with. If you are only providing food, water, medical care and shelter, then that isn't enough! We must never forget that our animals live for our attention, and if you aren't able to give all of your animals at least a small piece of you, you should reduce.

     I don't have all of the answers on how to avoid becoming an overwhelmed breeder, but I do know that the breeders who do get into trouble have severely impacted the public's perception of breeders on a whole and it's not really hard to see why.

10:47 PM - 3 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment

For Aspiring Breeders...
Category: Pets and Animals

So you think you want to breed and show Persians....

Have you ever dreamed of starting up your own cattery and showing your cats? Do you love animals and have a naturally nurturing spirit? Breeding and showing pedigreed Persians is not for everyone, but it can be a wonderful hobby for couples who have entered that phase of their lives where they find they have extra time, money and in most cases an empty nest. Persians are for people who like to pay attention to detail. Showing and breeding can open up a whole new world for you to meet new friends, travel to different towns and talk about the breed that you love with others. If you are successful and work hard, you will be rewarded with beautiful rosettes, excitement and of course recognition. If you are lucky along the way, you will make life long friends and find a place in this world that may have been missing.

Back when I started breeding in 1989, there was no one there to help guide my way. I bought my first cat from what is commonly known as a "back-yard breeder". This is a person who breeds without knowledge or care of the animals, and whose primary goal is to try to make a few bucks, often at the expense and neglect of the cats they are breeding. They are only too eager to take your money, tell you that you are buying a Show Quality cat and you will never hear from them again. Meanwhile, you take your beloved Show Quality cat to a show and are mortified to find that it is not even close to being a Show cat! If you are lucky, the judges and the other exhibitors don't publicly humiliate you in the process~ What can you do?!

You need a mentor. A mentor is someone who already has the knowledge and connections in the Cat Fancy, and is willing to take you under their wing. They are an individual who has been there and has the patience and know how that will help you avoid the countless pitfalls and mistakes that you could be making on your own- mistakes that will cost you thousands of dollars and set your dream of a cattery back many, many years. CFA or the Cat Fancier's Association has a wonderful mentor program that you can sign up for. They will pair you with an appropriate mentor. This program didn't exist when I started out, but in my opinion it is the best way for anyone who wants to start out right. Here is the link: http://www.cfainc.org/mentor/index.html

Another way to find a mentor is to go to a local CFA sponsored Cat show. You will find CFA ambassadors there who will be happy to answer your questions. They are wearing buttons that say "Ask Me".  You will also see many cats competing for titles and be able to actually get an idea of what a Show Quality cat looks like. Pay attention to the finals and to exhibitors who have many rosettes displayed on their cat's cages. These are the exhibitors who are winning. Don't be afraid to talk to exhibitors, especially if it looks like they aren't busy grooming their cats, or about to go to a ring. Persian show people love to talk to what we call "Newbies" and get them excited about our sport. Don't however, talk to the judges in the ring, as this is considered bad manners. For more information on CFA shows and showing, click on this link:  http://www.cfa.org/shows.html

Alright, now you've been to a few shows and maybe you've even signed up for a mentor. What you need now is a cat you can practice your budding skills on. You need a Premier. A Premier is a Show Quality cat that has been neutered or spayed.  Every Newbie needs to show a Premier before attempting to buy an unaltered Show Quality cat. Doing so accomplishes several goals:

1. You will learn how to groom and maintain a Persian. This is a lot harder than it looks, and if you find you have gotten into something that is going to be too time consuming, and costly you can stop without having invested several thousands of dollars on something you can't continue. Premiers typically cost much less than unaltered Show Quality cats.

2. It proves to other more experienced exhibitors that you are serious and that you have the ability to present a cat in the show ring the way it should be. When exhibitors see this, they will take note, and be more willing to sell you your first cat. No one is going to sell their beautiful Show Quality kitten to a person who has never shown a cat before- why would they waste that kitten on someone who will quite likely fail or quit, when they could sell it to someone with more experience or even show it themselves? If you do find someone to sell you a kitten, it will more than likely be a lesser quality animal that has been misrepresented as being better than it actually is. You will not be able to tell the difference, so you are at the breeder's mercy.

Many aspiring Newbies find that they are able to buy their first unaltered cat from the same person that they bought their Premier from, but it isn't necessary that you do this. You may find through the process of showing that cat, that you prefer a different color or maybe even a different breed. Showing the Premier should be a learning process that will bring you closer to making your ultimate decisions when you get ready to start your cattery. Many quality Show breeders offer cats for sale as Premiers, but don't say so on their websites. You should inquire about availability by email. Make sure you start your email with a polite introduction on who you are, what your intentions are and as many other details as you can think of. Show Breeders are sometimes very busy people and don't answer emails from people they don't take seriously, or who come off as rude. You should always show respect if you expect to receive it back, and remember it is a privilege for you to own one of these magnificent Persians. The country's Top Show Breeders can sell their cats to anyone, so you may have to settle for a lesser known cattery, but never settle for a mediocre cat with a poor pedigree. Look for pedigrees that have Grand Champions, Regional Winners and Distinguished Merits in the first 3 generations of their ancestors. An excellent pedigree becomes especially important once you start buying whole cats that you will breed. Catteries who brag about having Champions should be avoided. In the Cat Fancy, just about any cat can attain it's Champion Title, and many "back yard breeders" will take their poor quality cats to one show in order to win this meaningless title. Cats do not have to compete against other cats in order to become Champions, and can fulfill the requirement of 6 winner's ribbons by default simply because they are the only cat in that color class entered in the show. The two exceptions to this rule would be cats who are shown in the Silver-Golden division and also in the Shaded-Smoke division. These two color classes are much harder to show in, because they tend to be much smaller and the colors are much more difficult to breed. Judges don't always recognize a beautiful Shaded-Smoke because they are so rarely seen, and therefore they don't put them up in finals as often. Silvers and Golden is another difficult color division to show in, because their type is a little different than the standard Persian type, and judges do not seem to final these cats as often either. The best color for a Newbie to start off with in my opinion, is a solid Black or a Brown Tabby. Their coats are easier to groom and you will have just enough competition at the shows, but not too much competition, which can be a downfall too. I would never suggest Smoke to a Newbie or to someone looking for an easy win. Buy your Premier from someone who has Granded at least one of their own "homebred" cats, that way they will know what they are talking about when they sell you a cat that is being represented as "Show Quality".

These are just my own thoughts and interpretations from someone who has made their share of mistakes over the years. I sometimes shake my head whenever I see a hopeful Newbie trying to wade their way through the maze of confusion that is the Cat Fancy, and even though I have absolutely no desire or time to become a mentor to anyone, I hope these words will help someone in their quest.

7:53 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

For Those Who Hate Breeders
Current mood: confused
Category: Pets and Animals

I find it interesting that I have only been on Myspace for a couple of weeks and I have already recieved "hate mail" from people who apparently do not think pedigreed animals have a right to exist. Please let me assure any of the Myspace members, I am not contributing to the overcrowding issue in shelters or stopping anyone from taking in a rescue. I breed primarily for people who show for a hobby- not  fpr pets. The few pets that we have per year are placed in very select homes under a contract that states if the new owner is ever unable to take care of the animal due to health issues, a change in life situation (like moving out of the country), or death that the cat ALWAYS has a home back with me. I don't want any of my precious Persians to be surrendered to a shelter and to my knowledge, none ever have in my 17 years of breeding. I'm not a stranger to shelters, rescue and fostering- and have in fact been active in all three throughout the years. I currently have a rehabilited long haired mix girl that I am looking for a home for. I have already placed all of the babies she had inside of my house after I rescued her and now need to find her a nice home (: I have 2 outiside DSH mix cats that I have semi- tamed and they now are neutered/spayed and have a home with me. I have a rescued pigeon that is 3 years old and although I did try to release him, he decided he would rather live with me! I've even rescued a tiny dime sized turtle that got separated from it's family and was flying down the rapids. I was able to catch him and kept him for 2 years. When he got to the size of a quarter, I released him in a calmer area of the same river he was found in. I think all of this makes me a qualified animal lover just like many of you probably are.

Pedigreed dogs and cats don't create themselves, and unless we want to lose these pure breeds, there must be responsible, dedicated and professional breeders like me out there who are devoted to their breed of choice, otherwise the breed will be lost forever.

The over crowding problem that we see in the shelters and in our society, is due to the fact that the average pet owner does not spay/neuter their dogs/cats and they do not keep them inside. The cat or dog is left to go about it's natural inclination and breed. It is the kittens that are born without homes that suffer, and although they bear absolutely no resemblence in appearance or temperment to my own Persian kittens, I have a lot of empathy for them. All of the kittens I sell to pet owners are first spayed/neutered BEFORE they leave. The people who come to me looking for a pet, know exactly what they want and have often owned a Persian in the past, so they know that the Persian has a different type of personality that the mixed breed cat and that is what they are looking for. I hope that if anyone out there has any misconceptions on what kind of breeder I am, this post has cleared up some of their questions.
Tracy/Rare Earth

10:12 AM - 2 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment

Ringworm: Identification and Treatment
Current mood: annoyed
Category: Pets and Animals

I think one of the most disheartening things that can happen to a new Persian kitten owner is to bring home your lovely new fluffy baby, only to find out later that it is infected with RINGWORM! Ringworm is actually not a worm at all, it is a fungus that attaches itself to the skin of an animal and can even find its way into the bloodstream. There, it causes havoc, and once it has gotten a good hold, it is very, very difficult to get rid of. The symptoms may range from very mild flaking of the skin, to extremely obvious red lesions that are itchy and painful to the cat. Ringworm is highly contagious to other animal species, humans and of course other dogs and cats. Persians kittens have a very low immunity to Ringworm, and so do young children. In fact, anyone with a lowered immune system, due to age or illness is at a higher risk of contracting Ringworm.

It is important that the Persian buyer be on the lookout for the tell tale signs of Ringworm, when they are looking at a potential kitten to purchase. Ringworm thrives in the warm, wet climates of the South and is often living right outside of our homes. Its spores can be brought in on your shoes and spread that way, but it isn't as common as you might think. The most common way to get Ringworm is to have an infected animal introduce it to the environment, and this is the only way I have ever dealt with it. A kitten that is infected with Ringworm will more than likely have some signs of distress on his skin or fur. Look at his paw pads to make sure they are healthy and do not have any scabs or flakiness on them. Ringworm tends to pop up around the extremities- on the tail, on the face, ears and legs. Check these areas very closely. If you see any patchy fur spots, put the kitten down and then immediately wash your hands. This is not the kitten of your dreams and I don't care what excuse the breeder gives you! They will tell you anything, and many times, they don't even know its Ringworm themselves! You would be amazed at how many people breed animals without knowing anything about proper husbandry techniques, so don't assume the breeder is an expert. If you do come across a kitten that you think has been infected with Ringworm, I wouldn't suggest "rescuing" it by purchasing him. You are only enabling that breeder to continue engaging in poor breeding practices, and you are bringing home a potential nightmare that can infect your other pets, your husband and your children! As much as your heart may break, tell the breeder "no thanks, I believe this kitten has Ringworm", and pass this one up. Be sure to remove your shoes before entering your own house and wash them along with the clothes you wore in hot water immediately.

Okay, let's say you weren't so lucky, and you bought a kitten not knowing it had Ringworm. In a few weeks, what you were told was "dry skin", was actually Ringworm fungus. I have personally battled Ringworm several times and from my own experience with it, have found only a few things actually work to get rid of it. You will need to treat the cat with an oral medication,the spores that are already alive and on the skin, and the environment you intend to keep the cat in. For the skin, use diluted Lyme Dip. It can be purchased online at:

http://www.revivalanimal.com

Revival has many different products that claim they are effective against Ringworm, but this is the only one I have used that has worked and I have tried several of the ones they sell. Dip the kitten/cat twice a week and in 3 weeks you should start to see some improvement. Continue to dip twice weekly for at least 3 weeks after the last lesion has healed and fur is growing back. Lyme Dip will stain the fur of a light colored cat, but the Ringworm left untreated will make it fall out, so you make your choice! Any cat that has Ringworm will not be able to be shown anyway. I don't suggest shaving a cat that has Ringworm, because doing so released the spores into the air when you clip the hair shaft and may make the infection spread even more. If you must, take some scissors and cut the hair around the lesions, so you can see them better, but if it were me- I would just leave the fur alone all together. It will fall out on its own. Any hair that is clipped or that you comb out should always be placed in a zip lock bag and disposed of properly. There are spores in that bag, and you don't want to release those inside your house. I use a washing tub to apply the Dip with a sponge and I wear gloves. Saturate the cat with the Dip and then place him in a carrier with a towel at the bottom until he is a little dry. Cat's that have Ringworm need to be isolated from everyone in a room that has no carpet or drapes. Ringworm spores attach themselves more easily to upholstery. The ideal situation would be to keep him in a "cat condo" while he was sick, like the ones sold by Midwest Cages. http://www.catsplay.com/bci466135.php3

You can purchase this cage or something close to it at PetSmart or online at Revival. Drape a sheet over one side of it, so the spores will not have anywhere to fly and this will cut down on your cleaning chores greatly. You will need to use a sheet that can be taken off every couple of days and washed in bleach and hot water. A Ringworm infected kitten or cat should not have any contact with your children, other animals or people. You should probably wear gloves when you handle him, or at the very least, wash your hands immediately afterward. Don't put your hands in your hair or cuddle the kitten close to your clothes, no matter how much you may want to. For the next 2 to 3 months in fact, you shouldn't touch him at all.

Once the hair starts growing back, you may want to shampoo the kitten in between Lyme Dips. Lyme Dip is very harsh on the coat, and it can make it brittle.  Malaseb, Chrohexidern or Micro-Tek shampoos all have anti-fungal properties, but none will actually kill Ringworm. They are good in-between dip baths and can be ordered at Revival. I have heard of some people being able to clear very mild Ringworm cases with topical treatment only, but I have always had to combine topical treatment with internal medications. There are several medications on the market, and most of them are quite expensive. Sporonox is one of these. One of the side effects of Sporonox is that it can cause nausea in the cat and he will stop eating. This is what happened to me whenever I tried it, so I had to discontinue its use. It was also very expensive. Another medication is Diflucan (fluconazole). This is also a very expensive medication, but it puts less strain on the cats liver when it's being used. The last medication is called Griseofulvicin. Fulvicin is an older medication that isn't as expensive as the newer meds, but it can be very hard on the cat's liver, so it isn't recommended for very young kittens or breeding cats. A lot of vets don't even prescribe it anymore, but it is the most effective medication for the cost in my opinion. If you do use it, give it with a fatty meal or with a tab of butter. This will help the body metabolize it quicker. With Lyme Dip and oral medication, you can have the active spores eradicated within 3 weeks time, but this does not mean you can stop treatment! Ending treatment just because you don't see any more hair loss, is the main reason so many people fail to get rid of Ringworm! You MUST continue to Dip and give oral treatment for at least 3-4 weeks after you have gotten a negative culture from your vet. If you don't feel like taking the cat to the vet and want to do your own culture, you can order these tests online at Revival. The kit also comes with a pamphlet that tells you how to read the results. It's really very easy! I would not expect a cat to be completely Ringworm free until you have done 2 or 3 cultures that have come up negative.

While you are Dipping and treating the cat with oral meds, don't forget to clean the environment that he's in. You can do this by putting him in a room that can be mopped with a mixture of bleach and water. 10 parts water/1 part bleach. Bleach will kill the spores as long as there is no organic matter present, so sweep the floor first. If you are using a vacuum, you must dispose of the bag every single time you use it. I found that keeping the cat in the cat condo and using a small hand held broom to sweep up any litter particles was easiest for me. I recommend using World's Best Cat Litter because it is clean and doesn't track as much as the clay. Your baby has enough problems without having a bunch of clay litter block his intestinal tract because he's tried to clean it off of his paws! I use World's Best Cat Litter with all of my mommas, show cats and babies. http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/

If they could manage to lower their prices just a little bit more, I would use it with everyone. If you don't have a cage to put your Ringworm infected Persian in and aren't willing to purchase one, you had better be ready to clean every horizontal surface he comes in contact with using the bleach & water solution. Mix the solution up in a spray bottle. Don't use fans or turn on a window air conditioner in the room unless you absolutely have to. This will only circulate the spores more. If the room is hot, use a small table fan and point it away from the cat. When you enter and exit the room, remove your shoes so you won't track spores back into the rest of the house. Remember, don't touch the cat! And if you do, wash your hand. One product that does seem to help reduce the number of spores is a cleaning product called "Health Guard". It is sold online at Revival in many different forms.

No reputable breeder would ever breed cats that had Ringworm, nor would they sell kittens that were infected with it, but you would be surprised how often this very thing happens. I assume that many of these breeders believe that Ringworm in the cattery is a "fact of life" and that "everyone has it", but they are sorely wrong. Rare Earth Persians makes it a policy to never breed any cat that has ever had Ringworm, because even though the infection was cleared, the cat could still be carrying the disease in their bloodstream and be an asymptomatic carrier. When an asymptomatic carrier female becomes pregnant, her immune system is stressed and she then breaks with Ringworm, passing it on to her newborn babies. Thus, the cycle of Ringworm continues. Rare Earth also makes it a policy to never sell kittens that have Ringworm. To do so, would almost be criminal in my opinion.

Last year, a well known breeder returned a female of my own breeding that she had bought without my knowledge or consent from another highly respected breeder that had originally purchased her from me under a contract that stated she was not to be resold "whole" with breeding rights. It is sad how some catteries pass breeding cats from home to home rather than honoring the contracts they have signed and spaying/neutering them if they themselves no longer wish to breed them, but that is a topic for another Blog! Anyway, this breeder contacted me and asked me if I wanted the girl who was now 5 years old, back. I was suspicious of her motives, but wanted to make sure this girl had the opportunity to be placed in a loving pet home rather than be resold to a third cattery, so I had her flown home. To my dismay, her entire body was covered in Ringworm lesions that were very apparent, she was only 6 lbs. and seemed generally unhealthy (snotty nosed,  poor condition, ect.). Because she was flown, she was checked over by a veterinarian who issued a "Health Certificate" that stated she was in good health and had no contagious diseases, so I was somewhat surprised to find she was indeed very contagious! It took me 4 entire months to get this girl Ringworm free, but it was worth it! Now she has a beautiful, full coat, weighs another pound and a half and will hopefully be adopted to a wonderful pet home where she can be treasured the way all cats should be.

5:58 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Bathing Your Persian Cat
Category: Pets and Animals

 Basic Bathing Tips:

There are a lot of different shampoos out there to chose from, but a few that I have used and like are: Eqyss Premier Shampoo and Eqyss Cloud Nine Conditioner. F1R2 "All Seasons" shampoo and also Infusium shampoos (a human shampoo).  Eqyss can be bought online at http://www.revivalanimal.com

Regular blue Dawn dishwashing liquid diluted to about 10 to 1 parts is a good degreaser, and I use this as my first shampoo. Another degreasing product I use is an auto mechanic's hand degreasing cream called "GOOP". It can be purchased in the auto detailing department of Wal-Mart. Do not use any other product, like GoJo or Fast Orange.

The Bath:

I bath my cats in the double sink in the kitchen. The sprayer is used to rinse the cat off and it's essential to have. Always have all of your supplies laid out and within easy reach before starting your bath- GOOP, diluted Dawn, Shampoos and Conditioner, and a  big towel to wrap the cat up in when you are done.

I start by applying the GOOP directly to the cat's dry coat. Focus on the roots first and make sure you cover the greasiest spots completely. These areas are where the cat excretes oils: under the arms, behind the ears, the ruff, tail and hind legs. If the cat is only bathed once a month, you will need to apply the GOOP all over in order to remove all of the dirt and oil that has built up. If you are bathing every week or every 2 weeks, GOOPing the entire cat during each bath, is probably not necessary. You will need to watch to make sure you don't dry the coat out. When you have liberally applied the GOOP (I usually use an entire 4oz tub on an adult cat, ½ a tub on a younger adult), drizzle a little warm water over the coat and work the GOOP into a lather. Keep an eye on the clock. You want to have the GOOP on the coat for no more than 10 mins from start to rinse. The next step is to apply already diluted Dawn to the GOOPed cat. Lather this until it is a soupy mix. Now you are ready to rinse. Rinsing the mixture off will take some time. Once you have rinsed as much as you can, apply diluted Dawn again, lather and rinse the rest of the GOOP mixture off. The water will probably still be a little white when you are rinsing

.

Now you are ready for your shampoo of choice. I really like the Eqyss shampoos and conditioners for cottony coats and kittens. F1R2 is better for Blacks, Tabbies or cat's who tend to have coarser, greasier coats. If you are using Eqyss Premier apply a small amount to your hands and work into the coat. The shampoo does not lather excessively, but it cleans very well and has a nice scent. Rinse and repeat. Now apply a small amount of Cloud Nine conditioner directly to the second shampoo and work into the coat. Rinse well.

If you find that your water is particularly soft and you are having a hard time rinsing all of the soap out, here is a groomer's tip to get the coat squeaky clean:

Fill the other side of the sink with lukewarm water. Add two or three capfuls of White Vinegar to the water. After you've finished rinsing all of the soap off of the cat that you can, place him in the vinegar water and "float the coat". Be careful not to dunk the cat or he won't be very cooperative after that! You can rinse the water over his body with a cup too. The vinegar strips away any soap residue.

Now you are ready to wrap the cat in a big fluffy towel and tell him what a sweet baby he has been!

Blowing Dry:

Before you begin Blowing dry the cat, make sure the nails are clipped and the eyes and ears are clean. To wipe eyes, I use ReNu No Rub contact lense multi use solution and a swissor cotton round (used to remove makeup). You can buy both of these in the drugstore. Never insert Q-Tips into the ear canals, instead take a piece of toilet paper and roll it into a cylinder to insert into the ear if you think you need to- it is safer.

Blowing the cat dry is just as important as the bath. Just like the bath, it is important to have everything that you need laid out in advance. I use the Metro Airforce One Commander 4.0 dryer. It can be purchased online at many stores, but Revival also carries it. It is an investment, but one that is absolutely necessary if you are showing your cats or just want your pets to look like show cats. I've had mine running with no problems for over 6 years now.

The second most important grooming tool you will ever buy, is your comb. I use the Belgium made 7 ½ inch medium to course Greyhound comb for the body and the smaller 4 ½ inch Belgium made Greyhound comb for the face and legs. The smaller comb is also great for training small kittens to accept the comb. Do not skimp on your comb and buy a cheaper one! The Belgium combs can be bought online at: http://www.double-s.com/catalog/

Double "S" Enterprises also carries the F1R2 Shampoos and several other products that I use. Even if you are just grooming your pet, you will need a Greyhound comb, otherwise all of your hard work bathing and blowing him dry will be wasted. Never use a "slicker brush" on a Persian. These brushes are for dogs, and do nothing more than rip the tender undercoat out. If you have a matt, work it out by tearing it into smaller pieces with your hands and then combing the rest out. Small tangles can sometimes be blown out with the Metro. If you are using a regular human hair dryer to dry your cat, be sure to set it on the "NO HEAT" setting before starting. Persians have very delicate skin, and you can easily burn them by drying them with heat. Never comb the coat while it is wet. Dry the cat completely and then comb him out. Choose a place to blow dry the cat that is familiar to him and comfortable to you. If you think your cat may try to escape, a bathroom is a good place to start, because you can close the door and the hair will be contained. I sit on the floor and lay the cat in my lap on his back- this way I can dry his belly, ruff and hind legs first. Next, I place the cat on the toilet seat, and sitting in front of him I blow dry him from the back to the front. Try not to get the air in his face or eyes. Once he is completely dry, comb him out with your Greyhound and you are done.

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