Skylark's Litter

Here they are. I tried to take some conformation type pictures today to help me decide which to keep as a show prospect/breeding queen.

Since I don't know which I am keeping, I haven't named them yet. They are named after the green food colour dots I put on them when they were too young to tell apart.

Left Spot - The craziest kitten of them all. When they were on antibiotics, she was the worst to try and dose. Every single time she had to complain. Nice spots and contrast.



Middle Spot - Has an umbilical hernia from birth. The vet figured that Sky nipped off her umbilical too close. It hasn't caused her any problems. Not quite as nice coat, but may be kitten fuzz. Probably giving this one to my sister so I can keep an eye on her.



No Spot - Very sweet kitten, already arching her back when you pet her. Coat doesn't have the best contrast of the bunch, but again, may be kitten fuzzies.



Right Spot - My favourite, mostly because she was always the smallest and the first to get sick. Great personality and calm, likes to sleep on my lap and is less cat-social than the rest. Prefers people. Very nice spots and contrast.

Here is a picture of them all after the photoshoot - they must be worn out. I can see how the left kitten's coat seems a bit browner than the rest. That is No-Spot.

Nice kittens!
I'm no expert on E. Mau's but I like Left spot the best.

I have all of their pictures up in my public gallery at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/junomidge

Originally Posted by Sohni

the smallest and the first to get sick

Click to expand...

I'd worry about that in a cat I want to be a breeding queen, i.e. I don't think breeding from runts (no matter how adorable) is usually advisable, although there are always exceptions.

Also being more people social and less cat social is also maybe not great in a cat that will then have to live with lots of other cats.

Still they are all really cute, I don't know much about E Maus but their worried looking little faces are adorable and I like the silvery spots.

I like Right spot too - because she has a certain elegance about her that I love in E Mau's

I like the spotting pattern of the one in the left (back turned) in the group one - has the best spotting of the group.

I've always been told you shouldn't breed from a cat that had an umbilical hernia, as there can be a genetic weakness involved. It doesn't likely have anything to do with the mother biting off the cord too short, it's a congenital weakness in the abdominal muscle that causes it. Here you cannot show any pedigree cat in championship classes if it has had corrective surgery for a hernia, it is a withholding fault and considered a defect in terms of showing, even if the cat is now completely healthy.

If you've had illness requiring antibiotics, I would lean towards picking the strongest to keep back as it indicates a good immune system - something which is often overlooked (or can't even be detected!) in breeding programmes. If that individual might not be the most typey then plan to put her to a stud that should counteract any slight deficiency in type - health should be paramount for the longevity of any breed. Don't breed from a cat that when exposed to illness succumbed quickly and more seriously than its siblings, or you could be dooming your future lines to inability to fight off disease.

Thanks for the replies!

On a sadder note for me (but good!), Hernia kitten went home with my sister today. I had always intended on spaying her and would never have bred her. My mentor really likes her face however, and is encouraging me to ask my sister to show her in premiership (alter).

Are they 12 weeks already? Seems like she just had them, time goes fast.

They are actually 11 weeks today. It's good timing though as my sister and her boyfriend are taking some time off work because of the flu. It turns out that my sister has Type A influenza, but not H1N1. She feels fine, but they are taking no chances with infecting other people.

They have 2 elderly cats (around 18 yrs old I think) and are worried about the transition, but it's gone OK so far.

what perfectly adorable babies!!

Kinda of off-topic question, Maus come in a smoke coat color, don't they? I love smokes and would love to have one along with my sealpoint Siamese, Black Oriental.... you get the idea

Yep, smokes are possible in litters from silver tabby Maus. I know of one cattery in Eastern USA that specializes in smokes, but I can't remember the name right now. There is a Global E. Mau Show in Pennsylvania on June 13th, and I think there will be a really good representation from Mau breeders attending that one.

Subconsciously I think I expected Hernia-kitten to miss us! She is doing great in her new home.. My sister's boyfriend slept in the spare room with her for the first night, because their two 17 yr old cats have laid claim to the bed. They don't feel it's fair to them to invite an interloper into their space yet.

My sister has pretty much decided on Zahra - which she says means flower in Eqyptian. Zahra has a new cardboard box with kitten sized holes in it, and a few mice, and these occupy her for hours at a time. She sits on my sister's lap when it's time for a nap and she is eating well.

She is the first kitten I have ever placed so it was a bit traumatic... hehe. Nice to know she is happy in her new home.