Me in the addition my husband built with a small section of the Laurel Burch murals I painted on all the walls holding Pharaoh..
20 years ago I began breeding Persians and found it to be quite rewarding because I have always had cats and admire and respect them greatly. I gave this up when my husband’s military career with the U.S. Marine Corps. made it too difficult, and to dedicate my full attention to a family of our own.
With children a little older, who enjoy cats as much as my husband and I, we decided to embark on breeding our most favorite types of cat after an unexpected health issue forced me to give up other hobbies, and almost simultaneously we lost our beloved shaded silver Persian, Tinsel, who we fondly called our “Baby brat.”
She was the first silver we'd seen and instantly fell in love with her. She was a hostess to company, never skipping a lap or chance to sachet around ankles, she listened politely to conversation, comforted anyone who felt sad or ill, yet she walked like a runway model on a “catwalk” and gave us all a cold shoulder for 10 minutes when we left for a day or 2, just to remind us she was something special to be appreciated at all times.
She left us finally in June 2004 and 10 days later when very ill I remember her sitting with me in a hospital bed and felt her feet tiptoe across the sheets curling up on my chest like she was never gone. While this is obviously impossible, I'm certain it was her there with me. Shortly after that we came to know the Cymric breed and found them to be just as enchanting as the Persians. So today the whole family enjoys sharing our space with both Persians and Cymrics and we strive to create and perfect both breeds to physically meet the registry standards and more, and love them to the point they have no choice but to replicate the baby brat personality. We breed for ourselves, meaning to further our goals and share our wonderful animals with others to enjoy. Shows, and awards are an exciting fringe benefit. Our cats and kittens live among us and finding those we don't add to our breeding program a wonderful forever owner and safe place to live are of utmost importance.
We’ve gotten things started again with spoiling a few select cats, adding on to our home to best suit their needs. We hope to specialize our “babybrats” in silver and gold and their assorted variations in color. We will be striving toward cobby bodies, long, thick coats, big, round eyes, and in the Persians we’ll also be working toward tiny ears and sweet, open faces. I am most appreciative to those who entrusted me with their lines and who’ve attempted to guide me in my endeavors; Sara Evans, Judy Hinton, Karin Sinn, Kathy Zennaiter, Jayne Wood, and Elma Sterk, although their cattery names may be better known to you by; Brettachtal, Hapynesis, Silverestate, Alchemist and Kabelkim. You are the foundation for my new goals in breeding and I’m forever grateful. I hope to make you proud and of course offer thanks to all the other breeders before me, and who learn with me, for all your contributions, knowingly or without thought. Here at Babybrat everything comes from a little bit of silver, be it goldens or long-haired Manx (Cymrics). :-)
"The Breeder's Poem"
I love my little kitten; she makes my
house a home.
She is my very sweetest little friend; I never feel alone.
She makes me smile; She makes me laugh; She fills my heart with love . .
.
Did some person breed her, or did she fall from above?
I've never been a breeder, never seen life through their eyes;
I hold my little kitty and just sit and criticize.
I've never known their anguish; I've never felt their pain,
the caring of their charges, through snow or wind or rain.
I've never waited the whole night through for babies to be born,
The stress and trepidation when they're still not there by morn.
The weight of responsibility for this body in my hands,
This darling little baby, who weighs but so few grams.
Should you do that instead of this . . . or maybe that was wrong?
Alone you fight and hope, one day, he'll grow up proud and strong.
You pray he'll live to bring great joy to someone else's home.
You know it's all just up to you; you'll fight this fight alone.
Formula, bottles, heating pads, you've got to get this right,
two-hour feedings for this tiny guy, throughout the day and night.
Within your heart you dread that you will surely lose this fight,
To save this little baby, but God willing . . . you just MIGHT.
Day one; he's in there fighting; you say a silent prayer.
Day two & three, he's doing well, with lots of love and care.
Day four & five . . . he's still alive; your hopes soar to the heavens.
Day six he slips away again, dies in your hands, day seven.
You take this little angel, and bury him alone.
With aching heart and burning tears, and an exhausted groan,
You ask yourself, "Why do this? . . . Why suffer through this pain?"
Yet watch the joy your kitties bring ,and everything's explained.
So, when you think of breeders and label them with "Greed,"
Think of all that they endure to fill another's need.
For when you buy your kitty, with your precious dollars part,
You only pay with money . . . while they pay with their heart.
