An Ending
A little over six years ago I flew to Ohio to pick up a very special kitten. I wasn’t thinking about breeding or showing her, I just wanted a Norwegian Forest Cat because I’d had a wonderful wegie wannabee and I wanted another cat like him. That kitten was Shira — who is now our Queen of Everything.
Today Shira went to the vet to be spayed and so ends an era of sorts at LostWoods — my first NFC retiring from her duties as a breeding cat. Shira has given birth to thirty beautiful kittens in seven litters. Her son Rain and her daughter Tori went to other breeders to have babies of their own. This past year Shira’s great grandson, Vanir’s Cosmic Collision, was the best NFC kitten in CFA and Shira’s grandson, ForestKatz Treat, was the best NFC kitten in TICA. I’ve kept Fin — Shira’s last son — to continue her and Peanut’s legacy here at LostWoods and her grand daughter, Basia, will be coming back to us in December. Shira’s look and personality will live on even though she’s retiring.
I have mixed feelings about her retirement. I know that it’s for the best. Shira had a tough time with the last two litters and I don’t want to put her through that again. And listening to her when she’s in heat is indescribable. She can be heard for blocks around as she calls for a male to come romance her. The day I made her surgery appointment, she decided that we should have to listen to her scream one last time. Oh joy.
Still, it’s sad to think about not having more Shira babies. She’s a great mama who teaches her children how to run a household, how to drown toys, and how to kill feathers. She drove me a little crazy with her moving babies around, but there was a resaon for actions. When they were small she was tyring to make sure they stayed safe. After awhile I came to the conclusion that safety wasn’t her only plan – she was trying to teach them about the world. She couldn’t possibly been taking them to a safer place when she’d take them downstairs and leave them in the living room, a foot away from the dog!
Now Shira can be the Queen of Everything full time, without having to take time from running her kingdom to take care of babies. And I can hardly wait to see how her coat and body fill out without her hormones running wild. She’ll be magnificent!
October 2nd, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I became all misty eyed thinking about no more Shira babies. She has given all of us such joy when reading about her babies, and beautiful babies they have been!!!. Please keep all your readers updated with blogs and pics of the antics of Shira, Queen of Everything.
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Lisa,
Donna and I maybe one of the lucky few who have had the opportunity to watch first hand all of Shira’s lessons in life lived, and being handed down to her Grandchildren by Tori! Everything that Shira had taught Tori as a kitten we have watched being passed along to all of Tori’s babies now for the past two years. The drowning mice, the feather killing lessons that are going on this week, to how high can we get on furniture or windows! Tori taught all of them how to jump the baby-gate in our bedroom this past weekend while we attended a show, and upon our arrival home we had 6 happy little Wegie babies all staring up at us in the hallway so proud of their newest lesson learned!!
Lil Stink was taught well Lisa, and we’ve watched her pass along all her knowlege the past 2 months to Basia, with another month of lessons to go. I know that by the time Basia arrives at the Inn of LostWoods, she’ll have all kinds of stories to tell her Grandma Shira about her Momma Tori and all she has learned from her. It should bring a big smile to Shira’s face!!
Yes, the legend of Shira will continue!! Hope you’re ready for it!!!
We Love you all,
Jim, Donna, Tori, Basia & Babies
October 2nd, 2007 at 6:47 pm
It does make me sad to think that there won’t be anymore Shira babies. It is the end of an era in some ways.I am glad to know that Fin and Basia will carry on her legacy.We have loved her as a mom and now we shall love her as a doting grandma or aunt (whichever she likes:))..It is a well deserved break for her and now she can take time to grow out her beautiful fur and teach the younger ones discipline.I have never met her, but I love her. Thank you Shira for your wonderful babies:))
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:49 am
Is Shira back home? How did it go? Is she resting? Let us know.