10/14/2024
This has been a very busy year!
October feels like a natural pause, a moment to reflect before moving forward.
We've faced some challenges this summer, and I haven’t shared as many updates as I normally would. But now, I feel ready to look back and share some of what has been going on.
This was only our second year raising kittens, and I’ve always tried to be candid about that. Many of you have followed Pink’s journey—our keeper kitten from our very first litter, who battled and survived FIP after 496 days of treatment. From the moment she was born, to her diagnosis, treatment, relapses, remission, and finally reaching a cure, I shared it all. It was an emotional rollercoaster, as she became critically ill so suddenly and unexpectedly. There were times when we thought we’d lose her, and it was hard to believe this was happening during our very first litter.
But Pink came through! She kicked FIP’s butt, and today, she’s a healthy, glowing girl. I love getting updates from her siblings, who are also doing well as they just celebrated their second birthday this September.
However, as much as I work hard to create the best outcomes, things do happen with living creatures, and it’s been a challenge for me to accept that not everything will be perfect.
There’s a misconception that good breeders never encounter problems, but what really matters is how you handle them. I’ve learned that what defines a good breeder is their ability to face and manage those challenges.
This summer, two of our eleven kittens from Katarina and Elsie’s litters had mild upper respiratory issues. They went to the vet together for neutering and came back with symptoms just days before going to their new homes. Despite all my efforts to keep everything as safe and clean as possible, this can happen with little ones who don’t yet have fully developed immune systems.
I communicated with the adopting families, offering them options: a full refund, to take the kitten home with medicine, or to wait until I could treat them before pickup. Both families were understanding—one chose to take their kitten home with medicine, and the other waited a week before picking up. Both kittens recovered with a bit of extra care, and their families have been wonderful, keeping me updated and taking great care of the boys. It was a tough situation, but we handled it as best we could, and I’m thankful for their understanding!
Another challenge came this fall when two of the three boys from Aurora’s litter had separate, freak incidents just after going to their new homes. Both needed minor surgery—one for an abdominal issue, and the other for a torn stitch from neuter recovery. The third brother? Completely fine! It’s baffling how unpredictable these things can be, despite the identical care, environment, and protocols I follow for every kitten.
It’s hard to accept that, even when you do everything right, some things are beyond your control. But I’ve learned that accidents happen, bugs are everywhere, and perfection isn’t always possible, no matter how much we want it to be.
Now, as some of you may have noticed, I took down the reviews from our page. I want to clarify that this decision had nothing to do with the challenges we’ve faced with our kittens - it was due to an ongoing stalking issue I’ve been dealing with since the summer. I mentioned this briefly in an earlier post, for those wanting more details, but I didn’t want it to overshadow everything else.
This person has targeted multiple breeders, leaving horrible, fake reviews and spreading misinformation. In August, after receiving hateful comments and emails, I made the decision to remove our reviews to protect myself, our cattery, and the families we work with. Sadly, I know they’re still stalking me from multiple fake accounts on social media, and I’ve had to block several profiles interacting with my cattery and personal page. It’s been an incredibly distressing and exhausting situation, but I’m doing what I can to handle it while focusing on what matters most—our kittens and the families who love them.
When it comes to our adopting families, honesty is always my priority. I try to offer solutions, support, and guidance through emergencies when they arise. I work hard to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible, but sometimes, it’s simply out of my hands. I always encourage families to activate their pet insurance, and while I’m grateful that we’ve only needed to use it a few times, I wish it was never necessary.
I know I haven’t posted as many updates, and a lot of that comes down to the stress of dealing with these personal challenges as well as some unexpected incidents with the kittens. But overall, we’ve had far more kittens go home healthy and happy than we’ve had issues. That doesn’t mean I’m not always looking to improve - I will always be focusing on how we can make things safer, better, and best here!
𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 💖 𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮!
If you’re considering working with us in the future, please understand we’re entering our third year of raising kittens, and there are still some situations we haven’t encountered to date. I have a wonderful network of experienced breeders who offer advice and support, and I’ll always be transparent when challenges arise. I never hide or deny when there’s a problem, and I’m committed to finding fair solutions that work for everyone involved.
I’m happy to report that all of our “challenge kittens” are doing well, and their families have been fantastic about providing their care and keeping me updated. Each issue has been unique, and I do believe these were situational. But that doesn’t mean I’m letting my guard down! I’m still here, working hard to ensure our current kittens are healthy and happy. So far, this autumn has been peaceful, with relaxed, healthy kittens, mommas, and papas. I’ll continue to share updates on everyone as best as I can from here. 💖
(The pics show Aurora’s two boys who needed soft cones for different reasons! I feel so bad they needed them, but they look so cute with them on ~ and then each screenshot is from a different kitten family! I tried to cover any names or info so people don’t feel singled out, please let me know if you have an issue with your screenshot being shared!! Thank you!)
