Conference misery::feline_v1

    Hi, Nancy.  I'm not interested in the cats you describe, but you
    mentioned something that perked my interest.
    
    My cat Benj has always had what you called a "kink" in his tail.  The
    end is at right angles to the rest of it.  I always thought it was
    because someone stepped on his tail when he was a baby - but then, from
    reading your note, wondered if there was another cause.
    
    I've been impressed with the comments from you and some of the other
    cat-knowledgable people in this file.  Your suggestions are always so
    helpful!
    
    Thanks in advance -
    
    Deb and Benj

    Thanks for the compliment, Deb.  Yes there are other causes for a kink,
    including genetics.  That's why this little girl is being sold as a
    pet.  You wouldn't want her to pass the trait along to her kittens.
    
    
    
    ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION:
      Brittany - 3 yo tortie folded ear fold.  She is being "retired".
    Right now she is unspayed and free to a good home - indoor only as
    she is declawed.  She also has a kink in her tail which she passed
    on to her kittens - that's why she's being retired.
      Contact me via mail or dtn if interested.
      Nancy DC

    The little straight earred fold male is still available for adoption.
    I don't think Tony wants any fee for him, just a good home.
      Nancy DC

    
    
    	re: -1
    
    	I didn't hear that!!  =)
    

    When Tony decided to get out of the business he did hang on to
    two of his queens who were due to give birth shortly.  Well, Fiona,
    Dundee's mommy, has given birth to 5 kittens - one female and 5 males.
    Boy, she likes the boys because Dundee was one of 8 males!
    
    The kittens are about 1 week old and nice and plump.  Its still about
    3 weeks too early to tell who'll fold, but Tony will be looking
    for homes for these babies.  He's said that he'll probably be willing
    to give the straight-earred babies away to the "right" homes.
    
    He has one other queen that's due shortly and I'll keep you posted.
    So you guys have some time to think about scottie-fold kittens.
    Let me know if you're interested.
      Nancy DC

    
    	I didn't hear *that* one either!!
    
    	Nancy, how can you expect those of us who have had the intense
    	pleasure of meeting Dundee to resist!  Jeesh!  Cary would Kill
    	me!  =)
    

    Hey JJ - wait until you meet Bonnie....!!!

    Nanceeeeeeeeeeey, did you HAVE to enter this note?!  Just when I
    was actually starting to enjoy having ONLY five cats!!
    
    Well, a lot can happen between now and the time they're ready to
    go to new homes.
    
    But still, I didn't hear anything either!
    
    :^)
    
    --Roberta (who's husband said okay to more cats..... when we can
               afford a new house!)
    

    
    	Nancy, you are *not* helping!  =)
    

    What can I say?  I'm smitten.  Dundee has me wrapped around his
    paw and he knows it.  (And Bonnie is working on it.)
    
    Caution:  Scottish Folds are adictive!!

    "Hmmmmm!  A little girl would be nice to cut down on the odds.  I'm
    really outnumbered with the 4 boys right now!"
    
    						Holly "Murphy"
    
    "What?  Who gave you permission to use the terminal at home, Holly? 
     I told you to keep your paws off the keyboard!"
    
    Pat  ;-)
     

    I have an update on that litter of kittens Tony has available.
    1. The mommy was not Fiona - Fiona just had her kittens a few
    days ago.  The mother of this litter is Dundee Mommy-cat's 
    daughter Kayleigh.  That makes Kayleigh at least 1/2 sister to
    Bonnie B. 
    
    2.  Of the six kittens only two folded.  Both males, one black 
    and white and the other a brown tabby and white van.  (Mostly white)
    
    That leaves three males and the tortie & white female with straight
    ears and looking for homes.  Let me know if you're interested.
    Of course, Tony wants them to go to indoor only homes.
    
    For those of you interested in showing - you can not show a straight-
    earred fold in the championship classes since, like a longhair
    exotic, they don't match the breed standard.  What you can do is
    show them as AOV's (Any other Variety) or as Household pets.
      Nancy DC

    OH - The kittens are now about 3 1/2 weeks old.  Tony says he'll
    let them go at 8 weeks.
      Nancy

    Update on Costa fold kittens:
    
    There are still 5 kittens from Kaleigh's litter who need homes.
    All male -
      straight-earred folds
        Black & WHite
        Silver tabby
        Silver tabby & white (2)
    
      folded: - Male Brown Tabby & White van 
    
    These kittens were born on 2/12/90 and are weaned.
    
    From Fiona (Dundee's mommy)
      She had four kittens.  They are about 3.5 wks old now.
      Three of the four folded.
    
      Folded - cream and white male
               Brown patch tabby & White female
               Tortie female
      straight earred - Tortie female.
    
    contact me if you are interested.
        

    Tony has now placed all the straight earred folds but two.  One
    is a little Black and White boy who was born 2/12 and is ready
    to go and the other is a Tortie in Fiona's litter.  She is only
    about 4 wks old so it will be another month before she's ready
    to go.
    
      Nancy DC

    I forgot to mention - Tony still has all the folded kittens but,
    of course, they are for sale. 
      Nancy 

    I was over at Tony's last night picking up a half-sister to both
    Dundee (same daddy) and Bonnie (same mommy) and got another look
    at those kittens Tony has.  The little Black and white straight-
    earred kitty is a real cutie and his littermate, a folded brown
    tabby & white, likes to hang off the sides of the cage!
    
    Then there's Fiona's litter.  What a beautiful, fat and happy, bunch
    of kittens.  She's got a little cream and white boy who is just
    gorgeous!  These kittens are really good looking.  The two tortie
    & white kitties are going to be real nice folds.  One of the is
    especially tightly folded.  And there's one straight-earred tortie
    in that litter too who is awaiting a home.
    
    So if anyone is interested in the little Black & White boy, or the
    little tortie girl let me know. Also, if anyone wants to purchase
    a nice little fold - and I think these kitties will be good show
    kitties - let me know.
      Nancy DC

    .....you were picking up a half-sister to Dundee and Bonnie.....Nancy, 
    are we raising the cat max?????
    
    Michele
    

    
    
    	Nancy...
    
    	Now I told Cary I had to boost up my willpower with it being
    	kitten season.  And you keep putting these notes in about those
    	two adorable kittens!  I can't keep resisting you know!!  Not
    	fair!  Not fair!  =)
    
    	ahem....
    
    
    	=)
    
    
    	JJ
    

    Hey - I had to boost my willpower!  I wanted to take that beautiful
    cream boy home with me!!  There's something about a sad little fold
    face - they look like those pictures of the kids, puppies & kittens
    with the big sad eyes!
    
    I keep telling myself that having Halley is financially good for me
    because, presumably I'll be able to sell the kittens.  You know how
    Elaine keeps praying for 5 shorthaired baby girls - Well, I'm
    going to keep praying for 5 folded babies - at least 3 girls.
    Of course, I don't get to know what I have for a month after they're
    born.  :-)

    OH - and since, if things work out, daddy is named Batman, I've decided
    that one of the kittens has to be named "Robin".  ;-}

    re: 20
    
    Ha, it's almost 4 weeks, and I still don't know if these silly
    babies are long or shorthaired !  Groan, my luck and I'll have
     5 longhairs !!  They are CUTE, though - fat little piglets with
    big, big, blue eyes!!  
    
    E._still_waiting_for_their_hair_NOT_to_grow

    Ok...Last chance....  Tony has one straight earred fold left.
    She's a little tortie out of Dundee's mommy, Fiona.
      Contact me if you're interested.
       Nancy DC
    

    nancy...
    
    this is a little off the track, but...
    
    can a straight-earred fold produce kittens with folded ears?
    
    
    inquiring minds...
    
    diane, stella & stanley
    

    Diane, the only reputable way to breed Scottish Folds are by mating
    a straight-ear to a folded ear fold.  Now, if you are asking whether
    or not two straight eared cats can produce folded ear kittens, I
    don't know.  If they are both carrying the gene for folded ears,
    probably.
    
    Nancy has left for the day.  She'll be back on Monday!
    

    Roberta,
    
    I am looking forward to Nancy's response.  I wonder about whether 2
    Straight earred folds can produce folded kittens.  Two Longhaired
    Exotics will never never  never never ever produce a short exotic!
    
    So, I guess it depends on if the fold gene is dominant or recessive.
    
    cin
    

    I think that the fold gene is a dominant.  So, that would mean that
    two straight eared folds wouldn't be able to produce folded eared 
    kittens.
    
    Jo

re: dominant or recessive

The fold gene is indeed a dominant.  Two straight-eared folds will not 
normally produce a folded-ear fold. (Unless you happen to get the original 
mutation.  This is very, very, *very* unlikely.)

The fold gene has been linked to birth defects, when it is doubled-up.  
This is why reputable breeders will only breed a cat with straight ears to
a cat with folded ears (and get 50% folded-eared cats, on average).

Ray

    ray...
    
    that answered my next question about mating two folded-earred folds.
    it seems like they want the fold gene from only one parent.
    
    diane, s & s
    

    From what I understand, you cannot mate two folded earred folds at all. 
    I believe that there is a great chance of the litter being stillborn.
    
    Holly
    

    re: .30 _ No Holly, you're thinking of tailless Manx's.  There is
    NO LETHAL GENE in the fold lines.  That's why I was so irate when I
    talked to this guy at the Hudson Show who wants to cross a Manx
    with a fold.
    
    Folds have a cartilage problem associated with the gene for folded
    ears (which is dominant - no you cannot get a folded fold from two
    straight-earred parents).  One of the effects of this cartilage
    problem is the mis-shaping of the  socket in the ball and socket
    joint of the hip.  That's why you look for kittens who walk "hock
    kneed" or who hop rather than walk with their back legs.  Another
    problem with folds is "stiff tail".  As I've discovered, this is
    hard to detect in kittens.  Bonnie has a bit of stiff tail.  Its
    not dangerous, but it does sometimes prevent her from finalling
    in the shows.  Fortunately, she's developing fabulous eye-color
    to balance things out.  
      Bonnie will be x-rayed around 8 or 9 months of age to be 100%
    sure she has no cartilage problems.  If she does, she will be spayed
    and never bred.
      Breeding two folded earred folds greatly increases the chances that
    these associated problems will show up in the kittens.  This is another
    reason that British and American shorthairs are acceptable outcrosses.
      Now if you want to see a stunning little fold, check out the little
    black female that Beverly Hardacre has been showing.  That kitten is
    by far the best fold kitten on the local circuit!  Beverly bought her
    from Sue Stevens in New Jersy.
      WHen I get another fold, i want a Sue Stevens fold.
      Nancy DC

    Oh - there is one way you might get a folded kitten from two
    apparently straight earred parents...That's if the female really
    is a folded fold, but her ears have lifted making her look straight-
    earred - Like Halley.  I can still see a definite difference in
    the shape of her ears vs. Batman's ears, but when I first saw her
    I thought she as a straight-earred fold.  
      The ears can lift in high humidity (like last weekend, darn it)
    or when the kittens teethe or when the females are in heat, or
    pregnant.
      N