I had purchased kitten matahari from Mumbai's famous "Crawford market" at a cost of Rs 14,000 (Us $350 approx) a queens ransom for cats in India. Ironically, her predecessor "Trixie", an "albino/siameese mix" kitten was given to me free by a "Crawford Market Petshop owner" as she was on the verge of death, hence i adopted her and the rest they say is "Pet History". I have made a seperate blog on "Trixie" which lived with us for 12 years(1995-2007) and after her death i purchased kitten matahari at a real luxurious price and she has also developed into a fine specimen.She grew up beautifully and her photographs have been put onto "wikepedia commons" under "Persian cats", the same have been used by 'world photo media" for various captions.Today, in 2009 cat "Matahari" is 2 years old, the mother of 6 kittens delivered after a record 67 days gestation .Bizzarely, the entire physique and behaviour of cat matahari has changed after delivery and weaning of her kittens.Post delivery of her kittens on 29-3-2009 Queen Cat Matahari has become as slim and energetic as a wild cat.Her complete loss of her kitten long fur and her long legs has made her resemble a mixture of a "Short Hair Exotic Persian" and a wild cat. I have nick-named her "white leopard cat' due to her unbelievable agility and turn of foot while running within the house and playing with kitten "Matata".She has this bad habit of sitting on the house gallery window ledge and view the world below from the 5th floor, something i dread since a fall from there could be instant death. Matahari has been pampered and has a taste for her own exotic menu of chicken liver with rice, refusing to eat food if given minced meat occasionally, unlike her kitten "Matata", a total glutton who consumes any edible food and has to be prevented from "Over-Eating". Another bad habit of cat Matahari is her urination on the bed when in "heat", something she repeats with regular frequency, even before she was mated and now even after delivery and weaning of her kittens.She has lost her entire undercoat fur and resembles a "short hair exotic persian cat", besides her eating habits too have become more diverse, previously being very fussy and had to be pampered like a child for food.A part of the documentary series of video's on Persian cat “Matahari’s” breeding and upkeep “Youtube” have been produced by me for demystifying the myth that "Doll faced Persian Cats" require the ultimate luxury to be kept as pets in hot humid climatic conditions ,typical in Mumbai City. I am now blogging down my “video texts” and notes of doll-faced Persian cat Matahari for the benefit of cat fanciers and “pet hobbyists”. Photographs of “Cat Matahari” from “kitten-hood” to her present day have been displayed for fanciers to make their own opinion as also the photo’s of her “Kittens”. Persian cat Matahari has lived her life in "Non-A/C temperatures" and yet produced a superb coat upto kitten-hood age of 8 to 10 months after which she shed her "under-coat".Persian cat " Matahari was mated for the first time at age one and a half year old between january 21 and 23 with a male stud cat from Crawford market breeder and pet dealer Mr Imran Khan from whose pet-shop i purchased her as a kitten on 21 August 2007. Here is an account of the trouble and risks that i undertook in finding a mate and letter mating her to the "stud cat".To date matahari is approx 1 year and seven months old and very much in need of a mate as indicated by her "Suicidal romps" during the "Heat season".I had contacted numerous people for a "tomcat" to the extent of even having ideas of mating her with a normal stray cat just to get her into a "normal feline behavior.Finally managed to get a huge "Tomcat" from the Crawford Market breeder Mr Imran Khan from whom i purchased her as a kitten. I brought Mr tomcat home on Wednesday(21-1-2009) in a cage fastened to the pillion seat of my motorcycle, an adventurous ride of approx 15 kms to my house in peak Mumbai traffic.Mr Tomcat was initially kept in Matahari's cage with Matahari left loose in the house gallery and the gallery isolated from the rest of our house.Initially Matahari totally repulsed the advances of Mr Tomcat and i was worried that Matahari had become totally domesticated to "Human touch" akin to late "Trixie"and hence repelling her own species and mistaking us to be her "Mates" totally unfit for breeding!After a few hours and with both in isolation ,mingling in the gallery matahari finally allowed Mr tomcat to mount her and i was relieved that my efforts had at least yielded a result.The rest is left to destiny and fate as this is her first mating and also my first experience of breeding cats since i previously owned dogs and "Trixie' my previous cat proved unfit for breeding due to her total isolation and non-mingling with cats, one of the handicaps of hand reared pets . Temporarily converting the gallery of my small one bedroom flat into a "Cattery" for mating 'matahari" proved educational as well as productive."Tomcat" never rested nor ate much but was just busy either trying to mount "Matahari" or in the process of mounting her, worse than a "stud mouse".Hope his efforts prove successful and kittens are born from the conjugation.Packed off "tomcat" in his "cat box"back to the pet-shop at Crawford market on my motorcycle on Saturday(24-1-09) after keeping him for approximately 3 days in the gallery along with matahari.Having bred dogs,mice and pigeons at home, i feel, breeding cats is the most difficult of the lot and a large "Cat-house" is essential for breeding. The alternative is akin "Professional pet breeders", totally confined to small cages throughout their lives for breeding purposes only and never as a house pet.Matahari seems not to have changed at all after being in a mating frenzy with tomcat for almost two and half days.On sunday(25-1-2009) she again did her "Heat behaviour", rolling and purring, also lifting her rear when being patted and the soft purr.Later, when she was alone she went out of the bedroom window and sat on the narrow widow ledge coming into the house only on my searching and calling out for her.Hope the mating was successful because she hasn't changed at all which baffles me since i have never bred cats before and funnily ,cats are similar to their arch enemies "Mice" in the manner they mate.Nature is very strange and always surprises us humans.The swelling of matahari's stomach is obvious after approx 26 days although she is as active as before with the usual tendency of trying to get out of the house gallery and windows, This death defying habit of hers hasn't vanished after mating since i actually specifically got her mated for this reason, thinking she was in search of a male cat when in "Heat".Seems some pets have peculiar habits which are absolutely difficult to cure, only hope matahari's dangerous romps on the window sills doesn't claim her life some day.Otherwise she is one of the most intelligent pets i have owned, akin to a dog in behavior and very loving and affectionate.Matahari's belly has swelled considerably and she has also become a ravishing eater unlike before when she had to be pampered to eat her food.She sleeps most of the time and loves her bosses 'Computer chair' since i made her an "Internet feline star". Her photo's from "Wikimedia commons(Public Domain" are a big hit on "World photos.com" and she has been used as the "Poster cat" for the news on the demise of former U.S President Mr Bill.Clinton's cat "Socks" on Tuesday(24-2-2009).Her "Poster Photos" have also been used for "Safe Gardens", "Cat killers" "Cat products", in fact she akin to an actress has portrayed negative and positive characters of the domestic cats. Nearing delivery, as on Thursday(19-3-2009)Cat Matahari's stomache has swelled to a huge size, something i haven't seen in normal domestic cats. Having a dense fur coat could be the reason for her very large stomache protrusion.Her appetite has also increased tremendously, large amounts of a mixture of rice/ minced meat/ chicken liver. She also has increased her water intake which was not a natural habit prior to pregnancy.Her bowel habits too have become irregular and she defecates almost after every meal.Otherwise she is very normal in her behavior only less movements due to the obvious facts.Strangely, she hasn't lost her bad habits of peeping out of the window sills nor jumping and sitting on the balcony ledge.She is expected to deliver somewhere around 25/26 March 2009 and i would become a "GODFATHER" of one of my pets since i am unmarried and single, hence can also devote a lot of my time and energy towards the upkeep and maintenance of my "Pet Children". I am worried as Matahari has reached 64 days since being first mated with the male and yet is showing no signs of whelping.She is totally normal in her other habits and her appetite has doubled after mating.There is no undue vaginal discharge indicating that the kittens are still healthy internally but what is confusing is that she is not showing any signs of whelping.I had lost one of my prized Dachshund bitch,"Lucky" due to delivery complications in the 1990's and i hope cat "Matahari" is not a victim of delivery complications.I intend waiting for another 2 days and then taking her to the vet to confirm whether the kittens are still-born and hence a Cesarean.Hope everything turns fine as otherwise she is not showing any signs of ill-health.Only pet owners understand the love and devotion of their pets as well as their upkeep, much more than bringing up a human child. Persian cat Matahari delivered 6 live kittens on Sunday(29-3-2009) between 0800 hrs and 1100hrs in my house in Mumbai.This was her first mating and she got me worried by not delivering even after 65 days and just a day before i was to take her to the "Veterinarian Hospital" she delivered right in the centre of our hall with me and my house-keeper Sabina Dias helping her calm down during the "Birth Contractions".She delivered after a gestation of 67 days, the longest for cats of the “Persian breed”, she delivered 6 kittens whose delivery i assisted by severing the umbilical cords since she was too confused to do the same, just dropping the kittens onto the house floor. All 6 kittens matured into kittenhood and are 59 days old ,brought up under natural conditions.Their photographs as well as Queen cat's Matahari can be viewed on "Wikipedia commons" under "Persian cats" as well as in the "Search engines" under "Cat Matahari".
If Rudolph.A.Furtado can breed "Doll-Faced Persian Kittens" of "International breed standards" in a small apartment in Mumbai(531 Sq Ft size one bedroom flat) so also can any other cat fancier .Yes, only, it requires dedication, patience ,luck and a genuine love for animals and animal welfare.
REMEMBER ,PETS ARE ALWAYS NON-JUDGMENTAL UNLIKE OUR FELLOW HUMANS,HENCE,THE GREATEST NATURAL 'STRESS BUSTERS'.Doll Faced Persian cat "Matahari" who was a picturesque kitten model has strangely and bizarrely evolved into a Turkish Angora type feline at age 2 and post delivery of 6 kittens.A photograph for comparisons between "Traditional Persian Cats(Doll Faced)" of the same "Genetic Line" is reproduced for "Cat Fanciers" interested in "Cat Genetics". In Mumbai(India), cats are just kept as pets with no "PEDIGREE CERTIFICATES" to attest their "PEDIGREE" unlike "Dogs".The above photograph taken on Saturday(3-10-2009) in the house kitchen shows Matahari at 2 1/2 years old with her brown kitten "Matata" at 6 months of age, sitted on a table and chair, hence comparable. "Matata" at 6 months of age resembles a "True Traditional Persian" with a long body and short stubby legs.Matahari at 2 1/2 years of age resembles more of the "Turkish Angora" than a "Traditional Persian Cat" mix weighing 4 kilos(8.9 pounds), with longer legs and better climbing agility.Her kitten "Matata" is not as agile due to his short stature and different body configuration, although he is "Hyperactive" and more of a dog than a cat in mannerisms and behaviour!Is the physical difference of Matata compared to his 5 other siblings a result of "Recessive Genes"? I have read a book on "Cat Genetics" called "Colorpoint Longhair and Himalayan cats" by S.M.Manton F.R.S written in 1971 and hence "Outdated" in 2009.The evolution of certain "cat breeds" including the "Traditional(doll faced) Persian Cat" as detailed in the 1971 book of Mr S.M.Manton has today evolved into the "Flat-faced Persian cat" as recognized by the World-wide Cat Fanciers association. Could some cat fanciers please explain the freak colour and physical difference between Queen Cat Matahari and her kitten "Matata"? Could anyone explain this complete transformation from a pretty long-furred doll-faced Persian into a rugged tough leopard-like feline with short fur? Her eating habits have also changed after mating and delivery of her 6 kittens, being an excellent queen cat to her kittens.Agreed, the Persian cat is actually a mixture of various breeds, most notably, the Turkish Angora cat, hence most doll faced Persians have long legs and slender body's similar to Turkish Angoras.Among the 6 kittens, only Matata, has developed into a pure Doll-faced Persian, having the short stubby legs and clumsy walk, typical of Persian cats hence proving the fact that various Cross-breedings have evolved.In this photograph, "Cat Matahari" is shown with the pendant claw of a lion, once common curio's in Africa up to the 1980's when wild-life was abundant and hunting was an elite hobby and not a criminal offense leading to extinction.Will the future of "Big Cats" be in the form of ownership of pet exotic cats like "Matahari"?SAVE WILD-LIFE ITS NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.LETS KEEP PETS AT HOME AND WILD-LIFE IN THE FORESTS,BOTH ARE AT THE MERCY OF US HUMANS. Queen Cat Matahari's suicidal behaviour of sitting on the balcony ledge when in "Heat" is something unexplainable and bizarre to us humans.Its just over 2 months since she delivered her set of 6 kittens of which "Matata", a male and the first born of the litter has been kept by me , while 2 of the kittens were given to the male stud owner Mr Imran.Khan as is the normal agreement in "Cat breeding Rights".. I sold the rest of the 3 white kittens to the pet shop owner Mr Imran.Khan at Rs 4000(Us $'s 84!)each, a pittance compared to the purchase of Matahari as a similar kitten for Rs 14,000(U.S $'s350!) in August 2007 .Economic depression has taken its toll on everything including the price of doll-faced Persian cats in Mumbai. Initially i was offering these kittens "FREE OF COST" to my relatives and friends,but, strangely, all of them declined to accept a kitten as a pet, even though free of cost! Finally, i decided to sell them to the breeder since i just couldn't manage a pride of kittens in my small flat, besides, if they remained unsold or unadopted for long then they could wind up as feral cats, unless i kept them at home, It was really a exhilarating experience of breeding matahari and successfully raising her kittens.I have kept one of her kittens from the litter of 6, the odd brown coloured kitten and named it "Matata".The reason i kept "Matata" is due to its odd colouring as well as it being the first born kitten of the litter,Matahari having delivered it in the bedroom without severing the umbilical cord or attending to it."Matata" was lucky to be alive as i had just returned home after attending the Sunday church mass and hence did a 'Vets job" of severing the cords and later also of all the other kittens as matahari was too confused and in pain, this being her first delivery, besides, domestication of pets makes them lose their natural animal instincts.Thankfully, after delivering all the 6 kittens, she showed the best animal maternal instincts with a little help from me and hence all her kittens survived to kitten maturity, rare in such a large litter.. Ultimately,Queen cat Matahari justified her costly purchase price of Rs14,000(U.S$'s350) by littering 6 kittens and hence paying back her owner partly in kind with "matata" and partly in cash with the sale of her kittens.On the total sale of 3 kittens i received Rs12,000(U.S.$'s 250 approx)",besides "Matata" is my own kitten, definitely a prized specimen which could command a minimum of Rs25,000(U.S$'s 520 ) or more in the International market of "Cat Fanciers" due to its rare colouring .The pleasure of breeding and raising a "Pedigree cat" is the same as owning "Thoroughbred race-horses" or rare works of art, something unique and beautiful.Persian cats have evolved through various cross-breeding between the "Turkish Angora" and other cats from which the "Doll-Faced Persian Evolved".This "Doll-Faced Persian" was later further developed into the present day "Flat-Faced(Pekingese faced) Persian cat" that dominates the "Cat-Shows" in most country's and is today the "BREED STANDARD" for Persian cats in cat shows. Tragically , the "Flat-Faced Persian Cat "also called the "Ultra Persian cat " have a lot of "Inherited health defects" like "Breathing" and "Eyes Watering" due to their short "Muzzle face", and hence totally unsuitable for warm or hot climates like Mumbai.Queen cat Matahari has inherited more of the "Turkish Angora" genes and has long legs and a sleek body , hence very agile and "Leopard-like" in stealth and behaviour with her other 5 kittens that were white in colour inheriting these qualities and body structure. Her kitten"Matata" has inherited more of the "Persian breed genes" and hence has a short stubby body and is docile and less agile in climbing or jumping unlike his siblings who were climbing all over the house in less than 2 months of age.The difference in Matahari and her freak kitten Matata explains the development of a cat breed by human intervention over generations of "Inbreeding" and "Out-crossing" a particular "Cat Species".Cats akin to their preys rats are prolific breeders and hence most "PROFESSIONAL BREEDERS" having a huge cattery breed some breeds profusely in order to get the best specimens of a particular breed which they later "INTER-BREED" for further creating a "New Species" with particular distinguishable characteristics.THIS IS HOW THE "DOLL-FACED PERSIAN CAT " EVOLVED OVER A CENTURY AGO WHICH LATER WAS AGAIN RE-MODIFIED BY HUMANS WITH "SELECTIVE BREEDING" INTO THE PRESENT ERA "FLAT-FACED PERSIAN CAT".The rapid progress in "Genetic Sciences" as also the simultaneous decline in "Natural Wild-life and Big Cats"has now led to the growth of the "DESIGNER CAT". A tailor bred "Cat Species" like the "Savannah" has been bred for the "Ultra wealthy cat fancier" wanting to own a "Pet Tiger,leopard or lion" and ultimately settling for its nearest "Duplicate", the designer cat, resembling the original "BIG CAT". . The "Ashera Cat" which costs about U.K Sterling 12,000(Rs 94,00,000 approx ,2009 exchange rates!) is the rarest and costliest "Designer pet cat" having two wild bloodlines, the African serval and the Asian leopard cat with a "Un-named brand secret" domestic cat .It stands 4 ft tall on its hind legs, weighs 13.5 Kgs(30 Lbs) approx and a average life-span of 25 years akin to the "Big Cats".It resembles a mixture of a tiger and a leopard, having spots as well as stripes and comes closest to owning a "Big Cat" as a domestic pet.There is also a controversy regarding the "Ashera" as some "Cat specialists" say that it is a modified form of the "Savannah Cat" another "designer cat" introduced in 2000 and costing less than U.S$'s 5000 compared to U.S$'s 22,000 for the "Ashera".BEWARE,THERE IS A LOT OF "CON BREEDING" IN THE "CAT WORLD".
There is a vivid and candid video of my 2 years 10 months old queen cat "Matahari" videographed on Monday(26-4-2010) at approx 0615 in the morning on "Youtube".To see this video go into "Google search:- Cat matahari". Since a kitten she has had this "Suicidal Habit" of walking or sitting on the window ledges with a tendency of doing these death defying "Cat walks". Strangely, even after becoming a "Queen Cat(Mother cat)" her old habits haven't vanished and reoccur frequently when in "HEAT". Her kitten "Matata" who is now 2 years old has "COPIED" all her bad habits, including prowls outside the house windows, a total horror view to us humans. To cats, this seems to be normal walks as wild and feral cats normally climb trees and walk on building rooftops.Domesticated pet cats, especially "Persian Cats" never attempt death defying "Cat-Walks", hence the unusual behavior of both my pet "Traditional(Doll-Faced)" Persian cats totally baffles me.Prior to "Matahari", i had a "Oriental albino Siamese mix" cat "Trixie" who lived in our household for 12 years(1995-2007) and not once did she ever venture onto the window ledges nor demonstrate any "Death defying" cat walks on the ledges of our house. "Persian cats" are considered as "Lap cats" akin to the "Pekingeese dog breed", absolute docile and timid, besides indulging in lazy cat naps on chairs or the owners lap, absolute royal life-style."Matahari" and her kitten "Matata" have redefined the psychological and temperamental behaviour of the "Traditional Persian cat".,
Bizarrely , exactly a year later from filming this candid video, matahari repeated her deadly window cat-walk again on Tueday midnight (26-4-2011) at approx 0030 hrs.
I happened to wake up and go to the toilet past midnight when to my horror i spotted queen cat matahari sitting quietly outside the kitchen window, the same poise as videographed a year earlier.Definitely, a stranger happening to look at the 5th floor window during this unearthly hour would have mistaken her to be a "ghostly animal apparition", such was her statue poise on the precipice of our house kitchen ledge.No wonder cats are both feared and hated by some humans for their strange unexplainable "supernatural behavior".Wonder the reasons for this strange behavior.
I can call my cat "Matahari" a "Mumbai white Lion cat" and charge a "Higher Price" ,such is her freak change in behaviour and temperament compared to the average domestic 'Doll-Faced Persian Cats" sold in pet shops.!
Doll Faced Persian Queen Cat Matahari and her kittens
READ THE DIARY OF QUEEN CAT MATAHARI WHICH IS REGULARLY UPDATED BY ME ON "CATSTERS".CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR ACCESS TO THE CATS DIARY.
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Nice Queen Matahari!!!
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