Saturday, September 25, 2010

First Baby Pictures!




Now four days old, all six of Mod Daeng's babies are gaining and thriving. They all weigh well over 100 grams, the biggest 130+ grams. It's still a bit hard to be sure about the colors, though some are definitely darker and look sable to me. Whether it's two or three or four sables, only time and perhaps genetic testing will tell.

Mod Daeng is a fantastic mom, she is keeping them immaculately clean and seems to have plenty of milk. I've not had to supplement or worry about anything. She's a bit less protective now, allowing me to handle them more and take photos. They are hard to capture as they are either asleep or squirming to get at the milk bar. And the "teat wars," as I call it, have begun, where they have their favorites and "fight" each other to get to the teat they want. But pretty soon they settle down and everyone's quietly suckling.

I've never had a litter of six or more when I didn't have to supplement at least one of the kittens. You probably could tell that by the list of supplies I had on hand before the birth. The ease of this birth, the natural maternal instincts that Mod Daeng has, the size of the litter and the vigor of the kittens -- I have been told that these are all benefits of genetic diversity. I must say that, as a breeder, it is a wonderful thing to experience!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Mod Daeng’s Babies Have Arrived!

Two days before her scheduled due date, Mod Daeng surprised us by having her babies. They arrived sometime in the early morning hours on Wednesday, September 22, 2010.

In hindsight, when I took Mod Daeng to the vet on Sunday the 19th, she was purring loudly – and it did sound a lot like that “double purr” that momma cats make when they are getting close to delivery. But I thought because she was at the vet’s office it was just “nervous purring". As she showed no signs of labor, and it didn’t feel like her milk was starting to come in, I wasn’t expecting birth for a few more days.

But I do now think about how last night she insisted on laying close to me, on my desk, as I read and answered emails before bedtime. And she continued to purr loudly, with the usual occasional grumbles. I did check her belly, and still it didn’t feel like her milk was coming in. And again, no signs of labor. So as I headed for bed I put her in the cage for the night. She had already been investigating – and apparently approved of -- the birthing box I had put in there for her. She'd pawed at the bedding to make her nest and enjoying lying on the nice warm heating pad I set up for her and her babies. Then, after giving Mod Daeng some chin scratches and back strokes, and making sure she had all she needed for the night (or so I thought), I turned off the lights and went to bed.

About 4:30 in the morning I was awakened by tiny cries. Because I had some two month old kittens in another part of the room, in my sleepy state it took me a moment before I recognized the sound of newborns. Then I jumped out of bed, turned on the lights, and opened the cage door. And there was Mod Daeng with six babies around her. She’d had them all by herself, apparently with no problems -- they were clean, cords were neatly cut, no afterbirths in sight, and the nest was immaculate. A few of the babies were still slightly damp, so one by one I took them into the bathroom and used my hair dryer on low to dry them off and warm them up. I also took a quick look to see if I could tell a difference in colors, and it did seem as though some were darker than others. By my quick count, three sepias and three minks.

Unless you are familiar with feline genetics, you may not understand what “mink” or “sepia” means, so I hope my friend and colleague Kathryn Amann won’t mind if I paraphrase(with some slight modifications and additions on my part) an excellent explanation she posted today on one of our Burmese lists. However, I may have to edit this after Kathryn and some others read my version and correct any errors on my part! I must tell you up front that genetics is not my strong suit, which is why I appreciate a good explanation that is easy to understand!

Pointed, mink, and sepia are all part of the albino series of genes -- these are not colors themselves but they modify colors. Siamese and cats with similar markings carry the pointed gene. The darker areas on these cats are the cooler parts of their bodies, such as the head, legs and tail. This is because the expression of the albino gene is affected by temperature. The albino gene in Burmese is seen through the sepial genes. Burmese also have some pointing like Siamese, but it is almost invisible except in the champagne or chocolate color, which is created by the “chocolate” gene.

Here is an example of how the genes are expressed. Take a black cat. If that black cat's coat was affected by the "sepia" albino gene, it would be the seal color plus the sepia gene which would create what we call Sable in the Burmese breed.

If that same black cat carried the pointed gene, it would be seal point (as in Siamese or Birmans).

Finally, if the black cat's coat was "mink," then it carries one gene for pointed and one gene for sepia. The expression of those genes in a mink coat is intermediate. So this cat would be called a natural mink in the Tonkinese breed.

Therefore, if you did a chart with two sepial genes (for the sire) and 1 sepia gene and 1 pointed gene for Mod Daeng, who is mink, statistically you have a 50/50 chance of getting "sepia" and "mink".

Then you have to do another chart to see what your chances are of getting seal (Sable) or chocolate (Champagne). Mod Daeng would need to carry chocolate in order to produce a chocolate. But when Mod Daeng was tested, she was shown not to carry chocolate. Therefore her kittens will be either Sable (seal color plus sepia albino gene) or Natural (seal color plus mink albino expression).

Hopefully that genetics lesson makes sense -- assuming I have phrased it correctly! ;-)

I checked the kittens again when I got home from work tonight, before I had dinner. Of course this is a precious litter and during the day at work I couldn't help but worry how they were doing, was she feeding them, did she lay on any of them (she's a big girl and they seem very small in comparison!) But they were all fine when I checked them. I wasn't able to weigh them tonight, Mod Daeng got very agitated when they cried as I held them, and she tried to take them from me or pushed her nose and paws through the cage in desperation to try and get at them, and I didn't want to stress such a new mother out.

However, I got enough of a glimpse tonight to realize that it looks like there are four sepias and two minks! I also did a quick bottom check -- and that is good news or bad news depending on your perspective. It looks like there is one sepia girl -- good news -- but ALL THE REST are boys! I only had a quick look so I could be wrong. Then again, if we get a nice boy he could be useful to more than one breeder. And at least one of the boys looked like he had a nice head. Two in the litter (not sure which color) have long sloping heads and probably won't be useful for breeding. Again, only quick glances were allowed by momma Mod Daeng. Hopefully in time she'll let me handle them longer. And we may be surprised by how the kittens develop. It is also important to remember that this is a multi-generational project, likely we won't get good show type for a couple more generations.

I did manage to weigh the kittens this morning before going to work, and the smallest one was just over 70 grams, the largest more than 90 grams (a sepia). Will try and weigh them tomorrow morning and see if they've gained. That is the next hurdle -- with six kittens, are they all getting enough to eat? She has a pretty long body and her teats are spread out more than my other Burmese girls, so maybe there is enough room!

I will take some photos as soon as Mod Daeng lets me. And I'll post again soon when I have more news to report. In the meantime, your good thoughts are welcome that these precious babies will grow and thrive!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Preparing for the Birth



It's now less than a week before Mod Daeng is due to have her babies. She's sticking close to me whenever I'm home, and starting to show nesting behavior as she noses her way around the perimeter of the office, bedroom, and bathroom and every nook and cranny, drawer and closet in between. No pile of paper is safe (now where did I put that bank statement?!?!?!?), and she is particularly interested in bags of every size and texture.

Today I took Mod Daeng to my vet, Dr. Rachel Boltz at Adobe Animal Hospital in Los Altos, California. Rachel has a great fondness for Burmese as she grew up with one. She had given Mod Daeng a health exam when I first brought her back from Southern California, and is fascinated by her story and our Burmese outcross project. So we both were eager to see how many heads and spines we could count in the x-ray taken of Mod Daeng's bulging belly.

One, two, three, four could be seen crowded together close to Mod Daeng's front legs, their heads splayed out like a bouquet of roses . . . and the fifth, maybe a sixth pointing the opposite direction close to the exit. So five kittens for sure, six perhaps (I think her belly is bigger on one side, so it may be an odd number). And likely four breech births unless the ones in front can find a way to turn around in the next few days, which is doubtful! At least it looks like the first one will come out head first.

The kittens also look big. Mod Daeng, with five or six 60 day old kittens in her belly, weighs nearly twelve pounds. She is considerably larger than my other Burmese females, even larger than my stud male. I wonder how big she will be as an adult.

Now that we know how many kittens to expect, it's a waiting and frequently double and triple checking to be sure she's not in labor game. Birthing to me is quite nerve-wracking, especially with a new, untried mother, and even more so with a rare and precious Suphalak! I don't know whether she'll have an easy birth, accept the babies to nurse, have enough milk, know to lick their little bottoms. I hope there won't be any problems as I have grown very fond of this chatty girl -- I wonder if it is the Siamese in her that produces the ongoing humming, occasionally grumbling, commentary as I stroke her back or scratch her chin. Louder grumbling as other kitties come near, though she's become more accepting of some, especially her buddy Gimli.

Gimli is a sable Burmese who is about the same age as Mod Daeng, and will be going to a new home in October. He was small as a kitten, and so I was leery of placing him in a home until I could figure out the reason for what appeared to be stunted growth. I'm still not sure what caused that, but I did discover that he has a deformed xyphoid process - it sticks out where the ribs come together at the sternum, rather than laying flat. It feels strange and I worried whether surgery should be done to fix or remove it, but my vet wasn't concerned and it certainly hasn't slowed Gimli down. He is in fact the energizer bunny of my cattery, while paradoxically also the most calm and fearless Burmese I've ever had, which is why he became the perfect companion for Mod Daeng. When I decided Mod Daeng had been here long enough to introduce her to another cat, it was Gimli I put in with her. She grumbled at him initially but he payed no mind. And within a day or two they were playing and chasing each other in the cage, bouncing from the top of the litter box to the shelf to the scratching post. It became quickly obvious that they needed more space and so out they came to frolic together in the bedroom. And she never grumbles, even in her pregnant state, when Gimli lies close to her.

Mod Daeng is due on Friday - though the kittens may of course come earlier or later. Tomorrow is Monday and I'll be off to work -- luckily I live only 10 minutes away from Stanford University, so I can pop home at lunch or other times if needed to check her. I don't think her milk has started to come in, so it will be at least a couple more days. At night and while I am out of the house she will be caged with a nice big cardboard box lined with fresh bedding that I've prepared for her, just in case. I have my supplies nearby -- dental floss to tie off the cords, blunted scissors to cut them, a bulb syringe to remove fluid from kittens' mouths, fresh washcloths and towels and a hair dryer to dry off the babies, KY jelly if needed for a stuck baby, heating pad for the kittens that have arrived while mom is pushing out the next one, her favorite chicken baby food to give her some energy mid-labor . . . . what else do I need? I'll go through the list many times in my head before the kittens start to arrive.

And the biggest concerns -- will Mod Daeng let me help her as she gives birth, will any kittens get stuck, and will any be sepia! Please. oh please let there be at least two sepia girls or a sepia girl and a sepia boy would be ok too! And if we could also have two mink boys, please, I have a client that really, really, really wants kittens that have that old style Burmese look. And if the others could have broader heads and muzzles that would be nice too . . .

But of course over my years of breeding Burmese I've asked Mother Nature for certain sexes and colors before, even colors that according to genetic charts would surely appear, but as you know Mother Nature does what she wants. So we'll just have to wait until the kittens are born to see what they look like, and even that may take time depending on how close the mink and sepia colors look at birth.

In the meantime, I'm taking deep breaths, am going to have to be patient, will say a few prayers, and hopefully we'll have some great news to share with the Burmese community at the end of the week!

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Case for Outcrossing

Our Burmese community has been divided into two camps for so long that I believe we lost sight of our most important mission.

As caretakers of one of the world's most precious cat breeds, Burmese breeders have a great responsibility: to assure the health and preservation of this wonderful cat for many generations to come. And right now we have an opportunity that we haven't seen for decades. Whether you are a contemporary or traditional breeder, at last we seem to agree that without restoring our breed to genetic health, the Burmese cat's long-term survival is at great risk.

There have been several turning points that have brought us to this place. Dr. Leslie A. Lyons' 2008 study of the genetic diversity of cat breeds showed us that Burmese have the lowest of all breeds with the exception of Singapuras. That year Dr. Lyons also made recommendations on how to restore diversity. Then this past February, the CFA board approved three changes in our Burmese standard and show rules that many thought would never happen. This gave hope that the board in the future might also approve other and more significant changes for the betterment of our breed. Finally, Renee and J.D.'s trip to Thailand to bring back a Suphalak sparked a discussion of what other steps we can take in that direction.

Dr. Lyons has pointed out that modern cat breeds have been developed within a very short time, most in the last 100 years. Although we know that Suphalaks have existed for centuries, the modern Burmese was developed with only a few foundation cats. For contemporary lines, there is an additional bottleneck in that all current contemporary lines trace back to one cat, Good Fortune Fortunatas. Thus our breed started with low genetic diversity, and though cats have been brought in from Thailand over the years, this has not happened often enough to solve that problem.

Geneticists uniformly point out that breeds with less genetic diversity are at a greater risk. When there is little gene variation within a species, healthy reproduction becomes difficult and a population can become increasingly vulnerable to disease. Cheetahs are an example of an extremely inbred cat species. Approximately 10,000 years ago, all but one species of cheetahs died out. This in effect resulted in a population bottleneck, and close relatives bred together in order to to keep the species going. This low genetic diversity continues to create reproduction problems for cheetahs -- currently, only about 5% of cheetahs survive to adulthood. It also has made the breed susceptible to disease, and just a few years ago one colony of cheetahs was decimated by feline infectious peritonitis.

Some are concerned about the loss of Burmese type through outcrossing. One only has to look at photos of Mod Daeng to wonder how long it will take to shorten that nose. But when placed in the context of our greater, long-term purpose, how soon outcross offspring can achieve success in a show hall is insignificant.

There are American Burmese breeders who have already worked with more genetically diverse Burmese lines (crossing American with European lines in TICA), and they have reported greater vigor and size in the kittens born to these matings, as well as larger litters. Reducing the number of generations before cats with European lines from other registries can be registered in CFA would be another way to incorporate greater genetic diversity. There are two other breeds recognized in CFA that are genetically Burmese and would be other logical options for outcrosses: Solid Tonkinese and Sable Bombays.

It is interesting to note that the Korat population is smaller than Burmese, but Korat breeders deliberately undertook a careful breeding program, importing Korats from Thailand every few years, and this has made a significant difference in the health and genetic diversity of the breed. This is a program that Burmese breeders should examine and emulate.

Finally, opening the breed to outcrosses could potentially increase the number of Burmese breeders, as current breeders develop working relationships with breeders of outcross breeds. A greater number of kittens would also increase the client base and the pool of potential exhibitors.

As we continue to discuss this, it's important to remember that no Burmese breeder would be required to outcross, it would be up to each individual. But denying outcrosses to the breed as a whole likely will result in continued deterioration of genetic diversity, health, and fertility. I hope that all UBCF members, and other Burmese breeders and exhibitors as well, will support the current efforts underway to help the genetic diversity and health of our breed. Let us not remain in the past but seize this opportunity to create a healthier future, not only for ourselves but for our beloved Burmese cats.

Nancy L. Reeves

Sunday, September 5, 2010

A Nose by Any Other Name (with Apologies to Shakespeare)


Editorial by Nancy L. Reeves

The opinions expressed in this editorial are solely the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of other UBCF members or officers.

As editor of the United Burmese Cat Fanciers (UBCF - www.united-burmese.org) Newsletter for the past two and a half years, I have explored and written about a variety of subjects related to the Burmese cat. Over the past few months, however, unexpected events and experiences have given me a fresh perspective on our breed's colorful past, the challenges we are facing, and what the future must hold for the Burmese cat if it is to survive and flourish.


To me, fair friend, you never can be old
For as you were when first your eye I eyed,
Such seems your beauty still.

William Shakespeare, Sonnet 104


Most of our UBCF newsletter readers know that I am a dedicated "traditional" Burmese cat fancier, breeder, exhibitor, and advocate. I have had Burmese in my life for more than 20 years. As a breeder for 12 years I have experienced setbacks along with successes, and learned some difficult lessons along the way. But I have persevered and am proud of the beautiful, healthy kittens I have raised this past year. I am also grateful for the generosity and trust of those who have provided me with outstanding breeding cats, allowing me to produce offspring that are competitive in the show hall. Mine is a small cattery with only a few litters a year, so each kitten I raise is precious.

But on three separate occasions recently, to my amazement, prospective clients rejected my beautiful healthy kittens on sight. I had carefully screened these families, and knew they would provide wonderful homes for my Burmese babies. I looked forward to meeting them in person and anticipated the joy they and my kittens would experience in their lives together. But when these individuals came to my home to meet my kittens, they did not want them for one simple reason: the kittens' noses were too short. Didn't I have any with longer noses, they asked?

I did my best to assure them that the other wonderful characteristics of the breed remained intact, but they did not care. They were searching for the look they admired in the Burmese they had known and loved for ten, twenty years and more. They wanted the same Burmese that captured the hearts and loyalty of countless cat lovers in the decades after Dr. Joseph Thompson and geneticist Billie Gerst raised the first kittens born to Wong Mau, the mother of our breed.

In the eighty years since Wong Mau first came to the United States, her progeny have spread all over our world and, according to recent reports, have even been returned to the land of Wong Mau's birth, Burma. But on their journey across the globe the looks of many Burmese - their noses in particular - has changed dramatically.

Certainly some changes in cat breeds are to be expected over 80+ years, as they are influenced by the personal tastes of the breeders who produce them, the exhibitors who show them, the judges who award them, and by those who subsequently amend breed standards. In that same time period, other breeds besides Burmese have also changed and new breeds have been developed as a result of spontaneous genetic mutations, including Scottish Folds, American Curls, and the wavy coated Rex breeds. An older, existing breed's look can also be affected by these new breeds, in an effort to make breeds distinct from one another.

Arguably, however, no other breed in the cat fancy has ever experienced the rapid and dramatic change that occurred within the Burmese breed. That too was caused by a genetic mutation . . . a lethal one.


I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Deform'd, unfinish'd, sent before my time
Into this breathing world scarce half made up. . .

William Shakespeare, Richard III


There are different theories about where and when it happened. Some believe it was a spontaneous mutation as has resulted in the creation of new breeds. Others feel it may have arisen concurrently with the development of Exotics, which in the early years were produced through breeding short-nosed Persians to Burmese. Regardless of its origin, no one disputes the fact that a genetic mutation occurred in the late 1960s to early 1970s that profoundly affected our breed and literally changed the face of Burmese cats.

A male named Good Fortune Fortunatas epitomized the new "contemporary" look. According to those who saw him, he was magnificent, with a broad rounded head, short nose, enormous gold eyes, stocky body, and a lustrous sable coat. He achieved great success in the show hall, and Burmese fanciers were soon lining up their females to breed to him, purportedly even in motel rooms in the evening hours after cat shows. His offspring quickly spread across the country and grew up to echo their father's achievements in show halls. When they were old enough, these cats were bred together and their progeny eagerly anticipated. But breeders were in for a rude shock. Deformed kittens began to appear, born alive but tragically without the ability to survive for long outside of their mother's protective womb. Good fortune it may have been for the show success of Fortunatas and his descendants, but that success came at a terrible price.

In the early years after the head defect appeared, it was estimated that an average 25% of kittens born to contemporary Burmese cats were affected by this "cranial facial mutation" or "Burmese Head Defect," and that average continues to this day according to a study completed only a few years ago. It wasn't long before the existence of these deformed kittens created a rift in the Burmese cat community. Some chose to continue breeding the carriers of this lethal defect, as they preferred the new look of the cats and enjoyed their show hall success. Others did not like the look and believed it was wrong to deliberately continue any lethal gene because of the long term impact it would have on the breed's overall health. Many also objected to the sad fate of the deformed kittens that had no chance of survival.


Action is eloquence.

William Shakespeare, Coriolanus


When Fortunatas and his progeny first appeared in the show hall, their conformation was well suited to the Burmese standard, so it was understandable that judges would final them. However, after judges learned this new phenotype carried the head defect, they could have made a stand against the continuation of a lethal gene in a breed, especially one that at the time carried with it such an identifiable phenotype. Unfortunately, they didn’t. I believe that if judges had not continued to award HD+ cats, which practice continues to this day, our breed would not be in the precarious position it is in with such animosity between breeders and exhibitors, two completely isolated gene pools, and declining numbers of breeders and kittens born. While it may not be their job to make those kinds of decisions, only to judge according to a written standard for each breed, we all know politics and subjectivity exist in judging. And since CFA’s objectives, as stated on the cfa.org website, include “The promotion of the welfare of cats and the improvement of their breed,” then the decisions these judges have made and continue to make are counter to the very mission of the organization that they represent.

Today we are faced with an additional problem that makes the choices difficult for any judges who do want to support HD- cats. To produce competitive show cats, traditional breeders have been raising offspring with rounder heads and shorter noses that increasingly resemble contemporaries, though these cats do not carry the lethal genetic defect. And without a genetic test to prove HD+ status, how can all but the most experienced judges now tell which cats are carriers?

Because traditional breeders are now producing competitive cats that so beautifully meet the Burmese standard, there is no longer any reason for breeders to continue the contemporary lines that carry the lethal head defect. Only slight differences remain in the "looks" of traditional and contemporary cats, and they are increasingly subtle. Tragically, however, it is unlikely most traditional breeders will trust contemporary breeders with their lines. Too many harsh words have been spoken, and too many deformed kittens have been lost because of the desire to produce winning show cats. Raising kittens is difficult enough, kitten mortality can and does occur through congenital defects, and as our Burmese population diminishes each loss is to be mourned. And to knowingly produce litters in which an average of 25% of kittens will be deformed and have to be euthanized is absolutely incomprehensible and abhorrent to me, and to so many of my traditional colleagues.


No legacy is so rich as honesty

William Shakespeare, All’s Well that Ends Well


As mentioned in the Fall 2009 newsletter, the past two years I have been registering and showing my cats in TICA as well as in CFA. When evaluating this past show year’s statistics, the numbers show a marked contrast between the show success of contemporary and traditional cats in the two registries. In CFA in 2009-2010, five out of the six top cats (Kittens, Champions and Premiers for the Sable and Dilute Burmese Divisions) were contemporary cats, and four of those top cats were from only one contemporary cattery. By contrast, in TICA all three of the top Burmese (Kitten, Champion, and Alter) are from only one traditional cattery. For the remaining top 10 placements, contemporaries dominate in CFA, while traditional and European Burmese catteries and cats dominate in TICA.

TICA judges in general do not support the extreme Burmese look that is awarded in CFA. But there are exceptions. Last year I spent time with a judge who had placed my traditional kitten high in one final, but who had also placed a contemporary adult high in another final at the same show. I don’t recall how we got on the subject, but when we started talking about traditional and contemporary Burmese, his statement “well, there aren’t really any contemporary breeders anymore,” caught me off guard. Did he really not know that he had just finaled a contemporary cat? As it turned out, no, he didn’t realize the cat was contemporary. It was obvious to me, because through observation and experience I can usually identify the distinctive contemporary phenotype that the lethal genetic mutation produces. But not everyone can, not even some judges as it turns out. And, to quote Shakespeare yet again, “ay, there’s the rub” (Hamlet). For I have come to believe that few outside of the Burmese community, including judges, exhibitors, and the general public, are truly able to distinguish the contemporary phenotype, and even fewer understand how the proliferation of these cats, along with the lethal genetic defect they carry, has affected our breed worldwide.


This sickness doth infect
The very life-blood of our enterprise.

William Shakespeare, King Henry IV


While Good Fortune Fortunatas may not have been the originator of the mutation that created the contemporary Burmese, research shows that he is the bottleneck. Every contemporary cattery today can trace their cats back to Fortunatas. Whatever concurrent contemporary lines may have existed in the past, they have all been brought together through him. We know this because a member of UBCF spent several years analyzing records, using reverse pedigrees to identify the descendants of Fortunatas. Of course only those offspring that were registered and entered in available databases could be traced, so these numbers are likely undercounted. When this research was completed in 2009, it had identified more than 5,000 Fortunatas descendants in the United States and more than 3,000 in Europe. The study showed Fortunatas descendants behind a few traditional Burmese lines as well.

How does this research benefit the Burmese breed? The study was done based on a premise that will remain controversial until a genetic test for carriers (HD+) of the cranial facial mutation is developed. If the gene or genes producing the head defect are simply recessive, then it can be bred out through careful matings and pedigree management. If, however, the lethal gene cannot be bred out, then this database will be useful for those wishing to identify which cats they should test for the lethal gene and, if the test is positive, eliminate those HD+ cats from their breeding programs.

When will the gene or genes identifying head defect carriers be found? We have been assured that they will be found and that there will be a test, and I believe researchers are getting very close. But will this test be all that we hope it to be, will it solve the problems our breed is facing? Will it unite a divided breeding community? And can we wait for this test to take action to help our breed? To all these questions, the answer is no.


It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar


In 2008, Dr. Leslie A. Lyons at the University of California, Davis published a landmark study analyzing the genetic diversity of cat breeds, and that study showed that the breeds with the lowest genetic diversity in the cat fancy are Burmese and Singapuras. The samples for Burmese studied were a combination of traditional and contemporary cats. Unfortunately, however, because of the cranial facial mutation that has divided the Burmese community, those two breeding populations are in actuality further separated into two distinct gene pools. Therefore, the genetic diversity of the Burmese cat is even lower than Dr. Lyons' research has shown. And low genetic diversity is not healthy for any breed, especially in a time when the number of breeders is declining because of the rising costs of raising kittens and other factors. Low diversity can impact a breed's overall health and make it more susceptible to genetic problems. It can make a breed vulnerable to diseases that could potentially wipe out segments of the population. This apparently is happening in Burmese and Birmans in some parts of Europe, which currently are being hit hard by the lethal disease feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

For years Burmese breeders have been waiting for a test to identify the gene or genes that create the Burmese Head Defect and the mode of inheritance for this mutation. While we have waited for "The Test," it has seemed to take on almost mythical proportions, not unlike a talisman with magical powers that can heal all our wounds. It is past time for that myth to be dispelled and our goals for our breed to be grounded in reality. I do believe that all Burmese breeders, be they contemporary or traditional, would like to eliminate the head defect from our breed. But if the genes involved are shown to be inextricably linked to the distinctive phenotype created by the cranial facial mutation gene, will all contemporary breeders be willing to give up the look they like, the show hall success they enjoy, and the long term investments they have made in their breeding lines? It is my personal belief that many if not most will not be willing to give those up, and therefore the cranial facial mutation gene will continue in our breed even after the test for HD+ cats is available. Given that possible scenario, what steps can we take to help the Burmese cat? The clear path that will lead us to a healthier breed is through outcrossing.

In CFA, there are currently no outcrosses for Burmese even to those cats that are genetically Burmese but cat-egorized in different "breed" divisions: European Burmese, Solid Tonkinese, and Sable Bombays. In TICA, however, European and American Burmese are all one breed. Bombays are also a part of the Burmese breed group. So I joined TICA to be able to outcross to the European and Sable Bombay lines that are not available to Burmese in CFA. I am looking forward to obtaining a blue female kitten that is one quarter European later this summer.

Though our Burmese community is divided, there are ways we can work together to improve the future of our breed. We can do this through taking advantage of the outcross options in TICA and making a similar outcross program available to breeders in CFA. In CFA the discussion has already begun. Exactly where that discussion will lead is uncertain at this time, but there are logical directions in which we could go, including reducing the number of generations before cats from other registries that have incorporated European or Sable Bombay lines can be brought into CFA, and planning and requesting a CFA outcross program that includes Solid Tonkinese and Sable Bombays. Both of these breeds are genetically Burmese, but they are from breeding lines most of which have not been brought together for decades.

Another factor that impacts the Burmese cat's genetic diversity is the small number of foundation cats that were used to create the breed. After her 2008 feline genetic diversity study, Dr. Lyons proposed steps that could be taken to improve the health of the Burmese breed, and these were published in our September 2008 UBCF newsletter. Besides identifying and using outcrosses such as those mentioned earlier in this editorial, Dr. Lyons' recommendations also included bringing in imports from Thailand. Though Wong Mau herself may have come from Burma, it is likely that the breed's true origins were in Thailand. And thanks to Burmese breeders Renee Weinberger and J.D. Blythin, we now have a young Thai Burmese (known in Thailand as a "Suphalak") named Mod Daeng to help us in that step.

To achieve success, we need a carefully planned multi-pronged approach to bringing genetic diversity into our breed. Not every breeder will want to participate. And some may prefer one outcross option over another. For example, contemporary breeders are more likely to be interested in Sable Bombays for outcross, due to the fact that most Bombays are contemporary. Traditional breeders probably would prefer Solid Tonkinese because they are unlikely to be carriers of the cranial facial mutation. Unfortunately, it appears that European Burmese in CFA will not be available as an outcross, as their breeders have worked hard to create this as a unique breed in CFA. But European Burmese lines are available through other registries, as long as the number of generations before they can be brought into CFA can be reduced to make this a practical option for outcross.

Will the current look of the Burmese we love change as a result of these outcrosses? Temporarily, yes, it is likely for the first generations created through outcrossing. But when comparing the long-term health of our breed to the ability to achieve show success in the short-term, the choice is clear.


We must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.

William Shakespeare, Julius Caeser


A very significant event for Burmese cats occurred in February 2010, when the CFA Board of Directors voted to combine the Sable and Dilute Burmese Divisions into one breed, following an affirmative vote for that combination by members of the CFA Burmese Breed Council. While this was long overdue and is ultimately the right decision, it was nonetheless shocking and upsetting to many traditional breeders. Yes, traditional HD- Burmese have been making great strides in recent years. We have bred increasingly competitive cats that have won high awards in CFA, but these have primarily been in the Dilute Division. And if this past show season is any indication, those successes remain few and far between. Only one traditional HD- cat made it to the top of the six classes this year (Kitten, Champion and Premier in the Sable and Dilute Divisions), and that was a Dilute Champion. In this current show year in CFA the divisions are now combined, and in a world where contemporary HD+ sables tend to dominate, success for HD- cats may be an uphill battle.

While the recent decision by the CFA board to combine the divisions may seem at first a disadvantage for the breeders of traditional HD- Burmese, I think there is a way we can take advantage of it instead. I believe this is an opportunity -- a chance to speak out and inform the world about our HD- cats and why it is so important, now, to support traditional cats and to create a bright and healthy future for them and for the breed as a whole.

We must develop tools to inform and educate judges, fellow cat fanciers, and the general public about what is happening to our breed. We should not assume that anyone truly understands how widespread HD+ cats are and how few original HD- Burmese cats remain by comparison. And we need to be sure that judges and exhibitors in all registries understand the importance of allowing outcrosses for the future health of our beloved Burmese. Outcrossing will take time, and we cannot wait any longer to start that process. Some contemporary breeders may choose not to work with outcrosses or not to eliminate the HD+ carriers from their lines. But if traditional breeders make that same choice, then the future of our breed will be in jeopardy. Without action on the part of traditional breeders, the number of contemporary cats is likely to continue to increase worldwide and with them HD+ carriers. It is important for all of us to participate in taking steps that will lead us to fewer carriers, greater genetic diversity, and an overall healthier future for our breed.


What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet . . .

William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet


When UBCF was revived a nearly three years ago, we amended the original mission to reflect our concern for and dedication to the health of the Burmese cat. Yes, UBCF is about inclusion and our membership crosses registries with no affiliation, however our dedication to the health of our cats and the survival of our chosen breed remains paramount. While I believe we have accomplished a lot in two and a half years, we must do more. Before the population of the original, traditional, HD- American Burmese declines any further, there are steps we must take to reverse this trend.

Over the last couple of decades, to produce show cats that are competitive with contemporaries, traditional breeders have been raising offspring with rounder heads and shorter noses. Must traditional breeders keep producing shorter and shorter noses in an effort to make our traditional cats compete with HD+ cats? Is that what we really want, to imitate the look that is a phenotype expressed by a lethal genetic mutation? While in general I do like a more rounded head and a shorter nose, which balances nicely with the cobby bodies of our little brown cats, I think in our own efforts to win show ribbons that also can be taken to the extreme. There are health risks associated with shortened profiles, including excessive eye discharge, susceptibility to URIs, or cherry eyes. And do we really want to entirely lose the look of the original, traditional American Burmese, the look so many of us fell in love with long ago? The look that clients still want to find when they look for Burmese kittens with whom to share their lives?

Let us work together to restore this wonderful cat to the vitality and widespread acclaim that it deserves. If you are not already a member of your registry's breed council, join it and propose and vote for outcross options, then participate in whatever options become available. These now are within our reach, and we must take advantage of these opportunities before it is too late.

In closing, whatever registry you are involved in, please also find a way to exhibit your cats and kittens for the world to see. Bring your HD- Burmese out to show judges, fellow fanciers, and the public, so they understand how important it is to preserve this unique and beautiful breed. Whether you call the cats you love traditional, HD-, European, American, or the original Burmese, the name is not important, but keeping this wonderful Burmese breed healthy and flourishing -- that is what matters.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Meeting Mod Daeng


When I flew down to Southern California on July 3rd to pick up Mod Daeng, I must admit I felt a bit apprehensive. I couldn't help but think -- what have I gotten myself into?

In a small cattery like mine space is at a premium. I have to carefully manage my breeding population as well as my retired kitties, until I can find them homes. I knew I would only have Mod Daeng for a short time. But Renee Weinberger, who with her husband J.D. brought Mod Daeng over from Thailand, had told me she could be grumpy with other cats. Because she had come from such a completely different climate and culture, and as a kitten had to be isolated from other cats for three months, Mod Daeng's behavior certainly wasn't surprising. Would I be able to incorporate her into my cattery easily, or would it be a challenge? But perhaps my biggest concern was the responsibility of caring for such a precious cat, given how difficult it was to obtain her and the expense and time it took to bring her to the U.S.

I also couldn't help but wonder about the commitment I had made to this project. More importantly, would it be successful? So many of my colleagues were waiting to see what happens, and there were even more unknowns. Mod Daeng's look is different from the Burmese in the West, will her personality be different as well? Will she be receptive to my male given her slightly grumpy nature? Will she be fertile and her offspring be healthy, or will they carry any genetic problems? Will we get any sepias out of this combination, and who will want the mink kittens she will undoubtedly produce? Will we be able to get Mod Daeng registered, and how many generations will it take before her kittens would be showable? These were some of the many questions in my mind as I flew south. But it was a beautiful, crystal clear, summer day, and an easy flight, and I was distracted for a time by a spectacular view of the rugged, golden-brown mountains that divide the California coast from the green and fertile fields of the central valley.

Art Graafmans, Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) Burmese Breed Council Secretary, had brought Mod Daeng to Southern California from the CFA Annual Meeting in Minnesota at the end of June. After my plane touched down, Art picked me up at the airport, and following a stop for lunch we headed to his home. Art and his wife Kristi have been breeding Burmese for some years and have raised gorgeous and award-winning traditional Burmese. It was such a pleasure to see their cats as Art introduced me to them one by one.

It wasn't hard to identify Mod Daeng when I first saw her. I had seen photos and knew what to expect. However, I was surprised by several things about her, including her size for her age. She was already nearly eight pounds, though a few months short of a year old. That in itself was good news to me, because though I love our petite Burmese girls in the West, the fact that they are smaller than they were only a couple of decades ago is one sign of inbreeding depression. So I thought Mod Daeng's size boded well for helping restore that to our breed. I had expected a long nose and a narrow muzzle, and indeed she has both. But I was particularly taken by her eyes. Large and round, as we like our Burmese eyes to be, but their pale color was almost startling in the dark mask of her face. And their color seemed to change slightly as she turned her head, sometimes appearing more greenish, other times gold. Because of her mink coloring, technically her eyes are aqua and, like hazel eyes in humans, Mod Daeng's eyes seem to change color with different angles and light.

Art held her for me to get a closer look, but after only a short time she wriggled and growled at the other kitties. Oh boy, I thought, this is going to be a challenge. But as I reached up my hand to stroke her, she responded to my touch and began to purr.

Art and I spent the afternoon talking about the United Burmese Cat Fanciers newsletter, of which I am the editor, and caught up on other Burmese and personal news and stories. The afternoon passed quickly and before long it was time for Mod Daeng and me to head to the airport.

As we traveled back to Northern California on a Southwest Airlines flight, Mod Daeng was quiet for most of the trip. Towards the end she got tired of being confined in the carrier and clawed a bit at the sides. Fortunately, we landed a short time later and made it safely back home. I put Mod Daeng in a freshly cleaned, large cage where I would keep her isolated from my other kitties, until she adjusted to her new environment and I was sure the stress of the trip didn't cause her to develop any kind of infection. I knew she was a healthy cat, as she had been through a battery of tests and treatments that started before she even left Bangkok. But it is always a good idea when bringing in a new cat to isolate them for a time, for their protection as well as for your existing kitties. It was late, and after I was sure she was settled and comfortable, I headed for bed after a long day.

The next morning I spent quite a bit of time with Mod Daeng, and that time spent together put to rest some of my fears. There was no question that she had all the personality characteristics of the Burmese I know and love. Yes, she was grumpy with my other kitties, but I have had a few other Burmese queens who behaved similarly. With people, however, she was fearless and always ready for attention. She immediately came to the front of the cage whenever I would approach, and as I opened the door pushed her head into my hand for petting. Her purr was loud and readily offered, and she also loved to roll on her back and have her tummy rubbed. She made soft sounds as if she was telling me all about her life so far, and she would occasionally growl when she saw the other kitties. But her purr kept going, and as we got to know each other she even gave me little nose kisses on my face. And we'd only just met! While I was doing other things in the room I would glance back at her, and she was watching me and the other cats and all the activity in the room with great interest.

There were no transition problems. I kept her on the same diet she'd known at Renee and J.D.'s, and used the same litter. Gradually I did introduce a wet food treat now and again, and noticed that Mod Daeng particularly loves fish. From what Renee had told me, rice and fish were part of her diet in Thailand. However, I was careful not to upset her digestive system with too much unfamiliar food.

I had to go out of town for a few days in mid-July and was hesitant about leaving her. I felt it was best for her to be caged, so my cat sitter wouldn't have to worry about anything happening to her. My vacation passed all too quickly and when I returned on the 22nd of July, I was quite amazed to see Mod Daeng had something new on her mind. As I greeted her and stroked her back, her hindquarters raised up and her tail flagged to the side. She was in heat! Hmmm, what should I do? Those who had seen her recently felt she was mature enough to be bred. Well, I thought nervously, I'll bring my male over and see how she reacts.

In an instant my fears about the difficulty of breeding her were allayed - she chirped at my champagne boy, and within two minutes or less the first mating occurred. It was perhaps the easiest introduction I'd ever had of a male to a breeding female. We were on our way to the next phase of Mod Daeng's journey.

It is now the beginning of September, and I have been feeling guilty that I haven't written about Mod Daeng since July. Why haven't I? Right before my July vacation, my boss at Stanford University resigned, and I applied for and got her position. A promotion for me which was wonderful, but it also meant when she left I would be juggling two jobs until a replacement for my previous position could be hired. So I have been rather busy at work and too tired at night to do much other than kitty care and trying to relax and rest.

Tonight, I am sitting at my computer and Mod Daeng is lying on top of the desk next to me. After she was bred, I decided to try letting her out among the other kitties to see how she would do. Though she tells them when they get too close with a now familiar grumble, and raises a paw to occasionally deliver a warning swat, for the most part her grumpiness is bluff.

And like so other pregnant queens before her, she wants to be close to me when I am home. Somehow an instinct that I can help her through this pregnancy has kicked in. She's due in three weeks, around September 24th, and she's been "showing" since she was about 4 and 1/2 weeks along. How big will the litter be? I'm going to have her x-rayed the week before the kittens are due to find out so I am prepared. Will she be a good mother? I hope so! And what will the kittens look like? Mod Daeng's head is narrow and proportionally a bit small for her body. I've bred her to a champagne male who has a large, broad head and deep gold eye color that I hope will be passed on to their kittens. How many minks and sepias will there be? Genetic odds say there is a 50 percent chance of each. Only time will tell if they have broader heads, noses, or inherit any of her ghost barring. I certainly have had barring in my Burmese, but mostly on their chest and legs. On Mod Daeng you can see them on her sides, though they are growing fainter as her coat darkens. I remember reading that all cats start out as tabbies, and then the other genes kick in to change the appearance of the coat. Accordingly, I can report she has a faint mackeral tabby pattern. Her coat is very short and has a silken sheen to it - and yes, she is surprisingly heavy for her size. Indeed, though she may be a mink, she is certainly also a "brick wrapped in silk".

Given I still haven't found my replacement at work, I may not be able to post again until after the kittens are born. But I will be adding to the blog Renee and J.D.'s account of their trip to Bangkok to obtain Mod Daeng, as well as a recent editorial I wrote about how important these outcrosses are for the future health of our beloved Burmese. I'll also soon add some photos to the blog (as soon as I figure out how to do that!)

In the meantime, I hope all of you who read this are enjoying Mod Daeng's journey, and will keep fingers crossed that Mod Daeng's kittens will be healthy and arrive safely!

Friday, September 3, 2010

Photos of Mod Daeng and her Parents in Thailand




Photos are of Areerat Mod Daeng as a kitten, Mod Daeng's father Areerat Thong Daeng in a Thai cat carrier, and Mod Daeng's mother Kim Kim of Areerat.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Adventures in Thailand


By Renee Weinberger and J.D. Blythin

Dr. Leslie Lyons delivered a warning at the 2008 CFA Burmese breed council meeting about genetic diversity. She stated that the Burmese breed had the lowest diversity of all CFA breeds, and that we should look for solutions to this looming problem. One of her suggestions was to go to Thailand and import native bred cats. In February 2010, we made the journey halfway around the world to do just that.

Before we got on the plane, we did a lot of legwork back home to line up contacts and plan our trip. We connected with Martin Clutterbuck, the authority on native Thailand cat breeds today. After a complicated interlibrary loan process, we received and read his book, Siamese Cats: Legends and Reality, many times! Martin's friend, Aree Yoobamrung, owner of Areerat Cattery, had a female kitten we might be interested in. Additionally we contacted Dr. Ed Rose, of Chiang Mai cattery, who had previously worked with western breeders of Korats, Siamese, Khao Manees, and European Burmese. Dr. Rose had an intact male he was willing to place with us. So, it looked like some great possibilities before we even left: an unrelated pair of Suphalaks! However, by December, we had learned that the male in Chiang Mai had passed away. Nevertheless, we packed along a second Sturdibag, optimistic we would find another native bred Thai Suphalak. Nancy Reeves offered to receive a cat shipped from Thailand and work to get it healthy for us. Unfortunately, we were not able to take her up on her offer, as we did not find any other eligible Suphalaks from Thailand other than that female kitten from Areerat cattery.

First a little background on the cats of Thailand. It is widely believed that the Burmese we know in the west came not from Burma originally, but rather came to Burma from Thailand. There are a series of ancient folding books in Thailand that were believed to have been originally written somewhere in the 14th-18th centuries. The books depict several ancient breeds of Thai cats: Thong Daeng, Ninlarat, Dork Lao, Maew Kaew, and other black and white cats.

The Suphalak is also known in Thailand as a Thong Daeng which in English means "copper" cat. This copper cat depicted in the manuscripts has become known to the west as the Burmese, although the Thais do not distinguish between sable solid and sable mink - both colors are "Suphalaks." (Siamese Cats: Legends and Reality, 2004). Cats have been imported and incorporated into the Burmese gene pool from Southeast Asia several times in the in the past. These cats were:

COPPER IMPORTS:

Wong Mau - Hybrid Female from Burma (likely a Sable Mink Suphalak)
Tangyi of Forbidden City - Burmese Female from Burma
Ananda of Forbidden City - Burmese Female from Burma - did not reproduce!
Casa Gatos Biladi - Copper Male from Thailand
Chira Tan Tockseng - Hybrid Female from Singapore
Mahajaya Toffee of Bowbell - Copper Male from Thailand
Mahajaya Sai Thong of Pandit - Copper Female from Thailand
Mahajaya Nong Chai of Bowbell - Copper Male from Thailand
Lop Buri - Copper Male from Thailand

SIAMESE OUTCROSSES:

Minga of Yana - Seal Point Siamese Female
Ricki Tic - Seal Point Siamese Male
Resea Lee - Siamese Female
She Shan Mau - Siamese Female
Tai Mau - Siamese Male imported
Tai-Tai of Tang Wong - Siamese
Minkee of Chindwin - Seal Pt. Siamese Female
Mon Luan - Siamese Male
Chula Mia - Siamese Female
Bing Tse Ling of Ching Ming Tai - Seal Point Siamese Female

Before leaving for Thailand, we wanted to gather as much information as possible about how to find local breeders and how to safely and legally export cats from Thailand. We contacted Dr. Cristy Bird of Sarsenstone cattery in California, making her acquaintance through Nancy Reeves of Burma Pearl cattery. Nancy and Cristy had gotten to know each other through local TICA shows, and Cristy had edited Martin's book and written the last chapter! Dr. Bird was an invaluable contact, giving us all the nitty gritty information and a how-to guide on importing cats from Thailand, as she had done this task many times herself. It was from her that we knew where to go to get the export permits, how to get to the veterinarian's office, and a meeting with her good friend in Bangkok who literally helped lead us by the hand. She also prevented us from making some serious mistakes!

Our initial motivation to go the distance came from Erika Graf-Webster, who had originally invited Dr. Lyons to the breed council meeting. We stayed in contact with Erika after the meeting as she endorsed Dr. Lyons' suggestions and encouraged us to make the trip. She also helped with the initial legwork by contacting Dr. Rose and Martin Clutterbuck. Later we contacted the new breed council secretary, Art Graafmans, and presented our idea to him as well; he also fully endorsed Dr. Lyons' findings and supported our plans.

After a year and 8 months of discussing and thinking about such a trip, we made the voyage on February 9, 2010. At the time we traveled, there was only one nonstop flight from the U.S. to Bangkok - leaving from Los Angeles. Instead, we flew out of Chicago on Asiana, a South Korean airline, and connected through Seoul to Bangkok. The 747 left O'Hare airport shortly after 1:00 AM and, following the curvature of the Earth, flew for fourteen hours over northern Canada, Alaska, the International Date Line, and Russia to Seoul.

Air Transport World named Asiana its "Airline of the Year" in 2009. Those used to the lack of service on domestic flights nowadays would be blown away by the comfort and level of service in the economy class cabin. Within a few hours of taking off, the flight attendants served Bibimbap, a Korean specialty served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with beef, seasoned vegetables and chili pepper paste. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating and were better than any airline food I have ever had (back when U.S. airlines served food). Anyone who finds it difficult to sleep in flight will be pleased to find hours of movies, games and short videos built into the video panel on every seat. Asiana went out of its way to make the long-haul flight as enjoyable as possible.

We landed in Seoul around 6:00 AM local time. Of course, to us it felt like 6:00 PM the previous day! Thankfully, we found one of several Dunkin' Donuts stands and successfully fooled our bodies into believing it was morning, at least for the rest of the day. As our flight from Seoul Incheon airport to Bangkok did not leave for twelve hours, Asiana airlines provided a free bus tour of Seoul (for those who did not want to do a tour or who wanted to sleep, the airline offered a free stay at the airport hotel instead). The tour hit a few of the highlights of Seoul, including the Presidential residence (known as the "Blue House" for its blue-tiled roof), a museum of Korean history, and a wonderful, traditional Korean meal at a downtown restaurant. After the six-hour tour, it was back to the airport for the flight to Bangkok.

The flight from Seoul to Bangkok was almost six hours of bumpy air. Due to the prevailing winds, we took off toward the north ... and quickly made a very hard left over the ocean to avoid entering North Korean airspace. The two Koreas are technically still at war with each other even though there are few direct skirmishes. The flight skirted around China over water (which added considerably to the length of the flight) and passed over Taiwan, then the narrow strips of Vietnam, Cambodia and finally, Thailand. Around 10:00 PM, we landed at Bangkok's brand-new Suvarnabhumi (pronounced "Su-wanna-poom") International Airport. In all, including the layover in Seoul and the lost time from crossing the Date Line, we arrived almost 48 hours after we left Chicago.

Bangkok during the day is a booming, sprawling metropolis of over 10 million people. It sits on the eastern shore of the Chao Phraya River, although its suburbs, of course, extend to the west as well as the 30 miles east to the new airport. The river, along with many canals extending throughout the city, was Bangkok's original "road," and the genesis for the city's nickname "Venice of the East." In modern times, many of the canals have been paved over, but still exist underground. The climate is definitely tropical. Although we visited in the "cool season," daytime temperatures were in the mid-90s with high humidity. To protect one's skin from the brutal sun, and because the culture insists on a level of public modesty, wearing shorts and small tops such as tank tops are no-nos. In public, men should wear lightweight long pants and shirts that at least cover the shoulders. Women should wear long skirts and shirts that cover the shoulders and torso completely.

Each day, the streets are filled (and we mean filled) with people, cars, trucks, taxicabs, tuktuks (three-wheeled auto rickshaws that are mainly tourist traps), motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles. If you find yourself in Bangkok, you would be well advised to stay off the roads during the morning and afternoon rush hours, as the local saying goes, "the cars are stuck." Motorcycles and mopeds dart in and out of traffic and crazily squeeze between traffic, making life dangerous for drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike. Other than public transportation, metered taxis are generally the best way to get around, so long as you either insist that the driver use the meter or negotiate a flat price at the beginning of the trip. Thankfully, public transportation options are expanding rapidly.

The original public transportation source was riverboats. Just like any city street, travelers can choose between large riverboat "buses" that make several stops along both sides of the river and smaller “water taxis” that are low to the ground. In the last decade or so, Bangkok has added both the BTS Sky Train, which is an elevated line serving Bangkok's most popular business and shopping areas, and a subway line that runs between Bangkok's two main train stations. A long-delayed elevated rail link between the new airport and the central city is also nearing completion. Public transportation, especially the Sky Train, will get you almost anywhere you want to go in Bangkok, but does not yet serve many of the residential areas.

Culturally, and to avoid prison, it is very important to remember that speaking against the King of Thailand or damaging or insulting his image (which is on all Thai money) is a crime for which you can be imprisoned. Most Thais revere the King and will not look kindly upon those insulting him. There has also been recent civil unrest and a corresponding military crackdown in Bangkok and throughout Thailand, which climaxed in the burning of several buildings on May 19, 2010 and about 85 killed and over 1300 wounded. The violence appears to have ceased for now, but the underlying issues have not been addressed. Even so, the U.S. State Department has issued no travel warnings or alerts for travel to Thailand.

After spending the night near the airport, we took one of Bangkok's ubiquitous and inexpensive taxicabs downtown to our hotel. Jean Robinson, a Korat breeder who had imported several cats from Thailand, recommended the Asia Hotel to us, and it was an excellent choice. Think four-star hotel with several restaurants, interesting shops, a cabaret show, a concierge, two pools, including a rooftop pool with an awesome skyline view, and an included, full buffet breakfast for $18 per night. Not to mention that it also has a direct footbridge to the Ratchathewi Sky Train station. The rooms are not the swankiest, but were considerably nicer than most budget hotels in the U.S.
After getting settled, we went out on foot for a brief shopping trip - mainly for essentials and to get a feeling for the city. Central Bangkok, particularly Siam Square, has a number of western-style shopping malls, and the majority of the sellers spoke English well enough to conduct business. We picked up a used cellular phone and a SIM card for the phone that allowed us to make domestic and international calls. The cards are marketed to international visitors; calls to the U.S. were actually less expensive than calls within Thailand. Not that the cost mattered - virtually everything in Thailand, from food to products, was significantly less expensive than its equivalent in the U.S. We spent the rest of the day relaxing in the rooftop pool at the hotel.

In the evening, Bangkok's streets change dramatically. Shops selling all manner of goods and food carts selling grilled meats and seafood, soups and other traditional Thai fare spring up along the sidewalks and in the Sois (small streets between the main ones) and alleys. Many of the food vendors cater to the locals. The ones we tried were fantastic. The restaurants we tried in Bangkok were also world class. As expected, the Thai food was spectacular, but we also visited an excellent French crepe restaurant and several first-rate restaurants. At one of the food carts, we ate grilled shrimp and saw an interesting street cat - he was definitely expressing the Burmese gene, although he was a silver spotted seal mink tabby with a bobtail! He came over to our table, presumably for food, but was amenable to being petted. He showed us that the Burmese gene and friendliness exists in the general cat population in Bangkok, even if it is covered by more dominant colors and patterns.

We spent Friday, February 12th sightseeing. We took the riverboat bus up the river to visit the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. The Grand Palace is a breathtaking, huge compound of buildings, temples and sculptures. Feeling overwhelmed from the start, we spent 500 baht to hire a private tour guide. It was the best $15.00 we spent on the trip. Mr. Tui explained where to look and what to look for. His expertise allowed us to see and understand the palace itself and its significance in Thai culture, and to tell whether the statue you are looking at is a good demon (wears a ring), evil demon (does not wear a ring), or monkey (does not wear shoes). We also visited nearby Wat Pho, home of the 400-foot long Reclining Buddha statue and a certain brown mackerel tabby.

On Saturday morning we met Martin at our hotel. With Martin, we visited Areerat Cattery, which is also known as "The Siamese Cat Conservation Center." Mostly, Areerat cattery concentrates on Siamese cats, but they maintain a few representatives of the other Thai cat breeds mentioned in the text and the Khao Manee. There were two Suphalaks in the cattery, Thong Daeng, an eponymous male, and Kim Kim, a female. These were the parents of the kitten that we had been offered. Among the cats (mostly Siamese in color) roaming the house was this tiny little kitten named Mod Daeng. "Mod Daeng" literally translates as "Red Ant." It is also the name of a superhero in a local comic book for whom she is named. We also received as much pedigree information they had on her, which was only three generations on the sire's side and one on the dam's. While Mod Daeng was clearly a mink Suphalak with a long nose and some color faults (ghost stripes, but no lockets), her round head and eyes, straight tail, and impressive size for a girl of her age made her too promising to pass up. After we returned home, the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at UC-Davis confirmed that Mod Daeng is sable, mink, and does not carry champagne or blue.

Martin explained that the Suphalak cats are waning currently in the local cat scene in Bangkok. Thai breeds wax and wane in popularity, and local breeders may have individuals from various breeds, depending on their situation, at any given time. Currently the Korat and the Siamese are the most popular Thai cat breeds, however the breed of cat for which they are best known worldwide is the Siamese. Another breed in Thailand is the Khao Manee, an all-white, sometimes odd-eyed shorthair cat. For a short while, there was a Khao Manee craze fueled by western breeders coming to Thailand looking for imports to start out a new breed in the western cat fancies. In fact, we learned from Martin, and later Ed, that a few western (mostly European) cat breeders had come to Thailand in recent years and exported Korats, Khao Manees, and Siamese. It was this group of western breeders, who were unequipped to deal with cultural differences and cat fancy differences, that soured many of the local breeders to dealing with westerners. And, in fact, many refuse to do so after bad experiences and poor treatment. Some of these cultural differences revolve around the fact that most western cat fanciers offer all sorts of guarantees on breeding cats. But, this is not common practice in Thailand among the cat fancy. Rather, we noticed that "caveat emptor" seemed to be the rallying cry of commercial sales throughout Thailand. Many times cats exported had diseases that proved fatal or never reproduced. Indeed, we were made fully aware that the cat we were purchasing was being sold "as is" with no guarantees or claims about her future health or fertility. This is the most important advice we have for anyone attempting to import cats from Thailand. Your actions and treatment of the people with which you deal will not only help or harm your ability to establish a working relationship; they will help or hinder others' ability to acquire outcross cats from Thailand as well. Please, learn about the culture before you go.

Later that day, we met up for lunch with Martin and Cristy's friend, who is heavily involved in the local rescue scene and is a journalist with one of Bangkok's English language newspapers, The Nation. We learned a lot about these cultural differences and some of the mistakes made in the past. We also learned that we should avoid seeking cats at the Chatuchak weekend market, where people can buy many types of animals including exotic and endangered species. Martin and Cristy's friend warned us that the animals are brought to the market by people who are far less than scrupulous and do not take care of their animals. We were told stories of westerners who had purchased Thai cats from the market, and discovered that they carried diseases like feline leukemia or FIV. Unfortunately, the western breeders felt that the local veterinarians should euthanize these animals, but in general Thai veterinarians do not perform euthanasia, as they do not agree with it on religious grounds. As a result, many unwanted cats are dumped on the local rescue groups, temples, and on the streets. Fortunately, we did not go to the market. On the very weekend we would have visited, a local dog breeder died from rabies at the market!

After lunch, Martin's friend accompanied Mod Daeng and us to Dr. Summalee's clinic, the same clinic where Roger Horenstein had vetted his exports in 1997. The clinic is at the foot of the Phrom Phong Sky Train station on Sukhumvit Road, one of Bangkok's main thoroughfares.Unfortunately, Dr. Summalee is not practicing much these days, and her partner runs the clinic. There, we had Mod Daeng tested for FIV and feline leukemia (both negative) and treated her with Revolution. She also received a rabies vaccination and a distemper, herpes, and calici vaccine. While these vaccinations are not legally required for cats entering the United States, rabies vax is required for exporting animals out of Thailand by the Thai government! The clinic also boarded Mod Daeng while we set out for Chiang Mai to visit with Dr. Rose.

We maintained our plans to visit Chiang Mai cattery in spite of the fact that the prospective male breeder had passed away. On Valentine's Day (which, quirkily, is celebrated extensively in Bangkok), we boarded a train for the daylong ride to Chiang Mai. At the station, we met another interesting street cat - a red mackerel tabby van. While fascinating and at first, the train ride eventually became somewhat tedious. It did provide a brief snapshot of Thailand outside Bangkok. After arriving in Chiang Mai late in the evening, we rode a songthaw, which is a pickup truck converted to carry passengers to our hotel. In the morning, we met Ed Rose, who drove us to his house and cattery. Ed and his wife Malee (who Ed says deserves much of the credit for his cats and success in general) have an impressive outdoor, enclosed cattery setup.

Unfortunately, the Roses have retired from breeding and only had two elderly sable female Suphalaks remaining. These days, Ed works at a hospital in Chiang Mai and is also involved with a project to benefit one of the local libraries. We went out to lunch with Ed at a beautiful country club at which Ed is a member. After returning to the cattery and spending the afternoon talking about Burmese cats and trains with Ed and Malee, we returned to the hotel. The next morning, after a mad scramble, we made it onto a return flight to Bangkok.

Upon our return to Bangkok, we contacted Martin and his friend again. As we had no further leads and were exhausted, we spend the remaining few days of our trip relaxing, shopping, and exploring Bangkok. We also recovered Mod Daeng from the vet clinic and clandestinely put her up at the swanky, five-star plus hotel (also much less expensive than an equivalent in Chicago) at which we were staying. Two days before our flight, Martin's friend connected us with a taxi driver who had experience driving cat exporters to the animal export office at the airport. As required by Thai law, we brought Mod Daeng and the paperwork provided by the vet to the export office. We filled out additional paperwork, and the government veterinarian examined Mod Daeng and issued the export license. While the license process is relatively simple, taking no more than an hour, the process is an unfortunate barrier to exporting cats. The Thai breeders generally will not obtain export licenses for purchasers. They expect the purchasers to do it themselves or to hire a shipping agent, which can be difficult and expensive.

Two days later we boarded our flight from Bangkok back to Seoul. After another long layover, although not as long as expected due to delays, we were on our way back to Chicago. Mod Daeng rode with us in the cabin, under the seat the entire way - no one even knew she was there. Upon arrival at O'Hare, two hours before we had left Seoul, Mod Daeng saw snow for the first time.

While we had a wonderful adventure in Thailand and have obtained a nice girl who will hopefully provide a positive benefit to the overall health of our chosen breed, we do not believe that imports from Thailand will, by themselves, solve our problems with genetic diversity. Even with all the generous help we received, we could easily have come home empty handed. Dr. Lyons also suggests that we would need to bring back at least one cat for several years in a row. If we want to create, improve and maintain working relationships with Thai breeders to create a constant stream of available cats, we will have to keep going back, and we will have to take turns absorbing the time and financial costs involved. This is not something that we, the authors, can do alone. We need to make a long-term commitment to the process or choose another source of outcross cats.

About Renee and J.D.:

“We discovered Burmese in 2002, when J.D. decided he really wanted a Burmese kitten. After doing lots of research online and in books, we finally got in contact with a breeder up in Minnesota, and made the first of several trips north to visit her cattery with the intention of buying a kitten. As pet buyers, everything looked great and we bought a kitten from Annie Slawik, Ansata Cattery. That kitten was Ansata Mousse.

“Renee attended a local show, and saw Annie at the show, and thought, gee this looks fun. So, with her guidance, we entered Mousse in her first show as a kitten in autumn of 2002. We had no expectations of success, and Mouse surprised us by getting a few best of breed ribbons over her competition, a lovely sable girl bred by Toni Woolard and owned by Michael England. We continued showing Mousse at local shows until she granded in premiership

“About two years later, Annie offered us a top show quality cat to show, and we thought that sounds like a fun idea, and that led to us getting Sarmicel’s Lucky for Me, a sable neuter. “Luke” loved to show and loved people. So showing him was easy! At that time, it became apparent to us that many of the Burmese breeders in our area were retiring, or just getting rather up there in age, and some prominent Burmese breeders had passed away. We realized that we had become the only exhibitors of a Burmese at shows in our area. This was not how it had looked at the beginning, to us. Losing breeders means you can lose the breed. We thought maybe it might be time to raise some kittens.

“We got started breeding, but our motivation was always helping the breed continue long into the future. Shortly after we started breeding we joined several cat clubs, and soon moved into putting on shows. Renee has served as a show entry clerk, show manager, and show secretary for multiple shows. J.D. has served as a show secretary and show entry clerk. Renee has been the Webmaster for the NABB web page since 2004, so for 6 years she has helped keep it updated, and in some cases it’s a daily task keeping on top of those rescues. Last year, we took on the task of editing the NABB newsletter. Renee served 2 years as NABB secretary and is embarking on 2 more. Both of us also work full-time. So, you can see that we are both people who step up and get the job done.”

Renee Weinberger and J.D. Blythin
Catizen Burmese


Videos of Renee and J.D’s trip can be seen at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/curiamagna

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Finding Mod Daeng

Saturday, July 3rd was the day I first met a very special kitty - a little female who has traveled halfway across the globe from Bangkok, Thailand. She is already somewhat of a world traveler. Her journey has taken her from Thailand to the Midwestern United States, briefly to Minnesota, and finally to California. And I also traveled to meet her, flying from the San Francisco Bay Area down to Los Angeles and back in one day to pick her up and bring her home to live with me for a while.

What is so special about this kitty? Her name is Mod Daeng, which in Thai means "red (or copper) ant." She is a Suphalak. Not familiar with that breed of cat? You probably are - around the world, outside of Southeast Asia, this breed is well known as Burmese. Although the mother of the Burmese breed came from Rangoon, Burma (now called Yangon, Myanmar) the Burmese breed probably originated in Thailand. Ancient Thai poems and paintings of what have also been called "copper cats" or Thong Daeng show the breed has lived around Thai temples since at least the 1300s, and probably a lot longer than that. Other breeds that come from this area include Siamese (Wichien-Maat, which can be translated as "diamond gold"), Korats (Korat is a region in Thailand, and these cats are also known as Si-Sawat, meaning "color of the sawat seed,"), and a white odd-eyed cat breed known as Khao Manee ("white gem").

Although the four breeds of cats mentioned above are considered national cats by Thailand, which has issued postage stamps honoring these breeds, Suphalaks are becoming increasingly rare in Southeast Asia. While Suphalaks can be seen on the streets of Bangkok, and some reputable breeders of these cats do exist, the more popular breeds are the Korats and Siamese, and therefore fewer breeders raise Suphalaks. It is also difficult to establish relationships with breeders in Thailand from such a great distance, and I believe the Thai people like to get to know you before doing business, which is understandable. So being able to obtain and bring a Suphalak to the United States is a challenge.

We are very fortunate, however, in that Burmese breeders from the Midwest, Renee Weinberger and J. D. Blythin, traveled to Bangkok in February 2010 in search of Suphalaks. Thanks to introductions through another breeder who has traveled many times to Thailand to bring Wichien Maats over to the US, Dr. Cristy Bird, and the author of the definitive history of Siamese cats ("Siamese Cats; Legends and Reality"), Dr. Martin Clutterbuck, Renee and J. D. were able to obtain Mod Daeng from the Areerat cattery in Bangkok and bring her to the United States. Mod Daeng stayed with Renee and J. D. for some months as she was quarantined, tested, and treated to assure that she was healthy and not carrying any diseases that might infect our American Burmese. And now, because Renee and J. D. are expecting a baby, Mod Daeng has come to live with me temporarily.

Mod Daeng is only eight months old, but there are high expectations resting on her silky brown shoulders. She was brought to this country to help the American Burmese cat. All pedigreed cats are inbred to a certain extent, in order to develop and establish a particular look or "type" for a breed. However, recent studies have shown that Burmese and Singapuras in the United States have the lowest genetic diversity of all cat breeds. Low genetic diversity is not good for any breed, and so the plan is to breed Mod Daeng and share her offspring with our fellow breeders, to instill in Burmese breeding lines fresh genes from the country where our breed originated. This is not the only step that will be taken to help with that effort, but it is one of the first.

All Burmese around the world, outside of Southeast Asia, are descended from a single female cat that was brought from Burma to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1930. Her name was Wong Mau, and her owner, Dr. Joseph Thompson, believed she was a new breed of cat. He worked with a geneticist, Billie Gerst, from Palo Alto, California. This was the first time a cat breed was developed with the help of a geneticist. Looking back at the records of their breedings, it is likely that Wong Mau was not actually a "pure" Burmese, but a mink Suphalak. In the west, many would now call her a "Tonkinese", however in Thailand for hundreds of years these Suphalaks have been bred and they come in two varieties - Sepia (which has the darker coat that we see in Burmese in the west) and Mink (which is a lighter color and carries a Siamese color gene in addition to Burmese genes). For the Western world the Sepia Burmese descendants of Wong Mau that Gerst and Thompson produced were in fact a new breed. And from this single cat a love affair began with these little brown cats that, in the decades following Wong Mau's journey from Burma to California, have themselves spread across the world.

I feel extremely fortunate to be the first breeder to work with Mod Daeng, in the hope that she will produce healthy babies that will help our breed. And I find it a wonderful irony that not only do I live in the area where the breed was first developed, but Mod Daeng herself also has turned out to be a Mink, like her distant cousin who traveled here so long ago. Renee and J.D. had hoped to obtain a Sepia Suphalak, but through genetic analysis at UC Davis Mod Daeng has indeed tested "mink," which means she has both Siamese and Burmese genes. She also has a very different look from the Burmese most of us know today, and our challenge will be to work with her lines not only for healthy genetic diversity, but also to develop in her descendants the type that we know and love in this country.

What is she like in appearance and personality? That will be covered in my next blog, "Meeting Mod Daeng". I hope you will enjoy taking this journey with me and Mod Daeng. I will do my best to post regularly and to provide interesting and accurate information along the way.