I've posted new pictures of Sabrina's, Annie's and Juliet's litters.

We've also gotten some sad news from the Arcadia show. It seems that Lunarcoons Ophelia was stolen from Paul and Trish's benching area in the showhall. This is every exhibitor's worst nightmare, and we all hope that she is returned to Paul and Trish at the earliest opportunity. More information about this issue can be found at http://www.lunarcoons.com/theft. I have created a web graphic which will remain displayed on the Coonpanion site until this situation is resolved.

We are just back from Hawaii, after enjoying a lovely week in paradise attending my family's bi-annual group vacation.

We'd like to thank Carla Job of Beaverton Cat Sitting for attending to our 'herd' during this vacation. It was difficult leaving them for so long, and only the knowledge that they were being well cared for made this vacation possible at all! Thanks Carla!

WOO HOO!!! KITTENS!!!

Juliet delivered her litter of four kittens today. We appear to have three girls (brown classic, brown torbie and a solid blue) and a boy (brown classic). Pinecoons's Obsidian of Coonpanion is the sire.

WOO HOO!!! KITTENS!!!

Annie delivered a litter of three kittens today. One silver-torbie, one (maybe) silver and one brown. Pinecoon's Obsidian of Coonpanion is the sire, and we are very pleased with our girl.

We attended the Roseburg cat show. Actually, by we I mean Coonpanion. Pam had to stay at home to watch the kittens, Jaime had a school project to work on (she's in college now) and Mandy has lost interest in attending the shows. So I may say we, but I mean me. :D

The show was a lot of fun, but I definitely learned a few things.

1) I cannot run 4 cats by myself (I brought Jemcats Dawg, Jemcats Yoda Baby, Coonpanion Nightpool and Antarcin Dark Angel of Coonpanion).
2) When we retire a cat from show, we do it for good reasons. I brought out Nightpool and Dark Angel on a whim - mostly to help out the club.
3) Never enter on the late pages!! It's a royal pain. (The whim of bringing the extra two cats struck me 2 days before the show - regular entries were already closed, so they were added to the late pages). I hope they helped the club, cause I sure got frustrated! :D

WOO HOO!!! KITTENS!!!

After making us wait for 3 years, and much to the frustration of Highlander (who was never able to breed her, despite his most ardent effort), Sabrina delivered 3 kittens today! We are very pleased to have some kittens from our 'breezy!

Stark is still hanging around our house - he's been so sweet of late, I've briefly considered taking him back out onto the show circuit. Of course, whenever I begin looking him over like that, he looks back at me and then stretches ... splaying out those monster feet (and claws) of his ... :D Seriously, he is a wonderful boy, as long as you respect him and understand that he wants control over his body.

We have also decided to retire Louie and are now willing to discuss placing her in a 'single cat' home after she is spayed. She is a loving girl and will make someone an excellent pet. Anyone interested in either of these cats, please contact us.

Busy, busy weekend.

We delivered Misty and Heather to their new homes - both in Seattle and within 7 blocks of each other! The last kitten of Annie/Highlander litter will be going to his new home this weekend, so that litter is now closed.

With the exception of the two kittens we are holding back for show evaluation (and we have one person waiting for us to decide which we'll keep, they are going to take the other) all of the kittens from the Dark Angel/Highlander litter have been reserved. I feel kind of amazed about this, as I've never posted a single picture of this litter on our website.

The *only* available cat we have at the moment is Stark - a 1 year old brown classic tabby. Anyone interested should contact us directly about him.

Well, here's a gap! (*sigh*)

We are currently campaigning our most successful cat to date. Alas, not a Maine Coon, but rather one of Jaime's La Perms.

The one we altered. :D Jemcats Just Dawg is now, if I've totted the points up correctly a Quad Grand Champion! I've taken him to the San Jose show, the Victoria show, and just recently up to the Everett show. He was well recieved at each show, and is visibly getting more and more comfortable with being shown. We are very pleased with him.

As of Wednesday, July 3, Highlander was removed from our breeding program, and I'm still recovering from his surgery! He has moved into our bedroom and we are re-introducing him to the household. He's a sweet boy, and has done well by us.

Heather - this little girl is one smart cookie. She was the first to figure out how to climb over the barrier to escape to our master bedroom, and the first to learn how to eat. At 5 weeks old, she is the first to the food plate, and usually the last to leave!

Misty - Misty is a darling, but we are concerned about her right now. She is just not gaining weight as well as the others, and we are taking her to the vet tonight for some antibiotics. One kitten in the previous litter, Romeo, had similar symptoms, and was put on bland foods. Hopefully, she will not develop the same frightening addiction to cottage cheese. Romeo's new owner had to go out at 7am for cottage cheese the first morning! Well. whatever Misty wants, she will get. She is still spunky and delightful.

Red Robin - Robin climbs up last thing each night to cuddle up with me. He is teething, and keeps chewing on my fingers. when his mother was a baby, she would put holes around the edges of my paperback books as I read and petted her. Robin is teething on the edge of my Palm Pilot! Not as satisfying, I'm sure, but he tries to carry on the familty tradition.

McKie - Kie is very self-possessed. He pops up his head and observes, but does not often demand attention. Of coure, when he does, he is coddled and praised. He is the largest in the litter (although Heather is "rounder") I was laughing today when I was considering which was my "favorite". The answer changes by the minute, with each and every one getting that title some time throughout the week. This is an outstanding litter; Annie and Highlander did themselves proud.

Tough day today. Yesterday we said goodbye to Romeo, and today Cinderella went to her new home. Fortunately, Romeo went to our good friend Connie (Cozycoons) - who we see quite often. We expect to be seeing Romeo shortly, in the kitten rings.

Today we also bid a fond farewell to April, who now has a loving home all to herself.

I have posted pictures for the Highlander-Annie litter.

We have, regretfully, concluded that while Stark is a wonderful cat, he does not have the temperment for the show ring, which also means that we will not be using him in our breeding program.

WOO HOO!!! KITTENS!!!

Max delivered today - 5 kittens, 3 brown tabbies and, (surprise!) 2 blue tabbies!

WOO HOO!!! KITTENS!!!

Yes, it's tax day. But Annie made it a good day anyway! 4 kittens, 2 red, a brown and a silver. (One of the reds might be a red-silver).

We just returned from the Surrey show up in beautiful Vancouver, B.C. Very nice show! 240 cats, 65 of them kittens. (2 of them ours!)

We brought Stark and Nightpool, two kittens of our own breeding that we have been evaluating. Stark did well, he brought home two finals, even though he decided that he does not want me (Douglas) grooming him anymore. Since Pam couldn't get up until Saturday evening, this was a problem! We'll be working with him between now and the next show to overcome this issue. Nightpool was very good and brought home a final as well. We were very pleased, especially considering the outstanding class of kittens that were being shown.

We have been *really* bad about getting back into touch with some of the people who have been trying to contact us. I will be working this weekend to clear the backlog.

We currently have two Maine Coon kittens (young cats) that we are thinking of placing. April O'neal (from the Max/Sid litter) and, maybe ... to the right family, Daystar (from the Juliet/Nicholas litter).

April will need to have a special home, she has turned somewhat shy. She does well in familiar surroundings, and amongst the people she knows - but she tends to run and hide from strangers. We are not sure why, most of our kittens are tend to be very friendly. If you would be interested in looking at her, with an eye towards adoption, contact me directly at douglas@coonpanion.com

Daystar is another issue. I *don't* want to give him up, I want to show him. But we think we have too many boys in the house now, and we definitely don't want or need a red sire. If there is *anyone* who would like to start showing a cat, I'll make you a real good deal! :) Otherwise, regretfully (and with many glances at that particular empty spot on the ribbon wall), we'll place him in the best darn pet home we can.

We also have several La Perms we are looking to place. Ping, Cricket, Blue Yoda, Destiny and, possibly, Dawg are all looking for homes. La Perms are quirky, clever, full of energy and utterly delightful. They are also mischievious, diabolic, full of energy and utterly exhausting. If you would be interested in one of these fascinating cats, please check Jaime's Laperm Website

WOO HOO!!! KITTENS???

Juliet delivered her kittens early this morning, 3 in the litter. We're calling it two girls (torbie and a brown classic) and a boy (brown classic) - this is subject to change. This is a 'surprise' litter for us - no doubt who the father is though. He's the smug looking black boy in corner.

With horror and sorrow, we learned of the final rentry of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

Let the sweet fresh breezes heal me
As they rove around the girth
Of our lovely mother planet
Of the cool, green hills of Earth.

We've tried each spinning space mote
And reckoned its true worth:
Take us back again to the homes of men
On the cool, green hills of Earth.

The arching sky is calling
Spacemen back to their trade.
ALL HANDS! STAND BY! FREE FALLING!
And the lights below us fade.

Out ride the sons of Terra,
Far drives the thundering jet,
Up leaps a race of Earthmen,
Out, far, and onward yet ---

We pray for one last landing
On the globe that gave us birth;
Let us rest our eyes on the fleecy skies
And the cool, green hills of Earth.

Robert A. Heinlein
The Green Hills of Earth