I first heard about the Baghdad Girl while listening to public radio (sorry, but I must admit that I try to catch their news when I am driving). Anyway, I heard the commentator say something about “cats forever” and a young girl in Baghdad that loved cats. When I got home I did a quick Google and found Raghada’s blog. According to her own remarks, her name is Raghda Zaid, age 14, and she lives in Baghdad with her family and she loves cats.

Here is also an entry she made on Thursday, December 15, 2005: “A good day in Iraq. Today the weather was very nice, no cars and no bombs, it was a great day for a walk so my parents went to vote, and they said that the streets were full of people. So many Iraqis went to the voting centers (not like the last elections). Well I don't have anything else to say since I didn't go with them, but I saw it was a good day in Iraq and that was a thing we haven't seen for a long time.

Best wishes
Yours
Raghda

For cat lovers, her site is a delight because of all the cat photos she has collected. Here is exserpt from a January 06 entry "Hello Friends, Finaly I finished my exams and now I'll have time to puplish new cat photos for you every day. Bye, Raghda." And she surely did just that.

Here is an example comment, posted by Alma to Raghada's blog: "Raghda, I just had to let you know that one of my cats just loves this picture. When he gets up by the computer and I am looking at this picture on your site, he kind of does a double take and then stands up and puts his nose against the tv monitor trying to smell the cat in the picture. He's done it more than once. I'm glad you will have time to post more often now. I have been checking your site daily for a few years now. Take Care, Alma."

We have been unusually busy the last few weeks. I spend a lot of time on the computer, answering e- mails, working on the web page, trying to learn some new software. Then there is the feeding, scooping, vet trips, record keeping and answering telephone inquiries. I also try to make a cat show as often as I can. I think it is important for a breeder to show their cats so they get some evaluation of their program, and to see what other breeders are doing.

Some who call do not understand just how much a breeder invests in their kittens and cats. Above and beyond the extraordinary love for our charges, there is the investment of money (lots of money), and time (lots and lots of time). Breeders are also heavily taxed with emotional currency when a kitten is lost, sick or any of the other countless things that could go wrong.

Like most breeders I know, I try not to be offended when someone calls and the first thing they ask is “how much?” Sure, I know price is important, but it’s not about that for me, and it should not be that for the caller. I understand that it is hard for people to believe that breeders seldom recover the costs associated with the kittens they sell.

Reputable breeders do it for the cats/kittens. They do it to improve the breed. It is inevitable that a breeding program will produce more kittens than a breeder can use. Therefore, the reputable breeder spends considerable effort, time, and energy in locating appropriate homes of them.

Even so, I must my have the best job in the whole wide world!

The terms “kitten mill” and “back yard breeder” evoke strong negative emotions among all “cat lovers.” It is an issue that I feel compelled to weigh in on. Back Yard Breeder does not mean just breeding and/or keeping cats in the back yard.

I believe that the defining difference between a “back yard breeder” or “kitten producer” and that of other (reputable) breeders is the degree of concern for the cats and their purchasers and the responsibility shown towards them. A breeder that demonstrates a concern, and accepts the responsibility, for every cat and kitten they have/own and produce as well as the purchasers of those cats/kittens would be a “good or reputable” breeder and those who do not would be the “bad or unsavory” breeder.

There are several "alarm bells" that should alert you that you are dealing with a backyard breeder, kitten mill, or unscrupulous breeder. First, you should remember the sage advice "Buyer Beware!" Next, watch carefully for the following "red flags" vigorously waving.

• You are asked few questions or none at all.
• The breeder appears offended when you ask questions.
• You are not offerd a written contract.
• You are not offered a written health guarantee.
• You are not invited to see, or are discouraged from seeing, the cattery.
• You are not allowed to see either the dam nor the sire.
• You can smell the cattery as you get out of your car.
• You are offered many breeds to choose from.
• and they cannot answer questions about the breed standard.

There may be a reasonable explanation why you experience one or two of these issues during discussions with the breeder. If this should happen, I highly recommend that you ask for an explanation and weigh the answer carefully against other facts you have, or will, learn. Or, maybe you should just turn and run!

Q: What happens to my cat if something happens to me?

A: I highly recommend that all pet owners follow the example set by my very good friend Larry Snider. Before he died he clearly outlined in writing who was to get each of his cats.

My Aunt Mary Jane died recently and I have been helping my Uncle with all the paperwork, etc. These two tragic events have alerted me to the need to make plans. And then pray they will not be needed for a long, long time.

Q: Jumping on the Counter

A: If you own a cat, especially a Bengal, you must accept the inevatable that she will occasionally jump up on things. Face it, cats love to jump. If you were a cat, you would too! They also like high places where they can view their territory from relative security.

Cats are naturally curious, and there are a lot of interesting things up there on the counter. If she discovers food, even a little tid-bit, it will become a powerful reinforcer for dozens of future explorations.

When you are around up can affect the behavior when she insists on jumping on things. But, when you are not at home, the only way to keep her from jumping on these things is to booby trap the place or to isolate her.

Q: What is catnip?

A: "Catnip" is the common name for a perennial herb of the mint family. It is native to Europe and is an import to the United States and other countries. The catnip plant is now a widespread weed in North America.

Catnip, whose scientific name is Nepeta cataria is an herb which contains an active ingredient appears to be an hallucinogenic drug.

It can cause an amazing reactions in many adult cats! They will rub it, roll over it, kick at it, and generally go nuts for several minutes.

Kittens seem to be immune and only about half the adult cats exposed to catnip react to it and this reaction appears to be influenced by genetics.

It is interesting that many wild cats (including cougars, bobcats, lions, and lynx) respond to catnip.

FACT # 1: The top two rows of a cat's whiskers can move independently of the lower two rows. This allows maximum perception of the cat's immediate surroundings.

FACT # 2: Spaying or neutering a cat extends it's life span by two or three years

FACT # 3: In ancient Egypt, the entire family would shave their eyebrows off as a sign of mourning when the family cat died.

FACT # 4: Cats have 32 muscles in their ears.

FACT # 5: A cat in a hurry can sprint at about thirty-one miles per hour. (Bengals a little faster!)