Ocicats
International

Ocicats International is a CFA affiliated breed club dedicated to the Ocicat breed. We strive to increase public awareness of the Ocicat breed and promote the responsible ownership, breeding, registration and exhibition of the Ocicat

In This Issue:

1. Nature vs. Nurture – The Ocicat IQ

2. Preventing Deadly Diseases in Your Cattery – a Video Symposium

3. Ocicat Breed Booth on Display

4. CFA Ocicat Breed Council News – Remember to get your ballot in!!!!

4. Oci’s in the Spot Light

5. Ocicat Rescue Spotlight News

6. Follow us on Facebook

7. Membership Application
 

Nature vs. Nurture – The Ocicat IQ
Jacqui Bennett

I think most people find some "dog like traits" in their ocicats.... but I have to wonder if those traits are less "dog like" and more "companion like"

Cats have become more and more common as pets of choice in households and the idea that the cat is something you feed on the porch, look at occasionally and leave when you move has become less and less acceptable (I remember the sheer HORROR on my mother's face when a lady was bringing around door to door a basket of kittens and explained to my Mom that she "ought to give me one" because even with us being transferred in a few months we could "just leave it for the next family" and it would "be a good experience for me" (Of course the CFA Siamese and AKC Bassett Hounds lounging in various levels of "elegance" around the house hadn't provided me with ANY experience on caring and loving animals as my best friends .... but she didn't know about them since they didn't wander the neighborhood indiscriminately) ---- My quiet reserved Mother (Yep -- my personality is from Dad ... you guessed it) went absolutely BALLISTIC!!!!!

Anyway I had a point --- what was my point ---- OH I REMEMBER!!! Cats as exceptionally intelligent animals take on the traits we as humans desire when we give them the environment, which allows them the option.

For instance:

I EXPECT my male ocicats to be complete doofuses.... they always have been ... fall into bath tubs because the bubbles aren't solid, fall backwards down the laundry chute ... or get "helped" down the laundry chute while grooming because the EB or aby strategically launches at them while they are ...err ... playing the cello ---- which is why you should ALWAYS have a big fluffy comforter at the bottom of the laundry chute!!!! ... Sorry off point...

A friend of mine gave me a boy from her household and joked that he might "dangerously raise the intelligence standard" of my cat’s comprehension level... She has noted he too has gotten doofier and doofier at each show we go to.

I provided her with a blue silver girl whom she said she would have to "main stream" into her household ----- The little girl has shown great spurts of intellect....

To further illustrate this, my lavender silver grand champion who was without a DOUBT and supported by numerous unbiased witnesses one of the more “intellectually challenged” males of my household ---- A cat whose sheer “blondness” amazed exhibitors, judges and spectators alike for months and months, took a trip with my friend to a show I was unable to attend. The same cat who couldn’t find his way out of a BOX spontaneously learned to unzip a sturdy carrier and let himself loose when she forgot that he was SUPPOSED to have full access to the car for thorough exploration during trips with unscheduled lap and petting breaks (OK --- so MAYBE I spoil him a little bit)

Therefore both our cats have the same volume of brain cells.... they just use them differently :) I EXPECT my kids to be clowns and they oblige. She EXPECTS her kids to be acrobatic geniuses and they oblige.

Both sets are probably FAR more intelligent than we have ever had any reason to believe and are probably doing comparative studies of human behavior based on different stimuli to present at the next secret feline forum on human pets and their training responses ...

As we expect our cats to run to use at the door and play with the toys and fetch ... they do so!!!

As we expect our cats to enjoy our companionship and consider a walk on a leash as a treat to explore a new realm then the living room.... they oblige!!

We expect our cats to be companions and treat them as companions and therefore they ARE companions ... and not furry furniture or lawn ornaments

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Ocicat Breed Booth will be on display at the upcoming CFA Sanctioned Shows

The CFA Ocicat Breed Council will proudly display our breed booth sponsored in part by Dr Elsey’s at the following shows:   * Dixieland Silver and Goldens Show in Concord NC. December 10-11 2011 * Absolutely Abyssinians in Jacksonville FL. January 2012

CFA Ocicat Breed Council News – Reminder of Ballot Deadline
Breed Council Ballots are due in to Central office no later than December 15, 2011. The item on the ballot is a request to extend the Abyssinian outcross indefinitely to assure the continued genetic viability of our breed. Many thanks to all the breed council members who helped with the research and wording. For more information about the CFA ocicat breed council, check out the website at www.ocicatbc.org
 

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Ocicats International is now on Facebook!!! Did you know you could follow Ocicats International on Facebook?   =^.".^=    =^.".^=    =^.".^=  Do you know someone who might enjoy joining our club? Use this link to fill out a membership application!   =^.".^=    =^.".^=    =^.".^=  Ocicats International is a CFA affiliated breed club dedicated to the Ocicat breed. We strive to increase public awareness of our breed and promote the responsible ownership, breeding, registration and exhibition of the Ocicat.

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