How it all began...

I saw my first Fold over 4 decades ago on a picture on my Vet's wall.  I had taken in a stray I adopted to be altered and there, in a collage of pictures, was the most adorable cat I'd ever seen.  I asked Mark, about it and he explained it was a "new" breed of cat - the Scottish Fold.

Two years later, in 1984, a friend asked me if I wanted to attend a cat show with her.  I'd never attended a cat show, so my curiosity was piqued, besides, I wanted to see if any of those "funny looking cats" were there.  At the show, I met Gail, who was the only one with "THOSE cats" there.  She told me about babies she had at home and invited me to come look.  I had puppies due shortly, and wasn't really looking for a kitten, but she only lived 10 minutes away & I thought "what can it hurt" to just go look. 

The rest is history.  I walked into Gail's kitten room, took one look at the fuzzy babies running all around & I was hooked, especially when I saw a tiny calico who was just the most incredibly cute thing I'd ever seen. Sadly, she was already spoken for, but by then I knew I HAD to have a Fold, no matter how long I had to wait.   

Gail called me several weeks later, to tell me that the people who were going to take the little girl had backed out & so she was available. She then asked that fateful question "did I want her" ? DID I WANT HER?? Of course I did! I went & brought Shannon home.  I loved & hugged on her for a few weeks then took her back for her last vaccine. When Gail saw her, she couldn't believe how good she looked & 
convinced me to enter her in a show she was going to. 

I was reluctant, but finally agreed. Shannon and I did our first show in May of 1984 & by the end of the weekend I was hooked.  Here was this wonderful little baby, & the judges loved her almost as much as I did.  She left the show making 5 out of 6  finals, 3rd Best Kitten in show at just 4 months. Unfortunately, she broke her tail a few nights later & never returned to the showring.

When Shannon was old enough Gail suggested we breed her & naturally, I jumped at the chance as, by then, I was totally smitten with the breed. In just a few months, I had 5 wonderful folded kittens waddling around the house. Yes, my first litter was not only a big one, but every kitten folded & I had all different colors.

What's so hard about this, I thought?  Time, like the next 40 years has shown me.  There's been moms who wouldn't take care of kittens or just couldn't produce any live ones. There's been unexpected deaths, like that of my own dear Shannon, when her kittens were only 3 weeks old.  Long nights spent trying to help a mom deliver babies, sometimes with none surviving.  Years when there's been nothing to keep or when I had only a single folded kitten all season.  It's Always something & there are times you wonder WHY you continue doing this.

Still, there's been lots of joy, wonderment & love too. The friends that I've made, sometimes going thru tough times together, are my rock when it all gets hard.  When you get that email, phone call or card about how much joy & love, one of your babies has bought a family  it makes it all worthwhile.  All the work, the tears, the money.. it all comes down to spreading that love & happiness that only a Fold can bring.