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Coloration: Tortoiseshell and white
Dwells:
indoors
Arrival Story: Chibi is the sister, but not the littermate, of Harvey and Leila. I had no intention of buying another cat, but when my breeder told me that he had a new kitten who was a dead ringer for Leila, my interest was piqued and I had to go see for myself. I found that, indeed, the two were almost identical, except that they looked like photographic negatives of one another--Chibi was red where Leila was black, and vice versa. Since I have OCD with a hoarding/collecting component (buying the same sweater in all the colors, etc.), I couldn't resist Chibi. Although she was an impulse purchase (and I know that a cat isn't an accessory, to be color coordinated with your other cats), Chibi turned out to be exactly what the breeder told me she was--bright, curious, and affectionate. Now that she's gotten bigger, it's becoming increasingly hard to tell her from her sister Leila, and someday I hope to put them in a cat show together, to confuse the judges. As unusual as her facial markings are, they are fairly typical of torties, and prized among cat fanciers. With her erect ears, almond-shaped eyes, and square muzzle, she is not only a good example of the Maine Coon standard, but a very pretty girl altogether, and with a winning personality to boot.
Bio: Chibi became a Champion with the CFA in June 2008. She had hoped to enter Harvard College with the intention of going on to Harvard Medical School, eventually to become a psychopharmacologist. However, when her sister Leila had seven kittens, after Leila weaned them, Chibi took over and started nursing them herself--with real milk. On August 22 and August 23, Chibi gave birth to seven kittens, two of which unfortunately died at birth, and one on day four. The rest are still healthy and energetic, and Chibi is happy to have kittens of her own. It looks like Chibi will have to put off going to Harvard for a while, but she's content with things as they are right now. By the way, we are a cattery, have a breeder's license, and live in Japan where you can't get Maine Coons in shelters.
Lives Remaining: 9 of 9
Forums Motto: Mother of the Furtastic Four!
The Groups I'm In: Calico & Tortie Darlings, FOR THE LOVE OF LAUREL, Catster Maine Coon Lovers, CATSTERHOLICS!!!, Patchwork Calicos!, Pawsome Pages, Show Cats Ltd.
The Last Forum I Posted In: Kitties catching live prey...
...My Meowmy, who is WILD about us torties and thought she was something of an expert (hubris, hubris...) just read this:
"The primary color on most torties is black. The amount of red can vary from just a few toes to lots of obvious red. It is rare but some torties have more red than black. They used to be called "reverse torties" or a "Hot" tortie."
(Source: http://www.pandecats.com/x/colors-tortie.htm)
Just as I was thinking that this made me special and therefore would be a plus in the judging rings in cat shows, I read this at the same site. (This site is, however, dedicated to Persians, so maybe it doesn't have anything to do with us Maine Coons):
"Topic: Hot Torties
Question: I have a question about hot torties. I know what the standard says but I have a really hot one. She is just wonderful in every way except she has more red in her coat than black. What do you all think about showing her?
Answer: Our show standard describes the tortoiseshell color as "black with patches of red or softly intermingled areas of red on both body and extremities. Presence of several shades of red acceptable". A hot Tortie or a reverse Tortie appears more like a red cat with patches of black through it's coat. So you girl will be penalized for a color flaw. Color is worth 20 points in total. Some judges may penalize her severely. Some would overlook her color if the rest of her is outstanding. I have certainly seen more than one hot Tortie grand over the years. So let her other good points be rewarded. Yes, I would go ahead and show her. My own philosophy of judging has always been to look at structure first, and color second."
MyMeowmy chose me because my coloring is the reverse of that of my sister, Leila, and she wanted us as a SET (can you say "tacky"?). Leila is a classic black tortie and white, with a half black/half red face, and a torso that is mostly black with smudges of red. She has touches of red on her legs. My face is like hers (except that the red and black halves are reversed--it's like looking into a mirror), but my torso is red with smudges of black, and my legs are black. I always thought I was a bit unusual-looking (most tortie and white photos look like Leila), but now I know I'm special (even if that's not necessarily a good thing)! And "HOT"!!! Heh heh heh. Anybody wanna be my boyfriend? (Platonic relationships only, please. Must share an interest in psychopharmacology, cryptozoology, and the epidemiology of cat diseases.)
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