Now we are three...

When we were very young

Gabriel and Indiana were two beautiful kittens who left home it seems like yesterday.. but really it was three years ago.  How time flies, and how lovely they have grown up under the care of their human slave Lynn Roberts, who took the photos below this winter.

Gabriel, brown tabby and white male

Indiana, tortie tabby and white female

Happy Birthday, Chopin!

Yesterday was the composer Chopin's 203rd birthday.  He has aged well, his enthralling piano music sounding as fresh as ever.  Happy birthday Chopin!  Here are some of your favourite flowers, modest yet wonderfully perfumed violets.

This reminds me of my 'piano litter' - a bunch of gorgeous black and white Norwegian Forest kittens born eighteen years ago.  My dear Impromptu was one of these, and sadly he left us recently.  After a long and healthy life he simply died in his sleep.  We miss him terribly; a gentleman to the end, he never caused any trouble and was the reason this blog is called 'extraloudpurrs'.  His purrs were the loudest ever.

Rest in peace, Impromptu.  And live on forever in our hearts, dear Chopin.

Premier Vieuxtemps Impromptu in old age

How time flies...

The kittens are three months old already.  They will be staying with us for a few more weeks until they are microchipped and neutered.

Today, Neil from White Squirrel Photography took some super photos even though the kittens, being kittens, refused to pose for more than half a second as they just wanted to play!

Mjoll Snow Shod, tortie and white

Ulfric Stormcloak, blue and white

Alduin, blue tabby and white

All grown up

This is Tildy, who left home a small naughty kitten and has become a beautiful sweet adult.  Her owner kindly sent us this picture, saying ' I have been unable to get a good side on shot to show her magnificent coat and tail'.  Thank you, Pam!

Kittens at last!

Life has been rather too busy to have kittens until now, but in mid August we did have a lovely litter arrive from Valentine and Velcro.  This was Velcro's first litter of course.  When we put her with Valentine she promptly tried to suckle him (and being the good-natured chap he was, he allowed this with a look of bemusement).  But not getting any milk, she decided to grow up after all, and eventually produced a really cute litter.

We have:

Aeela, an adorable tortie and white girl.  She has a big red patch that you can't see in this picture.

Alduin, a blue tabby and white boy who is a bit of a mountaineer

Ulfric Stormcloak, a blue and white boy with a white tail-tip and a laid-back purrsonality

So, I will try to be good and keep this page updated more regularly from now on :)

A special birthday for Impromptu

This week, Imp was seventeen years old.  I'm glad to say he is in good health and spirits still.  He has more or less given up grooming himself (he never was very keen on that) so I have given him a few thorough combings lately, getting rid of old fur so he has lost his ruff but looks a lot smarter and whiter!

Premier Vieuxtemps Impromptu in old age

Imp is one of the most loving cats imaginable.  He adores his fellow feline housemates, and makes a big fuss of visitors.  He only has to see Bob or me looking at him to set up a loud purr.

He was one of our 'piano litter' born in May 1995; mum was Tarrakatt Tahnee, daughter of the first stud cat imported into the UK, and dad was my own first NFC stud cat, the very wonderful Kyrrekatt Kistrand.  The kittens were all either pure white or black smoke or solid black and white.  They frequently arranged themselves at Tahnee's milk bar in the manner of piano keys - black then white then black then white - so we gave them names related to the piano in general, and Chopin in particular.  Imp's siblings' names were Vieuxtemps Nocturne, Scherzo, Mazurka, Prelude and Ivory.

Mum Tahnee, with her piano litter

Impromptu stood out as a very fine example of a Norwegian Forest Cat from a young age.  He was a good size, had beautiful expression, fantastic straight profile and firm chin, and such a gentle temperament that he made a great show cat.   At that time, Norwegian Forest Cats were relatively unknown in Britain and had not yet achieved Championship status in the UK.  But two years later, NFCs were able to gain titles for the first time.  Everyone took out their best cats to the shows, and it was with great pride and delight that we watched Impromptu win large classes - in double figures - to gain the title of  Premier Vieuxtemps Impromptu.  He had made history and become the first Forest Cat to gain a title in the UK.

Imp (left) and his dad, odd-eyed Kistrand who died a few years ago, were literally inseparable

Impromptu went on to gain two Grand certificates almost immediately, but as we had also succeeded in gaining the first Champion NFC title with another cat of ours it seemed greedy to continue so we stepped back and retired Impromptu at his prime so others could share a bit of the glory of those first titles.

Imp as a kitten

The only problems we have had as Imp has aged, are that his claws need careful clipping because they have become long and curved, and would hurt his pads if allowed to grow too long.  He has had a few teeth out and his coat isn't in as good condition as it once was, but overall the vet says he is a good weight for his age and he seems to enjoy life as much as ever.  He has an excellent appetite - his favourite food being raw minced rabbit, although he'll eat anything we give him with great gusto.   Long may he continue to reign over our hearts!

Premier Vieuxtemps Impromptu in his prime: photo by Alan Robinson

Happy Birthday, Butz!

It's scary how quickly time goes by.  Butz is twelve today! (And if my father, the person who instilled in me a love of Airedale Terriers, were alive he would be 100 years old today.)
Here's a photo of my father as a little boy:

 This would have been taken around 1917.  He's the one on the right.

Here is Butz as a puppy:

And this is him recently:

Butz is still hale and hearty, and full of beanz.  He slowed down earlier this year when he had to be put on heart pills, but they are working excellently so he still enjoys his daily walks.  This morning I'm going to take him on an extra special outing, then give him a huge doggy breakfast of raw chicken with green veggies mixed with a little tuna on the side.

Butz's best friend is our stud cat Valentine - they have been inseparable since Valentine was a small kitten: