Monday, May 10, 2010

Tutta and Critters

Rufus and Tutta
Tutta and the baby chicks
Tutta
Tutta, Rufus and the toy the cats love.

I haven't posted for a while because I was working twelve hour days. First scaffolding at the paper mill. Then Andrea and I went millwrighting in a taconite processing facility.


Our kittens are exposed to older cats, dogs, and chickens. Rufus is a mastiff St Bernard mix. He is Andrea's rescue dog. Tutta and Rufus are buddies. It has become difficult to get the kittens photographed. If the shutter speed isn't fast enough, I end up with a shot of their back end. Going through the pictures Tutta seems to be the most photogenic.

Andrea got new baby chicks about a week ago. Four Araucanas, four Rhode Island Reds, four Buff Orpingtons, and four Silver Laced Wyandottes. The kittens love to watch them. Andrea's current chickens are two or three years old. Their egg production is decreasing so it is time for some new chicks. Her older chickens started to fly the coop this spring. They like to wander the yard and spend time near Einsteins dog house if they feel threatened. Einstein is Andrea's dog she got when she still lived at home. He is the chicken guard dog. She has a harmonious animal farm.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Kitty's playing with Tupperware

Benji in a bowl playing peek-a-boo
Bjorn in the bowl playing peek-a-boo or hide and seek
Bella holding the bowl down so it quits rolling
Bjorn sitting in the bowl
Bella trying to decide which bowl of Evo canned food she is going to eat. They are all the same flavor, so she must be deciding which color of Fiestaware she likes best.



You know how you buy small children toys and they enjoy playing with the box the toy comes in more, well kittens are the same way. Our kittens find a certain Tupperware bowl fascinating. They sit in it, play peek-a-boo with their siblings, and roll it on the floor. This was the thank you gift for having a Tupperware party last summer. I don't think the designers at Tupperware envisioned this large salad bowl becoming a kitty toy.

The third and fifth pictures show the kittens food. I feed the kittens Evo canned Cat & Kitten, it is chicken based. http://www.evopet.com/ucts/default.asp?id=1501prod Currently I also give them Chicken Soup for the Kittens Soul kibble. http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/products/kittens/dry_food/kitten_formula/


I discovered also that Fiestaware small fruit bowls make great dishes for the kittens to eat out of. Saucers they walk and lay in. When the kittens were smaller our usual cat dishes had too high of sides. Fiestaware fruit bowls are sturdy, colorful, lead free, made in the USA, and they aren't just for cats. The fruit bowls cost about the same and many times it costs less than the pet crockery. When I look at the crockery marketed to cat and dog owners many times it says not microwaveable and not dishwasher safe. Most of the time it is made in China. This concerns me because it probably contains lead or other metals if it isn't safe for the microwave. Most of the time there isn't any visible metal details. I don't microwave the cats food, but I don't want them consuming lead. We must remember the tragedy of the tainted pet food a few years ago. The safety standards for pet products are not the same as products consumed by humans. It is our duty to be informed and provide our pets with safe, nutritious food and safe pet products. I try to feed my pets food that is made from human grade ingredients and without byproducts.

Here is a link to Fiesta dinnerware. http://www.hlchina.com/fiestaretail.htm It can be found in many department stores.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Swanskovkats Midnight Blue




This is Swanskovkats Midnight Blue. He is the newest member of the Norsejenta cattery. He came here from Michigan. His mother and father are from Denmark. His father is the top Norwegian Forest Cat in the Great Lakes Region of TICA for 2009. His father is RW SGC DK* Elkington's Gibson and his mother is GC DK* Minor Lynx Duchess. Blue's maternal grandfather is GIC Gillians Hvirkelig Hviid. In 2009 Hviid was the the best white Norwegian Forest Cat in the Northern Europe region of TICA, and the third best internationally in TICA. He is a triple grand champion in TICA. The GIC is from FiFe, the European registry. Considering the largest concentration of Norwegian Forest Cats is in Northern Europe, of course, this is quite an honor. Here is a link to some pictures of this beautiful cat. http://www.minorlynx.dk/230-172-gic.gillians_hvirkelig_hviid.htm

Blue likes to eat, which I am thrilled with. I want him to be a big boy. He loves toys. And he likes to chase Chloe, one of our old household pet cats. Jane, Blue's breeder named him Blue because his litter of four kittens were all black. Jane put a different colored collar on each kitten in order to tell them apart. Just like dog breeders do. Of course Blue had a blue collar. I added the Midnight to his name because Midnight Blue is the darkest shade of blue there is, it is blue/black. Just like Blue, my sweet boy.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Dille



Here are some pictures of CH Vinlands Dille. Dille is the mother of Norsejenta's A litter and B litter. She is pictured here with her A litter kittens. Dille still likes to sit in her kitty house that is pictured here. The B litter kittens sit on top and try to get their mommy to come out and play. Dille lives at my daughters house most of the time. That is why I don't have many pictures of her on my camera.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Thor




I thought I should post a few more Norsejenta family pictures. This is GC Norskipoints Thor, the kittens daddy. He is a black/silver classic tabby with white.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Eight week pictures of Buster



Eight week pictures of Benji


Wow Blue, I don't need a bath.

Eight week pictures of Bella



Eight week pictures of Bjorn and Tutta

Blue says, "let me teach you the right way to play with this".
Tutta
Bjorn
Tutta and Bjorn
Tutta and Bjorn
Tutta
Tutta

Monday, March 22, 2010

Thor and Dille's kittens pedigree

Here is a link to the kittens pedigree. They have 13 champions in three generations. http://www.pawpeds.com/db/?a=p&ids=3:815330;2:855068&g=4&p=nfo&date=iso&o=ajgrep

Norsejenta Bjorn


Norsejenta Bjorn was the fifth and last kitten born in Norsejenta's B-litter. He is a blue mackeral tabby with white. Bjorn was the last born and the middle one in birth weight. But he came from behind and tried always to be first. He gained weight the fastest, he was the first kitten to eat out of Dille's food bowl. Followed behind his sister Tutta to climb out of the kitten box. He is the largest kitten. Bjorn has huge paws. He will be a big boy. He has a nice head and profile and excellent boning.

Bjorn was named by his new mom. He will be living with his sister Tutta and another cat. Bjorn means bear in Scandinavian. He is like a cuddly big teddy bear. It is a perfect name for him.

Norsejenta Buster




Norsejenta Buster is a black/silver mackeral tabby Norwegian Forest Cat. Buster has an excellent profile and good boning. He is an active kitty. He isn't quite as headstrong as Bjorn and Tutta, but he is a busy boy. He loves to play with balls. He likes other toys also. Buster started life as kitten #4. He was the largest at birth. He made certain there was room for him to nurse even before his eyes opened. Buster was like a little bulldozer, plowing thru, moving his siblings so he could nurse. He was the last kitten to eat solid food. Buster wanted his mommy instead. He learned to eat solid food and hasn't quit. He just needed a little more time.

Since he acted like a little bulldozer, I named him Buster. It just fit him. He has three ancestors in his pedigree that are named Buster, including Buster a foundation Norwegian Forest Cat.

Buster is available, we are looking for a home for him.

Norsejenta Benji



Norsejenta Benji




Norsejenta Benji was the third kitten of this litter. He is either cream and white or red/silver and white. I am not the best at determining cat coat color. I had two other Norwegian Forest Cat breeders look at Benji. One said cream and white, one said red/silver and white. Janet, Dille's breeder has not seen Benji in person yet. I think her opinion will determine what color he is. Benji's grandsire, Dille's sire is a red/silver and white. He was the top red/silver and white NFO in TICA in 2008. Thor, Benji's sire, is a black/silver and white. Benji has the longest coat of this litter of kittens.

Benji is one of the boys. Not quite as aggressive as his brother's are. I think he will be a mellow, laid back kitty boy. He has a nice profile and nice boning.

Benji was named after a red tom cat I had when I was a young girl. I think I named that cat after the movie Benji, about a dog.

Benji is available, we are looking for a home for him.

Norsejenta Belju Devegge


Norsejenta Belju Devegge or Bella was the second kitten born into the B-litter. She is a black/silver mackeral torbie with white, just like her sister. Bella has more white than Tutta. She is a sweet girl. Somewhat more reserved and quieter that her sister Tutta. But she is all kitten, wrestling with her brothers, playing, and doing all kinds of kitten things.

I suppose you wonder why she has such a strange name. I didn't originally intend to name the girls these long names. When I told my youngest daughter that the kittens names had to start with the letter B, she wanted to name a girl Bella. Bella is a common girl name currently, and I have heard of many pets named Bella. My daughter was reading the Twilight series of books, and wanted to name her after one of the characters in the book. But Bella didn't sound very Scandinavian. The kitten is a Norwegian Forest Cat, our cattery name translated means norse girl. I try to use Scandinavian names. It is not like these kittens are going to get picked on at the playground. We can have fun naming the kittens. This isn't that serious. Then I remembered the story of Belju Devegge. Belju Devegge is an ancestor of ours. I first heard about her and the legend of how she came to Hallingdal, Norway at a family reunion many years ago.

Belju Devegge was born Mary MacLeod in the 1400's at Dunvegan Castle, Isle of Skye, in the Hebrides, Scotland. Her husband was Klement Devegge, who was born Robert Argyll the oldest son of the Earl of Argyll. Klement was a member of clan Campbell. Robert(Klement) murdered a Fraser in a duel. He ran away to the Isle of Skye, met Mary(Belju), fell in love. They were forbidden to marry because Mary's(Belju) mother was a member of clan Fraser. Robert(Klement) went to Norway, went back to Dunvegan and Mary(Belju). They were married and ran off to Norway. At that time Nesbyen, Hallingdal, Norway was in a remote valley in eastern Norway. They went over the mountains and settled there because they did not want to be found. Many Scots settled in western Norway at that time. The Black Death left parts of Norway sparsely populated, with land available. So they established a farm, named it Devegge after Dunvegan Castle. Robert took the name of his patron saint Klement, and Mary became Belju or Bella derived from the name Campbell. What a story. My paternal grandfather is descended from Klement and Belju. His parents and grandparents emigrated to Clayton County Iowa from Nesbyen in Hallingdal Norway. Here are some links to the story http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=no&u=http://www.angelfire.com/fl5/minslektside/devegge.htm&ei=_coASuiMAZu8M-3d8d0H&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=5&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DDevegge%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1W1SUNA_en

Bella will be going to her new mom's home when she is twelve weeks old. Her new mom has researched Norwegian Forest Cats. She wants one for the same reason I wanted one, because it is part of our heritage. And we both love cats of course. Her friends are going to have a kitten shower for her and Bella. I just keep smiling about that idea. I know Bella will be loved. I am so blessed to have found wonderful homes for Dille's and Thor's kittens.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Norsejenta Barbro Thorsdatter

Norsejenta Barbro Thorsdatter

This is Norsejenta Barbro Thorsdatter. She is a black silver mackeral torbie Norwegian Forest Cat. She will spend her life being known as Tutta. She started out in her life as kitten #1. She was the first born from this litter. She is usually the first. Her brother, Bjorn and her were the first to eat solid food. She was the first to climb out of the kitten box. If there is a kitten out running around the house it will be Tutta most of the time. Tutta is also a purr machine. She has the sweetest face. Her registered name is Norsejenta (the cattery name) Barbro Thorsdatter. Barbro Thorsdatter was my Great Great Grandmother that emigrated from Nord Aurdal Valdres Norway to Winneshiek County Iowa in 1867. She was a widow with six children with her. Her husband died in 1865. Her second husband was on the same ship as she and her children were. I do not know if they planned to get married before they left Norway, if it was decided on the ship, or in America. She was my grandmother Amanda's grandmother, Grandma Amanda said she was a very nice, loving, and sweet woman. Just like Tutta sweet and adventurous. I discovered her family tree online a few days before the kittens were born. I also found a fourth cousin from Norway that compiled and posted the family tree. It seemed like the right name for her because this is Norsejenta's catterys B litter and she is Norskipoints Thor's daughter.

Tutta will be going to an awesome home. With a very cat loving mom, and Moonshine a cat, and her baby brother Bjorn. Tutta is the nickname of Norwegian golfer Suzann Pettersen, who Tutta's(the kitty) mom admires. I think it is a perfect name.

We have kittens!






On January 31, 2010, Dille had five kittens, two females and three males. They are almost seven weeks now. Very active, crawling out of their kitten box to explore. Playing with their toys, and kitty wrestling. Dille sits in a chair above the box watching them when she is not in the box with them. Several weeks ago I had to remodel the box. I cut one side off and cut the side off another box and joined them together. They have a kitty box that is about 2.5'x6' now.

Three of the kittens have found wonderful homes. At twelve weeks they will be able to go home with their people. Bjorn and Barbro, or Bjorn and Tutta, as they will be called, are going to a new home together. I am so happy about their home. I am also thrilled with Belju's home. Belju is going have a kitten shower thrown for Belju by her new mom's friends. I just love that idea. Benji and Buster are looking for new homes.



I will post more information about our kitty family later.