My interest in chocolate and lilac cats began in 1996 when I purchased Lotus, a tortie point himmie possible chocolate carrier and learned from the breeder about the rarity of these colours. I had purchased breeding rights but soon learned that Lotus was really pet quality and that if I was going to be a serious breeder I would need to know much more about it before I would see the results I desired.
Once I had the Internet available I began my search for chocolate and lilacs in earnest. In 1999 I purchased RW CH Pkay's Multiplicity of Pawsitive (we called her CiCi) an adult chocolate tortie point and in 2000 followed with the purchase of CH Degentilly Star, an adult chocolate male from Chocoland Cattery in France. Sadly CiCi died as a result of a twisted uterine horn in pregnancy and my dreams of the chocolate and lilac kittens she might produce were lost forever. I have only a silver tabby grandson of hers who may be a chocolate carrier but I have never considered using him in my breeding program. Perhaps someday when I am further along with all this.
In 2000 Star was bred to Sporty - a tortoiseshell daughter out of Lotus
my first himmie and possible lilac and chocolate carrier. Together Star
and Sporty produced a litter of six kittens out of which I selected Serena,
a tortoiseshell chocolate carrier breeder to carry on the chocolate breeding
lines. Serena was bred in 2002 to CH Prancenpaws Romeus a flamepoint and
produced Fallbrooke a fourth generation tortoiseshell descendent of Lotus
and possible chocolate carrier who has good type will soon be shown.
In 2001 Star was bred to Snopeke Finesse a very typy tortoiseshell cpc
and together they produced Stepp'nstone's Gaiia a lovely blue female who
I showed and championed but then lost to serious illness when only 9 months.
If there is one thing I have learned over these past several years of
work with my beloved cats, it is that there will be heartbreak and disappointment.
This was one of those very sad times. Later in 2001 Stepp'nstone's Promises,
a blue chocolate carrier male was born out of a breeding of Degentilly
Star to Snopeke Hurricane, a blue Persian female on my website. Promises
is now being shown in CCA and CFA working on his Grand-Champion title.
Compared to many, I am in my infancy in my chocolate and lilac breeding
program. It has been seven years and only now am I on the brink of seeing
the results of all these years of working towards this goal. I know I
could have been here sooner if I had acquired another visual lilac or
chocolate, but then I would not have learned as much as I have along the
way. As I write this, I am impatiently awaiting the first breeding of
Stepp'nstone's Promises to Stepp'nstone's Serena and holding my breath
to see if they will produce chocolate or lilac in their first litter.
With Serena being a tortoiseshell anything is possible. Then there is
her daughter Fallbrooke a possible chocolate and lilac carrier. She too
is looking invitingly at Promises these days sensing spring is in the
air. I wonder..........? Wouldn't it be wonderful?
