**We are excited to present our Summer Litters!**

CONGRATULATIONS TO VICTORIA AND SAMMY! They had 3 babies on July 14th, 2010. All three Kittens are boys. Below is are Victoria's babies at 5 weeks of age. They were born in the middle of a Tornado Warning hence their names: From Left to Right: Boomer, Thunder, and Stormy Below are Victoria's Kittens pictured individually at 7 weeks old... Boomer - Seal Bicolor Male "Available" Stormy - Blue Bicolor Male "Available" Thunder - Blue Bicolor Male "Available"

Hershey - Seal Mitted Male
"Available"

Magic - Seal Colorpoint Male
"Available"

Midnight - Seal Colorpoint Male
"Available"

Snickers - Seal Mitted Male
"Available"

Prices: The cost for a Pet Quality Ragdoll kitten is $600.00. This price includes spay or neuter, complete vet exam, vaccinations, and a kitten starter bag filled with a sample of the food your kitten is eating and toys they like to play with. (We are not selling Breeder Quality Kittens at this time). A deposit of $200.00 will hold your kittens until he/she is ready to leave.

For more information and interest in availability please contact:
 Liz Nickel
HOME: (715) 345-9607
CELL:  (715) 323-2424
EMAIL: bnickel@charter.net

Indoors only please! Because Ragdolls lack the instinct to defend themselves when attacked, they must be kept as indoor pets only.

The First Two Weeks: Restrict your new kitten to one room with food, water, a litter box and scratching post for at least a week. Your bedroom or a child's bedroom is ideal. While holding the kitten, gradually take it out of the room. Extend the length and number of visits each day, until Kitty is comfortable outside the room. I have had great success with Feliway Comfort Zone Spray and Feliway Electric Diffusers to help in kitty transitions. The Feliway spray is great for vet visits. Spray the inside of your kitty carrier and let it dry. It should help to calm kitty while going to the vet.

Altering: All pet kittens will be altered at 12 weeks and allowed to go home with you at 13 weeks. This places the responsibility of altering and recovery with us.
Altering a kitten before the traditional 6 or 7 months of age is considered "early age altering", females are spayed and males are neutered. There are several issues associated with this topic. Is it safe? Do kittens have problems with the anestetics? Do they recover okay? Does early altering affect a kitten's health or growth?
Let me address these questions. First, is it safe? Research has found that very young kittens suffer from no more complications than older cats undergoing altering at traditional ages. Second, do they have problems with the anesthetics? Young kittens do very well with the anesthetics when given appropriately. Third, do they recover okay? Younger pets actually recover earlier than older cats. Most kittens will be active and even playing within a few hours after their surgery. Finally, does early altering affect the kitten's health or growth? Many veterinarians have worried that early spaying and neutering would affect a cat's growth, future obesity, and overall health. Research has found that most of these concerns are unfounded. Growth, weight and overall health were very similar in cats early altered vs. cats altered at a traditional age. For more information, please see: http://catvet.homestead.com/earlyalter.html
 

Feeding: Dry food should be "free fed" which means that the food is continually available. Our kittens are fed Iams Kitten (Purple bag).  Fancy Feast canned food is also given once per day.
Kittens and cats will thrive as long as they are fed a well balanced food. Look for a Nutritional Adequacy Statement on the label, such as, "Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (the food) provides complete and balanced nutrition for gestation, lactation and growth." If you decide to switch foods, please so do gradually.
Do not give milk to your kitten because it is likely to cause diarrhea. Fresh water should be available at all times. Our kitties love the Drinkwell Pet Fountain. If you add goodies from the table, the diet will no longer be balanced and may also cause diarrhea.

 Immunizations: The combination distemper vaccine - Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (FVR), Caliciviral Disease (FCV) and Feline Panleukopenia (FP) - is given at eight weeks of age or older, at about 11 weeks and 15 weeks, again at one year later, and every three years after that. We use Merial PureVax Feline 3, a non-aluminum containing, Modified Live Vaccine.
We strongly recommend against vaccinating for Feline Leukemia (FeLV) and FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis). Recent work at U.C. Davis (Peterson) suggests that the vaccine is not effective and may have injection site complications.

Scratching: Scratching is a natural behavior for cats. They do it to mark their territories, for pleasure, and for exercise. Punishing a cat physically simply does not work. You will break the trust and security that is the basis for your cat's relationship with you.
Your kitten will be familiar with a scratching post. It's a good idea to have a scratching post at home. A good post should be tall enough for your Kitty to fully stretch her body, usually at least 28 inches tall, and should be very stable. Cats love sisal! Overstock.com is a good source for affordable cat furniture.

 Please Do Not Declaw! If you are not familiar with what is done during the actual procedure, please see: http://www.declawing.com/ Declawing is an irreversible surgical procedure that involves amputating the last joint of the cat's "toes."
 When I begin handling newborn kittens, I make sure to massage their paws gently to get them used to having them touched. From the time your kitten is walking and playing, I will trim it's claws. You will be amazed at how quickly trimming can be accomplished once you become practiced, especially when kitty's claws are trimmed at an early age.
I find that baby nail clippers work the best. I simply cradle the kitty in my lap in a brightly lit location (often sitting on the carpet in front of my patio door). I do the front paws first because kitty tends to wiggle the most with the trimming in plain view. I gently squeeze the foot pad to extent the claw and then simply nip off the "clear" tip of the claw, being sure to avoid the "pink" or quick. Front claws have five nails, the back - four. I reward with some healthy kitty treats and lots of praise when I'm done. This little tip will make a big difference in kitty's behavior next time!

Play Toys: Kittens love to play. Provide harmless outlets for all that energy by supplying toys that are safe. Please don't let your kitten play with string or thread that can be eaten. A few suggestions: feather toys, catnip toys, jingle balls and catnip mats.

Poisons: For a list of poisonous plants, please see: http://www.cfa.org/articles/plants.html
The number one cause of vomiting and diarrhea in cats is the ingestion of foreign materials, including plants. Remember: any liquid that a cat steps into will be licked off it's paws and can pose a danger, especially auto products. Most fatal poisonings are caused by antifreeze or Tylenol.

Traveling with Kitty: Cats should be transported in a secure enclosure. Cats feel safer in a carrier, and however much they may complain about the car ride, it would be worse if they were loose. Try to avoid the temptation of a buying a cardboard carrier. They don't hold up well and aren't secure.

For more information and interest in availability please contact:
 Liz Nickel
HOME: (715) 345-9607
CELL:  (715) 323-2424
EMAIL: bnickel@charter.net