South Africa is very isolated but through the Internet & the various mailing lists, I am able to feel part of the greater world-wide fancy. Where else could I spend a couple of pleasant hours each day learning what I have learnt in the last 11 months? New breeds, politics, vital health information, etc. etc.

I have been breeding Burmese since 1981. Fortunately, South Africa embraced the 10 colour spectrum of Burmese, what most Americans refer to rather disparagingly, in my opinion, as European or Foreign Burmese. I readily admit that I too was a "purist" as far as the colours were concerned until I realised just how inbred our local Burmese population was. This set my future course for breeding.

Besides the 9 dogs who share our home, we have all my Burmese & the only Bombays (at present) in South Africa. The outdoor cat runs are a sanctuary to 3 leopard tortoises that were rescued from veldt fires... they are excellent "lawn" mowers & thrive on dry premium cat food.

In order to keep my cats in the manner to which they have grown accustomed to, I own & run a boarding kennel & cattery (sold the kennels in 1998 after my remarriage as I immigrated to the USA) which I started in January 1981 (also started breeding Burmese that same year although I had bred a single litter in the early seventies, but because I was pursuing a nursing career did not continue.)

The first of my imported cats came from England in 1986 - a cream male, Gd. Ch. Gitalaya Starshadow Gorgeous Gus D.M., who had been successfully campaigned to Championship in the UK & was also Kitten of the Year in 1985. He was accompanied by a lilac/platinum male kitten, Ch. Gitalaya Timaling Viking Warrior D.M. Gus has had an extraordinary influence on the red & cream breeding programmes in SA by introducing the desired "powdered" effect we breeders like to see, in particular for the cream coated Burmese. He was the top Burmese sire for no fewer than 7 years! He unfortunately developed FLUTD in Sept. 1992 & had to be castrated. He now lives in luxurious retirement with other "Golden Oldies" who have contributed so much to my programme. [Gus went to Rainbow Bridge in 1998]

Viking Warrior, aka Herbie, born in March 1986, is still a working stud, & probably one of the largest Burmese boys around! Not only by bulk but in size! [Sadly, Herbie went to Rainbow Bridge in October 2000 due to liver failure]

These first 2 imports were followed by a further 4 studs, the most recent of which arrived last year in October. Their full story, along with the history of Gitalaya Cattery appears on my homepages - under the title of "Stud Tales"

I have also imported 2 Burmese females from Elaine Gleason of Hullabaloo Cattery - London, Ont. Canada. My brown girl from Elaine, Gitalaya Hullabaloo Celebration obtained her D.M. last in August when a chocolate female got her final Supreme Challenge certificate. Patience, the other girl is presently raising a litter of chocolates for me. Both are excellent mothers & a credit to their breeder.

In January 1995, I welcomed the first Bombays to South Africa. Bob & Carol Winston's Windshadow Knight Rider; Fenton & Judy Kovic's Fejuko Hugs 'n Kisses as well as a girl from Germany bred by Hilde Frank: Nancy von Heidberge (introduction through Fenton & Judy!) So I have 2 cats that are registered with TICA as well as with the Canadian Cat Association & several from the England registered with the GGCF. In March, I imported a further Bombay female from the UK, Boronga Black Savita.

Imported cats are permitted to have the "importee's" (?) prefix added to their names & remain part of the official name for the cats life! We do not add suffixes in SA. I soon hope to have Bombay info on my homepages too.

My cattery is an outdoor cattery, with large runs & wendy houses for shelter & accommodation. Each unit has electricity for winter heating & light as required. We also have "nursery rooms" where kittens move to when they are about 8 - 9 weeks, after their first inoculation. Giving them access to a secure outside world! It covers about half an acre with its own gardens & trees. One of the benefits of living outside the city limits!

My husband, *John & I, live in a rural community of some 10,000 souls. We are fortunate to have a fairly large property (for our area) of 93 acres. We have protected the ground as best we can & have about 10 acres of indigenous bush - providing homes for many creatures... from an incredible variety of birds, which includes guinea fowl & francolin. Rabbits abound & on occasion I have seen the endangered brown riverine rabbit! Also in our little wood is the meerkat - a sort of mongoose - which has a bad reputation as being a rabies vector. Unfortunately, it is too often true.  [*John passed away on September 12th, 1997]

Other creatures that are part of "our world" are the endangered black eagles that nest at the Witwatersrand Botanical Gardens some 10 kilometres away from us. We often see them soaring on the thermals while they hunt! Several years ago, I was on my way to provision the household when I drove out & saw one of the eagles on the ground. It had just caught a rabbit! It flew off despite my slow approach! But what a thrill! More recently, as I was returning to kennels after lunch, the eagles were out hunting, I wondered what they were after. About 100 meters down the dirt road, there was a moggie in the road. I accelerated which seem to "stall" the eagles, giving the cat a chance to dart across the road into the long veldt grasses to safety under the trees.

Well water is stored in a water tower. It is 8 metres tall. The residents of the tower include a nesting pair of Giant Spotted Eagle Owls as well as a pair of barn owls. It is not uncommon at dusk to see them leave on their hunting expeditions. On bright moonlit nights, we see them winging their across the veldt.

Not so long ago, after a show, I was sitting in the living room (I had earned a celebratory drink when I heard a frantic scratching on one of the patio doors... thinking it was once of the dogs wanting to be let in, I did a "head count" & all were present & correct... I got up & peeped through the patio door. There was a beautiful silvery grey barn owl asking for admission! I turned off the light wondering how I could rescue the bird & scurried out to find a wire cat carrier... However, when I returned, the bird had literally flown! I was relieved it had not injured itself! I guess it was out hunting & maybe a rodent had scampered onto the patio & it had followed in hot pursuit probably blinded by the light!

Two years ago, I was on my way to Cat of the Year, one of my Burmese had qualified! Not 300 metres from our gate, I glanced across the veldt & noticed a "dog" running in the distance... but instinctively knew it wasn't a "dog", I slowed & a black backed jackal ran across the road in front of me! There have always been jackals in our area, we have heard them but this was the first time I had ever seen one!

We are also aware of wild cats that roam, civets etc. the area... But, as yet, have never seen one!

One of the adjacent areas is the internationally famous paleo-entological site of Sterkfontein (a 10 minute drive from our farm). In the 20s, the Sterkfontein Caves [click icon left for link] were discovered by gold prospectors. Little did the world know of the exciting discoveries to follow. The skull of "Mrs. Ples", who roamed this planet 2.5 million years ago was found there. New digs have been opened in our area as well. There was an interesting documentary on the work being done by Witwatersrand (Wits) University shown on TV recently. Last year the South African Broadcasting Corporation aired Ape Man, hosted by Walter Cronkite on national TV & part of the Sterkfontein digs were shown.

Small game parks are common around Muldersdrif. There is a rhino sanctuary, several hotels have their own private parks all within 20 minutes to half an hours drive! South African tourist brochures rightfully boast that this is a world within a country!

Indigenous "Lilies" found in the veldt - in the various flowering stages

You can travel to some high peaks in the mountains for skiing in winter, or down to the coastal regions for a glorious holiday along some of the most breathtaking beaches in the world!

Of course there are our world renowned game parks, both supported by the Parks Board & many, many private game lodges & wild life sanctuaries.. Check my South African Links ..

South Africa can boast to having a great deal of sunshine when compared to many other countries. The climate on the whole is temperate, although our winters can be harsh too. Even in winter, daytime temperatures are generally warm when some of the locals can be found wearing shorts & T shirts! But, once the sun sets, the temperatures drop quite rapidly with sneaky winds.

I hope you have enjoyed some of the beautiful wild flowers that colour(ed) .. My World....

For further impressions of "My World" - 
my Tribute to Rhodesian Ridgebacks ..

My "New" World is now in New Jersey in the USA

Flower images : Agapanthus - blue & white; Red hot poker; Amaryllis; Clivias ..
All indigenous to South Africa

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