Nov 19 2022

It’s official!

  • November 19, 2022

Violet is now a TICA Supreme Grand Champion!  She got Best Cat from one of the judges at the Quebec City show, which the last thing she needed to cross the threshold from Quadruple to Supreme.

We’re especially thrilled because it’s very hard for a female Maine Coon to reach Supreme, as the breed standard favors boys. And while we’ve had other cats reach Supreme before, they were cats we got from other breeders we added our lines. Violet is the first Supreme of our own breeding!

As for Violet, while she could continue to show and earn points for a regional title, she’s happy to retire from showing, go on dates with some boys, and make some kittens.

Congratulations, Violet!

Supreme Grand Champion Atlastcats Violet

It’s official!

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/its-official/

Oct 09 2022

Eye see what you did there

  • October 9, 2022

Mariah and Fezzik’s kids are doing great! They’ve graduated to solid food and have mostly mastered the litter box. It’s always entertaining when you walk in the room and they all come running up to your feet to check you out.

We chose an “Eye” theme for the litter because they were born a just a few days before Chris had eye surgery.

Since they all look so similar we’ve had to put velcro collars on them to tell them apart. Side-by-side you can see differences: Iris, Retina, and Cornea are darker than Pupil and Macula (Iris is probably the darkest and Pupil the lightest) but that doesn’t register on the pictures unless you look closely.  Hopefully, as they get older and slightly less squirmy we can identify markings so the collars won’t be necessary.

All of these kittens are reserved.

Retina (boy) purple collar

Pupil (boy) green collar

Macula (boy) red collar

Iris (girl) pink collar

Cornea (boy) blue collar

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/eye-see-what-you-did-there/

Sep 24 2022

Mariah’s first and last

  • September 24, 2022

Mariah gave birth to five beautiful kittens on September 3rd. All of the kittens are healthy and growing like crazy. Mariah took to being a mother very well, and the kittens took to nursing with no issues. The kittens are just starting to walk and explore beyond their nest a little.

Apologies for the long delay in posting this, but it’s been quite the time. Although we got as many kittens as expected and counted all of the placentas (and then some) there was still an extra placenta inside Mariah that we didn’t know about. She developed a serious infection and had to be spayed. Plus another visit to the vet a few days later for stronger antibiotics.

This hasn’t prevented Mariah from nursing the kittens and being a good mama (though the e-collar after surgery certainly frustrated her).

There are four boys and one girl, all of which are reserved. We’re keeping the girl to replace Mariah.  Mariah came to us with very good genetics from another breeder, and we definitely want to keep those in the mix for future litters.

Fezzik, the father, was pleased that the kids all have his red silver color (though it could have come from Mariah just as easily). We are having a very hard time telling all of the kittens apart!

We’re considering an “eye” theme for the litter, since I had cataract surgery a few days after the birth. Possible temporary names are Iris, Cornea, Pupil, Retina, and Lens. Marie vetoed Vitreous Body, Sclera, and Optic Nerve, for some reason.

Five cuties

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/mariahs-first-and-last/

Aug 06 2022

Logan, Violet, and a Cat Show

  • August 6, 2022

First things first! We’re incredibly happy to welcome Logan to our home as a show cat and future kitten daddy. He comes to us from Coons’Kin Maine Coon Cats in San Diego, California. Besides being a beautiful boy, Logan is was super friendly from the moment we picked him up a the airport (hence the name). When he isn’t playing, eating, or sleeping, he seeks out our laps.

Yes, he will grow into those ears!

This past weekend we brought our girl Violet to a cat show in Auburn Massachusetts. Although Logan is too young to show, we brought him along so he could get used to the sounds and smells of the show hall and staying in a hotel. He handled it all like a pro.

Meanwhile, Violet had a great show! She earned her Champion title at her first show a few months ago, and we’re pretty sure she earned enough finals and points to be a Triple Grand Champion. (Maybe a Quadruple. We haven’t done all of the math yet).

Violet is judged

Violet did well!

After the first day of the show, Violet and Logan relaxed with us in the hotel. Being a show cat is tiring!

Sleepy Violet

Sleepy boy

Buddies

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/logan-violet-and-a-cat-show/

Jun 30 2022

Tropicana is available!

  • June 30, 2022

Update: Tropicana has found her forever home!

Tropicana is an energetic 6-month-old girl who also likes to curl up in a lap. That is, when she isn’t playing with anything (or anyone) available. You know how kittens can be. One minute they’re napping and looking super-cute and the next minute you’re laughing because they got a case of the zoomies.

If you’re interested in Tropicana, please send an email to atlastcats@gmail.com and tell us a bit about yourself and your household, and if it seems like you’re a good match with Tropicana we’ll send you our online application.

Just chillin’.

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/tropicana-is-available/

May 18 2022

Goodbye, Hemi

  • May 18, 2022

Hemi

Yesterday we said goodbye to our 17 year old Hemi, a black and white shorthair cat. She came to us in early 2005 as a kitten from a rescue when we still lived in Connecticut. She preceded our cattery and our first two Maine Coons, Fargo and Flash. She was the exercise enforcer for the early period of her life, ensuring all the cats and kittens got plenty of exercise running around the condo. She was initially scared of men, even Chris. By the time she was 10 she finally became comfortable with him. We assumed she had been abused before we got her.

In her second decade she developed arthritis in her spine and began to slow down. Last summer she was diagnosed with kidney failure and not long after a growth, probably cancer, was found in her lungs. At that time we were told she had at best a few months to live. We were lucky to have another 9 months with her. This past weekend she started to have problems breathing, so it is likely the lung tumor had grown. She was a love to the end, even purring when it was hard for her to do so. Her passing is so very hard for us and she is missed.

In the last two pictures she is looking at the sheep on our lawn that escaped from their pen across the street.

Merry Christmas!

Rub my belly!

This laptop is nice and warm. You didn’t need it for anything, did you?

Are those sheep in the front porch?

Are they goof for eating?

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/goodbye-hemi/

Mar 19 2022

One for Nikki

  • March 19, 2022

Darling Nikki had a single boy kitten on February 27th in what is probably her last litter.  He’s just starting to walk and is growing fast (but then, he is getting all that milk to himself).

Fezzik, the father had no comment other than that he’d like to try again, if only to prove his virility. We’ve told him that based on his past performance that we have complete confidence in him. But for him it’s a matter of pride. Or he’s just a horndog.

This kitten is reserved.

We woke him up for this picture

He’s a cutie

Back to sleep

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/one-for-nikki/

Feb 26 2022

Typical

  • February 26, 2022

ZZZZZzzzzzzzz

Buster was just getting in his pre-breakfast nap. He looks like he’s had a terrible accident, but this is what he considers comfortable.  Must… not… rub… the… belleh….

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/typical/

Feb 06 2022

The Cat Pack hits Vegas

  • February 6, 2022

Lola’s kittens are growing like crazy and are doing well. They have met the litter box and so far they’ve been using it. Smart kids! Overall they’re just a very active and curious bunch.

When the kittens were a few weeks old, Lola moved them from the nest to a spot near the door to the next room. Fezzik, the father, was on the other side of the door. After much consideration we decided that she wanted her children to have a relationship with their father. Fezzik, for his part, would have loved to be be in the same room with them, but his priority was more likely to make more kittens (too soon!), not to meet the existing ones.

He’s such a player. Love ’em. Leave ’em. Love ’em again.

Anyway, we’re not gamblers, but we decided on a Casino theme for this litter because, “Her name was Lola, she was a show cat…” Okay, the Copacabana was in New York, but Las Vegas is where you expect to see show girls.

All of these kittens are reserved.

Tropicana (girl)

Bellagio (boy)

Stardust (girl)

Mirage (girl)

Excalibur (boy)

Luxor (boy)

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/the-cat-pack-hits-vegas/

Jan 16 2022

Meet the Honda Litter

  • January 16, 2022

Starry Night’s kittens sat for their photos today. Well, if you could call it sitting. It was more like running, flipping over, and turning away from the camera. If kitten butt pictures could be sold as NFTs we’d make a fortune.  Maybe as cryptocurrency? CryptoKittenButts?

Nonetheless, we got a few good pictures!

In other news, we’re pleased to report that they have mastered the litter box with almost no out-of-the-box events! This is a welcome respite, because for about a week Sarah’s litter was creating a Poopageddon (Poopnobyl?) in their room that needed constant cleaning. Thankfully they are past that stage!

All of these kittens are reserved.

Pilot (boy)

Civic (boy)

Accord (boy)

Permanent link to this article: https://atlastcats.com/meet-the-honda-litter/