Magazine Milestone

Thats Right, we are in Print Baby!

It is with my great pleasure to share this with the group. A few months back I was contacted by a Brazillian journalist Fabio Bense who wanted to do a short article on the Helki Cat Breed. I still don't know who pushed them in my direction but I thank you kindly. Ceas & Cia promptly got photos and asked me soooo many questions. After all was said and done (proofing, etc), I was told thank you and heard nothing more. I thought that possibly its such a new face on the cat breed block that maybe it wasn't something they were interested in doing. I shrugged my shoulders and went on with my life. That was until yesterday when I got the magazine in my mailbox. I am attaching the article with what I was told is the English translation, with the Magazine front as the background. This is the October Issue of Ceas & Cia which can also be view virtually & purchased on their website: http://www.caes-e-cia.com.br/

The cat in the picture is Wyrdwul Sapporo aka Purro, whose kitten photos many of you may be familiar with: http://www.flickr.com/photos/helkicats/sets/72157622856916252/

Thank you all again, for your continued support.


Aubrey Anderson


tomorrows blog: Too Young

More Milestones

Oh this blog, I really should update better. I do have some news, so I want to share it. Yesterday Heather Roberts (All Breed Judge in TICA & member of the Genetics Committee) was kind enough to stop by my home to see the Helki up close and personal. This was a lovely visit and a good step forward for the breed. Now the Helki has been able to have David Mare (CFA Director At Large) and Heather Roberts (TICA Genetics Committee Member) not only handle the cats but review the Standard of Points.

I think this is a very important step forward and helps me to make the goals I need to continue. I also feel I've gotten valuable information on how to go forward. Some of which will be changing some of the procedures in my own home. I'm notably excited but also I understand this doesn't guarantee anything. Its merely a small step worth noting.

Jumping Through Hoops - Day 1

First thing I want to say is there are going to be some huge changes in the works for me. I have been advised on one occasion in a very polite way that even in CFA it is now time to do Exhibition Only with the Helki. Then recently some staunch advice and words of alert were said to me during a show. My mentor and I had planned on attending and putting the cats on the bench one last time in March, but after that we knew it was time for Exhibition Only. Now I am contemplating just doing Exhibition Only at this show in March. Its a difficult decision for me, however I know the advice given to me could also be the warning that I may be stepping to far into territory where I will be causing myself and my breed nothing but harm. I am not making the decision today but I do think that its time to settle in for the long winter in Exhibition Only. Its not an easy feeling but all the advice given is from those whom I trust and respect. I've never gone wrong by following the advice from these people.

Another thing I'd like to try is 30 days of Helki Blog! I neglect this portion of life so well. I really dont like putting my heart on my sleeve in front of everyone and their dog to read. I like to believe that all people have good intentions but I know from experience that it is not the case. Again I have to think about the breed and not myself. I need breeders and I need people interested in this breed. So in order to do that I need to talk about them and my methods more. Hopefully my honesty can help others understand that my intentions are not bad, even if those people do not agree with me or if they dont like my breed. Here is the skinny, I will attempt to post about the Helki everyday for 30 days. If I skip a day the 30 days starts over. The post may be very simple and sent from my cell phone, or could be long and involved. It will be at my whim and hopefully fun and informative. :)

Experimental Breed Status with TICA

Its a small step but one that helps validate this new breed just the slightest. We now are able to register our cats, kittens, and litters with TICA as the Helki is under Experimental Breed Status. Now to gain breed awareness and find people who are interested enough to venture out into new territory and breed some Helki. As with everything I've experienced with these cats I think it will all fall right into place when the right people and time come around. Its good news and I wanted to share.

Its Official!

Today I recieved my Cattery Name Registration Certificate in the mail. Wyrdwul is now a cattery name that is registered with the Cat Fanciers Association.

I just couldn't believe it!

I go to messybeast.com for anything cat related. Sarah Hartwell is someone I respect and admire not just as a person who loves cats but because she has taken the time to record and keep important cat related info cataloged and available to the public.

Here I was at way too early in the morning trying to do some cat related research and found myself checking out Sarah's site and lo' & behold there is a neat blurb about the Helki.

http://www.messybeast.com/curly-cats-rex.htm "The Helki (2009) developed from feral cats by Aubrey Anderson has a "semi-rex" coat that has a mix of wavy and straight guard hairs that can look unkempt. Helki, means "touch" in Miwok Indian (Northern California) and reflects the silky, fleecy texture of the coat. Early breedings to domestic cats show 50% semi-rexed kittens indicating a dominant gene mutation. Non-rexed kittens can display a mohawk (upright ridge of fur) along the spine when happy. As well as the texture, the fur has a high degree of rufousing, making some colours hard to distinguish. The colour can change during the cat's life; a cream kitten may turn blue and end up reddish-brown while a blue may turn black. The wavy, brittle whiskers are moulted in the first year and replaced by long drooping whiskers and there is a Laperm-like moult of wavy fur as the kittens grow. The breed was mainly developed from feral/semi-feral cats around South Sacramento (Northern California) and the mutation appears to have originated there with LaPerm-type cats also present among local feral colonies, however the Helki is smaller than the LaPerm. The local feline population includes descendants of various Asian cats that arrived with immigrants several decades previously."

I feel honored and I think its awesome to see it unexpectedly. ^_^

Of course there is the neat blurb written by my mentor Anthony N on his RareCatBreeds site "The Helki is an experimental cat breed still in its early developmental stages. It is based on cats with an unusual coat mutation found in Northern California. The name Helki is taken from the Miwok Native American tribe’s language and means ‘touch’. It was chosen to reflect the breed’s most significant feature: its unusual coat texture which can be likened to the feeling of a silky fleece blanket. The feature is caused by a dominant gene and is a semi-rex type coat with some light waving or crimping."

Very cool stuff indeed.

Older Website Stuff I wanted to Keep

Foundation Cats

The map below shows the places where the cats were obtained.

1. Shadow   Sex: Female | D.O.B. 2005 | Size: Medium | Coat Color: Black Smoke | Eye Color: Yellow | Coat Texture: Long Silky | Shadow Princess - Shadow was found when she was about 8 -10 weeks old in the engine of a car down the street in 2005. We tended her burnt paws and shampooed the oily kitten to find she was Black Smoke. Shadow turned out to be a very intelligent cat, her favorite kitten game was to play fetch. She also was great at learning and playing little tricks. Its one of the things she has passed down to her offspring. We never fixed her as all the other males in the house were neutered, and wasn't a problem until years later.

2. Chuck   Sex: Male | D.O.B. 6/2006 | Size: Large | Coat Color: Blue | Eye Color: Yellow | Coat Texture: Short Thick Wooly | Chuck - In 2006 a little blue kitten from the porch down the street was smuggled into my home by my lovely sons. It didn't take long for me to love the little guy but I was totally put off when my little Tom all the sudden had sick eyes. When confronted my sons quickly confessed there was a 2nd kitten who we know now as Chuck. Tom unfortunately snuck out one night and was killed by a neighborhood dog. Chuck on the other hand stuck around to woo the ladies and sire kittens with both Shadow and Mia. After his first two litters were born Chuck also snuck out after we took him for shots at the SPCA so that we could neuter him. Chuck disappeared for 6 months when he returned he was neutered, frightened, and disoriented. Its taken some time but he is now coming back inside for short periods of time

3. Mia   Sex: Female | D.O.B. 4/23/07 | Size: Small | Coat Color: Tortie Tabby | Eye Color: Yellow | Coat Texture: Short Coarse | Mia - I got Mia when she was about 4 months old in 2007, from a co-worker. Mia was loved and cared for but never socialized to humans. I got a very cute sketchy cat that didn't even want pets. She was so small and could hide in the most strange placed. Like in my closet clothes. Yes clothes hanging in the closet! Mia also introduced me to what called silent heat. She would go into heat and only the boys would know. A month later I had one round little girl.

Dominant or Recessive? - Jazz was the only kitten born to Odie(Dam) and Shady(Sire). Shady was the only male cat in the house at the time that was whole, so it made it easy to know who the parents were. With only one kitten in the litter there was no way to determine if the gene was recessive or dominant. Shady had sired a previous litter with Mia and in retrospect several of the kittens born had traits that made the fur different then normal cats I just didn't see the dramatic waves in the fur and known that both Shady and Odie were half siblings, it was then thought that it must be a recessive gene. At that point I wanted to get a breeding pair with the same coat so I bred to Shady to Nermal (Odie's sister and littermate). From that mating two kittens were born with wavy fur. the male Osiris had beautiful tufts of wavy thick wool, his whiskers were short and brittle. The female Isis, had short wooly fur and wavy whiskers. Unfortunately the both passed due to milk fever. Mia the ever sneaky queen got out of the nursery and successfully mated with one of three males in my house. Could be Shady, Garfield, or Pookie. All of which are son's of Chuck. She produced a litter of four. Now armed with looking at not only the fur but the whiskers I could see the Rex trait in all four. Three had the trait in their fur one in her whiskers. Two of the kittens were also nursing off of Nermal and died of milk fever shortly after Osiris and Isis. It was a terrible blow to the heart and mind. It may seem like a short time that these kittens entered my life but I love them still and promise to continue telling their story in hopes I never forget the things I learned and the loves I lost too soon. I put all that love in the last two kittens, AmunRa and Hostlov. Amun Ra had a new version of the wavy fur. It would curl up and backwards. Hostlov has thick soft fur and wavy whiskers but no waves or curls in her coat.

Developing News

Today I went and visited a neighbor across the street from me as she and her husband enjoy cats and cat for around 13+ cats from the feral colony that lives on our block. She has lived in our neighborhood for 33 years or so and has seen many a "throw away" cat come and go.
I was surprised and delighted to see many of Chucks family members including his mother in their backyard. Also it was fun to hear that Chucks name over there is Mr. B
cuz he is mister big in regard to size lol. They also confirmed that Chuck did disappear for 6 to 7 months. I was able to let them know he was neutered and that I believe he moonlights at another house behind me. This couple should win an award for what they have done for this cat colony. In their backyard they have it customized for their feral colony with a sandbox litter box, a cat tree, and cat beds. They have spayed and neutered all but a few that have recently cropped up and make sure the cats get veterinary care when needed.
While I stood amazed and delighted in their home, I was in for even more of a shocker. My neighbor produced several photos with cats that had very obvious Rex coats. I also go a lesson in genealogy and record keeping for these cats! I was quiet impressed. So now I have more of an idea of what the Rex cats look like that have helped to create the Helki breed and I am excited to get the information recorded in my Breeders Assistant program.