CAT LOVER FINDS MATCH IN PERSIANS : WOMAN SHARES LANCASTER HOME WITH AWARD-WINNING SHORTHAIRS.Byline: Karen Thacker Special to the Daily News For Christmas 1966, Sue Fraser got the Persian cat Persian cat: see cat. Persian cat Breed of stocky, round-headed domestic cat that has a long, silky coat (many colours possible), large round eyes, snub nose, and thick ruff. The breed is often referred to as the longhair. she had always wanted. Now she's made a career out of Persians, breeding the fluffy, round-headed felines - plus exotic shorthairs, which are Persians with short, plush coats - for more than 26 years. ``I just love them,'' Fraser, 50, said of the cats she raises on her 2-1/2-acre home lot in a ``cattery'' - the cat term for kennel - called The Lion House The Lion House was built in 1856 by Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, Utah to accommodate his family of approximately 27 women and 56 children. Truman O. Angell, Brigham Young's brother-in-law, who designed the Salt Lake City Temple was also involved in the design of this . ``We're lucky if we break even - it's for the love of the animal.'' This weekend, five of Fraser's cats - four adults and a kitten - will be among the entrants at the 26th annual Hi Desert Cat Show. Running 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, the show has drawn a record 243 entrants. ``The numbers kind of surprised us,'' said Rebecah Carr, publicity chairman for the cat club. ``It's going to be a packed show.'' Admission for spectators is $3 for adults and $1.50 for seniors and children ages 3 to 12. Entries came from all over Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, , with a few from Northern California Northern California, sometimes referred to as NorCal, is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The region contains the San Francisco Bay Area, the state capital, Sacramento; as well as the substantial natural beauty of the redwood forests, the northern and Las Vegas. Most entrants are purebred purebred progeny derived from at least several generations of animals of the same breed. purebred herds herds (or flocks) composed of purebred animals. Not necessarily registered animals. Distinct from crossbred herds. cats, like the ones Fraser will be entering. Judges will be appraising those for how well they meet the standards for their breeds, then pick the top animals in the kitten, adult and premier categories. The last category is for cats that have been spayed spay tr.v. spayed, spay·ing, spays To remove surgically the ovaries of (an animal). [Middle English spaien, from Anglo-Norman espeier, to cut with a sword or neutered neu·ter adj. 1. Grammar a. Neither masculine nor feminine in gender. b. Neither active nor passive; intransitive. Used of verbs. 2. a. . But not all the entrants have pedigrees. The show also has a competition for household pets. Unlike the purebreds, the household pets must be neutered or spayed, and are judged pretty much on personality, organizers said. Those entrants usually come from Antelope Valley residents. When the household pets are brought out on the table for judging, the judges watch for how the cat reacts to them and how much charm the animal uses to get their attention. ``I've noticed when the household pet judging is going on there's a lot more people watching,'' Carr said. ``The cat cannot be mean . . . and they have to be cats that don't get scared.'' Last year the standout was a 22-year-old cat, picked because of its sharp personality and age. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos Photo: (1--ran in AV only--color) Sue Fraser has turned her Lancaster home into a ``cattery cattery a housing facility for cats; usually for boarding or breeding. ,'' which specializes in breeding round-headed, fluffy Persians, like this 2-1/2-week-old kitten. (2--ran in SAC and AV editions--color in AV) Sue Fraser's cats have a winning history in competition. Fraser's felines are competing in the Hi Desert Cat Show this weekend. (3--ran in SAC and AV editions) Sue Fraser of Lancaster's The Lion House poses with a couple of her Persian cat buddies. Jeff Goldwater/Daily News |
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