FEATURES: SHORTHAIR – CHAMPION BILLIE BLUE EYES LONGHAIR – CHAMPION WHITE FRIAR PURRSONALITY – MR. FRED GRESHAM CELEBRATING – CONNIE STEWART A 19th CENTURY CHRISTMAS – and more!
‘Joy to the World… …the Lord is come!
DECEMBER 2020 Volume 1. No.6
INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE FOR CAT LOVERS - LINECHASERS - & FANCIERS OF FELINE HISTORY
“Today’s achievements are part of tomorrow’s history”
FELIS HISTORICA HARRISON WEIR COLLECTION SUBSCRIPTIONS Published Monthly Single Issue $4.00 USD ANNUALLY $48.00 USD EDITOR
DECEMBER 2020 - VOLUME 1 NUMBER 6 PUBLISHED BY A-CAT-EMY CONCEPTS FOR THE HARRISON WEIR COLLECTION Content: All Rights Reserved. © A-Cat-Emy Concepts
John G. Smithson editor@felishistorica.com HISTORY PARTNERS The CFA Foundation COLUMNISTS
Karen Lawrence (St. Catharines, Canada)
Lorraine Shelton (California, USA)
5
Dr. Leslie Lyons (Missouri, USA)
5
Laura Dilley Thomas (Virginia, USA)
Laura Vocelle (Muscat, Oman)
Dr. Keith Hammett (QSM) (Auckland, NZ)
Valerie Sheldrake Feline Historian (Suffolk, UK)
Jamie Christian (Ohio, USA)
PHOTOGRAPHY & GRAPHICS
Helmi & Ken Flick (Florida, USA)
5
Jack Terry (Florida, USA)
IN THIS ISSUE!
DECEMBER 2020 - Volume 1 No.6
EDITORIAL The Editor outlines issues covered in Issue 6 of Felis Historica!
6
CONTRIBUTING TEAM MEMBERS Gallery of our Team of Columnists, Contributors & Correspondents
8
THE CHRISTMAS ART OF DAVID TRANT Canadian Pop-Culture Folk Artist
12
ICONS OF THE CAT FANCY A tribute to the beloved late Connie Stewart – by Karen Lawrence
22
SHORTHAIR HISTORY FEATURE – ‘Ballochmyle Billie Blue Eyes’ (English/British White) – by John Smithson
34
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GENETICS YOU CAN LEARN FROM YOUR CAT! PART 6 - by Dr. Leslie Lyons
42
A NEEDLEPOINT CHRISTMAS – Ornaments by Donna Fuller and Vicki Nye
54
DOMESTIC CAT FEATURE – ‘The Miraculous Life of Kai’ – by Karen Grantley
58
CHRISTMAS AT THE FELINE HISTORICAL MUSEUM Cat-themed Christmas items from the CFA Foundations’ Museum
72
A TEN CATS CHRISTMAS! – An Introduction to Graham Harrop – Cartoonist
80
LONGHAIR HISTORY FEATURE – ‘White Friar’ (Blue-Eyed White Persian) - by John Smithson
82
WE WISH YOU A MEOWY CHRISTMAS – Winning Photos from our Competition 106 PURRSONALITY FEATURE – Mr. Fred Gresham - by John Smithson Dog Breeder, Importer, Cat Judge, Columnist & Author.
114
THE HARRISON WEIR COLLECTION – Recently preserved items in the Collection 122 CELEBRATING MODERN CATS - OUR FEATURED HISTORICAL BREEDS SH Breed - CFA GC, BWC. NW THE CAT INN’S DA BAI LH Breed - FIFe MW, NW, SC. GENASAQUA’S PRINCE OF WHITE’R’US DSM
124 126
TOP CAT CHALLENGE – Pharoanic Cat Club – Judges Choice Winners
130
A 19TH CENTURY CHRISTMAS TRADITION - Featuring works by Harrison Weir.
132
Editorial ‘FELIS HISTORICA’ JOHN G. SMITHSON EDITOR editor@felis-historica.com
This month marks the beginning of both the Christmas festive holiday season, as well as our six-months anniversary edition! It is not my intention to give a precis of all the content in this month’s issue, but simply to say that the over-arching theme for it, was based on ‘A White Christmas,’ which will become more apparent as you thumb through the pages on offer. Our feature articles, whether celebrating historic felines of the past, or modern-day celebrity winners, all centre on ‘white’ cats of differing eye colours and breeds. Importantly, we also feature and celebrate the domestic cat! In most associations there are show categories for domestic cats, and the owners of these cats, are usually in more cases than not, the pool from which our new and enthusiastic cat lovers, future breeders and future judges come from! As a class of responsible ailurophiles, it is our duty to promote and celebrate the beauty of the domestic cat as much as we do the ‘pedigreed’ ones! Most of the popular ‘pedigreed’ cat breeds of today, owe their foundation to a domestic cat population, with either a unique phenotypical and/or genetic trait, or, a trait linked genetically influenced by their originating location. These include the British Shorthair, the American Shorthair, the Maine Coon, the Persian, the Norwegian Forest Cat, the Siberian, the Scottish Fold, the LaPerm, the Devon Rex, the Cornish Rex, to mention only a few, but there are of course, many many others. Type is influenced by selectively breeding, and colours of or patterns by the inherent gene pool.
DECEMBER 2020 Consequently, we include in this issue, just one unique story about a Domestic cat (a rescue kitten), and how it influenced the lives of the family members that became its adoptees. It is a heart-warming story, and a potent reminder that every cat deserves the chance to be loved and labelled as ‘special’ or unique. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the many contributors of articles and photographs to our editions over the past six months. You have so generously helped us to provide a new and colourful cat-centric magazine. I most humbly thank our advertisers and the Cat Associations that have supported us in our efforts to date, during this, our first year out of the blocks! To our subscribers, we promise to keep improving the quality of both content and presentation, and to provide you with a continuing array of informative articles on breeds, feline history, both pedigreed and domestic; humour and education on a raft of feline topics, including but not limited to genetics, veterinary care, the show scene, new products and services, and the stories about individual cats, cat lovers and fanciers. It is our sincere hope that you will take time to sit back and enjoy this Christmas edition, and we look forward to bringing you more in 2021! Accordingly, we wish a safe and happy Christmas Holiday to one and all, and a blessed time spent with family, friends and beloved feline companions, leading you into a bright and prosperous New Year with great promise of things to come.
John EDITOR FELIS HISTORICA
Images: www.gograph.com
COPYRIGHT © A-CAT-EMY CONCEPTS / FELIS HISTORICA THE HARRISON WEIR COLLECTION No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written consent. No responsibility is accepted for accuracy of advertisements or information. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.felis-historica.com www.harrisonweir.com