Jay: What made you decide to get your first cat and what kind was it?
Ellen:  I've had cats all my life - I grew up in the country - and we had 'barn cats', most were semi-feral - and came and went at their own pleasure. The one cat who stayed and presented us with kittens regularly, twice a year was called "Fluffy" - a semi-LH  female that lived to be well into her teens - unusual for outdoor cats living on a fairly busy road.

Jay: When did you get your first pedigreed (show quality) cat and what breed was it?
Ellen:  My first pedigreed breed was Persian - and they would hardly be considered to be show quality today! Persians looked far different in 1968 than they do today! My first really top quality Persian was a black male - and although I bought him from a breeder in Alabama, he was bred by none other than TICA's own Larry Paul! Small world.

Jay: When did you become involved in breeding and why?
Ellen:  1968 - I was in college and wanted a cat in my first apartment - and it occured to me that it would be nice to have a pedigreed cat. Someone in our town was advertising Persians on 'breeders' terms' where you got the cat free and had two litters, giving 3 kittens back from each - not much of a  deal!!

Jay: What breeds have you/do you breed, and why?
Ellen:   I have had Persians, Himalayans, American Shorthairs, Devon Rex and Sphynx. Currently only Devon Rex, although I'm quite sure that there is a Sphynx in my future too.

Jay: When did you become involved in TICA and why?
Ellen:  I became involved in TICA on the day it was formed. A group of us who had an ACFA club were called to meet in Bobbie (then Myers) Tullo's home. We chartered Commencement Cat Fanciers - TICA's club charter #1 on that day - and we all joined. My husband and I have VERY low (single digit) membership numbers. We were convinced that TICA would be better than its predecessor, and that the concepts were exciting.

Jay: What other associations were you ever involved with?
Ellen:  Before TICA, ACFA and CFA.

Jay: When and why did you decide to become a judge?
Ellen:  It was a natural progression - I began to clerk - and enjoyed seeing the cats up close and personal - I probably would have gone into the program earlier, but Larry's Army career took us to Germany for 3 years and there was no TICA over there in the early '80s. I entered the program as soon as we returned from overseas.

Jay: What is your fondest memory of TICA?
Ellen:  Wow - there are so many - my fondest PERSONAL memory is one from a show about 3 years ago in Springfield MA. The gate was very large - and I had quite an audience for my HHP final. I was taking questions from the audience, and someone asked if declawed cats could be shown. I explained that we allowed it in TICA, as many times a cat adopted from a shelter might already be declawed - but that I believed that if people really knew what was done in this surgery, it wouldn't be done so often. I went on to explain what the surgery entails - and
some of the problems that can arise, as well as information about scratching posts and training. There was a middle aged couple in the back row - a very tall, substantial man with a  petite wife - they had a cardboard carrier in their hands - and came up to speak to me as soon as the final was over. The man had tears in his eyes as he thanked me for what I said - and told me that they had adopted a kitten from the humane society that was at the show - and had planned to have it declawed - but that they wouldn't think of it after hearing what I said. I later saw them leaving with a HUGE cat tree in tow - as well as several bags of cat toys. I really felt that I had made a difference that day.

Jay: What advise would you give to Russian Blue exhibitors about showing this breed?
Ellen:  I can remember, years ago, when all Russian Blues were bad actors at shows. If you heard a cat scream in a show hall, someone would always comment - "Its the Russian" - and they were probably right. The breed has come a long way over the years - and I don't really see Russians today that have temperament problems - the breeders are to be congratulated. I'm sure that socialization has a big part to do with it - as well as breeding sweet tempered lines. Whatever you are doing - keep it up!

Jay:  Do you have anything else to add?
Ellen:  Thanks for the opportunity to take the survey - it is interesting to hear things about judges.  It lets people know that judges are 'real people' too!

copyright © 1999 Jay Lehman