Jay: What made you decide to get your first cat and what kind was it?
Lisa:  I was six years old, and the neighbor's cat down the street had had kittens. There was a calico kitten in the litter, who I named Fluffy (she was shorthaired!).  We didn't know much about cats then, Fluffy was our first, and she went in and out, and at eight months old she presented us with two kittens, Tiger (a red tabby and white) and Buff (a cream and white).  They
were allowed out too, and Buff was killed by a car before his first birthday.   Shortly thereafter, like Providence, a black and white shorthair showed up at our door.  Domino and I bonded instantly.  Fluffy and Tiger never liked him much, but when I was around fourteen Domino also fell victim to a car, and they took turns comforting me.  In fact, that's how I knew that Domino was gone.  I literally grew up with Fluffy and Tiger.... I lost them both when I was nineteen.  It took me seven years to be ready to have another cat again.

Jay: When did you get your first pedigreed (show quality) cat and what breed was it?
Lisa: I got Gizmo, a Sphynx, and Muffin, a Devon Rex, in April of 1986.  Winnie, my foundation queen, arrived in October of 1986.

Jay: When did you become involved in breeding and why?
Lisa: I literally fell into breeding, that was not my original plan.  I just wanted two pets to love and spoil.  When Winnie was born in July of 1986 her breeder called me and offered her to me.  It was an offer I couldn't refuse! Winnie had her first litter (of seven!) in November of 1987

Jay: What breeds have you/do you breed, and why?
Lisa:  I have only bred Sphynx.  When I first started I thought that I'd breed both Sphynx and Devons (separately), but decided that would be too much and decided to concentrate on the Sphynx.

I have been owned by and shown Sphynx, Devon Rex (in the Alter Class), an American Shorthair, an American Curl, a Scottish Fold, and a longhair HHP, as well as having shown Persians, a Scottish Fold Longhair, a Siamese, a Bombay, a Tonkinese, and a Maine Coon, among others.

Jay: When did you become involved in TICA and why?
Lisa: I saw my first Sphynx at a TICA show.  Solveig Pflueger directed me to Kim Mueske, Gizmo and Winnie's breeder.  The first cat club I joined was the Westchester Feline Club, a TICA club.  At the time I didn't have much choice if I wanted to show, since the Sphynx was recognized for Championship only in TICA.   I like it here, and although the Sphynx can now compete in Championship in other associations I think I'll stay! <G>

Jay: What other associations were you ever involved with?
Lisa: I Granded both of my Devon girls in Premiership in CFA and showed my American there also (she almost Granded <G>).  I have shown my Sphynx on exhibition in CFA.  I made the presentation to the ACFA Board of Directors to have the Sphynx accepted as an NBC and showed in the NBC class there a couple of times.  In the distant past I have showed my Devons in ACFA, CFF, and AACE and took a few of my Sphynx to a few AACE shows.  But TICA is my "home", and I prefer it way above all the others!

Jay: When and why did you decide to become a judge?
Lisa: I started clerking, and as some of the other judges have stated it was a natural progression.  I think I decided I wanted to be a judge after only a couple of years of showing.  I got my clerk's license, then my Master Clerk's license, then went through the HHP Judging Program before applying to the LH/SH program. It took a long time, but during that time I learned (and am still learning) an awful lot.

Jay: What is your fondest memory of TICA?
Lisa:  There are so many..... of the friends I've made that I never would have had the opportunity to meet if it wasn't for TICA, of the cats I've been all over the place with showing and the special times I have spent with them, the stories (both funny after the fact and during, as well as the not so funny)... I hope to accumulate many more fond memories in the coming years.

Jay: What advise would you give to Russian Blue exhibitors about showing this breed?
Lisa: It seems that in the years I've been involved with the cat fancy Russian Blues have always had a "bad" reputation.... I think that they are simply shyer than other breeds and need lots of socialization when they are very young.  I've always found with my cats that getting them to a show as soon as they hit four months old and helping them to see that shows are fun always helps develop an outgoing show cat.  I don't really feel that I am in a position to tell Russian Blue exhibitors what to do, but can share my methods of "bringing out the best" in a kitten to help.  Actually, in the past few years the Russians I've seen have been less shy, although I will always be extra gentle and slow handling one if he/she appears to be frightened.

Jay:  Do you have anything else to add?
Lisa: I think your idea of interviewing the judges is a good one... it gives the exhibitors (and the other judges as well) the opportunity to learn more about the interviewee, and maybe make us more approachable.  Thanks for your hard work!

copyright © 1999 Jay Lehman