Our breeding “career” (which is actually a hobby) has spanned over 30 years. During that time, many cats have passed through our lives. Some for a year or so, some for their entire lives.
Here is a feature of some of the Russian Blues which we’ve been fortunate to have.
GC, NW Platina Luna’s Time Bandit
Our first national winner, ending up as Best Russian Blue and CFA’s 24th Best Cat in 1999.
What an adventure it was exhibiting Bandit! He was named for the movie “Time Bandits”…and also as a nod to the sheer amount of time breeding and exhibiting cats take. He spent some years afterwards as our stud male, and lived the rest of his life with us as a pet when he was neutered.
GC, NW Platina Luna’s Time-Out-of-Mind
Our second national winning cat, and Bandit’s first daughter. We had just finished the season exhibiting for Bandit’s win, when his first daughter was old enough to show in the kitten class…so we were on the road again! Fortunately, kittens only exhibit for 4 months, but she became CFA’s 12th Best Kitten in 2000.
Her name HAD to have “Time” in it and I’m a big Steely Dan fan…hence “Time Out of Mind.” But what to call her? “Gaucho” (the album the song is actually on) just doesn’t work for a girl…but “Aja” did!
She had several litters and then was spayed and spent the rest of her life with us.
GC, NW Platina Luna’s Blade Runner
Our third national winner and (almost…) CFA’s Best Cat in 2009. And undoubtedly the best Russian Blue that we ever bred. (and still one of the benchmarks for the Russian Blue)
We had so many adventures with Runner and he deserves his own page.
He only sired a few litters, and passed early from renal failure. He lived in our bedroom until he passed and we still miss him terribly.
GC Platina Luna’s Southern Cross, DM
One of our very early queens, and the mother of Aja. Her name came as a nod to one of my college roommates who had just moved to New Zealand when she was born. Her call name was Kiwi…and even her meow sounded like “Kee-a-wee!”
After she retired from breeding she moved to her forever home where she she could live as the center of the universe (which she loved)
GC Kaybill’s Zhabinka of Platina Luna, DM
How fortunate we were to get Zhabinka (fondly called “Binky”)! I had loved her mother GC, RW Roxanastasia’s Zorina Alexandra, DM when she was exhibited. Then the following year, Zorina had a litter of 5 females, and Kay Wentling and Iris Zinck offered me one. ALL 5 females granded in either championship or premiership (the pedigreed cat neuter/spay division) and I seem to remember all of them being at the same show once.
Binky was an amazing girl herself, and earned the title of DM (Distinguished Merit – a female who has produced 5 grands) One of those grands was GC, NW Platina Luna Time Bandit. That DM award also made her a 4 generation DM as both of Zorina’s parents were DMs (GC, BW NW Roxanastasia’s Bela Karolyi, DM and GC Kaybill’s Mazurka of Roxanastasia, DM). Behind Mazurka was GC Kaybill’s Dilemma, DM. On Binky’s sire’s (GC RW Silverlock’s Sputnik) side was GC Blue Pride’s Crackerjack, DM and his sire GC, NW Tsar Blu’s Zane Grey, DM. Looking at pedigrees, I note that Zane was only 3 generations away from the first Russian Blues brought to the US.
GC Platina Luna’s Songline
Songline was part of what I referred to as the “antipodal” line which began back with Southern Cross. (who then produced GC Platina Luna’s Aurora Australis, who was Songline’s mother. Songline then produced a female named GC Platina Luna’s Dreamtime (and a pair of male brothers named Jake and Elwood…those names were supposed to be “placeholders” until Colleen O’Kane and I determined who would get which brother, but they stuck)
GC, RW Platina Luna’s Lone Star
Another very early female and a daughter of Zhabinka. Her sire was GC Chaskara Choneko, bred by Texas breeder Geri Bischoff. As she was sired in Texas, Lone Star seemed an appropriate name for her. Her call name was Tex.
Although she produced no offspring for our breeding program, Tex remained with us for her entire life, as she was one of my favorite cats. She always knew when I needed a head butt. Her sister (Platina Luna Kiss the Sky) was part of Geri’s breeding program until she had to deploy for 9/11.
GC, RW Pavlova’s Tia Maria
Tia was one of the few cats we’ve had whose name was not celestial-based. She was born on May 5, Cinco de Mayo, and the very first thing I said when she was born was “there’s Tia Maria!”
