Odes

Ode To A Breeder

 

I love my little kitty, he makes my house a home
He's always like my best friend, so I never feel alone
He makes me smile, he makes me laugh
He fills my heart with love...........
Did some breeder breed him?
Or was he sent from up above?

I've never been a breeder, never seen life through their eyes......
I hold my little kitty and just sit and criticise.
I've never known their anguish and I've never felt their pain
The caring of their charges through snow or wind or rain.

I've never sat the whole night through waiting for babies to be born,
The stress and trepidation when they're still not here at dawn.
I've never felt the heartache of tiny lives within my hands,
Those darling little babies, who weigh only 60 grams.

Should you do "that" instead of "this"......or "this" instead of "that"
Alone you fight and hope one day he'll grow to be a cat
And bring joy to "SOMEONE SOMEWHERE" and make their house a home
You know it's up to you and you fight this fight alone
Formula bottles, heating pads....you just have to get this right,
Two hourly feeds for this little mite,through the day and through the night.
An uphill struggle you well know, to win this daunting fight.....
To save this little baby, but god willing you just might.

Day one.........he's in there fighting......you say a silent prayer,
Days two and three......he's doing well with lots of love and care
Days four and five.....he's still alive,your hopes soar to the heaven
Day six.......he starts to slip away, dying in your hands day seven.

You take this little angel and you bury him alone......
With aching heart and burning tears you heave a heavy groan,
You ask yourself "WHY DO THIS? WHY SUFFER ALL THIS PAIN?"
But to see the joy your kittens bring....it's simple to explain

So when you think of breeders and label them with "GREED"
Think of all the things that they endure to fill another's need.
For when you buy your kitten and with precious money part,
You only pay with hard earned cash....whilst they pay with their heart.

A breeder (with a capital B) is one who thirsts for knowledge and never really knows it all, one who wrestles with decisions of conscience, convenience and commitment.

A breeder is one who sacrifices personal interests, finance, time, friendships, fancy furniture and deep pile carpeting! She gives up the dreams of a long luxurious cruise, in favour of turning all that important show into this years holiday.

The breeder goes without sleep (but never without coffee or tea) in hours spent planning a breeding or watching anxiously over the birth process, and afterwards, over every little sneeze, wiggle or cry.

The breeder skips evenings out because that litter is due or the babies have to be fed at eight. She disregards birth fluids and puts mouth to mouth to save a gasping newborn, literally blowing the life into a tiny helpless creature that may be the culmination of a life time of dreams.

A breeders lap is a marvelous place, where generations of proud and noble champions once snoozed.

A breeders hands are strong and firm and often soiled, but ever so gentle and sensitive to the thrusts of a kittens wet nose.

A breeders back and knees are usually arthritic from stooping, bending and sitting in the birthing box, but are strong enough to enable the breeder to show the next choice kitten to Grand Champion.

A breeders shoulders are stooped and often heaped with abuse from competitors, but they’re wide enough to support the weight of a thousand defeats and frustrations.

A breeders arms are always able to wield a mop, support an armful of kittens, or lend a helping hand to a newcomer.

A breeders ears are wondrous things, sometimes red (from being talked about) or strangely shaped (from being pressed against a phone receiver), often deaf to criticism, yet always finely tuned to the whimper of a sick kitten.

A breeders eyes are always blurred from pedigree research and sometimes blind to her own cats faults, but they are ever so keen to the competitions faults and are always searching for the perfect specimen.

A breeders brain is foggy on faces, but it can recall pedigrees faster than a computer.

Its so full of knowledge that sometimes it blows a fuse, it catalogues thousands of good bones, fine ears and perfect heads.. And buries in the soul the failures and the ones that didn’t turn out.

A breeders heart is often broken, but it beats strongly in hope everlasting….and its always in the right place!

Oh yes there are breeders, and then there are BREEDERS!!!!