Korats

HISTORY       The Korat is an ancient cat from Siam (now Thailand) that is described in the "The Cat-Book Poems", written between 1350 and 1767 AD. The Korat is known as the Si-Sawat cat in its native country, however, the name Korat originated when King Rama V of Siam was presented with the cat. He asked what kind of cat it was and was told it came from Korat, a high plateau in northeast Thailand. It is known as the good-luck cat of Thailand and a pair of Korats are often given to brides on their wedding day to ensure a happy marriage. Korats are rarely sold in Thailand, but given to people held in high esteem.       The first Korat to be exhibited was probably in England in the late 19th century. It was entered as a Siamese because the owner obtained it in Siam. It was listed as a solid blue and descriptions of that judging still exist today. The first modern Korats were introduced to the U.S. by Mrs Jean Johnson in 1959. Her husband retired from the foreign service in Thailand and they were presented with a pair of Korats as gifts upon their return to the United States. Since that introduction, many additional Korats have been imported and every Korat can trace its ancestry back to this breed of cat living in Thailand. This why the Korat is often referred to as the Silver-blue cat with the Thai passport.       Shortly after the Korat arrived in the United States the Korat Cat Fanciers Association was formed. It is a non-affiliated international club dedicated to the protection and development of the Korat. This club was instrumental in getting the Korat recognized in all associations and helps to ensure that the standards for the Korat remain virtually the same in all associations.

CHARACTERISTICS and TEMPERAMENT       The Korat is a "silver-blue" colour which means to most people that the cat is grey, with a tinge of silver, which in certain light conditions can look like a halo. This breed is slow to mature, often not developing completely until as late as the age of four. A "good" Korat will be known to have a deep green eye colour (almost a jade) but again, due to slow maturation the whole eye may not take on this green colour until the cat is an adult. This breed is also known for the "heart-shape". In a "good" Korat this "heart-shape" can be seen in the head and in the chest. The body of a Korat is described as being "cobby". The majority of Korats are not big cats, averaging only seven to nine pounds as adults.       The Korat is an active cat with strong likes and dislikes. They are quite territorial and consider their "human" part of their territory and for this reason they make outstanding companions. Korats are very intelligent and take well to most training.       Korats tend to elevate themselves to the number one position in a group of cats and other cat breeds have been known to resent this.       Korats are not generally fearful cats, so most of their behaviour is learned. They may learn that aggressive behaviour gets them what they want. They may also learn that certain behaviours get them special attention from their "human". Training a Korat to be part of your family takes time and firm control. The new owner must ensure that the Korat learns the routine and what is expected of the Korat. A new Korat owner must have firm control of themselves, because any "pay-off" of unacceptable behaviour by the Korat, teaches the Korat to repeat the behaviour in order to get what he wants most, attention from the Korat's "human".

OUR BREEDING KORATS

      Below we describe the Korats who are part of our breeding program. All the Korats here are GM tested or their parents have been GM tested through the Scott-Ritchey Research Center, GM testing program, run by Dr. Henry Baker, DVM.

Our foundation stud, GrCh Cher Dawn's Vitte Argent of Klahz also came to us from Doreen Walker. Known to all as "Guy", this boy came at 8 months and has a fabulous personality. He is co-owned by Doreen, Carine and John. Guy has given us many great kittens out of Jai Dee, our foundation queen, as well as out of our other Korat queens and has given Doreen several litters out of other females at Cher Dawn. Guy has also produced great kittens when used by Ailsa Stark of Skara Brae. All Guy's litters develop great silver-blue coats and green eyes.

Kiriki Chuachan Kamala of Klahz, a Silver Blue Korat queen came to Klahz as a very talkative kitten from Anne Segrest in August 2000. She was named "Annie" as an homage to her breeder, and also because coming up with the right name took a very long time! Her registered name contains the Thai words for "gift of the heart". Annie is the result of co-operation and agreement among several breeders. Thanks to Camilla Baird and her male Primprau's Wait, Watch and Win and Anne Segrest and her queen Gentle Gift's Ch-Ching of Kiriki for producing this wonderful girl who is part of the Klahz family. Annie, bred by Eros, delivered her first ever two lovely kittens, a boy and a girl on May 7th, 2001. The two fur kids were delivered to and make their home with their wonderful owner Karen, on beautiful Prince Edward Island!

Our first home grown stud, GrCh Klahz Yagu Pu Yai Bahn Mee Ngern was born in May 2002. He is known as "Donnie", the short form of Don Juan, which describes him well. He looks like his parents Jai Dee, Klahz foundation queen who sadly, in January 2005, went to the Rainbow Bridge, and Guy. Donnie has a typical male Korat personality. He tends to take ownership of "his girls", and we have found that he can be very possessive of them! Donnie has produced some very nice kittens. He is at present, ONE of only TWO existing complete Cher Dawn line breeding Korats in Canada, the other being a queen, Klahz Cher Dawn of Skara Brae, bred by Klahz and owned by Ailsa Stark of Skara Brae.

Mee Mee, came from Doris Langford via Judy and Dennis Ganoe as an adult. She was born May 13, 2003 in Portland, Oregon. She had a litter of kittens while she lived there, but as she is a very, very shy girl, she has yet to be a mother here. She does not trust any of the Klahz humans, or visitors to Klahz either, prefering to be alone rather than on a person's lap. Mee Mee does have her cat friends and sleeps in a heap often. So far, the cats she is living with and the humans in her life have accepted her, so we are looking forward to the day she will accept us equally. We try very hard to let her choose to be with us and to trust us, but she is somehow VERY convinced that she can NOT enjoy our company. We can pick her up if we do it as she is sleeping and she has never tried to harm us. Mee Mee however, continues every time, to struggle to get away and we think she is quite stressed when being "forced" to spend time with us so we keep those enforced meetings to a minimum.

Ch Lovesumalee BluThai Prince of Klahz, is a male added to our Korat clan, in July of 2004. Born February 6, 2004, he was brought to Klahz, by car, from a well known Korat cattery in North Carolina. He came as a 5 month old kitten and was a great traveler. He is close in age to a male bred here called, Valentino, being that their birthdays are only 8 days apart and the two became good friends right from the start. Prince has sired one litter. Klahz is proud have Prince with us and we are grateful to Hewitt and Madeline Lovelace of Lovesumalee Cattery for trusting us to take Prince home to Canada. Prince has become a Champion in ACFA. Although he has a kind, friendly temperament at home he has been naughty, biting one judge, at a show in 2006 and so sadly, his show career has come to an end. He was NOT brought to Klahz to become a show Korat however, but to bring in fairly Thai genes to expand the Korat gene pool. A grandmother on each side of his pedigree is a Thai Korat. He is somewhat taller and longer in the legs than many of our North American born Korats, however, as he matures he is also filling out and the extra height and length is becoming less noticeable every day. He has a great coat and is a big strong boy, who loves his time with us. Prince lives together with Valentino and another boy called Kwahn.

Our newest queen, Skara Brae Quendi of Klahz, was born May 15th, 2004. Quendi came to our cattery in the fall of that year. She came to us from Ailsa Stark of Skara Brae Korats in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her name comes from Tolkien's writings. Quendi has excellent lines . She had one beautiful baby boy in May 2006. Quendi has not yet been shown, but we hope to show her in some time soon. She has a nice temperament although she can be "standoffish" at times. Quendi gets along well with most of the other Klahz cats, and does enjoy some time on a person's lap once she gets to know them. We thank Ailsa for entrusting thislovely young Korat to us.

Ch Klahz Valentino, is the second breeding male born at Klahz, making his debut in a litter of one February 14, 2004. At three weeks of age, he had a coat pattern that was striking and a body which was just about perfect. We felt that given his birthdate and being the "only" kitten in the litter, he would be special. Three guesses as to WHY he is named Valentino! He was shown as a 5 month old kitten in Winnipeg, Manitoba. At this, his second show, as well as at the first one he went to, we found that the judges seemed to think he was very nice. We were asked repeatedly by many, if we were campaigning him. So, John who had successfully campaigned our GrCh Klahz Reja Misty Too, a Platinum Mink Tonkinese spay to ACFA Inter-American Alter of the Year in 2004, took Valentino to as many shows as he was elgible for. Tino did quite well, almost always finaling in a majority of the rings in the shows he went to. Finally, the four months of "kittenhood" was just about over. In October, John drove to Iowa to a show there, and then headed across the U.S. to Florida, the last show he could go to as a kitten. Valentino's last show was in Orlando Florida and John drove there and back with this fabulous Korat kitten. Fabulous, not because he was a very good example of what a Korat should be, (well he was) but fabulous because he traveled by car for many, many miles and for many, many hours, often staying in the car at night with John when they did not stay in a motel room, and staying occasionally with friends as well. Through all of the strange places and meetings with many strangers, Valentino never lost his great attitude and was a trooper all the way. "Tino" as we call him, a kitten of a minority breed not seen often by many judges in ACFA, achieved ACFA Inter-American 6th Best kitten in 2005! We are so proud if him. He still retains that great temperament and is a love bug. He thoroughly enjoys human company and is happy as well with his cat friends. Valentino lives together with Prince and another boy called Kwahn.

Ch Gentle-Gift Bao Kwahn of Klahz was born in November 18, 2004. He is known as "Kwahn", and his official name represents the three catteries he is related to in one way or another. His looks are very much as required in the Korat standard, with heavy, very noticeable brows, big green eyes of a depth of colour which is rare so soon in a young male Korat, and a silver blue coat, in which the silver, is very pronounced. Kwahn has a slightly more aggressive personality than his buddies, Prince and Valentino, being quicker to try to bite when he is not getting his way. Generally speaking though, we have found that he can be quite a mush too! Kwahn has produced one kitten thus far. He was born in Doris Langford's cattery, and sent to us by Judy and Dennis Ganoe of Gentle-Gift cattery, at the same time they sent us Mee Mee. Thanks to Judy and Dennis for allowing us to add Kwahn to our Korat family.

Want to know more about this fantastic breed?

Pay a visit to Koratworld as it is well worth the visit!

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