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 that all important show into this years " holiday".

The Breeder goes without sleep ( but never without coffee!) 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 life into a tiny helpless creature that may be the culmination of a life time of dreams.

A Breeders lap is a marvellous 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 fine tuned to the whimper of a sick kitten.

A Breeders eyes are 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 an computer. It's 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 it's always in the right place!

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