Breeder of the month: Kirsi Hakala
FIN*Animagi

1. Would you intoduce yourself (family, work, hobbies)
Hi, I'm Kirsi Hakala, 23-years old student of car-electricity from Vantaa. I'm living with my boyfriend, 2 female ocicats and old domestic cat male Hessu. In our family there has always been cats and I lived only 1,5 years on my own until I took Hessu. When we moved to Vantaa in a year 2002 to a bigger apartment I could fullfill my dream of purebreeded cat and then Iris moved to us. That is how all began..

2. Why did you choose ocicat?
In a year 2001 we started to look for a friend to Hessu. We used to go to a cat show to look at different breeds and then we thought we would definately want a male, blue brittish, maine coon or norweigian forest cat. We know Kittelän breeders Satu and Vellu and in the winter 2002 I heard they have ocicat litter. I decided to go and see how these spotted cats look, though I didn't like spotted cats before. This was the first time I saw Silja ( Recknagel Jeimiliköötis). She was the most beautiful female cat. After thinking a week, I told to Satu I was intrested of female kitten. Iris (Kittelän Amor Jewel) moved to us as co-owning with Satu. My dream of big neuter male was changed to a breeding female.

3. How did you end up breeding ocicats?
1,5 years ago Iris had a Kittelän litter. While waiting the litter, the decision about breeding was made. Experienced ocicat fanciers had a quite bif influence to this. We still work closely with Kittelän breeder Satu. When I did some research to Iris' background, I found out I had a great female to start breeding with. As a beginner I had an idea to breed chocolate spotteds, not in any case silver ocicats. But it's not worth to fight against your heart, so lilac silver spotted India stayed to live with us. India has become quite a pretty lady who will be the mother of second Animagi -litter. Quite soon I found out that I don't want to focuse on any spesific colour, but the type and character needs to be set right. What fancies me with ocicats, it's the brave attitude, healthiness and the massive outfit. These are the things I want to focude on my breeding.

4. What do you want from your breeding?
Like probably to all, to me also the character and healt are the most important things. Close to my heart there is also improving the size and muscleness of ocicats. Our first litter supports this goal. Of course the dream cat would be big, muscular, have a large-sized spots, great contrast, perfect head and character as I like. In the real world this isn't possible but with hard work. My aim is to go a step by step thinking all the breeding decisions of the position to continue my own breeding and of course to think the best for the breed. As a beginner I try to avoid copying and try to make my own line. Our breeding is supposed to stay small and I hope every litter will be strictly thought for the plans of the future. Our goal is to keep in breeding at least one individual from every litter and this is how I hope to get closer to my goal.

As I said, we have had only a one litter, now 3 months old. If I can choose from the cats which are born at us, I would choose Kittelän Samba de Amigo. I like his outfit (muscularity and big size), beautiful contrast and nice spots. Amigo's downfall is his little small head, which I hope to develop during the time. From my own litter it is hard to say. From succeeding at show (one show :) ) the best would be Animagi Any Color You Like, who I'm holding in the picture. Of course the only princess in the litter is adorable. I hope the best of cats I breed is still to come in the future. The best cat needs more than just outfit and character, but the genetic background needs to be fine too.

With females it is Silja (in the picture), who inpired me to the breeding. With males there isn't only one, but Galax Charlie Brown ”Jaska”, Jaska's son Galax Indiana Jones and Indy's son Martinic Straight Flush ”Helge”. Time will show how far this line goes. I'm proud to tell that three out of these four cats can be found from our girls background.

Kirsi Hakala