In This Issue
Meet TICA’s Candidates for President | Meet TICA’s Candidates for Vice President | TICA Welcomes Four New Clubs into Our Family | LondonCats is Back Hosting TICA’s First Live European Show Since Covid-19 | TICA’s Top Five Best Cats of 2020 | Wisdom Health Update | AAHA & AAFP Update Vaccine Guidelines for Cats | Pet Week on Capitol Hill Goes Virtual This Year with Higher Participation than Expected | Dr. Elsey’s Ask Cat Lovers to Share Their Wellness Stories | In Case You Missed It | TICA October Breed of the Month: Singapura | WINN Feline Foundation October 2020 Update | TICA Regional Updates
Later this month, TICA will hold elections for President, Vice President, and Breed Committees.
Your vote is an important, meaningful way to advance the issues you care about and a chance for you to choose the representatives you think will best achieve the results you want to see within TICA.
Before you place your vote, meet TICA’s candidates for President and Vice President and learn more about how they plan to shape the future of TICA if elected.
Meet TICA’s Presidential Candidates:
Name: Jamie Christian
Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA
Club affiliation(s):
- Glass CiTICAts
- First In Flight Cat Club
- Jazzy Cats Cat Club
- Viking Cats
How long have you been a TICA member: Over 20 years
Previous TICA leadership positions held: Elected three times as Great Lakes Regional Director.
Previous experiences (both in & outside of TICA):
- Former National Feline Sales Manager, Royal Canin.
- Former breeder, Kingsransom Cattery, breeding Bengals, Havanas and Sphynx.
- Allbreed WCF Judge. (Like when a doctor gets an extra degree to improve themselves.)
Election Theme/Motto: TICA’s Future: Better together!
What do you consider to be the top three issues facing TICA today and what is your plan to address/rectify these matters?
#1: COVID-19: Work diligently to find a path forward for ALL of the cat fancy in this completely changed world. If we do not find a beneficial and realistic path forward for the cat fancy, TICA, and her clubs, no other priority will make any difference. We need to open our minds to cooperation with other associations, and think outside of the box to create new revenue streams. We need to also consider new show formats and awards systems. This is a call for the most progressive feline association in the world to once again rise to the challenge!
#2: ONLINE SERVICES: While we have made great strides in recent months, we need to become the easiest and most user-friendly registry in the world. This includes international remote offices, a more thorough, robust online experience for our members, and much faster services for our clients. We need to (finally) serve the needs of our clients in Europe and China, without the long delays that are currently making us non-competitive with other registries. We also need to seriously go after new world markets, and show them that TICA is the easiest and best choice for their developing cat fancy.
#3: SHOW ME THE FUN AGAIN!: While we are just now beginning to foray back into in-person shows again, we have all heard the refrain, time and time again, that shows are no longer fun. We have also heard from our judging panel that judging is no longer as enjoyable as it used to be either. We need to rededicate TICA to fair judging, guarantee our judges fair Board representation, promote responsible and respectful exhibiting, and recruit our members to help us become the FUN association of choice again. This includes during the complaint process. Friendships. personal vendettas and personality disagreements should have no bearing on judging, complaints, Board hearings nor any other official function of TICA, her members, her judges or her clubs. “Friendly and fair” is the ONLY path forward for TICA, and I look forward to leading you there!
Name: Vicki Jo Harrison
Location: San Antonio, TX
Club affiliation(s):
- Mission City Cat Club-SC Region
- Big Tex Cat Club-SC Region
- Central Jersey Cat Fanciers-MA Region
- Tabbytales-MA Region
How long have you been a TICA member: I joined TICA in 1983. I have been a member for 37 years
Previous TICA leadership positions held:
- Current South Central Regional Director-2nd term originally elected in 2016
- Deputy South Central Regional Director under Don Caruthers
- Past President-Mission City Cat Club
- Current Co-Chair- Siamese Breed Group Committee
- Past Chair- Siamese Breed Committee
- Past Chair- Balinese Breed Committee
- Past Chair-Feline Welfare Committee
- Past Judges’ Trainee Coordinator
Previous experiences (both in & outside of TICA):
Non-cat fancy experiences:
- I was a Kindergarten teacher for 32 years in San Antonio, TX
- I am currently working part-time an ESL (English as a Second Language) tutor for elementary aged students.
- I was a Red Cross certified Water Safety Instructor and taught swimming lessons from beginner level courses to lifesaving courses which are courses for training lifeguards for twenty years.
Cat Fancy experiences:
- I have been a breeder of cats in the Siamese breed group under the cattery name Radiance for 37 years.
- I also bred American Shorthairs for a short time in the 1980s.
- I serve as co-chair on the Siamese Breed Group Committee.
- I have been an active TICA exhibitor for 37 years.
- My household pet, Felena, was awarded 1999-2000 International Household Pet Kitten of the Year.
- LA SGCA Radiance Rollin In the Deep was awarded International Alter of the Year for the 2013-2014 show season.
- I have been part of the show management team for the 1998 Annual, 2008 Annual and the 2017 Annual.
- I am a member of the Winn Foundation Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Election Theme/Motto: Making TICA Better Together
What do you consider to be the top 3 issues facing TICA today and what is your plan to address/rectify these matters?
Member Services: This area affects all members of TICA. Efficiency of services needs to be at the top of the priority list. The new IT system and website the Board of Directors approved in July will be in place by the spring of 2021. This new system will offer high quality, efficient service for everyone. My priority is to make sure the system is offering the quality services that was promised to the TICA members. Beyond the initial implementation of the new system, I will work to include genetics (disease, color, etc..) on each pedigree/registration. I will also work to merge TOES with the new IT system.
I recognize the concerns of our international members regarding the difference in time zone and postal delays. I pledge to establish a local volunteer member within each region, outside of North America, who can answer questions and provide input to you during your normal business hours (if even on a part-time basis). I will also explore the possibility of hiring part time employees in some of the international regions to provide customer service in real time
Communication: Open, transparent communication is a cornerstone to any successful relationship whether it be personal or professional; between two people or among a large group of people. There will be open communication throughout TICA from the dissemination of information by way of our new website and all other TICA publications to the open-door policy I will have with all TICA members.
As an active participant on social media, I often read of members’ struggles with their delayed tickets, unanswered emails, etc. I pledge to work with the EO to expedite work you submit, to answer your Facebook messages and emails.
I intend to work hand-in-hand with our new Chief Operating Officer, Danny Navarez, to introduce performance measurements to monitor customer (member) service. This will include establishing goals for excellent service that will be reported on at every Board meeting to ensure continual improvement for memberships satisfaction with the support they receive.
I plan to offer biannual town halls with each region to get member input. This type of input served me well with the TICA Virtual Cat shows that were held this spring/early summer. A few members came to me with this idea and I established a team to make this happen. I know others have great ideas as well and you need to be heard.
TICA Cat Shows & COVID-19: It has become a new world trying to produce shows and to exhibit in shows. Clubs are having to negotiate all the local regulations and guidelines and bear the burden of the extra costs involved. It is a high-risk proposition to say the least. Clubs are required to do everything they can to make the show hall a safe environment for everyone involved with the show. Exhibitors who chose to go to the shows are expected to follow all the guidelines and regulations that are given for that show.
My plan is to work with those who have created general guidelines for TICA shows to come up with an official set of guidelines that will be sent to show management to use along their local guidelines. I will make available TICA logo masks and hand sanitizer for the clubs to purchase, at cost. I will also research the idea of temporarily lowering the cost of show license expenses until at least the end of the 2020-21 show season.
Name: Steven Meserve
Location: Portugal-Europe South
Club affiliation(s):
LondonCats
How long have you been a TICA member: Since 1992, but current since 2012
Previous TICA leadership positions held:
- Europe West Regional Director
- Currently Europe South Regional Director
Previous experiences (both in & outside of TICA):
- Director of Operations – Hospitality, COO – Marketing Communications
- Bred TICA’s Kitten of the Year, twice and owner once – American Shorthairs.
- Bred and owned TICA’s SH Cat of the Year – American Shorthair and Bred and Owned TICA’s AB Cat of the Year – Scottish Fold.
- President of LondonCats and have produced over 15 shows in the United Kingdom and Europe.
- Previous President of Bay State Feline, Northeast and member of BosCats, Northeast.
Election Theme/Motto: Move TICA to the NEXT LEVEL
What do you consider to be the top three issues facing TICA today and what is your plan to address/rectify these matters?
TICA needs to become the “association of choice” in the world. This will be my number one priority and will be done by increasing TICA’s visibility GLOBALLY. We need to become a global powerhouse and lead the way. We will not follow any longer.
I will develop better benefits for members that reward loyalty. I will add much needed value to the membership. The current membership benefits are not enticing enough to grow the membership base and I plan to make TICA very attractive monetarily where the members can take advantage. I will also increase the service standard to where we all know it should be.
I will also develop an infrastructure that supports clubs and lessens the financial risks to produce shows. This will be done through implementing a global marketing and public relations campaign. There will be support for all clubs with help with direct and online marketing, as well as social media support. I will also attract more sponsorships and partners which will filter down to the clubs.
Meet TICA’s Vice Presidential Candidates:
Name: Luiz Paulo Faccioli
Location: Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
Club affiliation(s):
- Honorary Member of Felis Catus Criadores Associados and Unigat-BR, both located in Porto Alegre, Brasil,
- TICA del Plata, located in Argentina,
- and TICAAddiction Cat Club, located in Colombia,
- Also, a regular member of TICat, located in Italy
How long have you been a TICA member: Since 1993
Previous TICA leadership positions held:
- Appointed TICA South America Interim Regional Director: 2003-2005, 2014-2015.
- Elected TICA SA Regional Director: 2016-2018, 2019-2021.
Previous experiences (both in & outside of TICA):
- My trajectory in cat fancy has been always in TICA. My cattery’s name is Chatquirit, but I am no longer a breeder. Originally a transferred Allbreed judge from a Brazilian Federation that was TICA affiliated, I got my first Specialty Judge license in TICA in 1993.
- Full Allbreed status in 2000.
- Ring and School Instructor in 2005.
- Distinguished Judge in 2018. After leading a very well succeed program for training new judges in South America.
- I’ve been fully involved with the creation of the TICA Judging Committee and am the current Board liaison for the Committee.
Election Theme/Motto: Making TICA Better, Together
What do you consider to be the top 3 issues facing TICA today and what is your plan to address/rectify these matters?
To attend satisfactorily the demand of the multiple different cultures of our international membership while maintaining the North American values that are the basis and also the attractive of our Association for other cultures. Communication is the keyword here. The new system will allow multiple languages, but we need to dialogue with members, not only inform them in their own languages. There is a lot of supporting work to do because the new system itself won’t resolve the lack of communication’s issue.
To establish a bridge between our tradition and the new demands brought by the contemporaneity, including the new reality after the pandemic of covid-19. This is the most challenging. Cat fancy is all built on tradition. A specific and complex knowledge is required to construct anything in our activity and to make it simple (try to explain a newbie how to review a pedigree). We need to find ways to maintain our activity interesting for new generations and within all the restrictions due to the pandemic that will be around for many months.
To perfect our registration process by using tools that Science is delivering every day, within the concept that we are a Genetic Registry. This is a very sensitive point. We are a Registry and, as such, a business that doesn’t refuse the registration of cats. But we are also so proud to be a Genetic Registry. In this context, it’s legitim to think that we should aim to qualify our registry using scientific means. Do you want to import something different to your breeding program or to start a program for a new breed? TICA is very open to those initiatives, but you would need to use genetic testing and scientific supervision.
Name: Anthony Hutcherson
Location: Maryland, USA
Club affiliation(s):
- Capital Cat Club,
- United Cat Club,
- Central Jersey Cat Fanciers,
- America’s Finest Felines,
- Jazzy Cats
How long have you been a TICA member: Since May 30, 1995
Previous TICA leadership positions held:
- Bengal breed committee 2001-2020,
- Bengal Breed Chair 2009-2020,
- MA Regional Director 2017-2020
Previous experiences (both in & outside of TICA):
- I’m a breeder dedicated wholly to a single breed for 28 years to creating a wonder of feline beauty and amiability the world has never seen in human history – not to sell, not to win, not to celebrate – to love & for love.
- Initiated & executed collaboration with Wisdom Health largest genetic survey of TICA registered pedigreed cats, improving disease awareness, heterozygosity and traits ever while saving TICA members $50K over retail. $5K from Purina, $10K from Viagen to TICA directly related from my contact & participation.
- Presented 10+ global authorities on inheritance and health to TICA members at TICA events.
- Represented TICA, by request, in media.
Election Theme/Motto: Create, Increase & Improve
What do you consider to be the top three issues facing TICA today and what is your plan to address/rectify these matters?
1. Validation of breeds & breeders through science to one another, general public & policy makers. Utilize the resources and collaborations with industry and academia to present pedigreed cats as a translational model for purposeful breeding. That means we can demonstrate that over time the cats we create are healthier, happier and more beautiful on purpose. Use TICA to make it easier, more rewarding, and less regulated to breed cats because breeding cats CAN SOLVE problems – reduce disease and health risks.
2. Presentation of breed history, cat traits, cat inheritance (genetics) and cat health topics across all mediums of TICA – Facebook, TREND, website (zoom presentations, webinars, etc.) and shows. TICA has so much history, groundbreaking paradigms and knowledge among it’s members. TICA can & should be the resource and showcase for this intersectionality of feline genetics, cat appreciation and cat elevation. TICA resources should be directed to putting valuable information about cats on every medium with good articles, great webinars, fantastic online posts and genuine beneficial content on how to enjoy, breed, raise and celebrate the cat.
3. Engage TICA members in processes, practices, and principles of this genetic registry. Zoom meetings with breed committees, webinars on how to evaluate cats and kittens on genetic health, physical health, temperament and so much more. Cat shows have been a wonderful showcase for much of this. When there are no shows, we have been left without those resources. We can create those resources online & available throughout the world. For members who want to be engaged every effort should be made to make meetings, systems and practices open to them to understand and participate.
Name: Barbara Kissinger
Location: I live in Summerfield, Florida located in Central Florida.
Club affiliation(s):
- Southern Sophisticats
- Christmas City Cat Club
- Lehigh Valley Cat Club
How long have you been a TICA member: I have been a TICA member since 1995, 25 years.
Previous TICA leadership positions held:
- I have been a member of various TICA clubs, in all positions of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
- Currently Councilor to two TICA clubs.
- I have not ever served on the Board of Directors but look forward to the opportunity to serve.
Previous experiences (both in & outside of TICA): I have been a business owner for most of my life and now an independent financial business consultant. I am currently (temporarily) living in Pennsylvania to help put a company back together since their bookkeeper walked off the job. I have been independently working for myself for almost 20 years. Prior to that, I co-owned a conglomerate of corporations in the service industry.
Election Theme/Motto: Moving forward with members in mind. Sometimes we forget when running a business what truly are the assets of the business. While we want to do what is best for the organization, we also need to keep in mind who we are serving.
What do you consider to be the top three issues facing TICA today and what is your plan to address/rectify these matters?
Communications, customer service and the overall cat fancy. I cannot say I have a plan. I am not a Storm Trooper and coming in with a list of changes. I have thoughts, but I want to first see what plans are in motion. As members we are not privy to things that are happening, hence, we need better communications. Maybe not specifics, but at least some general outlines. Customer service – I am hoping that the new programming will help this situation, but I never understood why we are always so far behind in scoring and work tickets. The overall cat fancy – this whole COVID pandemic has everything out of normalcy. Finding the new normal for the cat fancy, cat shows, pet expos, continue on with feline research, on-going (monthly) continuing education on-line seminars for judges and members on feline health and welfare, genetics and other topics in the cat fancy.
Name: Ralph Stadter
Location: Germany
Club affiliation(s):
- TICACats Germany
How long have you been a TICA member: 2001
Previous TICA leadership positions held:
- TICA EN RD 2005-2006 and 2009-2018
- TICA Vice President since May 2018
Previous experiences (both in & outside of TICA):
Experience Within TICA:
Working club member, breeder, entry clerk, and show manager (including the 2006 Annual) for 20+ years
Experience Outside TICA:
Software Architect for an industry leader in business software (SAP) – 25+ years.
Election Theme/Motto: I want to see TICA innovating new and exciting things!
What do you consider to be the top three issues facing TICA today and what is your plan to address/rectify these matters?
#1 Outdated service delivery and user experience for our members and clients. I’m actively assisting in the current software transformation project, analyzing the current situation and defining the data model and interaction design for our new service delivery. The goal is to make it easy to request and pay for services with an end-to-end experience that is cutting edge – and finally properly supports the many languages spoken throughout TICA’s world. We need to be able to deliver nearly all our services instantly.
Re #2 Unattractive website with far too little content for the general public. We just kicked off a project to redesign the website and create new content. You may have seen some activities in that respect already. We’re hoping to get the new site live around the same time as the new service platform (see #1).
#3 Continuity of Strategy and Operations. There have been a lot of changes in the last year. Our long-time business manager Leslie Bowers retired, and Frances Cardona took over for her. We brought Danny Nevarez on board as our Chief Operating Officer. Our president Vickie Fisher is about to leave since she is not running for office again. I think I can be a stabilizing influence in making sure that there is some continuity as far as our strategy and our operations go (where we are not currently optimizing them as part of our software transformation project). While change can often be a good thing, we also need to make sure that we do not disrupt the momentum we have gained in the last 2 years.
TICA Welcomes Four New Clubs into Our Family
TICA continues to grow with the addition of four new clubs to our family. Please help us welcome the Toyger Club (Lille, France) joining our Europe South Region, IT’S REIGNING CATS! (Coupeville WA) joining our Northwest Region, IMPERIAL BALTICA! (Moscow, Russia) joining our Europe North Region, and GATOBRAS! (Sao Paulo, Brazil) joining our South America Region.
LondonCats is Back Hosting TICA’s First Live European Show Since Covid-19
LondonCats Worldwide are proud to announce that they will be hosting a LIVE show in Maidstone Market Hall in the United Kingdom on October 17-18, 2020. The event will be the first live show to be held in the TICA European Regions since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Judging the show with be LondonCats’ President Sue Hart-Jones (UK) plus Steven Meserve (PT) and Jane Allen (UK) and guest judging for TICA for the first time from SACC, Veronica Knight (ZA) and from GCCF, Mark Pearman (UK).
The show will be limited to only 45 exhibitors, due the new stricter regulations in the UK. Unfortunately the event will be closed to the general public, but accessible WORLDWIDE for the first time through LIVE streaming!
Show times are 12-8 on Saturday and 9-5 on Sunday (+5 EST). Don’t worry if you can’t watch it LIVE, the entire day will be available for you to watch at any time after the weekend.
Use the code “LOVETICA50” at checkout for TICA Friends and Family access. There is just a small admin fee.
Read more about the LondonCats Maidstone show and purchase tickets.
LondonCats are strictly following government guidelines for this event. Masks and temperature checks will be required for entry and social distancing will be practiced.
TICA’s Top Five Best Cats of 2020
See TICA’s Top Five Best Cats of 2020.
Wisdom Health Update
The Product Director overseeing Optimal Selection/MyCatDNA owner platform provided TICA a revised timeline of the updated experience. Due to some additional measures to ensure compliance with GDPR and California’s CCPA, the date for new completed reports availability is November 1, 2020 and turning sales back on to begin receiving new orders to shortly follow, still targeted for early November.
To address these changes, Wisdom Health has added a more robust FAQ to address some common queries:
Wisdom Health’s team can be reached at info@wisdomhealth.com to help and answer any questions.
Wisdom Health appreciates TICA’s members and thanks them for their extraordinary support of Optimal Selection and the partnership of nearly four years.
AAHA & AAFP Update Vaccine Guidelines for Cats
Last month, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) updated 2020 feline vaccination guidelines as an update to the 2013 AAFP Feline Vaccination Advisory Panel Report.
The new guidelines stress understanding by veterinary professionals of individualized feline risk factors such as life stage, environment, and lifestyle to determine a proper preventive health care plan for each cat. Learn more details.
Pet Week on Capitol Hill Goes Virtual This Year with Higher Participation than Expected
Proving even a global pandemic can’t stop the power of pets, the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) held their annual Pet Night on Capitol Hill virtually this year with even greater participation than in years past.
This year’s Pet Week highlighted timely issues including the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on pet adoption in the U.S. and the importance of passing lifesaving pet-related legislation aimed at improving the lives of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and survivors of domestic violence.
Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR-5) discussed the importance of One Health Act legislation aimed at helping protect people and pets from zoonotic diseases, and the key role of veterinary medicine in preventing future pandemics.
Those who missed the event can listen to recorded discussions from the event.
Dr. Elsey’s Ask Cat Lovers to Share Their Wellness Stories
Each year more than 30,000 people will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma. When Dr. Elsey’s co-founder, Kathy Elsey was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, she and her husband, Dr. Bruce Elsey, chose to utilize their corporate success to bring awareness to the power behind pet therapy.
To help encourage and motivate those on their wellness journey, Dr. Elsey’s is asking cat lovers to tell about how therapeutic time spent in the company of their cats has impacted their health. They will share their favorite stories, photographs, and anecdotes on social media. To participate, tag Dr. Elsey’s @drelseys and use #shareyour story.
In addition, Dr. Elsey’s, in their commitment to finding a cure and leaving cancer in the dust, is donating $3 for every $3 cat lovers save on a 40 lb. bag of Ultra Litter or Cat Attract to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF). Download your coupon and join them in the help to fight cancer.
Check out TICA’s social media pages to learn the latest news about cats. Here are some top posts you may have missed…
On TICA’s Instagram:
Congrats to TICA’s latest Supreme Grand Champions!
On TICA’s Facebook:
TICA Celebrated Ginger Cats
On TICA’s Twitter:
Save Big on Microchips With Coupon Code TICA
TICA October Breed of the Month: Singapura
Known as the smallest breed of cat, yet an energy-packed dynamo that wants to help you with everything. The Singapura is TICA’s October Breed of the Month. Learn more about the breed and if the Singapura is right for you and your family.
WINN Feline Foundation October 2020 Update:
Exciting Month for Webinars! October 15th, 2020, 1-2 PM EDT – “ZOOMing in on Kitten Diarrhea” with Dr. Jody Gookin. This RACE approved webinar will cover Winn Feline Foundation sponsored studies investigating gastrointestinal disease in fostered shelter kittens.
In celebration of National Veterinary Technicians Week. Winn will be hosting two additional RACE approved webinars outside the usual times:
- October 14, 2020, 8:30-9:30 PM EDT – “Work Smarter Not Harder for PURR-fect Health” with Dr. Kari Mundschenk. This presentation will review feline health from a preventive care perspective. Learn more and register.
- October 17th, 2020, 1:00-2:00 PM EDT – “Discussing Diabetes Mellitus: Empowering Technicians” with Kara Burns, MS, MEd, LVT, VTS (Nutrition),VTS-H (Internal Medicine, Dentistry) This webinar will cover the first interaction with a pet owner to the diabetes conversation after diagnosis and throughout the long-term care of a diabetic pet. Learn more and register.
Upcoming webinars for November and December include feline diabetes, and kitten behavior & neonatal health! More details coming soon! Winn deeply appreciates the support of TICA in producing these webinars! Any questions about the webinars can be directed to meetings@winnfelinefoundation.org
Winn 2020 CURES4CATS Campaign: The fourth annual Cures4Cats Day will be commemorated on Saturday, October 17, 2020. The end of year campaign theme will recognize the significance of diabetes mellitus in cats. Diabetes is a common and growing malady affecting cats much like their cat loving humans. Approximately one in every 230 cats will develop diabetes during their lifetime and this is expected to increase by 18% over the next ten-years. A dynamic disease that changes over time, diabetes mellitus can be complex and potentially expensive to treat. Plus, again like humans, treatment may not be effective without consistent monitoring and timely application of diet, pharmaceutical and lifestyle solutions.
WINN Grants Available for Sponsorship: Did you know that you can sponsor a Winn Feline Foundation grant? It’s easy! With a donation of $250 or more, you (or your club, company, or organization) can sponsor specially selected Winn health study projects. Just choose one of the projects currently seeking sponsors and make your donation! For more information and to make your donation, visit winnfelinefoundation.org/giving/gifts-in-action.
Winn has selected the following four studies for sponsorship for 2020-2021:
W20-005 – Determining the clinical efficacy of mefloquine for treatment of naturally occurring feline infectious peritonitis, stage 1. Principal Investigators: Jacqueline Norris, Merran Govendir, Dr. Benjamin Kimble, University of Sydney; $20,500 (Bria Fund)
W20-032 – Development of a Rapid Diagnostic Test for Microsporum canis.
Principal Investigator: Sue VandeWoude, Colorado State University. $14,062
W20-039 – Effects of general anesthesia and surgery on renal biomarkers in cats. Principal Investigator: Dr. Kavitha Kongara, BVSc (Cert. ECFVG-AVMA), MVSc, PhD, Massey University. $20,700 (Feline Kidney Fund in honor of Vicki Thayer, DVM, DABVP (Feline))
W20-044 – Development and Initial Validation of a Frailty Scale for domestic cats.
Principal Investigators: Tony Buffington, Melissa J. Bain, University of California, Davis. $20,000
TICA REGIONAL UPDATES:
TICA Regional Updates
TICA Great Lakes Region
TICA Mid Atlantic Region
TICA Northeast Region
TICA Northwest Region
TICA South Central Region
Members (present and past) at the Gulf Coast Feline Foundation show in Deer Park, Texas, show last weekend: Debbie Lopeman, Nikki Crandall-Seibert, Kim Chenault, Dawn Faust, Honey Gilmore, Barb Martinec, Jackie Luebke-Puetz, Mark Schuster
TICA Great Lakes Regional Update:
Show Pictures Needed: Please share pics of any GL members attending shows. Most recently, we posted this picture of a group of TICA GL Regional members at the Gulf Coast Feline Foundation show in Deer Park, Texas.
Yearbook & Annual Awards Candid Shots Due: Get your 2019-2020 show candid shots to Chris Unangst for the yearbook & annual awards banquet. Send to Chris at Chris.Unangst@gmail.com
Show Venue Available: If any clubs are interested in information regarding a possible show venue in Ohio, please contact Honey Gilmore. Specifics were posted to the GL Facebook page on Sept 18 and shared in our IO groups as well. Honey can be reached at catsanhata@gmail.com.
GL Regional Awards Banquet Update: We are still a bit up in the air regarding the 2020 Great Lakes Regional due to COVID. Tentatively, we anticipate our awards banquet will be in March 2021 in Ohio. Once plans are finalized, I will be sharing those details.
GL Regional Awards Sponsors: All of our 2019-2020 Great Lakes Regional Awards have been sponsored – thanks to all who sponsored! Big thanks to Chris Unangst for coordinating our sponsors and awards!
Hello Kitty Show Update: Hello Kitty (originally rescheduled from March 2020 to October 2020) in Arlington Heights, IL has been cancelled due to COVID. They are hopeful to run the usual Pet Expo at the race track next March 2021.
Stay safe GL Region and we hope to see you soon!
TICA Mid Atlantic Regional Update:
First TICA MA Cat Show for 2020: Congratulations United Cat Club for having the first TICA Mid Atlantic Cat Show for the year in August of 2020. Members had a great time and were happy to see friends and judges once again! The club took all the necessary COVID precautions with added safekeeping. It was a huge undertaking for the club, and they did an absolute fabulous job. The show set up was great and Jessica’s new show cage service is awesome! For those who were not there, you will be in for a special treat when you see the setup later. The TICA MA Region wants to thank Jessica & Mike Petras and her team for a job well done!
TICA MA Regional Show Updates: Due to Pennsylvania extending Covid 90-day restrictions, which include a maximum 25% indoor capacity, the MA Region unfortunately had no choice but to move the regional show to January 22-24, 2021.
Location, show etc., will stay the same. Previous judges have accepted the change in date and there are a few new faces! Karousel Kats and United Cat Club have decided to work together in this regional event. Jessica Petras, United Cat Club, has done an excellent job in setting up a comfortable and safe environment so members can get back to our beloved hobby. This collaboration will make this one of the best the Mid Atlantic has produced!
MA Awards: The MA Regional Awards celebration will be held the same weekend as the regional show. The MA Region is still considering the various format options. Covid-19 will be the main factor in planning the celebration. MA Regional Director Brenda Russo will keep everyone informed when a final decision is made.
Regional Award Sponsors Needed: The MA Region is still accepting sponsorships for 2019-2020 regional winners. Sponsor one of your MA favorites by October 15th, 2020. This will be the absolute last deadline as the rosettes and plaques need to be ordered.
2020 Annual Regional Totes: The TICA MA Region would like to extend a huge thank you to Romaine Halupa for taking on the task of selling these totes. She has been doing a fantastic job and they are going fast, so if you have not purchased one, please pick one up quickly before they are gone. The totes are $20.00 and can be purchased at the Richmond, Virginia show.
Mark your calendars for the upcoming TICA MA shows and events:
The next Mid Atlantic show will be hosted by United Cat Club and will be held October 17 -18, 2020. The show is closed to the public. All Federal and State COVID-19 requirements will be closely followed. Visit unitedcatclub.com for more details.
TICA Northeast Regional Update:
2019/2020 Online Awards Presentation: The NE Region is honoured to present its winners for the 2019/20 show season! The Awards presentation can be viewed virtually on the TICA NE website. Congratulations to all of our top felines! Regional certificates and award rosettes will be distributed in 2021 (to be determined). A heartfelt thank you to Christian Cherau for his efforts at putting this wonderful presentation together.
2020 Shows Cancelled: Just a friendly reminder that the remainder of our 2020 NE shows have been cancelled due to Covid related capacity restrictions. Updates for 2021 scheduled shows will be posted on the regional email lists and FB page. Keep the faith, Northeasters! We will see each other soon again.
Your Vote, Your Voice: An important time approaches in the TICA community, when our membership has the opportunity to advocate for our association’s leadership moving forward. Be sure to cast your vote for TICA’s next President and Vice president as well as your respective Breed Committee members in the upcoming Fall Election. For more information relating to candidates and supporting statements, please visit tica.org/events/2020-elections.
Thank You, Frontline Workers: The NE Region continues to recognize all of its frontline workers and healthcare professionals during this challenging time. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to keeping us all safe and well!
TICA Northwest Regional Update:
The TICA NW Region has a newly chartered club: “Its Reigning Cats” see “TICA Welcomes Four New Clubs into Our Family” story. This new club is ambitious. Their first show is October 24th in Vancouver, WA. Please support this new club’s first show by entering your cats or giving them a donation.
Mark your calendars for the upcoming TICA NW shows and events:
Shows are starting back up in the Northwest Region. Here’s what shows are currently on the TICA calendar through spring 2021:
- Its Reigning Cats, October 24, 2020 in Vancouver, WA
- The Maine Event, November 14-15, 2020 in Olympia, WA
- The Evergreen Cat Fanciers, February 13-14. 2021 in Ferndale, WA.
- SeaCats, April 23-25, 2021.
American Satin – TICA new experimental breed: Are you interested in pursuing a new breed of cat? The American Satin is an experimental breed of cat, formerly called Courtney’s, founded in Brownsville, Oregon in 2014. American Satins, as their breed name implies, have satin coats, and are based on exceptional looks, personality, and health. For more information contact: Jamie Ackerson at her email courtneykittens@yahoo.com.
TICA South Central Regional Update:
Dear TICA South Central Members:
I am writing this message with great sadness to let everyone know of Joe Edwards passing on September 11, 2020. Please keep Caroline, Aurora and the Edwards family in your thoughts and prayers. If you would like to send condolences to the family, please e-mail me privately. We will be having a memorial service for Joe at the Mission City show in Seguin, TX on November 8th. If you have any pictures and/or stories you would like to share, please contact Dawn Lott (bluebonnetmk@aol.com) or Toni Jones (hojpojorientals@gmail.com).
Vicki Jo Harrison
Mark your calendars for the upcoming TICA SC shows and events this fall:
Mission City Cat Club, November 7-8, 2020 in Seguin, TX
Turkish Van Connection, December 12-13, 2020 in Waxahachie, TX
South Central Regional Show and Awards Banquet Update: The SC Regional Show and Awards Banquet will be January 15-17, 2021 in Irving, TX. It will be hosted by Feline Paw Foundation.
SC Regional Award Sponsors Needed: We are still in need of sponsorships for our regional winners. Go to www.ticasouthcentral.com and click on the golden trophy to sponsor your favorite feline or young human. The deadline for sponsorship is November 1, 2020.
Vote for your favorite South Central personality: Go to www.ticasouthcentral.com and click on the words “Personality Awards Ballot” to get to the ballot. The deadline for voting is October 17, 2020.
