Don't forget to read the reports from the first
"United Korats of the World" Meeting, held in Odense on May 1999
CLICK HERE!

  

The history of Korats in Denmark

Everything started a bit crookedly in 1994.
I had been showing my beloved domestic shorthair, Victor, for a year and finally realised he hated it.

GIC. Sawat's Kirilin (Kitty)
"without her there wouldn't be Korats in Denmark..."
bred by Anita Hem and owned by Camilla Baird

The Korat looked attractive in the books I was reading, so I started my search for Korat breeders in Europe. I found the oldest Korat breeder in Scandinavia, Elfi Kleive, in Sandefjord, Norway. After spending a lovely summer's afternoon with Elfi, her husband and her cats in their garden - I was sold. I knew, I must have a KORAT in my life - little did I know about what this decision would mean...

One evening in the autumn of 1992, a stranger called me and told me that a Korat female had been abandoned in Denmark by a young couple in Sweden. Would I take a look at her?
Would I??

I called the place she was staying and made an appointment to visit - I took the cat, Sawat's Kirilin (breeder: Anita Hem, Norway) alias Kitty, home immediately. She was everything I had hoped for - playful, robust, curious and friendly. I was told she was on the pill and was given some pills with her - I soon learned why...

Europa Champion Primprau's Meo Hao (Camilla)
bred by Camilla Baird and owned by D.Mastrangelo (I)

I brought Kitty home to Victor expecting her to be humble in a new place - I didn't know much about cats and certainly nothing about Korats at the time! - boy, were Victor and I in for a shock! Kitty decided to tackle Victor with an element of surprise and speed - it should be noted that Victor was at least double Kitty's size and weight (mind you, it was muscles and bones, not fat) - Victor, who was used to fighting the other cats in the garden and winning, reacted fast and soon they started chasing each other at top speed around my living room. All this chasing was accompanied by a lot of loud noises. I decided to sit quite still and wait for them to calm down - I didn't feel like getting involved.

GIC. Primprau's Ngongee Nguhn (Misty)
bred by Camilla Baird and owned by Jette Jørgensø (DK)

After a while they did calm down in each their corner of the room and engaged in 'cold war' - they sat still and stared at each other all evening. None of them were going to give up. I let them stare, but when I went to bed I took Kitty with me to the bedroom since I didn't dare let them be alone together without supervision. Also I felt sorry for Victor, having his home invaded by a 'terrorist' and being challenged all at the same time.

After a few weeks of supervised time together and the hissing and growling decreasing, they could be left alone without me being there. They ended up becoming the best of friends and very dependent on each other for company. They never slept arm in arm, but they could share the bed or the sofa - and sometimes me. I don't remember seeing them wash each other, either - but had one of them been away for any length of time, the first thing they would do when they were reunited was to touch noses.

Victor would try to comfort Kitty when she was in heat - she had terrible heats. When I got her home and things had settled down, I decided it was silly for her to be on the pill - she was only 10 months old. I soon learned why she was on the pill - during her first heat, she started spraying like any male and her calls were terrible! She could disturb a telephone conversation through two closed doors and she had a range any Wagnerian opera singer would have envied her. She would also try to rape poor Victor - all he could do to help her was wash her from nosetip to tailtip not missing a single spot - it was touching to see.

Kitty was put back on the pill - one a week - till she was about 2 years old. Then other breeders started asking me if I didn't want to breed her. I thought about it and found a suitable new stud from US in Finland. Kitty went empty from this mating.

CH. Primprau's Puying Maigaebred
by Camilla Baird and owned by Outi Niemi (FI)

Some time later, Elfi Kleive made plans to import a stud from US to Norway. In order to do that without the cat going through quarantine, he had to stay in Europe for a year and go through certain procedures. Elfi offered me a mating if I would house her stud for a while, how could I refuse that offer?

Yang Chen Ma Hoo Who's
The stud, Yang Chen Ma Hoo Who's (breeder: Maureen Cray, USA) alias Hoo, was beautiful and sweet. The kittens he had with Kitty were fantastic - but what did I know? This was my first litter ever, how did I know what to look for in a Korat kitten?
I learned from Outi Niemi, a breeder from Finland, that my kittens were quite exceptional - she bought one for her breeding program, Primprau's Puying Maigae. Another went as a pet to a family in Denmark with two boys. The third one went to a girl, who was fascinated by the Korat's appearance and history - her cat, Primprau's Ngongee Nguhn alias Misty, has done very well at shows in Denmark and abroad and has helped do some positive PR for the Korat in Europe. The last one, Primprau's Meo Hao alias Meo or "Camilla", I had planned on keeping as my own future queen - things turned out differently. She didn't get along with Kitty, so she had to move. Donatella Mastrangelo in Italy was in need of a new queen, so I offered to help her - I gave her Meo. Meo has had a wonderful breeding and showing career in Italy and southern Europe and has done a lot for spreading the knowledge and the popularity of the Korat in Europe.

EC. Primprau's Blue Emerald (EMMY)
Bred and owned by Camilla Baird
(picture by Jim)

Breeding was fun! So, the next year Kitty and I went to Finland to visit Outi and her stud, Kattihovin Ou-Vinh Cam Ranh (breeder: Pälvi Niemi, Finland) alias Kuppeli. The result was 5 kittens - all very different and none as spectacular as in the first litter. One boy went as a stud to Annegret and Martin Jebasinsky in Germany, Primprau's Blue Comet. Primprau's Blue Sapphire went as a pet to a gentleman in Berlin, who had lived in Vietnam and had had a Korat out there. Primprau's Blue Rocket went as a pet to another family in Germany, because he reminded them of a Siamese they had had once. Primprau's Blue Emerald stayed with me and is my new queen.

In 1997, I decided to let Kitty have her last litter before breeding Emmy. I made arrangements to use Hoo again because the result the first time had been so good and I regretted not having kept a female from that combination. She had two males. Primprau's Wait, Watch and Win! went to a breeder in Belgium as a stud. I kept Primprau's No Challenge Too Great alias Charlie to breed to Emmy once, before he moved to his new family in Denmark who had waited for him since he was 3 weeks old.

Emmy and Charlie were mated around New Year 1997/98 and had two lovely boys. One will soon be moving to live with Charlie. I might keep the other as a show neuter.

Things are progressing slowly with the Korat in Denmark. I had never expected to become involved in breeding, when I first decided to have a Korat - I just wanted a cat to show. Kitty is not show quality, but is a very good breeding female and an exceptionally good mother to her kittens.

I have made very many good friends through the cat fancy - especially Korat breeders. Korat breeders and owners are as special as their cats. You have to be a special kind of person to enjoy living with one or more Korats.

Camilla Baird
PRIMPRAU'S Korats
"cats with a mild will of iron"

Time for an update about the Danish Korats! 

 

Primprau's No Challenge To Great (Charlie)

Quite a few things have happened since I last wrote, which are of importance to this history page of the Danish Korats. It is great to have this page to refer back to and update once in a while! Thanks, Donatella!

It seems I left off at New Year's 1998. Many things happened in 1998.

Emmy's and Charlie's two kittens developed into two strong beautiful boys. One was neutered and moved in with Charlie. The other, Primprau's Starcrossed Chance, went to UK to Jen Lacey, Jenanca Korats, as her new stud. He went under the Balai Directive as the first Korat to enter UK without quarantine.

The Balai Directive is a set of new import regulations for UK from EU for breeding animals that were subjects to commercial transactions, the Balai Directive (read about my experiences with this directive). This meant a 6 month quarantine period in my home, a rabies vaccine, a rabies anti-titre test and some paperwork. I agreed to go to help Jen and UK with getting Chance and his new bloodlines into UK. Jen came over to Denmark to pick up Chance some months later. Chance has now already sired several litters in UK and was a GCCF Champion after his first three shows.

EC. Primprau's Blue Emerald (EMMY)
Bred and owned by Camilla Baird
(picture by A.Robinson)

I concentrated on showing Emmy to FIFe Grand International Champion. In the mean time I was making plans for her next mating - I was looking for a stud with the right looks and the right pedigree for Emmy. I decided to look in US hoping to bring some new bloodlines to Europe.

We were an international group of breeders who decided to meet up in Boston in October 1998. I made arrangements to bring Emmy with me, so Ann Segrest, Kiriki Korats, could bring Emmy home to Oregon and mate her to Mayopun Chakotay of Kiriki, Ann's stud.

I picked up Emmy in January 1999. About 10 days before she was due to deliver her kittens.

January 21, 1999, Emmy had 4 beautiful kittens - 3 girls, one boy. I have kept one of the girls, Primprau's Suay Kanchanaburi, as my future queen. She is looking very promising!

In March 1999, a historic event for the Korat breed in Europe and for me as a breeder took place in Milan at the FIFe World Show. EC/GIP Primprau's Meo Hao won the World Winner 1999 title as Best Opposite Sex Female Neuter! Now her full title is WW99 EC/GIP Primprau's Meo Hao. This was the first time for a Korat to become FIFe World Winner in the 17 years that the Korat has been recognised in FIFe. This was a very great and emotional moment to experience - my kitten was World Winner!

Things turned out a little differently than expected with the stud I sold to Belgium, Primprau's Wait, Watch and Win! I ended up making arrangements to buy him back.

In May 1999, Eddy Blockmanns and his wife brought WWW to me in Denmark.

I am very thankful for this help, as WWW turned out to have developed just as well as I had hoped and more. I had often regretted selling all the kittens from the Hoo/Kitty combination without having that look in my lines anywhere.

Primprau's Wait Watch and Win (Webcat)

Now I had WWW back and no female for him. As things turned out friends found a very good solution for me and WWW...

Eddy, his wife, and WWW came to Denmark to participate in the first meeting of 'United Korats of the World'. Ann Segrest came over from Oregon US to see some of Denmark and to attend this meeting - she stayed with me during her stay. This gave Ann plenty of opportunity to study WWW's looks and temper and pedigree - after a few days, Ann suggested she helped me by leasing him from me for a year. This is beneficial for both of us - Ann gets to use wonderful stud and the Danish Korats get some PR on the show bench in US.

So at the moment, July 1999, there are 2 breeding Korats in Denmark:

• Emmy, my current queen, who will have one more litter with a not yet determined stud,
• Kanchanaburi, my future queen, whose first litter will probably be with Webcat. I am expecting quite a bit from this combination...

All in all, there are 6 Korats in Denmark now (not counting my own 3) out of 5 litters counting 17 kittens:

• Misty, GIC Primprau's Ngongee Nguhn, from the first litter
• Charlie, Primprau's No Challenge Too Great, now neutered from the third litter
• Emil, IP Primprau's Ditakah Pakhdi, Charlie's son with Emmy, also neutered from Emmy's first litter - my fourth litter
• Rosie, Primprau's Suay Rambutan, spayed
• Bonnie, Primprau's Suay Bangnara, spayed
• Sushi, Primprau's Suay Phichit, neutered

The number of Korats in Denmark is growing slowly but surely!

Camilla Baird

Newest from 2000/2001

 

Chumaki Thai Princess

Kanchanaburi could not stay with me - she is now a breeding queen with a new breeder in Italy.
WWW stayed in US - he is now neutered and enjoying life with Claire Dodds (Royale Swan) in Missouri, USA.

Before leaving for Italy, Buri was mated to "Silver"- Anéas av Kalhammaren - again. The first time this mating produced two beautiful sons. One will be my stud - Primprau's Silver Tamruat.
Emmy was also mated to "Silver"- she had a son and a daughter. Both are placed as neutered pets in Germany.

I imported two new females - one from Norway (Pimai Wan Nang Sai) and one from UK (Chumaki Thaiprincess). Unfortunately, Nang Sai had to be put down at a very young age. I am looking forward to seeing how Princess will develop and how she will reproduce her good points - Princess is a daughter of Mr.Saam, the Thai male in UK, and Chumaki Galadriel, the daughter of my absolute Korat favourite, Aerostar Spectre.

What happened in 2001

Primprau's Silver Tamruat

Emmy has been neutered. Her carreer as a breeding queen has been mixed and several of her kittens are in breeding around Europe. I also now have a grandson of hers to continue the line.
My breeding plans have changed somewhat - it turned out that Anéas av Kalhammaren and Primprau's Suay Kanchanaburi both carry the bluepoint gene - in their second litter they had a bluepoint female kitten. This means that Primprau's Silver Tamruat might be a bluepoint carrier as well...It will be interesting to see what Tamruat and Chumaki Thaiprincess will produce.

Camilla Baird