| About Us |
| January 5, 2010 |
| The Two Sisters of the Three Rivers* |
Patricia & Jan Johnston [mind you, it is JohnsTon, with a "T" - we're very sensitive
about that] were born and raised in small, rural towns in Northwest Iowa. Mother
was a stay-at-home mom, while Dad was the regional manager of a livestock feed
company. We have an older brother who is an Anesthesiologist, Pat is a Master's
prepared Licensed Social Worker, and Jan has her Master's degree in Nursing
Education.
about that] were born and raised in small, rural towns in Northwest Iowa. Mother
was a stay-at-home mom, while Dad was the regional manager of a livestock feed
company. We have an older brother who is an Anesthesiologist, Pat is a Master's
prepared Licensed Social Worker, and Jan has her Master's degree in Nursing
Education.
Our family heritage as WASP's (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant), meant embracing a
hard work ethic with traditional family values, such as integrity, strength of character,
and being there when the family needed help - a bond beyond love. Respect and honor
others. Help and serve others, and through that, you are serving God as well.
hard work ethic with traditional family values, such as integrity, strength of character,
and being there when the family needed help - a bond beyond love. Respect and honor
others. Help and serve others, and through that, you are serving God as well.
But you don't just start up a cattery without a lot of planning. For her, it was 8 years
in the making, and constant learning from other breeders from the US and abroad,
about standards, genetics, and breeding in general.
in the making, and constant learning from other breeders from the US and abroad,
about standards, genetics, and breeding in general.
| Jan's neutered babies 3 + 1 |
| When people are looking to make a purchase of such importance as a new family member, they want to make certain that the breeders they are dealing with are truthful, ethical, pleasant, and respectful. So here is a little bit about we two sisters... |
| Our Breeding |
| Our Kitty Family |
| Pat's neutered babies - 4 Sibi girls |
* City of the Three Rivers refers to an older name for Pittsburgh, PA.
| Lapis - Retired Breeder & Grand Champion [Blue with White] She is a big help with integrating new breeder girls into the cattery. She is 16 pounds, and no one takes any guff from her! She is wonderful with our breeder girls as sort of a nanny |
| Anya [Blue Tabby] Has become the main household Greeter when Lapis is doing her 'job' with the breeder girls. |
| Ulla is our very vocal Black with white locket. She is the Great Communicator - you always know what she wants or is thinking. She is also relentless when she wants attention! |
| Katarina (Katie or KK) - This is our fine Russian Czarina - you may look, but may not touch unless you are in her 'inner circle' |
| Ginger - 'Mama Gin' - [Black Mackeral Tabby] retired breeder and enjoying every minute of being a kitten again! Here she is carrying her 'kill' - a rabbit pelt. [Ginger crossed the Rainbow Bridge Dec 29, 2009 after a sudden and surprising decline in health related to 'colon cancer' - she will be sorely missed] |
| Ilya Alekovic - "Ilya the Red". Being such a wonderful example of the humorous side of the Sib personality, I have freely used his picture throughout our website. Expert climber, jumper, gamer, he also is a wonderful big brother to the younger Siberians; he wrestles them down to give them baths still (even if they are now bigger than him!) |
| Savka - my 'Saavvy' is my over the top affectionate boy - he HAS to give me hugs, kitty kisses, and jump into my arms whenever I have been away from him for awhile. (And those kitty kisses are SLOPPY - like a dog with a raspy tongue!). He and Ilya have jumping contests, that Savka usually wins. He loves playing with 'da bird', and frequently jumps, captures, and runs off with the feathers, the wand in tow behind him, with a trail of the rest of my cats following him! He will not give up his prize very easily... He is a Silver Seal point with white (colorpoint), and he is Ginger's son. Savka thinks any kittens are his personal little wind-up toys to play with, and loves batting at their tails. |
| Madame Butterfly (Mattie) - is an oversized Red & Sable Continental "Toy" Spaniel (Papillon), who is beyond PERKY and always ready to play with the kitties. She loves to wrestle with the ones large enough to do so. She is extremely gentle with them - she is addicted to the smell of the very young kittens - I think they are like catnip or something to her, because her nose starts quivering and nostrils flare, her tail gets to going 100 times faster, and her whole back-end wiggles with excitement. Her picture is on the website with different cats and kittens, who all absolutely adore her. She helps with our socializing our kittens to dogs. |
The Celtic Triskellion (seen above) that we use as part of our logo defines our
ancestry, and is personally meaningful with the number three - the three rivers
we live near - the balance or harmony we seek in body, soul & spirit - and
represents the motto for our cattery - Hands-Heart-Hearth. This is who we are.
ancestry, and is personally meaningful with the number three - the three rivers
we live near - the balance or harmony we seek in body, soul & spirit - and
represents the motto for our cattery - Hands-Heart-Hearth. This is who we are.
The poster 'child' Siberian of our logo is Samei. He was a
very special kitten - and is a wonderful Siberian. He
started out as the runt of our first litter, needing some
extra help. The sweet bond that developed has held a
special place in our hearts for 'our' boy. His 'parents'
have taken some marvelous pictures of him - many which
you see throughout the website.
very special kitten - and is a wonderful Siberian. He
started out as the runt of our first litter, needing some
extra help. The sweet bond that developed has held a
special place in our hearts for 'our' boy. His 'parents'
have taken some marvelous pictures of him - many which
you see throughout the website.
| Our Logo |
| Our Life |
Ever since Pat adopted her first Siberian, she became fascinated with the breed,
especially their wonderful personalities. She joined a Siberian Listserve to interact
with breeders & owners of Siberians. Through the internet groups she discovered that
she wanted to help establish the Siberian breed in America.
especially their wonderful personalities. She joined a Siberian Listserve to interact
with breeders & owners of Siberians. Through the internet groups she discovered that
she wanted to help establish the Siberian breed in America.
An opportunity came along to help a breeder, but not for Pat directly - for her
sister, Jan. A breeder had to temporarily find placement for all her breeder cats
while she dealt with a family emergency. Jan was asked if she would house, at first,
one of the breeder girls, then, also, one of the breeder boys, and to allow them to
have a litter.
sister, Jan. A breeder had to temporarily find placement for all her breeder cats
while she dealt with a family emergency. Jan was asked if she would house, at first,
one of the breeder girls, then, also, one of the breeder boys, and to allow them to
have a litter.
Jan agreed to this, and that started a situation as being 'foster breeders', a term
we coined, since the cats were owned by another breeder, and we were just helping
with the environment and to deliver babies, socialize them, and get them ready to go
to fur-ever homes. Jan was doing this in Iowa, so Pat was doing her assistance 'long
distance' from PA, and actually was a bit jealous that 'her' dream was being started
by her sister!
we coined, since the cats were owned by another breeder, and we were just helping
with the environment and to deliver babies, socialize them, and get them ready to go
to fur-ever homes. Jan was doing this in Iowa, so Pat was doing her assistance 'long
distance' from PA, and actually was a bit jealous that 'her' dream was being started
by her sister!
Jan & Pat fostered two litters from that breeding pair, and then they started to
decide on the kittens that would eventually be Keitta breeders. The original
breeding pair was retired.
decide on the kittens that would eventually be Keitta breeders. The original
breeding pair was retired.
So there was a transition period of around two years as Jan prepared to move to PA,
and Pat prepared the cattery and researched Siberian genetic lines, along with
guidance from several mentors from Italy, Russia, the UK, and the Czech Republic, as
well as some US breeders.
and Pat prepared the cattery and researched Siberian genetic lines, along with
guidance from several mentors from Italy, Russia, the UK, and the Czech Republic, as
well as some US breeders.
So, this has brought us to the point where we were able to branch off on our own, with
our own cattery, and our own name - Keitta Siberians - "keita" [pronounced kay tah]
means forest in Celtic, thus "Forest Siberians".
our own cattery, and our own name - Keitta Siberians - "keita" [pronounced kay tah]
means forest in Celtic, thus "Forest Siberians".