Living Room Tigers News

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We have been giving all the love to our sweet Queen Xanthe, who is due to have a litter of kittens in just a few short weeks. This girl has re-defined the act of lounging! You will often find Xanthe sprawled out in the middle of the kitchen, or draped shamelessly across the arm of a couch. We often try to speculate what kind of mother our Queens will be- and we think Xanthe will be a great one. Despite being very close to delivery, she still melts in your arms and loves to curl up in your neck. We can't wait to see what these kittens look like! With Bramble as their Dad, these kittens will be stunning! Stay tuned for kitten watch and the announcement of their arrival!

 Unfortunately, this week  our sweet Jula Fey had to have an emergency spay due to pyometra. 💔Pyometra is a serious, potentially life threatening infection of the uterus that can develop in an unspayed female. When it happens, things can become critical very quickly, and sometimes the safest choice is emergency surgery. Am I tired today? Absolutely.
I spent most of the night awake, worried and closely monitoring Jula Fey, watching her symptoms and making sure she remained stable enough to get her to our veterinarian as soon as their doors opened this morning.
I don’t think people always see this side of breeding.
The beautiful kittens, the photographs, the announcements and the happy go home days are the parts everyone gets to enjoy. But behind those moments is around the clock responsibility for living, breathing animals who depend entirely on me. My job truly never stops.
I am a mom to not only my children, but I am also very much a “mom” to these cats. They are part of our family. When one of them doesn’t feel well, I worry. I stay awake. I monitor. I research. I call the veterinarian. I make difficult decisions. And sometimes, I cry.
After dropping Jula Fey off this morning, I sat in my car and did exactly that.
I cried. 

Because breeding has never been transactional to me. These aren’t dollar signs. They are precious lives entrusted to my care, and their health, happiness and quality of life will always come before my breeding program.
I believe deeply in ethical preservation breeding and in protecting the extraordinary qualities that make the Maine Coon such a beloved breed. That is my “why.” But days like today are also a reminder that breeding can come with heartbreak, difficult decisions and tremendous responsibility.
Jula Fey’s future as a breeding queen doesn’t matter.
Jula Fey matters. 🤍
If anyone ever wonders what kind of breeder I am, this is probably the best answer I can give:
I am the kind whose heart breaks when one of my cats hurts. The kind who will stay awake all night beside them. The kind who will choose their health over a breeding plan every single time. And the kind who would move mountains to make sure they receive the care they need.
These cats are my family, and this program has my whole heart.
And that is why when a Living Room Tigers kitten eventually leaves our home and joins yours, you can know one thing with absolute certainty:
That kitten was loved long before you ever held them. 🌿🤍🐾

Happy retirement sweet Jula Fey with the serious face. We love you to the moon and back. Your home will always be with me.