by Barbara Burke
Professional Persian cat breeder Lisa Smith with her Persian tortoiseshell kitten Bella, who is currently on the show circuit with her in the kitten class. Photograph by Barbara Burke.She came to western New York by way of Marlow, Oklahoma and now calls a farm in Lyndonville, NY home.
Lisa Smith is a world famous breeder of Persians and Exotics (short hair Persian) cats. She has been breeding and showing Persians for 28 years, and a veterinary assistant and groomer for 31 years.
Breeding Persians started back in Oklahoma where Lisa worked in a grooming shop. “A friend who had acquired two Persians brought in her cats and asked me about a breeding partnership. I liked the breed and as a groomer found them intriguing. It just snowballed from there,” she said.
Lisa found that she shared one important concept about breeding with her friend, they both believe in quality over quantity.
While showing cats, Lisa met Jerry Hamza, a fellow Persian cat breeder from New York who was showing his cats. A friendship formed which blossomed into a romance, and 11 years ago she moved to New York and is Hamza’s fiancée. They live together on the farm in Lyndonville, a place which Jerry has always called home.
On the farm they have their cattery (a combination of her Cattillak and Jerry’s Jubileum) as well as two paint horses and two spotted draft horses. “I’ve always been an animal lover and also enjoy riding and caring for my horses,” Lisa said. Their animal family is completed by a French bulldog named Effie, Jerry’s constant companion.
All of their Persians are co-owned by Jerry and Lisa. They currently have 20 breeder cats, including both males and females. Lisa believes in responsible breeding and allows her females to have only one litter a year. The average litter is three to four kittens and all are delivered naturally. Her females are bred for only seven years, then retired.
The average life span of a Persian cat is 12 to 15 years. Her bloodline has produced several Grand Champions including her stand-out male GC, RW, Catillak’s Sooner or Later, DM who in 12 years produced over 32 Grand Champion offspring. They also had the CFA’s Kitten of the Year in 2005, GC, NW Cattillak’s Repete Performance.
Lisa and Jerry travel frequently all over the world showing their cats. Jerry is currently president of The Cat Fanciers Association, Inc., the world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats.
GC, NW, Catillak’s Let Me Tell Ya A Secret is a dilute calico Persian, breeder Lisa Smith’s first National Grand Champion winner.The Persian is the most popular breed of pedigree cats in the United States. In the show world, all animals have standards, that is the guideline by which each breed is judged. Persian cat standards include the word “round” over 17 times. Everything about Persians should be round – round head, round eyes that are set far apart, round ear tips with good width between the ears, round body that is short and compact. They should be a medium to large-sized cat. The eye color should be deep blue or brilliant copper. And of course, the coat, which contributes greatly to the overall final effect, should be long and thick, standing off the body, fine in texture, glossy and full of life
Persians are also known for their very sweet temperament. Overall balance and refinement are the essence of the breed. “This is how they are judged and this is what makes them so beautiful to look at,” Lisa said.
Lisa breeds and shows bi-color Persians, which is white plus one color. She was recently given a gift from a breeder friend in California: Bella is a beautiful tortoiseshell colored Persian kitten which Lisa is currently showing in the kitten class.
Lisa sells her Persians to people all over the world. “Most of my Persians go to show homes. People contact me over the internet with an interest in purchasing one of my cats,” she said. There are very strict standards that are followed before one of Lisa’s Persians can be purchased. References are checked and other breeders are contacted before anyone is approved. Cat breeders are a very close network and they work together to make sure all of their cats are going to proper homes.
Most of Lisa’s Persians go overseas. The week of the interview for this story, two Persians were shipped to Oslo, Norway and one to Hong Kong. She also had a customer from Russia who was interested in a kitten and was visiting New York City, she drove up to the farm to visit the cattery, meet Lisa and her cats.
Lisa ships her Persians through a company in Toronto, Canada and has been using them for 11 years. “All flights are non-stop. That is all they do is ship animals. I have never had one problem in 11 years working with them,” Lisa said.
On July 9 of this year, Lisa opened The Ritz Pet Grooming & Boutique at 1835 North Union Street, Spencerport in the D’Angelo’s Plaza. She originally purchased the equipment and supplies for the grooming business to work with her step-daughter, also a groomer. When her step-daughter moved to Florida, Lisa decided to go ahead with the shop and found the current location in Spencerport. She works three mornings a week as a veterinary assistant in a cat clinic and in the afternoons she works at her shop as a groomer. “I like to keep busy,” she said, “I think it keeps you healthy. I’m not one to just sit around.”
For other information on Lisa Smith and her Persian Show Cats visit www.Catillak.net.
About the business
The Ritz Pet Grooming & Boutique offers grooming for dogs and cats, and a full line of pet supplies including collars, leashes, show supplies, carriers, beds, toys and several lines of dog and cat foods. “The people in the area have been very supportive of my new business, the reception from the community is very encouraging. People here are very nice and friendly. It is great to have my business here,” she said.
