Hello to All!  It is great to see such passion about breeding and showing Maine Coons! 

 My name is Susan Milburn, and I am running for breed committee.  I live outside Portland, Oregon where urban life is continually new and exciting.  While I am glad to not live in the city, it is fun to be close by.  I started in the cat fancy by showing a Maine Coon alter which led to showing several alters – we all know Maine Coons can be addictive!  Eventually, I began breeding Maine Coons, and established Cascade Mountain cattery which is currently in its fourth year.  I’ve been fortunate to have bred and shown several regional, and a couple of international winning MCs. 

 My primary cattery goal is to breed and raise, healthy Maine Coons with great temperament and then type.  A well run cattery demands a great deal of time and attention.  I’m interested in improving my cat’s health through the research of articles about, and then the use of:  better foods, supplements, medicine, health screening for breeding cats, litter, sanitation, and how to best treat conditions such as gingivitis.  Another important element to cattery management is creating living spaces where cats have visual and play stimulation and are not simply housed. 

I show MCs in TICA and primarily on the west coast, although occasionally I attend shows across the country.  TICA is a fun organization and I enjoy many friendships I found along the way.  I belong to several clubs where I actively participate: Jazzy Cats, Fog City, and Commencement Cat Club.  I’ve participated as entry clerk, raffle organizer, hosted club meetings, and spent many hours making new rosettes from old ones.  Those who are or have been club members know the difficulty of putting on a show. 

 I’ve volunteered at a wildlife rescue facility in Portland since 1995 where birds and mammals are hospitalized due to injury or illness, treated and released.  I evaluate, weigh, feed, dispense meds, and do a lot of laundry while grabbing the phone to answer questions people have about wildlife issues.  I began doing this after I left a large insurance company where I worked in human resource management; a field I was in 20+ years.  My degree is in behavioral and social sciences with a minor in human resource management. 

The poly people have done a great job on the lists of negotiating for what they want.  Their posts have been educational and reasonable in tone, the discussions have remained civil.  But the MC standard doesn’t allow for a polydactyl Maine Coon in the championship class, and a change to the standard was recently voted on and did not pass.  Clearly, the membership spoke. 

Like all of you, I love Maine Coon cats and feel they have the most incredible personality and beauty.  I’d like the opportunity to contribute to the breed and to help shape the direction and development of the Maine Coon in TICA.  I’ll work to safeguard the Maine Coon standard which is our most important asset and one that is currently serving us well, and I’ll represent the members of the breed faithfully.