Bartering for my first Siberian Cat was the beginning of my small Siberian Cat breeding program. That means I have one mama cat and one daddy cat. I am planning on getting a second mama cat. I have raised my kittens with a lot of love and personal attention. They have had proper vet care, and excellent food for the grown cats and the babies. They have gone to good homes. This year I made a small profit, and I am very thankful for the extra income. That I earned the money doing something I really enjoy is an additional blessing. I would like to encourage anyone attempting to transition to a lifestyle that is better prepared to face natural and economic disasters to work toward having an extra income, no matter how small. Raising Siberian cats was a surprise to me! I didn't plan it, but I was open to the opportunity when it came around. So - here's the story.......
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Right now, right in the middle of my living room, is a registered Siberian Forest Cat, and her seven new kittens. The mother is not the Siberian cat in the following article. But, before I get to the story about how Baby Blue Rain came to be our cat, let's start with our first Siberian - Sofie, or Safira as she was called then..
Here's is the way it all began.....
I am a Barter Beginner
By Barbara Henderson
Well, it all started out like any other normal day. In fact, it was a normal day. But the night was not normal. Something weird happened and the door to the camper came open while we were sleeping. That door has never come open before or after, so we really don’t know what happened. Jerry thinks the camper just shifted a little and popped the door open. It had been raining a lot, so he is probably correct. Anyway, that is where the ab-normal began.
My cat Dolly got out, and we were never able to find here. Dolly is an entirely different story, but I need to give you a quick rundown on my cat Dolly. Dolly was the kitten of a stray at our home in Texas. When I first saw her she was already about 4 months old, too wild to catch, and just beautiful. Dolly and I locked eyes on our first meeting, and she was my cat from that day forward. However, it took me a little over two full years to actually catch Dolly in a live trap. She would hang around the house, have litters of kittens every two weeks (or at least it seemed like every two weeks), and come close enough to eat when I called her. One fine day I caught Dolly in a live trap. I had already located her current litter of kittens, so success was on the way. I kept Dolly and the kittens in a big dog crate in the house, eventually found homes for the kittens, and finally turned Dolly loose in the house. Then she disappeared. I barely saw the cat for the next SEVEN MONTHS. My family and friends called her my invisible pet. Anyway – I eventually tamed her; she became a constant lap cat; and she had no bad habits. Then, seven years later, on the night the door came open, tragedy struck. I lost Dolly. I was heartbroken. The other cat, really my grandson’s cat, Milo was also heart broken. She wailed for days. Now she just gives pitiful cat calls out the window in the evening. It is like she is saying, ‘Dolly, where are you? Come home.” Dolly was in poor health by that time, so we feel like she went somewhere to die. I am still sick just thinking about it. Of course we searched the neighborhood and offered a reward if anyone helped find her. I was pretty sure it was hopeless from the start. As you probably guessed I couldn't stop crying.....and crying..... and crying.
So, as you can see, I am missing Dolly. In order to make me feel better my sweet husband Jerry said, ‘Just get another cat honey. Pick out what you like and get it.” So, that is what I did. I picked out a Siberian Forest Cat. For a house cat, they are average to large in size, furry, and expensive. It is nothing to pay $1000 for a Siberian. Most people who are allergic to cats are not allergic to Siberians. They are reported to not shed much, in spite of their long hair. They are supposed to live a long time and be healthy.
THEN, I told Jerry what the cat I picked out cost, and at that point (thankfully) he was speechless for a day or two. Of course we can’t afford that for a luxury item. So, I was HIGHLY motivated, even driven to consider what to do. I really wanted, in fact I needed a Siberian cat. Having heard about a hypoallergenic cat that was regarded as one of the healthiest breeds, I knew that I must have one (or more likely two or three). So, I kept on figuring out exactly how I would get one. I don’t have money. I have the energy of slug. I have a pretty cheerful nature, but I don’t really think there is a way to sell that.
After wracking my brain for a few days, I decided to try something bold. I decided to try to trade something created using a skill I have for a cat. I had lessons in oil painting years ago. I had weekly lessons for five years from a master painter who was trained in oil painting in the old schools methods. His paintings were realistic impressionism. They are more realistic than impressionism, but they are not like photograph perfect. His idea was that if you wanted photograph clarity, then you need to take a photograph in the first place. Anyway, I enjoyed doing the paintings. When Jerry had his auto repair shop, I sold quite a few small paintings from that business location. I usually painted at my desk when I wasn’t busy doing something to do with the business. I never managed anything really expensive, but I did get to do something that I liked to do, and make a little money.
Anyway, I began to wonder if anyone might trade me a cat for a painting, or a series of paintings. I looked on the internet for a Siberian cat breeder in the area. I found one about 120 miles away. I sent her an email inquiring if she might consider trading a cat for some paintings. She countered that she couldn’t really do that, but how about a nice discount on the price of a grown cat. She would take one painting and the rest out in cash. Since I had already priced the cats and kittens, I knew that she was offering me a very good deal. I get the cat June the sixth.
Her name is Safira. She is actually from Russia. She seems very intelligent, calm, and curious about what is going on. We are looking forward to getting her.
But wait, there is more. Safira has not yet been spayed, and kittens are in demand. SO, I become bold once again. I asked the breeder what she thought about me raising one litter of kittens, as Safira is young, and from very good stock.
The answer was ‘yes’. The stud fee has been slightly reduced, and I am being allowed to pay it out over time. Hopefully, the end result will be that I get to keep one kitten, and sell the others to good homes for enough profit to come close to even on the cost of everything involved.
That is my only experience in barter. I am planning to try it again as soon as I think up something dreadfully expensive or absolutely necessary that I just have to have.
I hope to be able to do some more paintings and post them on the internet for sale OR trade. When we get a house I think I want a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
I also love rings with diamonds, sapphires, and opals.
My husband loves anything that makes a loud noise.
There must be someone out there with all these things who is in dire need of an oil painting.
Surely, someone will be willing to trade at least partial payment for one or two of my paintings.
In my case, barter for a cat, or partial payment for a cat, is obviously not something necessary to survival. However, it is luxury item that would not have been possible without barter. Oil painting just made it possible.
Everyone needs to consider what skills they may personally have that might be traded for something they are wanting. I suppose the thing isn’t totally value for value. It is more, how bad you want something and how bad someone else wants to get rid of something.
Just throw an idea out there and see what happens. I am sure the cat owner wasn’t thinking, ‘gee I need a painting of a cat’ when I made the offer. But she decided on getting the painting anyway.
I hope to be bold enough in the future to just ask is someone is willing to trade something they have for something that I have.
I will keep you all posted on how the ‘raising a litter of kittens’ part of this barter turns out. I honestly can tell you that I never thought I would do anything by barter. And I really never thought I would raise a litter of kittens on purpose after having to deal with a bazillion litters of kittens from stray cats.
Now, you may be thinking, ‘Well, that’s a fine story, but I sure don’t want a cat’. The point isn’t really ‘how Barbara got her cat’. The point is, ‘how Barbara got something she wanted that she couldn’t afford to buy outright’.
The question then becomes, ‘What is it that you would like to have that you don’t have?’ You probably can’t immediately barter for the 40 foot yacht, but you may be able to work up to it. Today might be just the right day for you to get started!
Barbara Henderson – the ‘barter beginner’
http://chirpyscats.com
http://tobarbara.blogspot.com
