helped to make history
Donskoy cats
TICA reg.: 2004 Don Hairless, 2005 Donskoy!
{Don Sphynx/Don Hairless}
In the summer of 2000 Sherri Mossop of Possoms Cattery started looking into a hairless breed of cat. The American Sphynx was the only breed of hairless cat she was aware of.
While surfing the yahoo classifieds, she came across an advertisement for rare Sphynx cats. Sherri replied to the ad, only to find out the ad was for a Don Sphynx. She was told they were very rare, came from Russia and were better than the American Sphynx due to their dominant hairless gene. Sherri still did not know the Don Sphynx were any different than the American Sphynx. The Sphynx is still a relatively new breed of hairless cat. With out knowing the Don Sphynx was any different than the American Sphynx, Sherri Mossop purchased her first Sphynx �Egor�. �Egor� is better known by his American name, �Stepan Out of Possoms�.
While on her way home with her new cat, Sherri proceeded to look over Stepan�s paper work. What she found to her surprise was all the paper work the breeder had given her on Stepan was in Russian from a club called World Cat Federation (WCF). She had never heard of WCF. Upon arriving home, she began to surf for the WCF club. She found the club operated out of Germany. She became acquainted with those in the WCF and a friendship developed between her and the Vice President. She made every effort to learn all about the WCF and how it was ran.
Very impressed with the Don Sphynx, Sherri Mossop started to look for other Dons in USA. None was to be found. Stepan stood alone as the only Don Sphynx in the USA. It was not until a year later she found some living in another state. They were all either spayed or neutered.
With the knowledge that Stepan stood alone as the only whole Don Sphynx in the USA, Sherri Mossop began to talk to breeders in Russia. She wanted to learn all she could about bring this new hairless breed to the US. She found the true name of the breed to be Donskoy Sphynx. It was later 1998, name was later shortened to Don Sphynx.
Sherri Mossop was fascinated with the breed, the more she learned, the more she wanted to know. She had gathered a lot of information, and wanted to share the information she had gathered and help teach other breeders in the USA about the breed. She started a Donskoy Federation of America Club. It was a tribute to the Don Sphynx here in the USA.
In the Year 2001, Stepan Out of Possoms started showing up at Mid-Michigan cat shows. He was the first Don Sphynx to attend a CFA cat show.
In the Year 2002 the Don Sphynx was accepted in the TICA registry as the Don Hairless. The Don Sphynx had its name changed.
In the Year 2003, Stepan�s offspring, attended CFA and TICA shows. They were shown in the HHP classes and did very well. Since then there have been few others being shown HHP in California.
In the Year 2004, the Don Breed group really started to grow. Now there are 4 USA breeders and 2 Canadian.
In the Year 2005, Don Hairless Breed Club was formed. The year Sherri Mossop turn the breed club over to Evelyn Jacobs a Canadain breeder. Together they stayed strong about the Fact that the Don hairless in TICA was really a new bald bengal breed and that the True Russian is a Donskoy. So a Donskoy members vote was taken and as a group we was able to get TICA to change the name fo rus breeders. 2005 was a great year for the Donskoy!!!
Now, After a long 4 years working with many Dons and thier breeders. Sherri did not like to hear all about the Don kitten deaths that was coming out all the internet. This hurt her because no one would listen to her about heath first, then standards and then breeding to sell show/breeder kittens. Instead many cover up all the kitten deaths and all the illnesses and pass out more kittens that will breed and more will be dieing, more will be covered up..
This is why Sherri Mossop started a outcrossing project of 5 different American females. Siamese 2 {reg. UFO}, DSH. Very healthy kittens of velour and brush coats were kept for futher breeders. Sherri also tryed a Rex, a Sphynx f1 and a Sphynx, Just to learn how the gene Dominated other cury or bald lines of cats. Rex/Don:: coat is very Don, but much softer. Offsprings only as pets, do not keep for a breeding program. No good will come of it Sphynx/Don: NO=DO NOT..90% of straight haired kittens will be born. Then the genes of then Sphynx will hide in a Don forever!!!
2006 Sherri pulled away from the breeder comunity all together and she keeps her cattery privet while she figured out the genetic defects with in the breed.. She also started rescueing some of the hairless Russian breeds with health issues.
2007 Possoms Cattery Russian hairless breeding programs had closed. There was to many genetic defects that could not be breed out with in the Russian hairless blood lines. Only to bring dissapointment and hurt feeling for what the breeders and thier queens have to go through just to learn there is really no true hope for the Donskoy breed health and genitic state for it to become truely what it should be in USA.
The Don has a healthing powers that Sherri can not explain. But after her family was toxined poisined {Sherri family's story} and almost killed. The Don was the only thing Sherri had to live for {Her family first, but the Don gave her the engery out of bed each day}. Her pets gave her the warmth and love to be healed. Sherri can not give any more thanks to God, but spread his love and warmth around to other in need, as she was at one point in her life. So if you have problems with our Donskoy lines, Sherri Mossop is the one to contact for info or help with our issues.
God Bless all..... Spread his word!
