S*LättaTassar is a small ocicat cattery in Malmö, southern Sweden. The cattery is owned and run jointly by both Stephanie Regel and Per Smitt. We are members of the Oci Cat Club (OCC) and are registered Royal Canin breeders.
We are actually quite new at breeding cats since we have never attempted it before now. We’re hoping to take our first litter with Silvana during summer 2009 and to find a mate for Blue quite soon.
We never thought we would be cat people (Per grew up with german shepherds and Steph with bunnies and a bird (as well as a series of tragically dying fish). So how did we come to own and love 4 beautiful cats? It all started in spring 2007 when we bought a photo books of cats for Steph’s sister. While looking through it at home, Steph noted that the name ’ocicat’ strangely resembled ’ocelot’. After some googling for pictures (and a lot of cooing on both our parts), we came to the conclusion that we probably couldn’t find the breed in Sweden...until we realised that we were on OCIS website (the official ocicat website for Scandinavia).
Out of curiosity, Per called a breeder in order to get a bit more hands-on information: were ocicats really that playful, intelligent and friendly? After hearing some first hand stories, we decided to look up kittens. Within a few days, we had made contact with S*John-Johns. We were by then completely enamoured with Play Boy (although Steph was always a bit more partial for Toyo, but hey, it would have been silly to complain when a dog person takes an active interest in a cat). We booked a time with Ingrid and drove all the way from Malmö to Uppsala, a 9-hour drive. We finally got to meet ocicats for the first time: it was love at first sight.
From the adorable kittens who fell asleep in our laps (surprisingly enough Play chose Per and Toyo chose Steph, thus paving the road for the future) to the adults’ sleek beauty and friendliness and especially including Sammy (a supposedly handicapped cat, Per begs to differ) who escaped and led Per on a merry chase in the apartment building’s three staircases, we could come to only one conclusion: we wanted to share our lives with the critters.
Not long before leaving, Ingrid mentionned that she had expected Toyo to be the first kitten to be chosen in the litter, but that now he was last. After a brief and intense conversation alone on the balcony, we decided to ask Ingrid if we could have Toyo as well.
Ever since then, our ocicats have only enriched our lives. Sure they can be a handful, but to have such wonderful cats who so obviously love us back has made us never question our decision.
When we got Silvana, we contractually agreed to breed her and so here we are. Before Silvana was old enough, Blue Blue joined our family, also under the agreement to breed her. So now the time is right, Silvana and Blue are the right age, and all that is left is for nature to take its course. We’re very excited, a little nervous and most of all, looking forward to have a home filled with ocicat kittens.
