A balance to respect

Galdra is not an intensive breeding project and also does not aim at a mercantile target. Strict selections of reproducers are conducted by the great care of health and of type conservation for the future of the breed. This project is a small, but yet it is a thoughtful contribution to help evolving the Forest Cat, as far as possible (considering blood) from its relatives, from its first founders and to create healthier bloodlines. Dialogs with other experienced breeders, concerned by the same priorities, are often held for each potential next litter. Veterinaries are also essential to understand how the species functions, biologically, and to precise its true needs. It is essential to go on learning. Open marriages, possibly bringing the breed up to its best natural qualities, are firmly requested, but risky matings, inbreeding, cannot be considered at all, not even for the goal of fixing some specific morphological aspects. Genetic loss is not an option. The efforts and work on the breed by many committed and passionate people, since five decades in Scandinavia and in Europe as well, should now be enough in terms of genetic materials, to manage a great evolution of the Forest Cat without any consanguinity. Stable and strong genetic pools have become larger than ever: it must go on this way!

Furthermore, in a longer perspective, Galdra is not interested in producing pets but in rising future great ancestors, as close as possible to the original Forest Cat. Some breeders specialize in colours, length, ear tufts, or show quality kittens. This way of developing the NFC can only offer a very slow progress or a failure: one step further, two steps backwards... The Forest Cat deserves a responsible and stronger focus, regarding its origins and its very special rank within the feline family. It is a beautiful balance that nature forged and that it is necessary to maintain seriously. Patience and reason should be breeder's first priorities.          

Colours of nature

It is rather simple. We want to select individuals carrying the colours and patterns that nature dressed the Forest Cat with in the first place. Black, black & white, and brown mackerel tabby (+/- white) All the wild cat species (Felis Silvestris or Felis Silvestris Lybica, etc...) are brown tabbies. We can easily imagine that in the beginning, the Forest Cats were mainly looking this way for camouflage needs in nature, like it was found in the scandinavian woods, and recognised in 1976. We will try to find this genuine natural look in the future. We also are interested in the dilution, therefore, solid blue or blue tabby kittens might show up. Although we find torties sometimes very beautiful, we won't select on red, as we consider that this gene is too present nowadays, and rather invasive, while the authentic natural colours are getting rarer and poorer. Tabbies show not enough clear markings as well, and browns are not warm enough. However, in the quest of creating new colours in the Forest Cat breed, like the new different amber colours for instance, one perhaps shouldn't justify this excuse to use inferior cats for breeding! Galdra desires Forest Cats just how nature offered them to us.