Nissekatt began its journey 30 years ago in March of 1980 with the arrival of our first Norwegian Forest Cat, Mjavos Sangueetah.  She was a wonderful Brown Classic Tabby and we never looked back.  Our journey into the world of breeding and cat shows really had its roots in a small barn in Connecticut where I picked up my first Maine Coon we called, of course, Puffy.  Back then those of us from the great state of Connecticut just called them Connecticut Barn cats.  It wasn't until I was living in New Jersey that a Maine Coon breeder saw her at vet's office and declared she was a Maine Coon.  That was back in the day where you could get Maine Coons off the streets of New England.  When Puffy crossed over the Rainbow Bridge I knew that the only cat for me was another Maine Coon.  In 1977 I purchased my first Maine Coon, Norwynde Mandi Blu who was a Blue Tabby cat from Lillias Vanderhoff.  My journey had begun.  I started showing her and bred her and I was hooked.  In 1979 I read an article about the Norwegian Forest Cat and fell in love.  There really and truly was my Puffy reincarnated.  I immediately wrote to the Secretary of Norsk Skogkattring and was actually offered a pair, a male Brown Tabby and a female Black and White.  Sigh!  I wanted two Brown Tabbies so I decided to wait and Yago (Mjavos Sangueetah) was born in November of 1979, the same month the first pair arrived in the United States to Mycoon cattery. She arrived in the United State in March, went to her first CFA show in April and her first litter was born a year to the day after her arrival.  The sire was Pans Tigris which was the male that was originally offered to me!  She had two kittens in that litter.  Unfortunately it was to be her only litter as she developed a closed pyometria and had to be spayed later that year.  Her mother was sent over later to replace her in the breeding program.  Nissekatt cattery was born with a partnership with Mary C. Buckmaster of MaryB's cattery (Maine Coons) when Yago's mother (Saugtier)  arrived along with Prince Charles ur Skogi and Nano ur Skogi (who went to Vicki Shipp of Augusta, Georgia)  Within a year we had also added the first silver in the United States with Ekdalens Amanda Skadi. 

In 1985, Nissekatt added a new partner when I married Jeff Shaw who I met when selling him a Maine Coon and later a Norwegian Forest Cat.  In 1991, we lost our long time friend and partner, Mary Buckmaster and she is still missed so much.  Thanks to Mary and her husband, who sponsored us, in 1991 our family grew with the adoption of our wonderful and gifted  daughter, Christina.  Visit Tina's Website

 

Mjavos Sangueetah "Yago"	Puffy
Sue	Jeff	Tina