C' era una volta il "Gatto Lince"
Safeguard Project for the Ticked pattern
in the Norwegian Forest Cat
A co-operation between Karin Pedrona e Cristina Borella
​
BUT WHAT IS TICKED? Can you explain in a simple way?"
-^_^ Let's try!-
The Ticked is a type of brindle typical of some animals, such as Canadian lynxes, hares, rabbits, wild cats, Abyssinian cats, etc...
In the Norwegian cat we can find 4 types of brindles listed here in order of dominance:
1) Ticked, 2) Spotted, 3) Mackerel, and 4) Blotched.
Dominance determines when it is possible for one of these stripes to appear on the offspring. In simple terms, by mating a cat with a blotched stripe and a cat with a mackerel stripe, you will never be able to have spotted kittens, and even more so ticked, since ticked and spotted are dominant compared to mackerel and blotched, not even by mating a spotted cat with a mackerel or blotched cat will we ever have ticked kittens, since the Ticked being the most dominant brindle of all, will manifest itself on the kittens only if one of the two parents is Ticked, a bit like what also happens for the "silver" gene - However, unlike the Silver gene, the ticked "hides" (like all brindles) under the "solid" color, i.e. "not brindle". So, giving another example) in a mating between a Ticked cat and a Blotched cat, if by causality only non-tabby kittens were born, in that case they will all be "genetically ticked", so those kittens in turn will be able to transmit "ticked" to their offspring. " for those who want to find out more, you can download this document.( sorry only in italiano)
"RAGGEN"
IC Raggen, M, NFO n 25, 1985-07-01
The only ancestor with Ticked pattern in Norwegian Forest cats
The ticked is also the pattern of lynxes and many other wild animals.
The Raggen' s Story, original Norwegian document.
”Raggen”
I was a kitten who had lost my home and I was just wondering around. Found something to eat in ……….. and drank water from the tiny river.
I was not afraid of people; therefore I got a hug now and again. When I was hugged I rolled over and was happy. A man working in Lysager, where I lived around, was very nice to me, he bought food to me in the store. I was allowed inside in his breaks, and we really had a good time. Did I fell asleep in the sofa, I was never thrown out. It was lovely to be inside again as I had been outside for a few months.
One day the man took me for a ride in a thing he called a car. I lay down beside him as I was sure he would do me no harm. When we stopped I was taken inside to a bathroom. There I was bathed 2 times, and I did like it, my fur was full of cement dust from the building activities at Lysager. My fur stood right up in the air by itself. Then I lay on a … near a lovely hot oven. The same night I was at a man with a white coat who gave me an injection and looked if I was healthy, which I was.
My new people placed small pieces of paper all over Lysager. No owner came forward and I was pleased.
One day I was to attending ……………. . It was call something like SOGKATTEMESTERSKAB -86 ( Norwegian Forestcat championship 86). There somebody had to look at me. I let those strangers do it, and do you know what they said:
Type: High on legs. Fine male with strong paws and legs.
Head: Triangular, good profile, rather weak chin.
Ears: Fine placed ears. High with tuffs (hair)
Fur: fine coat quality
Tail: long and bushy
Temperament/condition: very good temperament
That was cool, I thought. They also said I was brown ticket and that I had to be born I July- 85, I do not know…
The ones accepting/examining me agree that I was a very fine SKOVKAT (NFO). Oh my g.. I had turned into a purebred cat, A Norwegian Forstcat / en Norsk Skovkat.
I wanted to try a cat show, as the others in the household did go there. Would you believe. The first time I went I had something called CAC. I had 3 more like that and in 8-3-87 I was Champion. ??????(words I cannot understand as it is Swedish or Norwegian).
I also went to Gotland along with the others and there I got another cert (certificate) and something they called BIV-V. I was up against a black and white male in order to become BIR-V, they messed a bit too much by my head and I hissed of them which was bad as I was send back to my cage. I got the title IN. CH. during -87.
I have become a father, even granddad. But and there is a big BUT. I am accused of being a mix of races. Nothing that I know of, nor do the people I live with now. I think it´s simple that people talk ugly/bad about me. The ones that have my children or grandchildren have to listen to words saying that I have nothing to do with a Norwegian Forest cat, that I might be a mix of perhaps an Aby or Somali. I have experienced one and only one judge saying I had aby-look. Why haven’t any other judge mentioned it if I have. Are we to believe the judges or the people gossiping behind my owner´s back? Those who do so do not know what they are talking about. I think that if I have had another color no one would have said anything bad about me. I also have to hear that I am angry/mad, well feel free to visit me and hug me and see for yourself. Am I the only Norwegian Forest cat that does not like shows? It seems like it sometimes. Those who is talking about it to others and new Norwegian Forest cat- people, don´t do that, it would be better if you came to my owners and asked about it, they do not bite. Those who do not like me, don´t talk to new Norwegian forest cat-owners/breeders so they do not dare have pedigrees for my children and grandchildren. If I was able to talk I would tell about my background.
As I am not able to do so I recommend you see to that everything is ok in your own breed before trying to make order in mine. (These are not the exact words in the last sentence but this is what it means).
Judges' original document, judgment on Raggen.
"Type: high on the legs. Beautiful male with strong legs. Head: triangular, good profile, rather weak chin.
Ears: ears well positioned. long with tufts - Fur: good quality of the coat
Tail: long and thick - Temperament / condition: excellent temperament "
