Masterweaver Maine Coon Cats
Judith Schulz
TICA*CFF*MCBFA*ACFA*CFA*ACA
Maine Coon Cats Exclusively Since 1987!
THE STORY:
To avoid confusion: Before my breeding break in 2012, the “Prairiebaby” Cattery name was transferred to Lori Majerrison, while the “Masterweaver” Cattery name was retained by myself. The two Catteries are currently in NO affiliation with each other.
Hi, am Judith Schulz, owner of Masterweaver Cattery, breeding Maine Coon cats exclusively since 1987. My Cattery is located in rural Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
I have always valued a modest operation, with emphasis on impeccable feline husbandry. Striving for above-standard temperament and health in my kittens, I would personally not touch a breed that does not allow foundation breeding. My favourite Maine Coon has a balanced, moderate type.
Grab a cup of coffee as I like to talk! 😊
I am married to Torsten who imported me from Germany to Canada in the early 90s. We have three adult sons and three beautiful grandchildren. My life-long hobbies have been home schooling my children, learning/teaching natural horsemanship, helping out at youth camps and breeding offensively affectionate Maine Coon kittens. My husband is retired from his position as Public Health Inspector, both from the Thunder Bay District Health Department and the Canadian Forces.
My personal story with this wonderful breed started in 1986 when I saved up my pennies and proudly acquired my first Maine Coon cat, “Mira”.
Mira
CH Tilly Cats of Silver Dream, Born 1986, Color: Blue and White
Mira had two litters of kittens for me in Germany. She was later championed at an ACFA show in Winnipeg when we first moved to Canada in 1992. Here is a picture of one of Mira’s sons, named “Valentin”.
CH Dustin’s Valentin, Born in 1988
Color: Silver Tabby/White
Valentin was massive!! Oh my! His head was impressive, his coat was luxurious! Valentin’s moderate type was something very much sought after in Germany in the 80s and early 90s. How times have changed! We as breeders have no choice but to tolerate an ever converting fashion. We do, however, have the ability to preserve some of the good ol’ traits through selective breeding.
The Canadian Cattery “Prairiebaby” was founded in 1997. I was writing handwritten letters back and forth with the late and wonderful Trish Simpson of Cheeptrills who greatly impacted me with her concern for the breed’s future. Sandra Stirling of Cooneyisle continued my MCBFA mentorship after Trish’s passing. Later on some new foundation breeders were kind enough to assist me in starting a healthy outcross program. In the late 90s I started my own Canadian foundation lines. Some of these early foundation cats are on the gallery page. Others can be viewed on Pawpeds. I started a brand new foundation project in 2020.
THE MASTERWEAVER POLYDACTYL LINE IS BORN
Picture above: Masterweaver P, F2, Polydactyl on all four feet (4WD)
Note: Only one “P”. We never started adding the second P for a “4WD“ until a couple years later. Now everyone does it :-)
In the year 2000, a Canadian born Polydactyl Foundation Maine Coon was added to my breeding program. I called him “Prairiepoly of Masterweaver”. Due to the value he presented, not only for me personally but also for the Maine Coon breed in general - a breed that had been reduced to a limited gene pool and only one of the “original” Poly lines at the time, I named a whole bloodline after him. I chose the word “Masterweaver” not to blow my own horn but rather to give glory to our God who created the whole universe and every living creature in it. Prairiepoly’s F2 son, “Prairiebaby Masterweaver P”, was then paired with three of my foundation females, in order to integrate the Snowshoe type foot (MW Polydactyl on all 4 feet) into several pedigrees. A lot of passion and effort was poured into these Masterweaver cats, by trying to improve their weaknesses and to enhance their natural strengths.
Aragon and me, picture taken at a TICA show in Texas in 2010 when they started accepting Polydactyl Maine Coons in the show hall. My kitten received his ribbons but no titles were given out at that time.
In 2010, some of us were finally able to show our Polydactyl Maine Coons in TICA "New Traits”. How ironic as about 35 - 40 % of the original Maine Coon breed was actually Polydactyl (lol). The promotion of Polydactyl Maine Coons resulted in a positive reverse effect on our breed. Showing Polies has also served as a perfect tool to educate a deserving public and to eliminate some of the old ‘myths’ on Polydactylism. Polydactyl Maine Coons are super cool!!
Due to the lack of cat exhibitions in my area, Sheila Haskins of Coonopry offered to mix the foundation lines with her lovely Texan show cats. She did a wonderful job granding several F6 Maine Coons to RW status in CFA, around that same time. See the “Outcross and Foundation” Link for pictures.
Original Masterweaver feet are the “Snowshoe” or “Patty” type but I occasionally breed with “Mittens” or “Thumb” type, too!
When I wanted to retire from breeding in 2012, the wife of our veterinarian, Lori Marjerrison, approached me and suggested to purchase the Prairiebaby Cattery name. We agreed, and she has now developed her own way of breeding. I am currently in no affiliation with this Cattery.
I tried to buy Prairiebaby back in 2020 but it wasn’t meant to be. Thankfully, my Masterweaver Cattery name had been retained and will be my sole Cattery and breeding name moving forward.
For a quality start-up, I contacted Elena Udovenko of Allegiancelove Cattery in Bulgaria. Elena had taken over some of my very best outcross breeding cats in 2012 and did a fabulous job improving their quality. She was kind enough to help me import some offspring back to Canada. The goal is to continue making kittens with a similar look and temperament, while maintaining the exact same breeding philosophy and practice.
Note: I reject the newest standard revision in some associations that was literally adjusted to fit a faulty, overtypified Maine Coon cat.
Thanks for listening and have fun exploring! :-)