You Gotta Meet Floid: He's Unbelievable

A New Zealand judge, after examining Solkatz Pretty Boy Floid, said it best, "I guess Mother Nature isn't finished with us yet.' "

You see, Floid is very different, including his name, which is not a typographical error. In fact, he may be one of a kind.

From a litter of six Maine Coon cats born in November 1996, he was believed to be a she, at first, since "she" was a blue, cream and white calico. In fact, "his" name was once Betsy Ross until owners-breeders Rich and Nancy Koch of Bremerton quickly decided "something wasn't quite right.

"We have bred Maine Coon cats for 16 years," says Rich Koch, "and we know the rules of genetics and probabilities of unusual things occurring.

"But when Mother Nature informs you that rules people make up are merely guidelines - not absolutes - it wakes you up."

Hours after the kitten was born, the Kochs were concerned that the required cream color, on parts of the cat's body, was actually red. A day later, they decided "she" was a blue-patched tabby because of the stripes on the blue color.

After a week and many handling sessions with the litter, they noticed Betsy didn't appear to be a female. Was she a cross-dresser? Dennis Rodman disguised in a feline uniform?

"We discussed this with our veterinarian and asked her to make the definitive call. She told us we had a male that was not a normal male color," adds Koch.

Blue-patched tabby and white is normally a female color, so we

had something similar to a male calico, which is regarded as extremely rare.

Puzzling scenario

Yet something was even more puzzling. The kitten was blue and where the cream color was supposed to be, it was red. According to all rules of genetics, explains Koch, a single cat cannot be dilute (blue) and non-dilute (red). Eventually, they found a geneticist at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, who analyzed the hairs and confirmed Koch's findings.

Last year, the Kochs showed the cat several times and judges were amazed at this "impossible color" they were examining.

Committed to obtaining more genetic information, they took Floid to the UC Davis genetics laboratory, where after blood samples and buccal swabs (swabs of skin cells from inside the mouth) were taken, scientists extracted DNA samples and decided Floid is a Chimera. A Chimera results from a fusion of two fertilized eggs early in the embryonic stage, where two cats become a single one. Because it occurs so early, the cat develops normally.

After the kitten is born, it is basically a genetic road map of countless intersections, resulting in a different and unusual DNA in various areas of the body.

Floid is now registered with The International Cat Association as a red-blue tabby with white (he has white patches). The fact he is a Maine Coon, the only native long-hair cat in the United States, makes him austensibly your All-American cat.

Floid sired his first litter Dec. 30, but no red, white and blue offspring emerged. On Feb.25, he'll be a father again.

"While it is unlikely he will produce more cats his color," adds Koch, "we don't bet against it. Floid has taught us, like that Dodge commercial says, `The rules have changed.' "

For the Bremerton breeders, the past year has been both educational and entertaining.

What problem?

"Whenever people would hold him and check `plumbing' and color, Floid would look at them as if to say, `What's the problem? I have always looked this way.' "

Floid loves cat shows and works the crowd like a politician, says Koch. Today you can catch a glimpse at this genetic anomaly - in the closing program of the Evergreen Cat Fanciers show at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, featuring approximately 150 entries from the United States, Canada and France. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

While all of your basic breeds will be there - Persian, Siamese, exotic shorthair, British shorthair, American shorthair, Abyssinian - expect Floid to be the center of attention.

"Most spectators coo, `what a beautiful girl,' thinking he is a calico," says Koch. "He's not affected by all this. Instead, he stands up and shows himself off even more."

A couple from the East posted an e-mail to the Kochs, saying they were shocked someone would dye a cat this color and they were hopeful it didn't harm the animal. "They received a firestorm of e-mail from people who had seen Floid and explained that the color came naturally. The couple apologized and now is among Floid's biggest boosters."

Only two or three breeders have urged the Kochs not to admit having produced such a "strange animal." "They thought this would bring discredit to our breeding program," says Koch. "But most others were delighted to see something new. It has reached a point where if a cat-show judge comes to the Northwest and doesn't get to judge Floid, he or she will ask where is he. He's become the talk of the entire cat-show world."

Because Floid is so far off the playing field of TICA, Cat Fanciers Association and the American Cat Fanciers Association regulations because of his color, he has only been eligible for wins in preliminary judging, not championship competition, and could not attain a major title. Today he will be exhibited in the New Breed and Color Class.

Super traveler

An excellent traveler, he has appeared in shows in Atlanta and Sacramento, in addition to numerous Northwest sites. "He is quite content to ride in our lap while we're driving," adds Koch.

He was the center of attention at a big CFA international show in Atlanta last November, which attracted 1,244 cats worldwide. When word of his presence made it around the show hall, the Kochs and Floid were inundated with onlookers.

"There were four geneticists as well as breeders from Russia, England, Austria, Japan, Slovenia and France. Each wanted photos or a video of Floid," says Koch.

"He would come out of his cage and lay down in a Burt Reynolds pose on his side and allow everyone to take their best shots. He never tired of the attention and was a perfect gentleman to anyone who visited him."

The Kochs recently learned of another cat similar to Floid in Texas and have been corresponding with the owner, encouraging her to show the animal. It, too, is a Maine Coon, but black and cream, a kind of reverse imprint of Floid.

Last September, while traveling to Sacramento for a show, the Kochs made a side trip to the UC Davis genetics laboratory. It turned into the Floid Show. Veterinarians inspected his rare coat carefully, riffling the fur to ascertain that the color in all the photos sent to them earlier by the Kochs was indeed correct.

"Floid stood up like he was in the show ring," recalls Koch. "They used soft nylon brushes for the buccal swabs needed for a DNA analysis. Floid just laid on his side and never winced. Nothing fazed him.

Time to return

"A few minutes later, he stood up, we petted him to thank him and he put his tail up and purred. His carrier was about eight feet away at the other end of a huge oval conference table. When he spotted it, he made eye contact with everyone there, as if to say, `if you are done with me, I think I'll return to my carrier.' "

Exhibiting a dab of diplomatic posturing, he proceeded to casually saunter across the table, walk into his carrier, turn around and sit down, facing out. "It was as if he was saying, `Elvis has left the building. The show's over now folks,' " laughs Koch.

On his home turf today, expect this high-profile character, who has irrevocably altered the feline world's genetic landscape, to again attract a storm of passion from an inquisitive crowd. Meanwhile, this gentleman will undoubtedly be a model of decorum in the eye of that emotional windstorm - as usual.

Healthy donation

Bartell Drug Co. representatives and a happy cat named Tootsie recently presented $3,600 in gift certificates to the Seattle Animal Control shelter, the funds raised from the company's second Super Pet Photo competition.

Tootsie, who was rescued by Ed Neff, was brought to the facility last February after being struck by several cars on Elliott Avenue West. Neff, an Eastman Kodak employee, eventually adopted the animal and sought a means of helping the shelter, which saved Tootsie's life.

He conferred with Bartell and the outgrowth was the photo contest. Last year's competition generated $1,000.

Lab still tops

For the seventh consecutive year, the Labrador retriever leads the pack in the American Kennel Club breed registry, in figures released last week.

Others in the Top Ten of America's most popular dogs for 1997 were: 2, Rottweiler; 3, German shepherd; 4, golden retriever; 5, poodle; 6, beagle; 7, dachshund; 8, cocker spaniel; 9, Yorkshire terrier; 10, Pomeranian.

All held their same position from '96 except the poodle and beagle, which swapped positions.