Even in those days (11 years ago) Giorgio was on the plain side facially and I would have preferred it if he had a shorter nose, but he made Champion in 3 straight shows, and granded aged 13 months which is good going for a cat shown in GCCF. He was (and is to this day) blessed with a fantastic body shape/boning and a wonderful thick white coat which he passed on to many of his offspring including Champion Mystere Sugared Almond (lilac cream point- pictured on the right).

After a few years of breeding with all the joys and heartaches that come along with this hobby, I realized that although I had the coat and bone, I needed to work on better facial / head type.

In this country at that time only one or two colourpoint breeders in the UK had imported cats from America and Europe and they were not at public stud, so I decided to take the 'long' road and outcross to some top self lines and produce solids carrying choc and colourpoint. I did not want to lose the pale coats I had, and so my first venture was to take one of my lilac point girls out to stud to Chloebel Sans Pareil - a lovely cream male bred by Ashley Ward Challoner with a superb pale cream coat and glorious eye colour.

This produced a beautiful blue male Mystere Handsome Harry pictured left, who I kept along with his sister Mystere Sweetsophia a blue cream - both carrying chocolate and colourpoint.

These cats then went on to produce among others - CH Mystere Bo Peep - blue point and CH Mystere Andromeda - blue tabby point for me.

This was quickly followed by a trip out to stud with my lilac tabby point girl to CFA CH Hapajo Hallmarque of Kozy - a stunning black (Imported into the UK by Mike & Brenda Barret - Finchfield).

From this mating I produced 3 lovely cpc and choc carriers pictured below, which are behind many of my current lines.

Champion Mystere Black Marque (pictured above) went onto produce Champion Mystere Merryelle a seal tortie point, Mystere Kiss Chase is grandmother of CH Mystere Dollyface, and my lovely Mystere Madame Butterfly was the dam of Champion Mystere Marco Polo (lilac tabby point), Grch Mystere Chocsaway (choc tabby point) and Grch & GrPr Mystere Rufusrascal (brown tabby)

These Persian outcrosses have helped me in improving my head type and given me some unique choc/cp pedigrees to work with, coupled with the fact that the queens I took out to stud had lovely pale lilac points, meant that the cpc's produced also carried the much desired pale pinky lilac and milky choc colour that is so admired.

I have put below some photos of my solid lilac series , most of which are taken in natural daylight so the true colour can be seen. Yes I know the type is poor and the eye colour could be better and the ears could be smaller (not that I'm critical of my own cats!! ) but the coat colour is a lovely warm pale lilac colour - the rest (type & eye colour) can be worked on if the foundations are right!

Mystere Lilacribbons - lilac tabby Persian

Mystere Starlight - lilac cream Persian

Mystere Indigo Inspiration - lilac Persian

Mystere Lilac Thyme - lilac Persian

For me personally, coat colour is of the utmost importance, especially in the choc series, along with good head type and temperament. It makes me sad when I see photos in Cat Publications or on websites photos of Lilac Persians that to me look more like pale blues!!

Pictured right are 2 littermates one blue and one lilac Persian…. Clearly showing the difference in coat colour which should be easily discernible at birth once the kitten is dry!

Another point that some of you may be interested in is to do with tabby (lynx points) I had noticed that some of my lilac tabby points markings were not very strong, and I had wondered whether they could be mackerel or spotted tabby rather than classic pattern which produce the stronger markings on the solid tabby Persians.

This was confirmed when I had a lilac tabby point spayed. She was shaved on her flank, (and as we all know when you shave a colourpoint the new fur comes back shady in the colour of the 'point'). Sure enough after a week or so of growth low and behold I could clearly see that she was in fact a mackerel lilac tabby point - with the vertical 'lilac ribs' - Yes this did account for her poor stripes, but on the 'up' side because the markings are not as bold as on Classic tabby the degree of body shading was also reduced - ie she had a lovely white body coat. I have seen Tabby points that have gone shady, and they display the 'type of tabby' they are ..ie. Classic with darker defined whirls & stripes and therefore the body shading is heavier than if it were a mackerel or spotted.

All fascinating stuff as I'm sure you will agree, and those of you like me that are interested in the choc/lilac gene know that there is always something new to learn or an obstacle to fall over when breeding with these colours !

Sadly some of my choc lines when scanned, were affected with PKD, which has meant a few neuterings, and a bit of a set back in my breeding plans - but as most breeders know only too well, in the words of the song you ……..'just dust yourself off and start all over again' … well not exactly all over but maybe a few steps back !

I still have a long way to go. I know some of my cats have big ears and could do with better facial type, and this is something that I am still working on and plans are underway to help me even further. I have recently imported some wonderful Persians. to help me in my quest to achieve a cat with the beautiful choc/lilac coat colour I love, the head type of some of the stunning USA Persians. that I admire with tiny ears (something I desperately need help with!) and massive coat and bone.

Check back in a year or two to see if my hopes and dreams have come to pass!