Evening star., 1962-01-28
Did You Ever
See a Blue Cat?
By RUTH DEAN
Star Staff Writer

0INK ELEPHANTS and purple cows have nothing on
the blue cats owned by Miss Marie Purdy OF Rockville
Surprised? Yes. Unbelievable? No. For there are
eats fur They ofthe Korat breed Their home
is in the high mountains Of Thailand in the
province from which they get their name.
Until recently Miss Purdy past president ofthe Wash
ington Chapter of the Cat Fanciers Association, was
the proud of family of eight Koras-the parents
which she imported from Thailand last January and
litter of born in April She still has the mother and
three of the kittens and another litter is expected next
month She and Mrs Robert Johnson of Gresham Ore
the only of purebred Koras in the United States
according to CF.A registration books.
when first saw them Miss Purdy recalls. Il thought
they looked like plain Maltese alley cats and how
could have waited two years for ths Then the more
looked them the the blue You have to see
them at obque angle When the sunlight catches the
silver tipping on their fur you definitely the blue
Gradually realized you have to look at them in different
degrees of light appreciate their subtle coloring
Amy remaining doubts were removed when Miss Purdy
and her 3yeard nephew took color pictures Of
the cats They were blue all right!
In the flesh the look" smokey gray and have thick
that feel like sheared beaver Larger than their Seal
point cousins they resemble them in many other ways
highly developed curiosity aertness talking meow, and
the playful trckery which has earned for them the repu
tation of appearing to have "a sense of humOr"
Before Miss Purdy's parent cats embarked on their
long trip to America they were boarded with Thai friend
who nicknamed the male Pone Kingpet after the world
lightweight boxing champion, who Thai and the fe
Perhaps it was a reflection of their ancestors royal
associations but these cats to this country like VPs
Before they could they had to have shots and export
papers! The Korat is held in such high regard breed
and in fact that there stories they have been
stolen and held for
Miss Purdy made arrangements for getting her cats
through friend at the National Institutes of Health
where she works in the National Cancer Institute The
friend is DR. Ernestine Thurman who with her late hus-
band several in Thaland in malaria research
Dr. Thurman, who herself has for some time been in
terested in introducing the KOra breed in the United
States secured the cats through doctor friend and
lawyer friend in Bangkok, the latter considered the
countrys foremost KOrat breeder.
When sold the open market in Thailand these cats
bring about SIS EACH amount equal to the Thai
famys income for five Their value also fuctuates
according to the breeder offering them for SALE their plac
ing in cat shows, and their color and marking.
Because of her double interest in cats hobby and
in the Cat Fancers Association Miss Purdy she will
probably write the standards Korats in order to have
them established breed She explains this is neces
sary for show purposes"
So at the next cat show, March "a Hyattsvlle Ar
moy look sharp! You won't be seeing things if that cat
looks blue With knowing look you just say why
that's Korat"