Jane has 2 adult daughters - Megan and Laura - both currently furthering their education at different universities.  As Laura (a "total star") is a student at the University of Natal, she cares for the Burmese family when Jane needs to make trips associated with her position at Bayer.

The family's early cat experiences were quite traumatic; using up their nine lives very rapidly.  Several years later, a TV commercial for paint featuring a brown Burmese entranced the family.  Thus, after some research Jane was able to adopt a kitten from a breeder in Johannesburg.  Not a very auspicious beginning for her breeding career though - as the kitten was not entirely healthy.  Despite the recommendation of her vet to return the kitten to her breeder and get a refund, Jane insisted that the kitten be treated. She was the beginning of it all - what she lacked in size she made up for in total character. She made sure I learnt on a knife edge and when she was finally bred and delivered her litter she didn't want anything to do with her babies - sure had me learning all sorts very quickly.  I had not met Ally at that stage otherwise I know I would not have had to walk such a lonely, scary path on my own - hence my commitment to always help anyone starting out with breeding.

By 2000 another Burmese entered out lives, I inherited a choc tortie "Cassanova's Tai Tamika".  When she started calling and I was let down by the breeder whose boy I was going to use.  I was forced to travel kilometres that weekend looking for a stud with a desperately calling queen. Another stud I had traced at Nottingham Road had disappeared when we arrived and has never been seen since. Through this breeder I met Ally, was given her phone number and as they say the rest is history!

Ally assessed the kittens when they were 5 weeks old and selected out Mela Argia Anastasia who went on to win "Kitten of the Year" in 2001. She has the most wonderful show temperament.

A cat show was advertised in the Natal Witness to be held in Pietermaritzburg (I think it was the one and only!) and entered our 1st little brown Burmese girl. It was at this show that I saw a red Burmese for the first time (it was only later that I realized it was Alison's cat) and knew I would not rest until I had one of these totally enchanting, beautiful creatures.

Ally's Cat Apricot Chloe came to Mela Cattery in 2001- she has had 2 litters, both by caesarean and is due to be spayed. Alison's girl from the same parents but different litters also had to have a caesar. Several factors combined as well as a few other issues made Alison and I realise that we desperately needed new genetic lines.

After much discussion, we approached Jan van Rooyen for a recommendation to reputable Burmese breeders in Australia.  Enter centre stage Pamela Miller and her Keeza lines.  Importing "new" blood lines from another country involves extensive organisation and mountains of paperwork; Jan was chief liaison with Pamela in arranging the safe arrival of our new Australian Burmese.  A huge thank you to both these wonderful people.  I have met so many wonderful people who have been so generous with their experience and wisdom - especially Alison who has been the most unselfish mentor - who never complains whatever the time of day or night that I call for help or advice.

My mum died unexpectedly in Zimbabwe in June 2003 - I had a newborn litter of kittens, only 4 hrs old. Ally and Ken arrived and took Mum, babies and all my other cats home with her. It was so reassuring to know that my cats would all be so wonderfully cared for until I could return.

When Ally and I decided to import from Australia, we realised a new "co-owned" cattery name would need to be registered.  Ally has her cattery as Ally's Cats and I have one registered as Mela (for my daughters Megan and Laura). We battled to find something that we both liked and then found a couple that we were both happy with only to discover that they were already taken or that it was very similar to one that was taken. Onaoan finally came about as a result of a scrambled SMS!!

In December 2002, we welcomed a beautiful brown boy from Avice Henderson of Beaucoat Burmese in Port Elizabeth. Both Alison and I co-own Gr Ch Onaoan Beaucoat Brown Lark (sired by Beaucoat Artro Chocolate Cherokee - Imp. UK), a contestant in the 2004 Cat of the Year, placed 16th in the entires section. He is a magnificent boy - big but always ready to flop at human feet for a love.

Onaoan Keeza Maid Downunder (Eve) - such a wonderful little girl who lives with us.  Our resident "Teaser Tom" is Larks Purr Winta Whisper.

I have been very fortunate with the number of people who have adopted babies from me as they have maintained contact and send frequent updates/photos.

From the first cat show I have been hooked and have wanted to know more about all the wonderful breeds of cats that we have been so blessed with.  I have found the cat fancy to be a collection of such diverse people all with the desire to improve the standard of their chosen breed - but most of all - I hunger to learn more and more about the different breed standards whilst all the time learning more and more about the most wonderful breed - the Burmese with their spunky, fun filled natures who have brought me so much joy in the short time I have had the privilege of getting to know Burmese and be involved in the cat fancy.