People sometimes ask me for my credentials. I spent most of my life studying and in more than one area, so my knowledge is very extensive, in depth as well as broad, and is well used, as I have worked in research using it whilst obtaining more experience and qualifications.

All of it is towards my life goal to help cats live longer healthier lives.

To this end some of my accomplishements include:
* National Prizes in music.
* Development of breeding guidelines for cat breeders to improve show cats without inbreeding.
* The book "Cat Genetics- what will the kittens look like?" published 1994.
* Research into how cat kidneys work and why kidney failure is still the leading medical cause of deah in cats.

This led to: * Wild cat conservation of Felis nigripes, who prior to my involvement, died within 2 years in captivity.

Continuing:
* Research on feline nutrition, especially as regards kidney health.
* Research into how inherited traits work, and how they differ in identical twins.
* The developmenet of a new way to use homeopathy, based on original priciples, by combining it with genetics kowledge.
* Research in Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) and other feline diseases.
* Publication of PawPrint, a peer reviewed cat publication (2-monthly) for cat health, research and other cat-related information.

* Development of a way to use homeopathy to build health, usin gheritable trait knowledge, to use even in presence of an illness.
* Research into the use on inherited trait sets for animal husbandry improvement.
* Management of health-related forums for cats ranging form Catwell, and Vethom friends study group, to FIP-to-Health.
* New discoveries of how FIP affects cats internally.
* Research on how new understandoing of FIP, plus genetics and homeopahty knowledge, leads to protocols that allow some cats to survive it. (See my scientific articles on this at HPATHY, the International Journal of Homeopathy.)

I consider my specialist area to be the gathering, analysis, and writing of accurate information on felines, genetics and homeopathy. So if I was to characterize what my life studies go towards I'd say it makes me a "Feline Information Specialist, using unlimited knowledge options." An ability to see how diverse subjects can be appplied together for new advatage, is a special skill I have.

I have a great deal of formal training to enable all my success areas. Here are some areas of my formal training in more or less chronological order:

University of South Africa:
- Final, University of South Africa (pianoforte).
- Gold award (1st) Piano Eistedfod Nationals, several yrs in a row.
- Music - Harmony Prize (1st) for South Africa.

Rhodes University South Africa (Bachelor of Science degree):
- B.Sc. majoring in Zoology with Genetics; also in Microbiology and Mathematics.
- Minors in Botany, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics.
- All courses stress and examine Applied Research.
- One course Organic Chemistry incomplete for degree, completed later at Creighton University Medical School with the 5th year medical studentsin USA, where I then worked in medical researech and also was admitteed to graduate school.

University of Cape Town:
- Business Administration, Accounting, Business Law, Physics.

Creighton University. Medical School:
- Organic Chemistry to complete degree from Rhodes.

Creighton University Graduate School:
- Combined M.Sc/PhD (50% completed).
- Molecular Genetics, Immunopharmacology, Biochemistry, Biostatistics, Cell Physiology.

Portland Community College:
- Newly devised experimental degree program for Applied Information Science with special emphasis on use of technology. (B.Sc. prerequisite; 4-year course, graduated 1984. GPA=4.0)
Note: Interesting Course which I obviously enjoyed, the subject being right in the area I use. Only 50 of the 500 students signed up, graduated, and the degree course was no longer offered.
-Wrote a book "Programming Efficiently by Design" It was in lieu of thesis, and became the textbook at PCC by their request, for their computer design prerequisite course at PCC for all Information Technology and Business students.

Developed Successful Techniques:
Using this training and other experience, I devised Busienss Strategic Planning and Information management Techniques for organizations to use in strategic planning using information, which were successfully implemented (by me) in Shell Oil, British Petroleum (BP), Old Mutual Insurance, and multiple smaller businesses.

Various Other Formal Courses:
- Veterinary Homeopathy:
I completed the D.I.Hom under the direect tutelage of the founder of the British Institute of Homeopathy London UK, Dr Trevor M Cook. and continued study iin USA, being awarded the D.Vet.Hom which is the highest qualification currently available in veterinary homeopathy.
I have since started a school of advanced veterinaqry homeopahty - IVYHOM - to provide more extensive qualifications to meet the needs of a modern world.

I have formal completed courses and qualifications and experience in:
- Management
- Time management
- Negotiation skills
-Various specific computer-related courses
- Writing
- Presentations
- Publishing
- Business Time Management.
- Antique Clock Repair (board cert. Oregon)
- Real Estate License
- Wildlife Conservation Certification (Kruger National Park "Boskamp")

Publishing:
My second book was written in 1994: "Cat Genetics - What will the Kittens Look Like?"
My cat magazine PawPrint, was first published in Jan 1996 in South Africa, distributed Nationally to 10,000 people by the end of its first year, and by subscription to 23 countries.

VETERINARY HOMEOPATHY:
This subject is especially dear to my heart as I have seen it restore health in the most impossible looking situations. My interest became especially intense after homeopathy saved my leg from amputation due to gangrene.

Cat Breeding - or what I like to think of as "proof of the pudding":
I delivered my first litter of kittens at age 7 - they were Manx and it got me interested in genetics.
So I have studied genetics, especially cat genetics independently as well as formally where possible.
I've bred or delivered litters and assisted other breeders for many breeds for about 30 yrs, while also doing information research on specific breeds.
My favorite breed since 1990, is the Norwegian Forest Cat. I bred according to the genetic theories elsewhere on my home pages, to show in practice that the system I have devised does work.
Results include show success through the breeding practices I have implemented, using the techniques devised and written about in my first book, coupled with those outlined briefly on my genetics web page. Results are encouraging, with higher titles for the cats each generation, and at last reaching the topcat judgeoffs (20 neuter and 20 entire chosen on points, then judges from scratch by 12 judges), for the country where I introduced the breed, specifically:
Top NFC neuter in the country (South Africa) 1999, is my breeding, from a stud of my breeding.
Top entire NFC in the country 1999, is from parents both of my breeding.
The top NFC neuter also happens to be 2nd place of all breeds 1999, and the entire is 9th of all breeds 1999.
The cattery name was FURRY BOOTS. (I am retired from breeding now)

Furry Boots Norwegian Forest Cats
https://www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots
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My email addy is furryboots@icehouse.net if you wish to write to me.
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