Full Title: Chantilly Emberhearth Hershey Nugget Little Tabby Dude (LTD) of Armorino
(September 2001)-(June 2013)
Sex: Male
Color: chocolate tabby
Mother(Dam): Emberhearth Mica (Made in Canada)
Father(Sire): Opurrtune Tom Cruz’n of Emberhearth
Location of Birth: Emberhearth – West Virginia (Owner: Micayla Ash)
Location of Death: Southern Illinois (Owner: Anne Davenport – Owner of Armorino Cattery)
Cause of Death: Lung damage from 2012 fire
Biography:
Hershey Nugget’s story began when he was born into the Emberhearth Cattery in West Virginia in September of 2001. Nugget was born into a litter of several kittens, none of which had been given names right away (It takes time and thought to name a show kitten as its name will be listed in pedigrees for decades to come). This made conversations revolving around Nugget a little difficult, for Nugget was not the only kitten with stripes in his litter, nor was he the only boy.
When he was finally old enough to leave his place of birth, Anne Davenport of Amorino took a long 12 hour trip, all the way from southern Illinois to West Virgina to pick up Hershey Nugget. She chose to not drive on the way home. Instead she sat in the passenger seat, LTD cradled in her arms the whole drive back to Illinois. Once arriving at his new home, Nugget would not allow Anne to put him down. She had to learn to do housework with one hand. When she attempted to put him down on the couch, Ms. Davenport would place his front feet on the couch, but before his back feet would make contact with the couch, his front feet were already up on her shoulder. Finally, she purchased a human baby sling, the type where the baby is held in the front. Hershey Nugget (aka LTD) slept with her every night, curling into a tight ball so he could sleep in the palm of Anne’s hand. As he grew, he was content with the fact that only his head fit into my palm. As most Chantilly’s do, he bonded very closely with Anne.
At seven months of age, Nugget was introduced to Cadeauje (meaning Little Blue Present), a beautiful solid blue Chantilly. She was also known as Katie because her dutch name was difficult to pronounce. Not long after, when Nugget was ten months old, Nuage was brought home and Amorino Cattery was born.
However, there was soon to be trouble on the horizon. When Nuage and Katie reached breeding age, Nugget ignored them, wanting only to be with me. The girls would call, trill, roll in front of Nugget, and even push themselves against him. Nugget ignored them, wanting only to be with me. At the girls’ second heat, I knew Nugget would want to mate. The girls wiggled, writhed, trilled, and begged. Nugget ignored them, wanting only to be with me.
When the two girls reached breeding age and constantly displayed their interest in the handsome chocolate tabby, Nugget consistently ignored them for quite a while, only wanting to be with his special person. Around about 18 months of age, Nugget became emotionally ready. Katie and Nuage were pregnant not long after. forty five days later, each girl had five babies, ten altogether.
Nugget’s jobs were to play with the judges at the shows, and to make beautiful babies. He did both jobs as his owner described it “in exemplary fashion, and with great flair”. He was a wonderful father, and an attentive and caring mate. Whenever either ‘wife’ went into labor, he stayed right by her side. He washed her forehead, and gave chirps of encouragement. He kept the newborns warm while she continued to birth. When the babies were nursing, he kept his distance and allowed bonding time between the babies and their Mother.
As the babies grew older and became more mobile. Nugget would teach his babies how to hunt by hiding toys. He would help Mom bathe the kittens by taking his foot atop a baby, pinning the baby to the floor, and proceed, usually with loud protest, to give the baby a bath. Sometimes, Nugget and Moms would have a regular bath assembly line in production.
Several years later, after Katie and Nuage’s pasting, began keeping his distance from Anne’s Norwegian Forest Cat babies (Anne bred Norwegian Forest Cats too) and often became quite cranky. There finally came a day when Anne had to remove him from the common room, and provide him with his own living quarters.
In the early morning hours of February 2012, Armorino cattery had a devastating fire. Nugget suffered lung damage from the fire.
In March of 2013, Nugget was 12 years old and enjoying retirement.
Nugget eventually lost is battle from the lung damage he had received in 2012, He was put to sleep June of 2013.
This biography was derived from Anne Davenport’s first hand account. Read original story here
Nugget Photo Gallery
Images are intended for educational and research purposes and are not the property of Chantilly/ Tiffany Cat Project
The Chantilly/Tiffany Cat Project 