We first saw Grand Champion Dragonmaine's Isabo in November 1999 at CFA's International Cat Show in Kansas City, MO. It was her first kitten show. She was there with her littermates Dragonmaine's Talia and Dragonmaine's Dream Come True, but Isabo is the one that caught our eye. Not only was she a gorgeous Calico girl, she was totally comfortable with all the noise & attention ~ You can only imagine how much noise 1300 cats and their owners can make! ~ Little did we know then what impact Isabo would have on our lives and on TruTails Cattery.

We had the pleasure of seeing Isabo several times as a kitten and when she moved up to CFA's Championship Competition we watched with interest as she held her own against the males she frequently defeated in the show ring. Isabo earned her CFA Grand Champion Status easily and went on to earn a 2nd Best National Color win! ~ Isabo was a very special Maine Coon who could have been a Regional Winner in the Gulf Shore Region if she had remained on the show scene. But you see, it is to TruTails benefit that she did not...

In November 2000, exactly one year after we had first seen Isabo, we found ourselves in Kansas City, MO again at the CFA International Cat Show ~ This time Isabo was to come home with us for a visit at TruTails Cattery!!! Gary and Trish Sullens had agreed to let us lease this wonderful girl for the purpose of having a litter with our own Kankoonkats Lil'Britches of TruTails (BJ).

From the start Isabo was a wonderful house guest... she fit right in with all our cats, & she and B.J. really loved each other as you can see. They truly would spend the days laying on the bed together, frequently with their arms around each other. The result of this romance was a beautiful litter of 5 kittens!

Isabo proved to be as excellent at being a mama as she was in the show ring. She was attentive and loving and the litter of kittens Isabo and BJ produced are incredible! ~ you can see more of their kittens on our Isabo's Kittens, TruTails Legends, At the Show, and Photo Gallery pages. Isabo's litter was only the second litter born to TruTails Cattery, and we had such fun with Isabo and her girls, what a colorful crew!.

Isabo also loved our grandchildren. Our granddaughter, Rhianna and Isabo really hit it off when Rhianna visited here at Christmas time. Rhianna's favorite thing was getting 'headbutts' from Isabo, and Isabo loved the expert chin 'scritches' she received from Rhianna. Little did we know what their futures would bring!

It was a sad day at our house when we took Isabo to meet Gary, her "Dad," at the Amarillo Cat Show in March of 2001. We bid her a tearful good-bye as she left on her trip back home to Oklahoma City. The Amarillo show was a reunion for Rhianna & Isabo, just like at Christmas, they enjoyed each other's company and Rhianna entertained Isabo in her benching area most of the weekend.

The Amarillo show proved to be the last time we saw our granddaughter, Rhianna alive & well, and it was also the last time we saw Isabo. Rhianna died April 12, 2001 following surgery (read more about Rhianna by clicking on her name and following the link in poem). Isabo died July 2, 2001 at her home in Oklahoma City, OK.

Isabo had been bred again, this time to GC, RW XTC's In-Like-Flint of Dragonmaine. She was expecting kittens in mid July. On July 2, Gary & Trish Sullens came home to find their precious Isabo dead. An autopsy revealed that Isabo had suffered from Hypertension, which led to her death. Along with Isabo, seven perfect kittens died, our deepest sympathy to Gary and Trish for their loss.

We try to take some solace in the knowledge that Rhianna & Isabo are sharing headbutts 'n purrs together as they wait 'til we meet again on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge. . .

 

~ "Cherish the important things in life. They will be gone far to soon!" ~