Techniques & Variations

Thank you so much for all the wonderful advise on your site.Ê What a great community of cat lovers you have here.Ê Everyone is so helpful, what with all of the tips to keep these fluffy little critters happy and healthy.

Now, for the best part:

I have developed a new technique that will amaze and astound bonsai kitten fans everywhere.Ê In fact, I would like to hear back from you so I can offer a special to patrons of your website.

I call my technique Extrusion Kitty.Ê My hobby, other than collecting bonsai kittens, is glass blowing (ok, I'll keep my personal life out of it) but I don't make jars so I didn't think I could combine the two hobbies.Ê Then one night, I woke up with a brilliant idea and went straight out to the garage and started work on my new Extrusion kitty.Ê I made a 12 foot long glass tube with an initial inside diameter of 4 inches which seems a little big at first, but you'll see my point shortly.Ê Since this is an open ended tube, there was no need for air holes.Ê The tube gradually narrowed to 1.5 inches.

In order to move the kitten along in the tube, I used my wife's breast pump (yeah, it's supposed to for the baby but I sterilize it when I'm done) at the small end of the tube to create the proper suction to pull it along and a bicycle pump at the other end to push.Ê I'll spare you the rest of the details but after 6 months I had a bonsai kitten with a diameter of only 1.5 inches but the best part is, it's 3 feet long!!!Ê I named him Trombone because of what the tube reminded me of.Ê You might think that it would be pretty tough for him to get around on his own but it's really not and I'll tell you why.Ê At first I thought it would be best to have his feet out in front of his body going through the tube, but after careful analysis I concluded that his joints would function much better if they were tucked underneath him.Ê The back legs though were extended behind him; that was logical since the musculature of the hind legs would allow him the most mobility later.

When he stands up, he's quite a site;Ê 3 feet long and 9 inches high!Ê When he lays down, he collapses like a folding chair, his front legs go underneath and his back leg are out behind him.

My neighbor has a cat that's having kittens in aboutÊ2 weeks, the owners love Trombone and they want one that is more oval than perfectly cylindrical.Ê They're good people, I think I'll help them out.

Remember folks, don't try this unless you are properly licensed and your equipment has been inspected.

I just recently learned the methods of making a bonsai kitten. I have now developed my own technique of making a Spider Kitten. Its as simple as tying four nylon strings to the kittens feet, one on each foot. And tying the ends of each of the strings to a divided square with posts sticking up streching the kittens legs outward. Every day the strings are tightened slightly to force the legs to grow longer. After 3 weeks of proper neutrition, and tightening of the strings, I have successfully streched each of the kittens' legs to a length of up to 48 inches(4 feet) per leg! Now the cats have the ability to stand face to face with their owners. However, I would not recommend these cats to customers with lots of furniture. These cats have a unusual way of marking territory with their claws. It is also recommended to keep these cats on a leash, for they run very fast, and they are hard to catch.

Thru rigorous testing, I have found that the Bonsai kitten concept can, with some effort, be extended to include multiple - cavities! For example, I prefered the standard rectangular Bonsai Kitty. However, I also desired a 3" diameter x 1.5" deep cylindrical cavity in the top of the kitten. By taking the standard box, cutting the circular hole into the top of it, the tooling was established. Next of course the Kitten was put into the standard box. Normal procedures were following with some very critical exceptions:

1) After 2 days in the 'form' box, a cylindrical tool was rested on the top of the 1.5" hole in the box top.

2) Every 6 hours (this is OPTIMUM time!) the cylindrical tool was gently extended 1mm into the box. (note: the cylinder used was hollow and filled with water heated to 95 deg F. - additionally, it was wieghted to 8 oz initially, increasing to 56 oz after 4 days, in 4 oz increments evenly spaced)

The results are a rectangular kitten with a cylindrical recess! This concept can most likely be elaborated upon for multiple cavity projetions! My dream is a bonsai with fully cross sectional cavities extended thru the entire body of the device! The ramifications and potential utility of such a kitten are clear!

Dear Bonsai Kitty:

Recently I completed a 6 week bonsai kitty project using a 1000ml pipette form factor(I've always admired the Weiner dog, but they are too big to fit inside laboratory glassware). My subject for the project was a tan and white calico Manx (I realize the "official" bonsai kitty process includes the tail assembly in a rear aspect position, but my spacial requirements were demanding).

The initial insertion process was tricky. I used a Kimax graduated pipette with a removable metering valve on the bottom. After taking the valve off, the glassware housing had a .25 inch orifice to insert the kitty. Remembering the elasticity of young felines, I first tried your standard shoe horn and muscle relaxant combination, but there were complications. I then orally applied a mixture of Zolpidem Tartrate and Hydrocodone and gingerly manipulated "Whisker" into the vessel with a Phillips screwdriver.

After 3 weeks of cultivation, kitty grew sensitive to the ultra-violet light I used to stimulate the metabolization of Vitamin D, but otherwise things went as expected. The shaping process was working well until the 4th week when I realized that the position of the left eye was migrating posterior to the cranial axis. This gave kitty a sort of "flounder" look. After an initial analysis of the expected geometric telemetry, I decided to defer to artistic appreciation and allow the bonsai effect to prevail.

Yesterday was the big moment. As my colleagues in the lab gathered around, we carefully placed Whisker on a stainless steel tray for the vessel removal process. There was a moment of intensity as we debated the potential risk of breaking the glass and possibly getting a small piece in her eyes, so we decided on a more indirect approach. After taping an oxygen tube (duplex split for each nostril) to the nose using forceps, we injected 200cc of mineral oil into the pipette. We then used a 10 horsepower vacuum in reverse thrust mode and blew kitty out the tube and into a soft comforter suspended 8 yards across the room.

Today Whisker is a beautiful, albeit extremely slender, feline and a wonderful pet to have around. She likes to play with her fuzzy tinker-ball and I decorated her space with Karen Carpenter pictures. Thanks BonsaiKitten for your dedicated inspiration! You really are the best.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brian von Riesig, Ph.D., DVM
Marin County, California

I recently accomplished what I considered the peak of my career as a bonsaikitten hobbyist. I successfully produced a bonsaikitten molded into the shape of a mobius strip. (The three dimensional construct having the unusual characteristics of having but a single side and a single edge.) I used a tailless manx kitten to assure a nice smooth transition from head and back around to posterior.

However, as a caution to others attempting this, I accidentally forgot to feed Moby for a few days and, tragically, he ended up digesting himself. It was not a pretty site. So, before creating a mobius (or any other circular shaped) bonsaikittens, be sure you are responsible enough to commit to a regular feeding schedule.

I am an elderly fan of the Bonsai Kitten site and find your altered cats most charming.

Due to my advancing years and needing to fill a surprise glut of spare time, I have typically taken up owning lots of cats. As a young girl I was somewhat empassioned by the Edwardian era - drawn to its mystery and glamour. As a child I used to obsessively collect those beautiful china dolls with real nun's hair and massive crinolines. My 2 'failed' cats, Fudge and Conker mostly remain unconstrained and continue to use the house like a hotel, except for my pride and joy, Lady Ms Mao.

Ms Mao is a blonde long haired Corseted Cat aged 8 years. I have over the years trained Ms Mao's waist to a svelte 4 inches, and her bouffanted hair is piled right up on top of her head to a height of 4 inches. Her legs as a kitten were encased in plaster to achieve an elegant human-shaped line, ruminiscent of a Barbie's legs.

Also through training, Ms Mao's hair has reached mammoth lengths. I can create a number of elegant hairstyles in cluding a "Double Bubble", an "Airlift", a stunning 7-inch "Beehive", and "Renaissance - A One Off" - a wealth of hennaed curls (Ms Mao doesn't behave when we try hennaing or temporary dyeing or tonging). I have no pictures to show of my Corseted Cat, but my nephew says he can scan her. So here's to more experiment in a world of cat fashion darkness.

I have long been an admirer of the kitty artistry displayed on your web site. The many reader contributions on kitty shape inspired me to create my own bonsai kitty, which I have dubbed "Giraffe Kitty."

The discussion of kitten molds based on the shape of dogs and other animals led me to create a giraffe-shaped cat. I began with careful research into the neck stretching practices of several aboriginal peoples. I have adapted their techniques to the production of a bonsai kitten.

I began by placing a series of copper rings around the neck and legs of the kitten. As it grew I gradually added more rings, causing the neck and legs to elongate into the desired giraffe-like elegance. This technique had the advantage of not requiring anal gluing or a feeding tube. (Although Giraffe Kitty does seem to have an unusual fondness for noodles and other foods of this shape.) When the kitten had reached maturity I removed the rings.

Unfortunately, the neck and legs were unable to support themselves initially, causing my cat to look more like Loch Ness Monster Kitty than Giraffe kitty. I am happy to report that after several weeks of careful physical therapy my Bonsai Kitten is running about with Giraffe-like grace. My choice of an orange tabby cat made an amazingly accurate giraffe imitation. Imagine, the dream of owning a giraffe without the bother!

I am now embarking on my next project, "Stegosaurus Kitten," using similar techniques. I will keep you advised of my progress.