Actually, Hawaii DOA (Department of Agriculture) isn’t banning Bengals and any other hybrid breed because they are worried about them escaping and wreaking havoc on Hawai’i's endemic species; any cat, from a tiny little Singapura to a Maine Coon could, theoretically, get loose and start chasing red Hawaiian honeycreepers, etc. The ban originated in 2006, when someone tried to bring a full-blooded serval (exotic African cat) into Hawai’i – not only was it an exotic, not domesticated animal, but servals typically weigh 30 lbs. or more. Denied entry with his werval, the owner then tried to sue DOA, claiming that other animals with a wild ancestor were permitted in Hawai’i. Rather than fight a lawsuit, DOA simply banned the imporation of ANY animal that has a drop of wild blood which, in terms of pet cats, meant Bengals (a domestic breed crossed with Asian Leopard Cat), Savannahs (ditto, with servals), Chausies, etc.
DOA’s measures are so Draconian, in fact, that Hawaiian Bengal breeders were banned from breeding any more Bengals, I believe, nor were they permitted to sell, “gift” or otherwise transfer any Bengals they owned to another person. Basically, the Bengals who existed in Hawai’i prior to 2006 were “grandfathered”, but no additional Bengals – even American-bred, direct from the mainland – were permitted into Hawai’i since then.
Ocicats who, like Bengals, are spotted cats, are wholly domestic cats with no wild blood, created from crossing, usually, Abyssinians with Siamese or other domestic breeds. They can go to Hawai’i. The lab who receives a cat’s blood for rabies testing for importation into Hawai’i do not screen the DNA (an expensive and time-consuming process), but the cat is examined at the Animal Control facility by DOA at Honolulu’s airport, and by authorized vets at Kona (and Lihue, I believe), under the Direct Release program. I don’t know how DOA could tell, say, a brown-spotted Bengal from a chocolate-spotted Ocicat without being a TICA judge (CFA does not recognize Bengals, but TICA recognizes both breeds), but if anyone has tried bringing a Bengal in as a DSH or Ocicat, I’d like to know.
Yep I know that struggle, see photo 5 of my Project 12 photo’s that I posted on my blog yesterday. I still haven’t cleaned up that hot mess.
My mom uses a cast iron skillet too! I don’t own one, so I use a pie pan.
We add nutmeg to the batter and sprinkle with powered sugar. YUM!! Our recipe is slightly different and I use a cast iron skillet.
Nicole that’s how my parents eat it. I am a butter, applesauce, powdered sugar person. Jack likes a little bit of puffy pancake with his powdered sugar…