So now you may find yourself asking "How did these cats get to the U.S.?
Well,
In 1997, after reading an article in a Phoenix Newspaper, she learned of the existence of the Khao Manee (pronounced cow ma-nee), a breed supposedly the favored pets of the royal family of Siam. Because only a few hundred Khao Manees existed at the time of her discovery, none of which had ever been bred outside of Thailand, Freymuth was extremely concerned for the preservation of the breed. Appalled by its exploitation - the black market price for the breed started at $25,000 and reportedly went up to a million - she thought it would be a shame if the breed were to dissapear, especially given its rich history. She and her son discussed the feasibility of breeding these cats - obviiosly, the logistics of propagating the breed would involve careful planning. The Freymuths had to decide how to obtainclosely guarded breeding pairs without paying an astronomical fee per cat; how to get a genuine Khao Manee without getting swindled; where to establish a colony; and if a demand would exist once the colony was begun.
Despite all the obstacles. the Freymuths decided their plan was viable, and on August 17, 1999 the first Khao Manees were flown into Los Angeles International Airport. On July 8, 2000 Dee and Hin produced the first litter of Khao Manee kittens ever born outside Thailand. During the course of the first year, the Freymuths were able to obtain 11 cats. Because of careful and successful genetic mapping, a number of healthy generations of Khao Manees exist in the United States. While the cats are hardly a household item, they sell for only about $2500 which is much less expensive than many of the exotic breeds.
