Jordanalisa Persians started out back in 1972 as a little girl's dream called Mi-Lisa cattery. At 11 years old, Lisa saved up her own money and bought her first Persian cat named Cleo from Fran Milliman, a local breeder. She joined the Saintly City Cat Club, and met Dorothy Johnson of Peashie cattery who became her mentor. As was common practice back in those days, that breeder allowed her to use her stud male, Black Barticus for breeding, and she used the money from the sale of those kittens to start her own program. She purchased Puf 'n' Stuff Big Red from Audrey Boss as her foundation male, and Red Sky Strawberry Fields from Gary Powell. She worked with reds, creams, blues, and torties and bluecreams - that was what was available back then! She would hitch rides to cat shows on the weekends from other breeders.

The early 1980's found her a newly married young mother who didn't have as much time for her beloved cats as she did in the past years, so she retired her breeding program in 1982, petting out the remainder of her cats.

Lisa with CH Puf'n'stuf Big Red 1974

As her daughter, Jordana grew older, it was obvious that she shared the same passion for animals as her mother. However, the purchase of their first cat found that Lisa had developed a severe cat allergy in the years without exposure to them, and wasn't able to keep her. Realizing that a cat wasn't an option, they turned to the dogs that looked just like Persians - the Shih Tzu. The purchase of "Jordana's Sparkler Me-Toy-Too" and "Jordana's Satori" was the foundation of their 4 dog breeding program of black&white and tricolor Shih-Tzus. "Sparky" reached AKC's age limit for breeding in 1998, and was retired but stayed as Lisa's most beloved pet until he died in 2004 at the age of 16. Many of his babies went on to be AKC champions, and many more as most treasured pets.

After searching for two years for a stud male with "the look" and not being able to find him, they decided to end their breeding program after 10 years of awesome dogs.                                                               

                           
Lisa & Jordana with Sparky & Tori, '89

In 1999, Jordana moved out of the house to live on her own. Feeling the loss of each other, they each went out immediately and bought... CATS. Lisa purchased two Persians from a local breeder, and Jordana bought two older domestic cats from the Humane Society. Lisa found that if the cats were bathed regularly, she could tolerate the allergen.

In 2000, Lisa's husband took a job for a company in Colorado, and she found herself living 900 miles from all of her family and friends. She decided she wanted another cat, and started scrolling the internet for local breeders. She found one in the next town who happened to be getting out of Persians and into exotics... Thus instead of a third pet, Jordanalisa Persians began with the purchase of CH Merlynn's Just In Time, CH Kristaz Katz Ellee Mae, and CH Kristaz Katz Austin. Over the next year under the mentorship and friendship of Krista and Vickie Hagan of Davikatz, Lisa purchased severeal more cats and started showing. Jordana would drive down for long weekends when there were shows, and once she purchased a house, started itching to sneak cats back home with her.

She then found GC Deebows Hot Flash of Jordanalisa, and while he would later lose his title due to a color change, he would become their foundation male.                                                                       

After accidentally becoming SMOKE bicolor breeders, they bumped into Marianne Byrne of Midas cattery who was just getting back into cats and looking to purchase a darling smoke calico kitten they had. Marianne educated them  in the world of smokes - and genetics - and helped them get back on track in their bicolor program by introducing them to Tony Cabrera and Fabien Arienti of Entredos Cattery who entrusted them with a gorgeous blue and white van male kitten. GC RW Entredos Divino of Jordanalisa would become Midwest Region's 17th best kitten and the 2nd best blue and white Persian nationally for 2004/05.

With the help of many friends they've acquired along the way, they are building a solid program of bicolor, van and smoke bicolor Persians. Lines of note include Bolo, Brannaway, Cacao, Candirand, Catillak, Couronne,  Entredos, Pajean, Parti Wai, Sho-Dazzler, Spellbound, Tehy, Zhao.

Jordanalisa Persians has been a CFA Cattery of Excellence since 2004.

Jordana is a former Veterinary Technician, and is also a CFA Ambassador, part of the CFA Mentor Program, and the Breeder Assist Program. 

Jordana (holding  GC Tinafeld Twilight Zone), Marianne Byrne & Lisa

Also a very important part of the cattery are Lisa's younger daughter Shayna, and Jordana's daughter Lillian who both spend lots of time loving the kitties.