Hello, Welcome to my caviary, Erin's Precious Pigs.  I am Erin Katz, the 19 year old mastermind behind the operation.  I am currently a sophomore at the University of Michigan with a biology major and pre-med/veterinary focus.  I plan to continue my studies in veterinary school at Michigan State University.  Due to my academic studies I will have to cut back on my cavy involvement as well as my caviary.  I will continue to show and breed with the amazing help of my mother who cares for my animals while I am away at school.  As well as cavies, I enjoy music, art, my friends, and my other pets. 

I have owned cavies for almost 12 years now.  My first cavy, Cuddles, came from a surprise litter from my cousin's guinea pig.  Little did they know that that one American Tortoiseshell & White sow would lead to a caviary averaging 40 cavies.  After Cuddles, I got two more pet guinea pigs.  Shemp was an American Cream & White Broken and Simba was an American Red Dutch.  My next pet cavy, Andy, introduced me to a fellow breeder and friend, Susan Lybolt of Peek-a-boo Pigs who got me started with breeding show cavies.  She took me to my first show where I fell in love with Himalayans and decided that I had to have some.  So in 1999 I purchased my first pair of Himalayans and it all went from there.  I joined the Michigan Cavy Breeders Association.  In 2000 I increased my caviary to include American and American Satin Whites.  In 2001 I officially registered my caviary as Erin's Precious Pigs Caviary by joining the American Cavy Breeders Association and the American Rabbit Breeders Association.  I also started a line of American Satin Himalayans.  In 2002 I started my line of Texel Himalayans and joined the Michigan Rabbit Breeders Association.  In 2003 I  was also elected to be a MCBA Director and Webmaster. I still currently raise American, American Satin, & Texel Himalayans as well as American & American Satin Whites.  I also have American, American Satin, Silkie, and Texel Blacks, as well as Silkie Himalayans for breeding with my other lines.

Some of my cavy achievements include 2003 Michigan Cavy Breeders Association Cavy Queen.  I also finished tenth place in youth American Satin in the 2001-2002 ACBA Youth Sweepstakes.  In 2003  I won District 8 ACBA Achievement and ACBA Cavy Management.  I also finished first place in youth Texel and ninth place in youth American for the 2002-2003 ACBA Youth Sweepstakes.  In 2004 my home bred and raised American Black Intermediate Boar, Charlie won Best in Show at the ACBA Speciatly in Nobelsville, IN.