Conference misery::feline_v1

From the "Encyclopedia of American Cat Breeds" (kept at my desk for all such 
occasions :^})

	"Despite the exotic name, which is a tribute to the alleged African
genesis of the Abyssinian, the Somali is as Canadian as the maple leaf.  When
longhaired kittens first started popping up in purebred Abyssinian litters ten
or more years ago, Canada may have been the birthplace of some of the first 
Somalis.  They also started to appear in the US and European championship
Abyssinian bloodlines.

	This cat has been described as looking like 'a wild animal', a 'soft
orange cloud', and a 'striking red fox'.  They are basically a medium to large
sized cat, generally larger than the Aby shorthair.  They have a full dense,
fine-textured coat, and the tail is full also, with shorter length hair per-
mitted over the cat's shoulders.  The cat matures a little more slowly than
its Abyssianian progenitors, and the full color and ticking don't come till
eighteen months.  In its long silky coat, the ticked guard hairs mostly
disappear and the tickings shift to the short hairs.  The cat has the same
distinguishing markings and personality as the Abyssinian.

	The genetic origins of the Somali are not quite known.  Debate still
rages over what actually occurred.  Some insist an Aby had been crossed with
a Longhair, but this is not the case; it is not a hybrid breed.  More likely,
it is a mutation as with the longhaired Manx and the Balinese.  The basic
type of the cat has not changed and neither has its color, but its coat
length has.  Therefore, in the cate of this mutation the awn hair and down
hair of the coat were somehow lengthened.  The result is a longish, very soft,
silky body coat with a plume-like tail.  The longhair gene is recessive and
elusive.  The same breedings of a pair of Shorthairs that produce Somali
kittens will have many more shorthairs before producing another Somali.
However, because this gene is recessive the basic laws of genetics apply.
Two Somalis bred together will breed true; they will produce Somali kittens.


	. . . There are two colors, the ruddy and the red . . . and which
correspond to the required color in the Abyssinian."

    I disagree with the book about the Somali being a genetic mutation.
    Longhair is a recessive gene, and I think that it was probably just
    carried recessively for generations until it met up with another LH
    gene, and then bingo, the Somali was born. (this is on the assumption
    that Aby's have not been completely a pure breed since the beginning of
    time.  Almost no breed has been kept completely pure since outcrosses
    where necessary in many breeds during times of war, etc.)  
    
    Similar things have happened with Siamese, Manx, Scottish Folds, and
    many other shorthaired breeds.  Some of these longhairs have been 
    called new breeds, others have not.
    
    
    Jo

	Jo, what you say makes sense.  The author says that the appearance
	of a longhair is very unpredictable.  It could be that they were
	never considered desirable before they were 'discovered' :^}

	But going by the pictures in this book, they are very sweet looking
	babies!

	Sandy

    A lot of the literature in the cat fancy tells of breeders who would 
    occassionally get a long haired kitten in a litter from their short
    haired breeds and then quickly and quietly find that kitten a home and
    not tell their fellow breeders.  Breeders nowadays are a bit more open
    about things like that.  Many of those longhairs are now being
    recognized as their own breeds.  I think that is great.
    
    Jo

    Hi Sandy
    
    Thanks for taking the time to enter the info about the Somali's.  I was
    going to say that they remind me of a baby fox.  I've been looking at
    them at the past few cat shows.   
    
    Pam

    Well, wherever they come from they sure are beautiful!  A RED Somali
    is right on the top of my "cats to have someday" list.
      There was one at Haverhill this past weekend.
    

    There was a gorgeous Somali premier in Danvers too.  In CFA, Somali's
    are considered shorthairs, not longhairs.  I was surprised to see that. 
    This cat was incredible.  I would love one someday.
    

    The reason that CFA judges them as shorthairs is that they are exactly 
    the same body type as an Aby according to the CFA standard.  It made 
    more since to have them judged along with the Aby's.
    
    When you think about judges that are single specialty this makes sense.
    If a judge is used to feeling the heavy, coby bones of Persians, Exotics,
    Coons, and Birmans, he wouldn't know what to do with the refinement of
    a Somali.  Same hold true with SH specialty judges trying to make sense
    out of the boning of an Exotic shorthair.  It would be so foreign to 
    them after being used to Siamese, Balinese, Aby's, Eqyptian Mau's, etc.
    
    jo

add me to the list of fans - they are wonderful looking and have great
purrsonalities.  I am totally charmed by them.

Of course, now that we have our long-haired Siamese (flame point Javanese),
I am thinking about adding other "mutations" to the family as budget and
whim dictate...Somali is next!

    
    My wife and I had the pleasure of attending the CFA show in Fitchburg
    over the weekend and are now in -
    
    
                   Search Of The Somali !!!!
    
    Like Nancy,Roberta, & Pam, this was a cat that we've wanted for some
    time now and were now ready for the 3 cat shack. Well, the Fitchburg
    show proved to be a great place to talk to a few breeders and get a
    good sampling of the breed. Evelyn Mague from Lynn-Lee's cattery in
    NJ had about 6 kittens with her entered in the show and one male about
    3 months that my wife JUST HAS TO HAVE !!
    
    A number of other breeders have dibs on this kitten (or a pick of the
    litter) and one left Saturday to go back to Canada. She didn't take the
    kitten. Another breeder who lives in NY now is trying to decide if
    which of the litter he wants...... My wife is hoping we can make a trip
    to NJ this weekend to get Midnight Sun (the cat was born on the longest
    day of this year).
    
    Debbie ended up going back to the show to help Evelyn with the cat's
    (work on her for the kitten) on Sunday and got really attached to MS.
    Whatever happens, she's hooked on Evelyn's babies and we'll likely
    end up with one this weekend. 
    
    I was at the Fitchburg show both days and didn't run into any other
    Feliners. I must of had my blinders on. 8^)
    
    George

    Congrats George and Deb!  Hope a trip to NJ is in your very immediate
    future!
    
    --Roberta
    

    
     Well.... Luck was in our favor and the kitty my wife so badly "HAD
     TO HAVE" is hers if she still wants it !! Like she's gonna have to 
     be asked twice.....
    
     The little guy's name is Midnight Sun and he's a ruddy male. We will
     probably change the name to something a little more personal. I was
     thinking of something like... Lynn Lee's Pinch Of Nutmeg...Nutmeg
     for short. It's not cutzy but it is catchy...any suggestions for a 
     name ??
    
     We're waiting for Evelyn to decide if she's going to the Boxboro show
     because that would save us the 10hour round trip. However she needs to
     hurry to get in under the 10/25 cutoff.... Either way a Somali will
     shortly be taking up residence in Leominster, Ma. !!!
    
     George               

    Midnight Sun?  A real Lapp cat :-)
    

    Glad to hear this news bulletin, George!  The name is nice too... and
    you can always shorten it even further to "Nuts", which is, after all,
    what Aby's are!!  (this meant in a purely affectionate way of course. 
    Love them energetic cats!!)
    
    Congrats to you and Deb!
    

    I hate to rain on your parade, but if the kitten has been registered
    and shown as Midnight Sun, you won't be able to change it in CFA.  If
    the kitten hasn't been registered and shown under that name, you should
    be able to change it.  I found this out the hard way. :'(
    
    Congratulations on your new kitten though!  Somalis are one of my
    favorite breeds too.  Love those semi-longhaired breeds!! :^)
    
    Jo

    
    Re: Jo
    
      Thanks for the reponse. I haven't gotten the details on registration
      yet but do know that as of the regional shows the kitten was too
      young to be shown and "just along for the ride". I thought kittens
      weren't allowed in show halls until they are at least 4 months.
    
      The name may be unregistered and just what the breeder is calling
      him for now. I'm putting together a list of things for my wife to
      go over with her when then talk again later this week. 
    
      Thanks for the info...
    
    George

    George, I love the name you have suggested. Nutmeg is one of my
    favorite spices to cook with so I would like the name.
    
    Hope things work out so you have your furface soon.
    
    Keep us posted.
    
    Barbara & her 3M's
    
    ps/cooking hint to use Nutmeg. Cook fresh carrots, drain and
    grate fresh Nutmeg on top then add 2 tablespoons butter, cover and
    shake, let stand for 2 minutes, then serve. Some folks who hated
    carrots love them this way. HERE'S TO NUTMEG..

    George,
    
    You are right, kittens must be 4 months old to be shown, so he was
    probably not at the show hall legally.
    
    Oh, fire drill, gotta go!
    
    Jo

    
    Thanks for the nutmeg suggestion Barb. I usually use tarragon with my
    carrots but the nutmeg has me drooling a bit here.
    
    The SO and I are going to have a serious "Name The Kitty" session
    tonight so I'll post the possibilities tomorrow. 
    
    George

If there's anyone interested in Somali's, I know of a breeder right in
connecticut.  One of her females (who is currently pregnant) was in the
top 20 cats in CFF this year (can't quite remember which.  I think it was
12th or something).  And her male (the father of the kittens) is a CFA
grand.

Holly