Somali (cat).

Somali (cat). Somali (cat), also known as fox cat, breed of longhaired cat that emerged as the result of a longhaired gene in its Abyssinian ancestry. The Somali breed was developed after an American cat breeder received a one-year-old longhaired Abyssinian that had been rejected by other Abyssinian breeders. This longhaired cat's parents were mated a second time and produced another longhaired kitten in a litter of four. These longhaired cats were then developed as a new breed because they were not accepted by Abyssinian breeders as a variation of the Abyssinian. The Somali is named for the African nation of Somalia. Ethiopia, which borders Somalia, once was known as Abyssinia. A long, graceful cat, the Somali has a muscular body and a slightly arched back. The head is wedge-shaped and slightly rounded with a full, rounded chin. Large, brilliant eyes are almond-shaped and rich gold or deep green in color. Large, pointed ears are set toward the back of the skull. A thick, plumelike tail tapers slightly at the tip. The Somali has a soft, silky coat, with a ruff, or collar, of fur that encircles the neck, and horizontal tufts of hair across the ears. Long hair extends up the back legs and creates the appearance of leggings. Each hair contains numerous bands of darker color alternating with lighter color that give the coat a rich, shimmering look. The coat may be one of four contrasting combinations: blue with slate blue, fawn with light cocoa brown, red or sorrel with chocolate brown, or ruddy with black. All cat registries recognize the Somali breed. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.