The Somali Fox-Tailed Cat

The Somali Fox-tailed cat, with an uncertain origin. Given their foxy appeal, it is hard to believe exotic cats were at first considered undesirable. Occasionally, a longhaired kitten would appear in a litter of Abyssinians. No one knew how the longhaired gene worked its way into the breed, and it was awkward for breeders to explain the existence of the kittens in their "purebred" lines.

The longhaired trait might have arisen in the Abyssinian breed during World War II. European breeders had trouble maintaining their breeding programs with a limited number of cats during the war. Sometimes, just to keep the lines going, they used cats of other breeds or even domestic cats.

The longhaired kitten soon attracted fans. The Somali is quite hardy and relatively free of any serious diseases or disorders.

Breeders are also working to eliminate a type of anemia called autoimmune hemolytic anemia from a few lines. The condition responds to steroid therapy.

Somalis also may suffer more than many other breeds from irritable-bowel disease. The disease often can be "successfully controlled by diet, and in some situations by medication," is said.

The Somali shares most of its structure with the parent breed, the Abyssinian. Alert and elegant, they stand on tiptoe and appear always ready ready for action. Facial markings accentuate the almond-shaped eyes. Large, flared ears appear to take in everything. The wedge-shaped head has softly rounded lines, creating a sweet expression. The flowing coat lends softness to the body and ends in the dramatic fox-brush tail.

Somali breeders strive to achieve ticked coats. The bands of contrasting color so essential to the Albyssinian tabby pattern can disappear in the longer coat, often appearing more as shading than distinct bands. Heavy ticking should appear along the spine and down the tail to a distinct dark tip. Tabby lines enhance the face but must not appear anywhere else on the body.

Achieving a brilliant, clear coat color without the appearance of unwanted markings poses a challenge. A coat clear of markings often lacks intensity or may appear dull. "It's like polar opposites," a expert says. "It's very difficult to work with."

Kitten will often be sold as pets rather than kept as show cats for that reason. Other minor faults can separate a show-quality kitten from a pet: an imperfectly shaped head, overly round eyes, or high-set ears. Show-quality Somalis occasionally wind up as pets by accident. "They're classic ugly ducklings that develop into beautiful swans." Because the coats comes in slowly, 4-month-old kittens with dull, marked coats have turned into showstoppers by 18 months.