Here is Cherubina in her glory - She just loves being photographed and is an angel at a show - she knows she is gorgeous.

There are many theories concerning the origins of the Somali. Certainly the Somalis we see on the showbench today originated from the USA. In 1967 an Abyssinian breeder discovered a long-haired Aby in a cat sanctuary and thought the kitten so attractive she decided to try to produce more. Certainly in early Abyssinian pedigrees there are so many “unknown” cats that the recessive Longhair gene could easily have been present. I was quite happy with the theory that Somalis were introduced in the mid to late Twentieth Century until I read “The Cat in Ancient Egypt” by Jaromir Malek. There, on page 86 was an amazing illustration, “The cat described as “mistress of the embalming house” in the papyrus of Nespaheran, c900 BC”. The original is held in the Oxford Bodleian Library

I was enthralled by the picture. The current Somali Standard Of Points states:

“The expression should be alert and smiling”

Ears – “Set wide apart but not low, broad at the base, proportionately large, pricked, well-cupped and tufted”

Eyes -“Large, almond-shaped”" expressive and bright”"

Body - Firm, lithe and muscular”

Coat - All other points being equal, preference should be given to the cat with a ruff”

Could this be a picture of a Somali that lived almost 3000 years ago?

   This is my Usual Somali, Champion Beaumaris Cherubina,

This photograph illustrates clearly the eyes a Somali should have. They should be large, almond shaped, set obliquely and well apart, expressive and bright. Accentuated by a dark surround encircled by lighter coloured “spectacles”. Short, dark “pencil” lines at either edge of the eye, the inner one vertical, the outer one pointing towards the ear. Cherubina has rich, deep green eyes.

Above is a picture of Pr. Sitah Codetta. Codetta was from the last litter bred by the late Muriel Harvey. The Sitah Somalis were renowned for their wonderful type, generously curved, moderate wedges, excellent colour and ticking and delightful personalities. Codetta was also born in the last litter sired by the famous Mycene Bucks Fizz before he was neutered.

Mycene Bucks Fizz was bred by the Doctors Peter and Margaret Frayne. He was born on the 7^th May 1985 and was an excellent example of the breed. He was owned by Muriel Harvey of the famous Sitah prefix. He was a superb stud cat, stamping his type on numerous kittens and he also had a dazzling show career when Somalis were at Preliminary and Provisional stages. I can remember judging him at the Somali Show in 1989 when I was a very new Somali Probationer, I thought he looked like a lion as he sat in his pen with his magnificent head framed by a well developed ruff.

Codetta is looking very startled in the picture but is a very sweet Somali. I showed her as a kitten at four months and then again when she was 11 years old and spayed. She became a Premier in 3 shows !

Cherubina in her last 6 shows has won 4 CC's, a GCC out of 6 and 2 Premier Certificates, on each occasion she has been placed in every class and has had 2 seconds, the rest of her placing's were First !

Excalibur demonstrates not only superb type and overall balance, he has the loving, gentle temperament that is a feature of the breed and he passed his attributes on to his offspring.

Here is Grand Premier Beaumaris Valentino 

at 4 weeks old.

Notice the breadth of the head and the muzzle. That is needed to have a balanced wedge that gives the correct look, I hate snipy, foxy faces! Valentino had a real Somali smile !

Here is Ch. Beaumaris Cherubina at 3 weeks with her brother on the right and her sister on the left. 

It is interesting to see how black Usual kittens are when they are babies, but gradually the richness comes in. 

I find the colour and ticking is usually coming very well by 14 weeks

This is Grand Champion and UK & Imperial Grand Premier Beaumaris Angelica (63a) when she was 12 weeks old.

Her father was Gr Ch Supatoft Abfab Bollinger (63es) and her mother Ch Beaumaris Cherubina (63)

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