Breed Standard Somali Cat, Or Somali Version (GCCF, CFA)

2023 Author: Molly Page | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 22:49

Description of colors (according to GCCF standards)

Breed standard Somali cat, or Somalia according to CFA

Breed standard Somali cat, or Somali according to GCCF

Breed standard Somali cat, or Somalia according to the GCCF

General characteristics: Somalia is a perfectly balanced semi-longhaired cat of medium build and foreign type. The head is broad, wedge-shaped on an elegant neck. The body is strong, flexible and muscular, of medium length. The tail is rather long and tapering. The head, body, legs, feet and tail should be in proportion. The cat must have a well-balanced appearance. The expression should be lively and smiling. Somalia must be in excellent physical (shape), well-fed.

Head: moderate wedge. The lines of the eyebrows, cheeks and profile are shown with soft contours. There should be a slight rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead. The forehead should be high. The ears are set wide apart. Shallow depressions form a transition to the muzzle. Profile: Requires an easy transition from forehead to nose, a strong chin and an elegant neck.

Ears: Set wide apart but not low. Broad at the base, proportionately large, pointed, closed at the base, with tassels. On the inner side of the ear there are long hairs (brushes).

Eyes: large, almond-shaped, oblique, set wide apart, bright and expressive. Accentuated with dark outline surrounded by lighter glasses. Short dark "pencil" lines (stripes) on either side of the eye. On the inside there is one vertical strip, on the outside there is one dash towards the ear.

Eye color: amber, hazel, or green; rich and deep color is preferred.

Body: strong, flexible, muscular, medium-sized, foreign type, with a straight back.

Legs and Feet: The legs are long. Feet are oval with tufts of hair between the toes.

Tail: long, well furred, broad at the base and slightly tapering towards the end. In the form of a brush. The length is proportional to the body.

Coat: Soft and fine, dense, but flat along the back. Medium length, with the exception of the shoulder blades where shorter hair is acceptable. All other things being equal, preference should be given to a cat with a pronounced collar and trousers. The collar and pants may not be prominent in kittens.

Color and pattern: the basis of the coat of a cat of the Somali breed is ticking. She should have at least three rings on each hair, i.e. 6 contrasting color zones from base to tip. Ticking forms slowly, but in all kittens it should be visible at least on the shoulder blades. The tips of the ears and tassels, the pattern on the muzzle, the top and tip of the tail, the hair between the toes and the heels should be the same color as the ticking. A darker shade along the back and top of the tail is desirable. Chest, underside of the body, inner side of the legs, the color of the main hair, no pattern. Kittens and young animals may have insufficiently saturated colors in sex-linked colors. they form during puberty.

Related article Somali cat, or somali

Grounds for disqualification:

- White medallion or white spots anywhere other than the chin, lips and nose.

- Lack of ticking in adult animals.

- Closed necklace.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- Heavy stocky type or light Siamese type.

- Pinch.

- Straight profile or stop.

- Lack of a pattern on the face.

- Wrong heel color. (The color of the heels of the silvery variations may not reach the hock.)

- Clear stripes on the legs, body or tail.

- Defects common to all breeds (see Appendix "List of defects in GCCF standards").

Description of colors (according to GCCF standards)

Wild

Overall impression: a rich golden brown tone is formed due to the apricot base color with black ticking.

Ears, tassels, face pattern, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heels: black

Chest, belly, underside of body, inner legs: deep apricot color. The color should be as saturated as possible.

Nose: brick red.

Paw pads: black or brown.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- Cold pale tone of the coat.

- Large areas with gray undercoat (gray undercoat during seasonal molting in kittens and young animals is not fined).

- All the shortcomings listed in the general standard for the Somali breed.

Sorrel

Overall impression: A rich copper color is formed due to an apricot base color with a cinnamon (light brown) ticking.

Ears, tassels, face design, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heels: cinnamon (light brown).

Chest, abdomen, underside of the body, inside of the legs: deep apricot color.

Nose and paw pads: pink.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- Lack of contrast between the undercoat and ticking.

- All the shortcomings listed in the general standard for the Somali breed.

Chocolate (temporary)

Overall Impression: A bright copper-brown color formed by an apricot base color with a dark chocolate ticking.

Ears, tassels, face design, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heels: dark chocolate.

Chest, abdomen, underside of the body, inside of the legs: deep apricot color.

Nose: pinkish brown.

Paw pads: chocolate.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- Lack of good contrast hides ticking.

- All the shortcomings listed in the general standard for the Somali breed.

Blue (temporary)

Overall Impression: A soft blue tone composed of a warm light cream or beige base color with a dark blue ticking.

Ears, tassels, face pattern, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heels: blue.

Chest, abdomen, underside of the body, inner legs: beige.

Nose: dark pink.

Paw pads: gray-blue.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- White undercoat anywhere on the body; this is especially noticeable on the back.

- All the shortcomings listed in the general standard for the Somali breed.

Purple (temporary)

Overall impression: a warm bluish-blue color is formed due to a light cream or beige base color with a lilac ticking.

Ears, tassels, face pattern, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heels: purple.

Chest, abdomen, underside of the body, inner legs: beige.

Nose and paw pads: mauve.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- Lack of good contrast hides ticking.

- All the shortcomings listed in the general standard for the Somali breed.

Faun (temporary)

Overall Impression: A warm tan color formed by a light cream or beige base color with a yellowish brown ticking.

Ears, tassels, face pattern, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heels: yellow-brown.

Chest, abdomen, underside of the body, inner legs: light cream or beige.

Nose: pink.

Paw pads: mauve.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- Lack of good contrast hides ticking.

- All the shortcomings listed in the general standard for the Somali breed.

Red (temporary)

Ears, tassels, face pattern, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heels: bright red.

Chest, abdomen, undersides, inner legs: pale red.

Nose and paw pads: bright pink.

Note: Dark spots may appear on the nose, lips, eyelids, ears and fingertips. Light age spots should not be penalized.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- All the disadvantages listed in the general standard for the "Somali" breed.

Cream (temporary)

Ears, tassels, face design, top and tip of tail, hair between toes and heel: deep cream color.

Chest, abdomen, lower body, inner legs: light cream shade.

Nose: pink-cream.

Paw pads: bright pink.

Note: Dark spots may appear on the nose, lips, eyelids, ears and fingertips. Light age spots should not be penalized.

Disadvantages, depriving the right of obtaining the title:

- All the disadvantages listed in the general standard for the "Somali" breed.

In addition, the following colors of Somalia are recognized according to the GCCF standards:

-

tortie, - tortoiseshell sorrel, - chocolate tortie, -

blue tortie, - purple tortie, - tortoiseshell fawn, - black silver, - chocolate silver, - silver blue, - silvery purple, - silver fawn, - silver red, - silver cream, - silver tortie, - silver tortoiseshell sorrel, - silver chocolate tortie, - silver

blue tortoiseshell, - silver purple tortie, - silver tortie fawn

Source: translated from English by Dmitry Starkov, expert felinologist.

Breed standard Somali cat, or Somalia according to CFA

General impression. A medium-sized, well-muscled, proportional cat that shows a keen interest in the environment, friendly to people. The cat gives the impression of an active animal with excellent health and vitality. They are smart, affectionate, energetic and sociable cats. They love to walk, but they are also always happy with human company, and thanks to their gentle nature, they get along well with children.

Head. A modified wedge with rounded outlines without flat plans and any angularity. The cheekbones and profile are softly defined. Slight bend from the bridge of the nose to the forehead. The skull is wide enough. Smooth line of transition from head to neck. The muzzle resembles a fox.

Muzzle. Has a soft outline to match the outline of the head as a whole. The chin is strong, rounded, with no signs of undershot or undershot. The muzzle should not be sharply defined, narrow, pointed, tapering in front of the vibrissa pads.

Ears. Large, alert, wide and cupped at the base. Set on a line towards the back of the skull. They have developed internal pubescence; tassels are desirable.

Eyes. Almond-shaped, large, expressive. Should not be round or "oriental". The light areas near the very eyes are outlined with a dark line. Above each eye there is a dark vertical stroke, from the lower eyelid towards the ear there is a dark "stroke". Color from deep green to deep amber.

Body. Medium size, flexible and graceful with well developed muscles. The ribcage is convex, the back is slightly arched, which gives the impression of a cat preparing to jump. Medium build, not too tight or too light.

Paws. They are proportional to the body, oval, compact. Even a stationary Somali looks dexterous and fast. Five toes on the front and four on the hind legs.

Tail. Well-developed pubescence (like a fox), thick at the base, slightly tapering. Medium length in relation to the body.

Wool. Very soft, delicate, double texture. The denser the coat, the better. Of medium length, somewhat shorter at the shoulders. Preference is given to animals with a developed decorating hair, collar and "pants".

Disadvantages. In color, gray or sandy tone. The residual elements of the pattern are torn stripes of the "necklace" on the chest, stripes on the legs, spots or stripes on the body. Absence of characteristic markings on the head and tail. Black roots of body hair.

Disqualification. White spots anywhere other than the top of the neck (at the level of the throat), chin and around the nostrils. Custom color of paw pads or nose. Closed "necklace". Non-standard number of fingers, hook on the tail.

Color. Warm shade. The ticking is clear, with contrasting dark and light stripes along the hair. Undercoat color is clean and intense. The presence of a "shadow" strip along the back and to the tip of the tail. Dark shade markings are desirable. Marks on the head: dark strokes extending from the eyes and eyebrows, "shading" on the cheekbones and vibrissa pads.

Eye color. Gold or green, with pure, intense colors preferred.