Hertfordshire, United Kingdom

Welcome to Makeitso Abyssinian and Somali Cats

Abyssinians and Somalis are a medium sized cat of a lithe muscular build, foreign in type.   They are exactly the same cat in type and temperament, the only difference is the length of coat.  In the worldwide pedigree cat registration organisations of TICA and FIFe they fall in the same breed group and share the same standard of points.

The Somali originated in the United States and was the result of long-haired kittens seen in the litters of Abyssinians.  Introduced to Britain in 1981 is generally accepted throughout the world as an 'Abyssinian in an Overcoat'.  The Somali has a medium length coat soft and silky, one to three inches long which requires little grooming.  The fur is shorter across the shoulders, the tail fluffy and full and their feet have tufts between the toes. The Somali has a very easy coat to care for, very rarely does it tangle or matt.   

The Abyssinian is one of the oldest known pedigree cat and pedigrees records date back to the early 1900s.  It has a short, close lying coat which for the most part is fairly low maintenance.  Often the only grooming required is a good hand rub !

Both have an agouti, or ticked, coat with bands of colour on each hair. Their almond shaped eyes range in colour from intense green to rich copper. 

Abyssinians and Somalis are intelligent and playful cats who thrive on human and/or feline company. They love to play, at which time they run through the house, tossing balls or toys in the air and then fetch them back to start the game anew. Another favourite pastime is helping, whether it be gardening or reading the newspaper! They are very adept at opening doors and love to play with water. They tend to hold their tails high as they run to greet you and they communicate through soft mews and a charming trill.

There are 28 colours of Somalis and Abyssinians  - usual (ruddy), sorrel, chocolate, blue, fawn, lilac, red and cream. These colours can also be with a silver base coat and tortie.  A more detailed description of coat colours can be found in the Show Standard link.

We sometimes have kittens available of both breeds, these will be shown on the kittens link.