Somalis - The First Decade and Beyond
by Debbie & Larry Ritter

The Somali is by no means exclusively an American phenomenon. Somalis have appeared in all parts of the world in which British Abys have been exported. Somalis have even appeared in Australia and New Zealand where their pedigrees closely resemble those of their American Aby counterparts which produced Somalis.

In addition, we have a sizeable contingent of breeders working with CFA Somalis in Japan. In recent years, Somalis have also captured the hearts of breeders in Hawaii and several people are actively breeding Somalis on the islands.

WHAT LIES AHEAD?

As we enter our second decade, what is the future of our beloved Somalis? It is a very bright one. Never before have we seen the quality of cats being shown throughout all parts of the country. Dedicated breeders have been working very hard to produce not only a quality animal but a healthy one as well.

In the long run, it doesn’t really matter who were the “culprits” in introducing the longhair gene into some Aby lines. Those of us who are totally captivated by the Somali are glad that these cats were the end result. Cat Fanciers worldwide can be assured that Somalis will be around to capture their hearts for many decades to come.

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