Somalí
The name of this version of long hair of the Abyssinian indicates the association between both, since Somalia shares a border with Ethiopia (Abyssinia).
Although in Abyssinian litters kittens of long hair had appeared before, and one was exhibited in Australia in 1965, was only until 1967 that an American criador decided for the first time to develop a new race that arrived at Europe ten years later.
In figure the Somalí follows the Abyssinian accurately, to not being neither dumpy nor of type Eastern, the head the less cleared that the one of the American or the Briton of Short Hair but not as pointed as the one of the Siamese and other Eastern ones.
The kittens often have quite dark coats, the dots agouti become more well-known in the maturity.
Body: Foreign type but more solid than the Siamese, developed well and muscular, with legs esbeltas and oval claws; the quite long, heavy tail in the base and narrowing itself towards the end.
Head: A moderate wedge, slightly cleared, the snout is not pointed; the ears very separated to each other, raised, wide in the base and of deep cavity.
Eyes: Great, shining and almendrados, neither round nor totally Eastern; green or golden color.
Coat: Double, very smooth to the tact; of the medium, except in head, very fine and dense, pinto length, with at least three bands and sometimes, many more.
Colors: Reddish, blue, chestnut, lila, chamois; also chocolate and all these in tortie and with silver-plated.