~~~OOO~~~ RUSSIAN BLUE ~~~OOO~~~
The Russian Blue, with its vivid green eyes, long thin body and distinctive double coat, is one of the most coveted of the short-haired cats.
As the name suggests, the Russian Blue is believed to have originated in the USSR. It is believed sailors took them to western Europe in the 1860's and early records describe their thick, seal-like coats which were their natural protection against the very cold Russian climate. They were exhibited at the Crystal Palace cat shows in England from the mid-nineteenth century.
More recent developments are the Russian White and the Russian Black. Apart from their coat colours, they are identical to the Russian Blue.
One of the special features of the Russian Blue is its prominent whisker pads - they stand out like pin cushions. A good Russian Blue should have large, thinly-furred ears, small oval feet, slender legs and a narrow tail.
The distinctive coat is a lustrous, even coloured blue with silver tipped guard hairs.Patting a Russian has been described as feeling like running a silk scarf through your hands.
As a companion, the Russian Blue/White/Black has much to recommend it. A very quite cat, it uses its voice once in a blue moon, is very affectionate and devoted and is rather shy, gentle and home-loving and bonds very closely with its owner.
~~~OOO~~~ SOMALI ~~~OOO~~~
The Somali is best described as a long haired version of the Abyssinian and its colouring and beautiful bushy tail give it a fox-like appearance.
It is a medium sized cat, graceful and well-muscled, with eyes that are big and almond-shaped and full of expression.
The coat is not as long as in the Persian, and its silky texture means it is less likely to mat, but it still must be groomed regularly.
Each hair has many band of black of chocolate brown ticking. The four basic coat colours are tawny, cinnamon (sorrel), blue and beige-fawn, plus these four colours in the silver range. It takes along time for the beautiful richly coloured coat to develop fully; kittens are born very dark and only achieve a fully ticked, ruddy brown or reddish colouring at about 18 months old.
The Somali's nature is vigorous, athletic and playful and curious. They are even-tempered and easy to handle and ideal for gentle children. They are very quiet cats with a soft voice which they don't use a great deal.
For those who want a 'party animal' who enjoys people and games the Somali is an ideal choice
~~~OOO~~~ MANX ~~~OOO~~~
According to a writer in 1900, "the Manx is considered by many people as a national curiosity". It differs from the ordinary cat little, except in the absence of a tail or even an apology for one. The hindlegs are thicker and rather longer than the ordinary cat's and it runs more like a rabbit.
The Manx cat came from the Isle of Man originally and is a distinct breed.
The reason for the Manx cat's lack of tail is a mutant dominant gene. The mutation occured long ago, because the Manx is a very ancient breed of cat.
The degree of "taillessness" in the Manx varies. The varieties have been divided into four groups with the wonderful names of Rumpy, Rumpy-riser, Stumpy and Longy. A Rumpy Manx is the ideal exhibition animal, with no hint of a tail. Rumpy-risers have a small knob of a tail, Stumpies have a definite tail stump and Longies are hard to distinguish from normal cats.
The perfect Manx should have a distinct double coat with soft under hair and a glossier coarser top coat. They come in a whole range of coat and eye colours.
The Manx is a fascinating, attractive cat who will repay the interest of owners with intelligence and faithfullness.
