| The Abyssinian is considered as one of the oldest pure breeds in the world - nobody
really knows the true origins of this breed but wherever they came from, they are adorable
cats who love life, their family, and who get on well with other cats and even .. dare I
say it? .. dogs! We have shared our lives with Abyssinians since 1984 - Somalis
since 1987 when Wally came to live with us.
Abyssinians are said to be the direct descendants of the sacred cats of Ancient Egypt - this cannot be verified, but the first known Abyssinian was imported into the United Kingdom in the 1860's .. a cat named Zula (or Zulu) was brought home as a gift for an officer's wife after the Abyssinian War in 1868 and the breed was developed in the UK, being perhaps the first purebred cat to be shown. How appropriate - to continue to be "first" throughout history, even though that history is as yet, unknown.
(L) Our adored Abyssinian babies, Nareira Cleothera (left) and Maison Dor Mystery of Egypt (right) - at Holiday Coast Cat Club 2002 - Mystery was Best Female Kitten In Show. (R) Mystery as an adult ... early 2003 ... on her favourite spot - my scanner - so she could be close to Mum. "Our Sweet Baby Girls - you will be loved forever and you both are sadly missed by us. You will both be Young Forever". Somalis were developed in the early 1960s in Canada - longhaired kittens would be occasionally found in Abyssinian litters and were sold as pets, but due to a breeder's foresight, these lovely cats were soon being bred and found to breed true (that is, like to like) and finally were accepted as a breed - with the "parent breed" being Abyssinian. They were bred here in Australia as far back as the 60's - but were developed and finally recognised in the late 70's. Now, Somalis hold their own at the shows ... winning Best in Show over many other breeds. Both breeds are bred in the colours tawny, cinnamon, blue, fawn, black silver, blue silver, cinnamon silver and fawn silver. Chocolate and lilac Abyssinians and Somalis are now being bred but these colours are extremely rare .. I don't know anything about them at all, although the colours are now recognised in several Cat Controls in Australia. We breed the four main colours - beginning with tawny and then, after a litter containing two cinnamon kittens was born in the mid 1980's, we had both tawny and cinnamon! With the acquisition of a blue Abyssinian boy in the late 80's (Abbana Blue Corinthian - aka Booboo Bear), we began the adventure into blues ... eventually going into fawns. I love fawn - it is a beautiful colour - and currently we have two gorgeous fawn Somalis in our lives - Nareira Eridani and Nareira Fawnturian. Eridani is my "coffee cat" - her colour reminds me of cappuccino - with excellent ticking and glorious golden eyes. The latest - Fawnturian, is a simply gorgeous boy with good type, colour, clarity and his eye colour is developing quite nicely .. he is a baby (a photo is on our Home Page), so that will improve as he grows up.
Paju Trojan Warrior, as a 6 month old kitten - blue Somali male - son of Sv Db Gd Ch Paju Bourbon St Beat & Gd Db Gd Ch Nareira Troi. Sadly he is no longer with us .... but he will always be remembered and never forgotten. Passed away 24 October, 2004 - RIP, little Hairy Bum, you are now with Bast. Our first homebred fawn was a little Somali girl, Paju Lily The Pink, born in the early 1990's, who was the very first fawn Somali born on the mid north coast. Unfortunately Lily passed over the Bridge at the age of 10 months ... however, we continued on in a quest to have a fawn Abyssinian or Somali share our lives and were lucky enough to "meet" Ballakat Daves Delight when she arrived here, with her cinnamon brother, Ballakat Bronze Nugget, in the early 1990s to share our lives happily until she sadly passed over last year at the age of 10. Both breeds' standards are the same - with the exception of the longer coat of the Somali. They stand out due to the dramatic ticking of their coats, the so-called "wild" expression which belies their true, sweet natures, their brilliant colour (a well coloured tawny Abyssinian or Somali is a sight to behold) and their temperament. I cannot say enough about these breeds - we have always vowed to have a Somali and an Abyssinian in our lives .. we can't live without them :)
Paju Helena of Troi (left) and Db Gd Ch Paju Polyxena of Troi (right) as kittens - blue Abyssinian females - litter sisters and daughters of Ch Uledo Pure Magic and Gl Db Gd Ch Nareira Troi. Our current stud is: Ch Berwendale Balthazar - tawny Somali. Nareira Fawnturian (fawn) will be our "junior stud" next year ... he is an outcross for most of our girls ... but he is still only a baby, although he is growing up - much too fast!! Balthazar (aka "Wolfy" - his dad called him this for some weird reason!) is a beautiful Somali boy with a lovely head, good colour and type and a wonderful temperament. He is tawny, carrying blue and cinnamon, and has sired all colours. His daughters, Selket and Kilubaba, have his lovely nature as well and good, rich colour - this is from both parents (Maison Dor Sands of Egypt has wonderful colour and clarity, excellent type and an adorable Aby nature too). Kilubaba has the longest coat I've seen on a Somali for years .. she is just one little "fluff ball" .. and has now become our "Funny Little Bug" (another nickname, gained for no good reason .... LOL).
Ch Berwendale Balthazar (aka Wolfy) - tawny Somali male cat - sire of Paju Selket and Paju Kilubaba. Very sad news - on 10 Sept 2004, Sv Db Gd Ch Paju Bourbon St Beat (our blue Abyssinian stud - born 18 Nov 1992) crossed the Rainbow Bridge to rejoin his family who have gone before ... he passed due to old age and it is still a shock to all of us who knew this "grand Old Man", a much loved member of the Paju Clan, who would win "Pet Cat" at almost every show he attended in the past 10 or more years. He was a smoocher, loved everyone and in his last few weeks was allowed to sleep on a "cat bed" inside, be a loved housecat instead of a stud, and just be himself, a sweet and lovable lad.
"Sv Db Gd Ch Paju Bourbon St Beat - Coffs Harbour Show Society Show - he did quite well that day and also won Pet Cat .... he was "making bread" with his paws as he always did - a very happy boy. Very sadly missed by all who loved him." Bourbon will be very sadly missed by everyone here .... however, our Glorious Little Blue Princess (aka Gd Db Gd Ch Nareira Troi) was mated to him 3 weeks before he passed over, so we hoped and prayed for a lovely litter to carry on Bourbon's heritage. These babies are Somali and Abyssinian (variant) kittens - all blue ..... Hairy Bum is posthumously now a "Big Brother"! Sadly, our blue Somali boy, Paju Trojan Warrior, crossed the Rainbow Bridge recently (24.10.04) and he will be very sadly missed. Hairy Bum, you are now with your father, Bourbon, who has called you to his side ..... sleep peacefully, li'l buddy, as your Mum and family are all missing your cheeky little ways. Always loved, never forgotten ... :*( Our queens are: Maison Dor Sands Of Egypt - tawny Abyssinian (variant); Gl Db Gd Ch Nareira Troi - blue Somali; Nareira Eridani - fawn Somali; Nareira Blackjack - tawny Somali (the niece of Nareira Cleothera, our sweet fawn baby girl); Paju Selket - tawny Somali and Paju Kilubaba - tawny - who will be shown very soon (read further down the page for her "adventures" - she is now a Double Grand Champion!). We also have our delightful Db Gd Ch Uledo Bundle O Blue, a blue Aby girl who sadly has not produced any kittens, even though she's been mated several times over the years. It's the luck of the draw - Bundy, as she is known to all, is a delightful and loving girl ... she's almost 8 years old, so I'm not worried about babies now.
Paju Selket (tawny Somali female cat) - aka Baby Mali. She was resting on the oven door when this photo was taken .... this is a favoured spot for them all, but of course they aren't allowed to stay there!!!!! I'm afraid this is one of those occasions when the Naughty Gene rears its ugly head ... LOL ... but she was so cute, I couldn't resist posting this picture. :) Maison Dor Sands of Egypt was busy with motherhood in 2004 - she has a lovely tawny Somali daughter to Ch Berwendale Balthazar ..... a little sister to Selket ... our fingers are crossed for this little girl, who I was absolutely certain was a beautiful little Abyssinian variant. Only when she was about 8 weeks old, did we realise that we had yet another beautiful Somali girl to join the ranks of "lovebugs"!! Her nickname is "Mad Maxine" as she is one crazy little critter .. always into mischief and has learnt how to "stop the 'puter" - by standing on the keyboard in a certain way!!!! Needless to say, she has been banned from the computer area ... so her other trick is to open the sliding doors to allow all her mates to come in and play! Yep, she has the "naughty gene"! OUR CURRENT "MISTRESSES OF THE HOUSE" (L) Db Gd Ch Uledo Bundle O Blue (blue Abyssinian female), (C) Gold Db Gd Ch Nareira Troi (blue Somali female) and (R) Maison Dor Sands of Egypt (tawny Abyssinian female) - with her "Dad". Gl Db Gd Ch Nareira Troi is our "boss cat" - she did very well at the shows, but after her last outing to the CCCA National, held in Sydney during July 2003, we decided to retire "The Glorious Little Blue Princess" from the bench so that she can be the much loved kitty she always is. DGC Uledo Bundle O Blue (aka "Bundy") made her last appearance on the show scene last September - winning Best Eye Colour out of many exhibits! She also is now retired to be a loving house cat.
Gl Db Gd Ch Nareira Troy as a kitten Nareira Eridani & Nareira Blackjack (NHVCC Inc 2004) 2004 has been the year to show both Eridani and Blackjack - it was the first time we've shown a tawny Somali since we put our late girl, the lovely Penruss Spring Time, on the bench a few years ago. We've never shown a fawn Somali - this has been a brand new adventure with Nareira Eridani and Blackjack .... then the fun will begin when our newest Somali Princess joins the ranks of our feline show-offs. Of course, now they've been joined by "Daddy's Baby Boy" (aka Nareira Fawnturian), so it will be a very interesting adventure for us all. Especially when "DBB" gets on the bench - already he is one very spoilt kitten, who gets what he wants, when he wants. :) STOP PRESS - Sept, 2004: .... our sweet baby girl, "Mad Maxine", is now officially registered as "Paju Kilubaba" and has made her first appearance in public - at the cat exhibition at the North Coast National show, Lismore NSW, where she played up to the public like a little trooper. I feel this little girl is going to be a very good show cat - her temperament is magical and she loves to show off to everyone. She spent the day with Eridani, playing, then lay on the cage base, displaying her beautiful self to all who looked at the girls during the day. :) She loves to hang off our shoulders, sit on our chests and be the much loved kitty she has always been. Maxine is the half-sister to our beloved Mystery ... I sometimes feel that she and Selket are "channelling" sweet Mystery, who hopefully is looking out for her baby sisters. A COUPLE OF "MAXINE PHOTOS" (one very spoilt kitten) (left) "Maxine's Hammock" - the cats got an early Christmas present and, as I could see her in this when I bought it, Maxine has obviously read my mind. It's a scratching pole, with bed and platforms covered in blue velvet (no less!!!!) - the cats all love it, especially little Maxine! (right) "I love my Daddy" ... Maxine loves to hang over shoulders, as she is doing here. I call her "Funny Little Bug" as she's such a lovable little scamp and always attached herself to one of us, where and whenever possible! STOP PRESS - Oct 2004: .... Troi's babies made their long awaited appearance in our world on 30 October, 2004 - two little blue kittens! :) Both look like fat little blue slugs and I sincerely pray to the world's feline gods that these babies will continue on Bourbon's and Troi's heritage and success ..... suffice it to say, THESE BABIES ARE VERY MUCH WANTED AND NEEDED in this family.
Photos taken on 23 November, 2004 - top left: our baby blue Aby boy (nicknamed Shotta - as in Shotta Bourbon) - sadly departed suddenly in January - very sadly missed by us; top right: our baby blue Somali girl, nicknamed Lollylegs for some ungodly reason!!! :). Below, both babies discovering the fun they can have on a large, red, woollen blanket. They have grown a lot since these photos were taken, but sadly the little boy, who we'd called "Shotta" (as in "Shotta Bourbon", which would have been his registered name), passed a couple of months ago. :*( He was a very much needed and very much loved kitten - but someone said to me "perhaps he was only lent to you for a short time for a reason?". If this is so, he is now with Uncle Wally and his father, Bourbon, and their extended family over the Rainbow Bridge. Sleep sweetly Little Man, you are still much loved and remembered by us, your family, who misses you very much. I have uploaded two new pix of Lollylegs below - she has grown up into a delightful little girl to my mind. She has developed into a very nice Somali kitten, good type and colour, clear from barring and is very much like her father's side of the family - this is good, as she goes back to some very old lines, and she will be a complete outcross to our boys. An update on Lollylegs ... she has been registered as PAJU MEMPHIS BELLE - due to the fact that she "flies" through the house, she is a blue kitten (what colour is a plane? hahaha) and we live almost next door to an airport!!!! The name suits her to a tee .... it has a Southern ring to it (in honour of her father) and also for these three above reasons). Hopefully she will soon grace the show benches in NSW .... she's growing into a beautiful Somali girl. UPDATED PHOTOS OF OUR BLUE SOMALI BABY GIRL
Photos taken earlier this year of our blue Somali girl, "Lollylegs", a name which she answers to as well. She was 3 months old at the time and these pix were taken out on our front verandah (no flash used) - (l) a nice profile shot of her and (r) in a typical Somali pose, ready for action and obviously thinking of food! This little girl is a TRUE PRINCESS ... LOL. THE 2005 SHOW YEAR .... has begun - we entered Nareira Fawnturian into the Federal Cat Club of Australasia Inc's Annual Kitten Show on 16 January, 2005, which was held in Sydney. We are very happy with his results - 3 Best in Sections and 1 BEST OF BREED! There were two Somali male kittens entered - the tawny boy winning the first two rings and the fawn winning the third. Congrats to both boys of course .... but we are very, very happy with His Little Fawn Lordship's very first "adventure" with us. He behaved himself admirably, behaving for the judges and stewards too, and was a very happy little boy. Thanks, Debbie, for such a little wonder and I'm glad you were happy with him too! Photo of Fawnturian at his very first show with Paju .... hand belongs to "Dad", who was making sure he didn't go "walkabout" as he wanted very much to meet his new friend next door!!!!! He is growing into a very typey Somali boy, with great clarity of colour and coat - plus, I can't say enough about THAT TAIL either ....... it's beautiful. :)
Nareira Fawnturian - fawn Somali male kitten, 7 months old - Federal Kitten Show, 16 January, 2005 |
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