Breeders of Abyssinian and Somali cats in the United Kingdom
TICA, FIFe and GCCF registered

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About Us We started out breeding Somali cats in 1996 and our first litter was born in 1997 to Learoyd Amber.  We were lucky enough to have had the opportunity to mate her to a Dutch import, a handsome sorrel by the name of Sir Duncan Van Manja.  Amber had two kittens, our own Makeitso Tasha Yar and litter brother Makeitso Mister Data.   We were now hooked on Somalis and later in 1997 we acquired a male kitten, Leoncini Lysander, to be our very first stud cat - now a United Kingdom Grand Champion.  He has produced some outstanding kittens, including two Grand Champions.  In 2001  we decided to start breeding the Abyssinian cat alongside our Somalis.  The Somalis is after all an Abyssinian in an overcoat !  We shall be breeding  the Abyssinian cat as a true short hair cat.  The offspring of any outcross matings to Somalis will only be used in the Somali breeding programme or sold as non-breeding pets. In 2004 we imported a really superb usual Somali boy from Sweden, Mojave's Fantom.  He has had a stunning show career and is now FIFe European Champion and UK Imperial Grand Champion Mojave's Fantom.  He was Best of Variety Semi-Longhair at the GCCF Supreme Show in 2006 - a first for the Somali breed.  He really does have superb coat colour and quality, a fantastic temperament and be a great asset to the Somali breed in the UK. Our cats are treated as part of the family, all the female cats live in the house with us primarily as pets.  Kittens are born in our bedroom and raised entirley in the house and not in pens.  They are vaccinated and registered before being allowed to leave home at 13 weeks (approx), six weeks PetPlan insurance is also arranged prior to leaving.  We now also microchip kittens. Although none are not allowed to free roam they do have access to a cat-proofed garden where they can enjoy fresh air and play amongst the grass and bushes.  There are many ways to do this, but does require sturdy fencing.  We have used overhangs to stop the cats jumping out and also electric wires that have been especially designed for cats at the top.  We bought our electric fencing via the internet from a company in Australia called Sureguard fencing - here is a link to their website.  There is also available a new type of cat-proofing from a company called Katzecure - here is a link to their website.  If we had not already invested in the overhangs then we would have installed this as it looks brilliant.  Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency  In June 2004 we tested our cats for Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency or for short PK-def.  PK-def is a recessive inherited enzyme deficiency that may cause anaemia in some affected cats.  Fortunately there is a DNA test which can detect the gene.  This DNA test can be easily done by cheek swab or blood test.  The test will reveal results as 'normal', 'carrier' or 'affected'.    Affected cats need two genes and will have both parents that are either affected or a carrier and have inherited one gene from each parent.  It would seem that some affected cats do not show any symtoms for many years whilst others develop anaemia that proves fatal. Carrier cats, ie those who have inherited only one gene, will not develop PK-def and will not suffer from this type anaemia.  Normal means that the gene has not been detected by the test.   Once you breed 'normal' to 'normal' there is no further need to test. Testing is available in the UK, Bristol.  Samples can also be sent to America, Pengen  or UC Davis (VGL).  Currently all of our breeding cats have tested normal for PK-DEF. Progressive Retinal Atrophy In Abyssinian, Somali and some Ocicat breeds, an inherited late-onset blindness condition is characterized by progressive degeneration of the photoreceptors (rods and cones) in the retina. A single-nucleotide polymorphism designated "rdAc" in the CEP290 gene produces a defective protein which is associated with progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) in these breeds. Cats affected with this form of PRA have normal vision at birth, with degeneration first detected by electroretinographic exam at about seven months. By ages 3-5, affected cats are completely blind. There is no treatment available for the condition. The disease is inherited as an autosomal recessive; two copies of the mutation are present in affected cats. Carriers, cats that have one copy of the mutation, are not affected and have normal vision. DNA testing is available, samples can be sent to America (UC Davis VGL) or Germany (Laboklin) Currently PRA tests on our Somalis have been normal - Fantom (stud), Deanna and Ro Laren, (Uhura will be PRA normal as both her parents are).  We have yet to test the Abyssinian females, Katy and Sky. Most importantly all of our cats are treated as part of the family  and remain firmly as our pets first. Hope you enjoy looking through our website.