LOOF STANDARDS Table of contents ABYSSINIAN & SOMALI MAINE COON AMERICAN BOBTAIL SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR MAINE COON AMERICAN CURL SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR MANX & CYMRIC AMERICAN SHORTHAIR MUNCHKIN SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR AMERICAN WIREHAIR NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT ASIAN, ENGLISH BURMESE & BURMILLA OCICAT BENGAL PERSIAN & EXOTIC SHORTHAIR BIRMAN PETERBALD BOMBAY & AMERICAN BURMESE PIXIE BOB SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR BRITISH SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR RAGDOLL CALIFORNIA SPANGLED CAT RUSSIAN & NEBELUNG CEYLON SAVANNAH CHARTREUX SCOTTISH & HIGHLAND CHAUSIE SELKIRK CORNISH REX & CALIFORNIAN REX SIAMESE, ORIENTAL, BALINESE & MANDARIN DEVON REX SIBERIAN DONSKOY SINGAPURA EUROPEAN SHORTHAIR SNOWSHOE EGYPTIAN MAU SOKOKE GERMAN REX SPHYNX HAVANA BROWN THAI JAPANESE BOBTAIL SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR TONKINESE SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR KORAT TURKISH ANGORA KURILIAN BOBTAIL SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR TURKISH VAN LAPERM SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR YORK CHOCOLATE LOOF standards TABLE OF CONTENTS English translation of version revised 29 November 2010 ABYSSINIAN & SOMALI HEAD = 30 points proportionally larger than females. Profile = 5 Well muscled, the Abyssinian and the Muzzle = 5 Somali are supple and agile like Skull = 5 panthers and show a great interest in Ears = 5 their environment. Their ticked coat Eye shape = 5 has the quality to reflect the light. Neck = 5 Because of his hair length, the Somali may seem a bit heavier than he really BODY = 35 points is. Torso = 10 Legs and feet = 10 Head: the shape is a modified wedge Boning = 5 with rounded contours and no flat Tail = 5 plane, viewed from the side or the Musculature = 5 front. The profile lines show gentle contours: the skull is slightly COAT AND TEXTURE = 10 points rounded, with a slightly rounded forehead, a slight indentation COLOUR AND PATTERN = 25 between forehead and nose, without points a break. The nose should not be too Colour = 10 long. A slight bump is not a fault, if it Ticking = 10 does not bring any break or important Eye colour = 5 curving. The length of the head should be in proportion to the body. Permissible colours: The head is proudly flowing into an Category: traditional elegant neck. Divisions: tabby (ticked tabby pattern only), silver/smoke (ticked tabby Muzzle: viewed from the front as pattern only) from the side, the muzzle shows Colours: all gently rounded contours, without NB: brown ticked tabby is called being pointed or pinched. The chin is ruddy, cinnamon ticked tabby is full and gently curved, without being called sorrel) projecting or receding. Jowls are allowed in adult males. The nose Permissible crosses: leather is outlined in harmony with Abyssinian X Abyssinian coat colour. The lips should also show Somali X Somali the same colour. Abyssinian X Somali Eyes: Brilliant and expressive, the Introduction eyes are large. Almond shaped, their The Abyssinian is a cat breed known opening is neither round nor oriental. for a very long time, and whose origin Admitted colours are gold, hazel or is mysterious and controversial. The green in any shade, as long as they Somali is the semi-longhair variety of are even-coloured. They display a the Abyssinian. Both should have a “Cleopatra” fine Mascara line, in royal look. Medium in size, males are relation with coat colour, encircled by LOOF standards ABYSSINIAN & SOMALI – p. 1 English translation of version approved 12 June 2009 a light coloured area. Above each Coat and texture: the Abyssinian’s eye, there is a short vertical darker coat is resilient to the touch, with a pencil stroke amidst the light area. lustrous sheen and a fine texture. It is short but should have sufficient Ears: large, alert and moderately length for each hair shaft to show at pointed, the ears have a deep cup least four alternating light and dark shape and are widely opened at base. bands, called ticking. The coat is Tilting forward, they are set as if the close-lying, longer on the spine, cat was listening. Moderately wide getting gradually shorter on the head, set, they are neither parallel nor flanks and legs. Without being woolly, vertical. The outer edge should be the undercoat is a specific feature of rather low, but not as much as in the silky and resilient coat of the Oriental-typed cats. Hair on ears Abyssinian. should be short and close-lying, preferably tipped, in conformity with The Somali’s coat is semi-long, rather the colour requirements. The Somali close-lying. It is shorter over the has good ear furnishings. A “thumb shoulders and spine, getting gradually print” marking is desirable on the longer on the flanks. Ruff and back of the ear. britches should be well furnished. No woolliness desired in undercoat. Neck: rather long and graceful, the neck is gently arched. Colour and Ticking: coat colour is Body: foreign in type, the body is an essential feature of the Abyssinian medium long, lithe and graceful with and Somali breeds. It should not be a well developed musculature. It is drab in any way but on the contrary firm to the touch and elegant, never show the deepest possible contrast. massive. The rib cage is slightly The coat seems to be glowing, which rounded, with no evidence of flat emphasizes the colour intensity. Each sides. The back is slightly arched as if hair shaft should display at least four the cat was about to spring. alternating light and dark coloured bands, called ticking, except on Legs: slim in proportion to the body, underside areas, i.e. belly, chest, the legs are long, well-muscled and throat, inner side of legs and straight. underside of tail which are not ticked. Colour on these areas should be Feet: small, oval and compact. When even. From skin to tip, ticked hair standing, the Abyssinian and the shafts should start with a light Somali give the impression to be on coloured band and end up with a dark tip toe. Paw pads colour should be in coloured band (distal end). The relationship with coat colour. Abyssinian and the Somali are tabby cats, therefore, their whisker pads, Tail: rather thick at base, the tail is chin and upper throat area are lighter fairly long, but in proportion to the coloured, off-white preferred to white. body. It is relatively tapering for the One should notice darker shading Abyssinian and plumed for the along the spine which strengthens the Somali. wild look of those breeds. ‘Soles’, i.e. darker colour behind legs, are welcome. LOOF standards ABYSSINIAN & SOMALI – p. 2 English translation of version approved 12 June 2009 All colours: one to two broken Silver: the pattern is the same as in necklaces, tabby markings anywhere non-silver cats but the lighter other than on the head. Uneven or coloured bands between the ticking indistinct eye colour in adults. ground colour are replaced by a tone to be as silver as possible. The Ticking or pattern faults: non reddish shades, called ‘rufousing’, ticked spots or areas anywhere other even if not desirable, are not to be than on the throat, belly inner side of considered a major fault, most of all if legs, and underside of tail; lack of it is situated along the spine. evenness in ticking. Plush or woolly coat. Round head, with obvious break Condition: alert and lively, neither or straight profile. Whippy tail. skinny nor fat. Penalize Withhold all awards Colour faults: White colour beyond throat (in non- Non-silvers: coldness or grey, sandy silver cats) or drab tones. White extending to the White locket, unbroken necklace or throat. Undercoat with unrelated presence of more than two broken colour (for instance, grey-coloured in necklaces, non-agouti cat. a ruddy or sorrel cat) Reversed ticking (outermost tip of hair shaft light instead of dark). Silvers: definite rufousing areas, Colourless paw pads. yellowish undercoat instead of pure General show penalties and white. withholdings. LOOF standards ABYSSINIAN & SOMALI – p. 3 English translation of version approved 12 June 2009 AMERICAN BOBTAIL SHORTHAIR & LONGHAIR HEAD = 40 points Introduction Shape = 5 The American Bobtail is a naturally Ears = 5 occurring short-tailed cat native to Eyes = 5 North America. The ideal subject is a Chin = 5 medium to large-sized, well-muscled, Muzzle = 5 athletic and solid cat, giving an Profile = 5 impression of power. Along with its Nose = 5 naturally bobbed tail, it displays long Neck = 5 or short haired, double, dense, shaggy coat. BODY = 40 points Torso = 10 Head: the head is broad with strong Legs = 5 jaws and no flat plane. Viewed from Feet = 5 the side, the nose shows a slight Tail = 10 indentation between the eyes but Boning = 5 there can be a small stop. The cheeks Musculature = 5 are full, the chin firm. Muzzle: the muzzle is as long as COAT AND COLOUR = 15 points wide with well-defined whisker pads. Length = 5 Texture = 5 Eyes: large and wide, oval in shape, Colour = 5 the eyes are set at a bias to the base of the ear. Eye colour should be as CONDITION = 5 points even as possible. Permissible colours Ears: medium in size, the ears are Categories: all wide at base, well-opened and set Divisions: solid, tabby, silver/smoke, rather low. They are slightly rounded solid and white, tabby and white, with lynx tips and good furnishings silver/smoke and white inside. Colours: all Neck: the neck looks short in Permissible crosses proportion to the body because of the American Bobtail Shorthair X strong musculature and coat density. American Bobtail Shorthair American Bobtail Longhair X American Body: semi-cobby in type, the Bobtail Longhair athletic and powerful body is slightly American Bobtail Shorthair X longer than high. The flanks are American Bobtail Longhair broad, the back is straight. The chest is full and the hips are strong. Males should be more strongly built, with broad shoulders and a muscled LOOF standards AMERICAN BOBTAIL – p.1 English translation of version approved 12 June 2009 appearance.