Hi, my name is Emma Watts and I live in Gloucester with my husband Sean, 7 Somalis and 2 Maine Coons whose ages range from 1 year to 14 years.
For me it all started in 1987. I was living with my parents and I had to sell my horse, but I needed something special to fill the hole left in my heart after he had gone. Scanning the local paper I saw an advert for Somali kittens, so I did a bit of research and found a picture in a book of a Somali sitting in a window. I thought the elegance of this cat was breathtaking and decided that I had to go and see these kittens. I arrived at the breeder’s house and it was love at first sight, for both the Somali breed and the kitten I took home with me, whose name was Manot Geronimo.
Mo was a Usual male and he was totally different from any of the cats I had known in the past. He followed me everywhere and he was so loving, talkative and naughty all rolled into one. Encouraged by his breeders, I started to show him later that year and after a lot of consideration and talking to several breeders at shows, I decided to start breeding myself. I went back to Mo’s breeders and brought home Manot Foxy Fantasy, a Usual female. I introduced Mo to Twitty the following year and so began a love affair that lasted the rest of their lives - they rarely spent time apart. Mo passed away on the 9th of November 2001. I believe Twitty could not live without him and she passed away in her sleep a month later.
I applied for my prefix in early 1990. Living near Gloucester I decided to name my kittens after Beatrix Potter characters, because of her book the Tailor of Gloucester. Twitty gave birth to her first litter in June that year - 4 usual kittens, but there was a usual male who I knew immediately I would not be able to part with. I registered him as Emanan Squirrel Nutkin and he blossomed into a most handsome lad with a full ruff most of the year. He was the Somali Cat Clubs Best Overall Somali in 1990 and I was so proud.
Over the last 20 years of showing and breeding this wonderful breed, I have experienced a lot of joy and success but also my share of sadness and loss, however, I still believe I have owned and am owned by the most wonderful cats.
What attracted you to Somalis?
After seeing the picture in the book of this regal cat and showing Mo, I became hooked. I am in love with the Somali breed, they are affectionate, mischievous & have outgoing personalities but mainly because living with Somalis is a two-way experience, for all the affection and care you give your Somali, you are rewarded with love and fun, two-fold. Somali cats will adore their owners & will quite happily lie draped around your shoulders wherever you go, washing & styling your hair, but I hasten to add not quite like Vidal Sassoon.
They are very challenging to breed as the Somali standard of points has so many things you have to get right.
How did you get into showing?
After purchasing my first Somali, I became friends with the breeders, they
encouraged me to show and it has just stemmed from then. I love the atmosphere
at a show and have made so many wonderful friends.
What has been your greatest moment so far?
I’m torn here between three, but the first would have to be the Supreme show 1990, when I took Nuts for the first time. He picked up his IC and BOB, then later that day in the Best of Provisional Breeds ring, I could not believe my eyes when Anne Rickson chose him as her winner. He was from my first litter and the first cat on the show bench with my prefix, he was my flagship and my best friend all rolled into one.
The second was the Maidstone and Medway show in December 2005 when my beloved “Pots” Grand Champion and UK & Imperial Grand Premier Emanan Alderman Ptolomey gained his Imperial title at the age of 14½ years old, then went on the win Overall Best in Show. From about 11.00am until the show closed I didn’t stop crying, I was so proud of my old man.
The last was Pots being awarded the Overall Exhibit for the Our Cats/ Royal Canin competition in 2006.
What has been your funniest moment so far?
I have had so many over the years, but the ones that stick in my mind are, Nuts at the Supreme, when he was out on the table being judged by Anne Rickson and he decided he loved the smell of the perfume she was wearing and started licking her neck, her response was “Creep” to which the crowd watching all started laughing.
Another was when my vet came to see the kitten we were giving him as a wedding present. I was telling him how well behaved the kittens were and that they had not even attempted to climb the curtains. Then we went in the room and there was his kitten perched on top of the curtain pole with a look on his face as though he was poking his tongue out at us.
The latest incident is my young Blue boy, Boots, who plays hide and seek from behind the landing curtain and has us in fits of laughter most nights. When you say “Where’s Boots”, he hooks back the curtain with his paws and sticks is head out for a brief second, then disappears again.
Do you have any breeding or showing tips?
If you want to breed do some research, visit shows & get to know the breeds’ standard of points, always breed to that, do not try and change the standard to suit you. Start small; do not rush out & buy several girls, think about which studs you are going to use & visit them. Only sell kittens for showing or breeding that you would be prepared to keep yourself, please think very carefully about taking a stud boy on, they need a lot of time spent with them on a one to one basis, get to know other breeders & ask advice from them.
When showing always remember a show is a fun day out and a beauty contest, but most of all you always take the best cats’ home, whatever they do in their classes.