- Somali Cat Size: Medium to large, up to 40cm shoulder height
- Classification: long-haired cat
- Color: The basic color is orange or silver.
- Body care: Daily brushing is important
- Character: Lively and playful. Peaceful and very sociable.
- Somali Cat Origin: USA
- Weight: Up to 4kg (female), Up to 5kg (male)
- Eyes: Large, almond-shaped and well spaced. Bright and expressive. Pure, clear and intense amber, green or yellow.
- Life expectancy: 13 to 15 years
- Nutrition: fresh meat or high-quality wet food
Somali cat origin and history
When breeding short-haired cat breeds, there are occasionally “outliers”. In the 1960s, however, long-haired kittens appeared in Abyssinian breeding in the USA with a noticeable frequency. As it turned out, the affected lines could all be traced back to a British tomcat who had apparently introduced a hidden genetic trait into the gene pool. In the 1970s, breeders began to breed specifically with the “long-haired”Â
Abyssinians . This is how the Somali cat, named after Ethiopia’s African neighbor (Abyssinia), became established. Since the early 1980s, the Somali has also been recognized as a breed by European associations.
Somali cat: character
If you don’t mind being shadowed at every step, the Somali is an ideal housemate. These intelligent and very inquisitive animals always want to be part of the action – nothing escapes them. Somalis feel uncomfortable as solo cats. A companion of the same species should be in the house for wrestling and cuddling, although the Somali can display dominant tendencies. Littermates as an equal cat team are therefore ideal. Despite their affection, the Somali is not a lap cat. They are quite cuddly towards their humans, but react just as jealously if they see their position in the household threatened. Somalis are easy to train, have a quick grasp of things and a relatively high stress tolerance for cats.
Keeping and caring for the Somali cat
Somalis are active and clever cats that need physical and mental stimulation. An extra sturdy scratching post and turbulent play sessions are just as important as stimulating intelligence toys. Since these velvet paws have a very high need for exercise, they are not suitable for keeping indoors. Rather, they should have the opportunity to move around outside in a safe environment. The Somali is not suitable for a household where it is left alone for long periods of time during the day. Smaller pets such as ornamental birds or aquarium fish should not be left unsupervised in the same room as the Somali cat. However, peaceful coexistence with a dog is possible if the cat is carefully introduced to the new environment.
Caring for the medium-length, silky cat fur is not a problem. Daily brushing and checking for parasites that the cat could catch when going outside are sufficient.
Colors
Somalis come in four recognized coat colors, with the “ticking” – a banding of the individual hairs with a dark tip – determining the color impression: cream (fawn), blue-gray (steel-colored ticking), agouti (apricot with black ticking, overall brown appearance) and cinnamon (reddish hair with black ticking). Color variants such as lilac or chocolate do occur, but do not correspond to the breed standard. Somali cats do not have markings or coat markings.
By the way: The final color expression only becomes apparent when the animals are about two years old.
Care, Health and Diseases
The Somali cat can live up to 15 years and is one of the more conscious cat breeds. It is important, however, that you ensure that it gets enough exercise so that it does not become too fat. Even though the Somali cat is relatively healthy, there are diseases that occur frequently in this breed of cat. These include periodontal disease and pyruvate kinase deficiency (which leads to anemia). Progressive retinal atrophy can also occur and usually leads to blindness. Amyloidosis, an incurable kidney failure, also occurs.
