The Somali is the long-haired variant of the Abyssinian cat. She is also known as the fox cat because of her bushy tail.
Size: Medium;
Weight: cat 2.5-4 kg / 3.5-6 kg;
Life expectancy: 15-20 years;
Physique: The cat is medium-sized and elegant;
Coat colors: Wild colors, blue, sorrel, fawn, black silver, blue silver, sorrel silver, fawn silver;
Special features in appearance: Particularly lush, feathery tail;
Breed type: semi-longhair breed;
Country of origin: United States;
Recognized cat breed by FIFE, WCF, TICA, GCCF;
Typical breed diseases: Numerous genetic or bacterial diseases.
The nature of the Somali
The Somali is the long-haired variant of the Abyssinian cat. It is also known as the fox cat because of its bushy tail. If you want a gentle lap cat, you shouldn’t choose the Somali. Their relationship to the Abyssinian cats explains their active, curious and playful nature.
Somali cats are constantly on the move and demand a lot of attention from their owners. They love climbing to high vantage points as well as exploring every corner of the house every day. Her favorite thing to do is bird watching. Please note that fish and budgies live dangerously if there is a Somali in the house!
Appearance
The Somali has the same athletic build as the Abyssinian. However, both cat breeds differ significantly in the length of their hair coat. Unlike short-haired Abyssinian cats, Somali cats have medium-length fur with a lush ruff and panties (dense and long fur on the legs). Their soft fur is – like their relatives – ticked – also called ticking. Each individual hair is traversed by several bands. This gives their fur a particularly silky sheen. Somali cats come in a wide variety of coat colors. Red-colored cats are often compared to the face of a vixen.
Like the Abyssinian cat, it stands on long, muscular legs and oval paws. Her gait is truly majestic. It almost seems as if she is walking on tiptoe. Typical are their expressive eyes in gold, yellow or green, which are framed by a darker color. All in all, she is a cat that shows her proud nature through her gracefully formed contours.
Colors and coat markings
The same standards apply to the Somali cat breed as to the Abyssinian breed. All wild colors, sorrel, blue and beige-fawn as well as silver colors (black silver, blue silver, sorrel silver, and fawn silver) are recognized. Chocolate and lilac are not recognized. The only allowed coat marking is ticking.
History and origin
Whoever hears about the Somali cats for the first time might think that they originally come from the country of Somalia. But even if they owe their name to this country, their origin lies in America.
At the beginning of the 1950s, Abyssinian breeders increasingly had unwanted, long-haired offspring. These cats were initially considered pets that seemed unsuitable for breeding. It didn’t take long for the first breeders to discover the beauty of this cat. Official breeding of this long-haired Abyssinian variant as a new breed began as early as 1972 – the birth of the Somali. To distinguish them from the Abyssinian cats, they were given the name of the country next to Ethiopia – the former empire of Abyssinia.
Notes on the attitude of the Somali
Keeping this sporty cat breed requires a lot of experience and perseverance. If you want to call a Somali cat your own, you should have plenty of time. Somalis love to “own” the full attention.
Intelligent cats will appreciate the interactive cat toys, high vantage points and plenty of space to run around. Since she is particularly capable of learning, you can teach her various tricks and even encourage her to walk on a leash.
