Somali cat breed: the stunningly beautiful, tireless cat whose mind is as sharp as its claws

Just like its relative, the Abyssinian, the Somali enjoys life to the fullest. It plays, climbs, jumps, and nothing escapes the attention of this highly intelligent and inquisitive cat.

The mischievous nature of the Somali is often compared to a monkey. Smart, curious, fun and extremely active, this kitty is not for those who lack a sense of humor or desire to interact with a highly intelligent, agile cat that can open doors and squeeze into small spaces.

History

The Somali is a long-haired relative of the Abyssinian, which developed naturally. Individuals with longer fur occasionally appeared in Abyssinian litters, but most breeders ignored them and gave them away to friends. Contrary to its name, the breed does not originate from Somalia. Somalia is a neighboring country of Abyssinia (today’s Ethiopia), and the name refers to the kinship of the two species.

The longer-haired breed was first recorded in the early 20th century and probably originated when breeders introduced long-haired cats into their breeding programs to increase their stock – especially after World War II, when the Abyssinian population dwindled significantly. But these cats did not develop as an independent breed until the 60s and 70s. That’s when Evelyn Magus began to care more and more about long-haired Abyssinians, and in 1972 she started the Somali Cat Club of America. Not long after, the breed was officially recognized by the CFA.

Breed standard

The Somali is a medium-sized, slender, muscular cat with medium-long fur. The back is straight, the limbs are proportional and slender. Its paws are small, oval. The tail is long and bushy, tapering towards the end. Its body weight is about 4-7 kg. The head is medium-sized, wedge-shaped. The chin is strong, the ears sit far from each other and lean slightly forward. Its eyes are large, set far apart, almond-shaped. Its fur is soft, delicate to the touch, double-layered and dense. It is shorter on the shoulders and longer on the thighs and collar. The fur’s pattern is splattered; alternates between dark and light stripes. Its color can be chocolate, fawn, blue, red-yellow and silver. Its expected lifespan is 10-12 years.

Character

Just like its relative, the Abyssinian, the Somali enjoys every moment of life. iT climbs, jumps, plays recklessly, it knows how to live! Nothing escapes the attention of this highly intelligent and inquisitive cat. It has many qualities that make living with it fun, but also challenging. Staying one step ahead of, or even just keeping up with, a Somali requires the legwork of Fred Astaire, the brain of Einstein, and a never-ending sense of humor. You never know what its next move will be, although you can assume that if something does happen, the Somali will most likely take a good look at what’s going on.

Sometimes it can seem like it never sleeps. It is always on the move, jumping on the windowsill to watch birds, jumping on top of the refrigerator to supervise the preparation of food, sitting on the desk to watch its owner work diligently to get the pet’s daily supply. It is a playful, persistent cat who loves to be the center of attention and will do anything to achieve and maintain this status.

The Somali loves to play, so it is worth buying or making different toys to keep it busy. Since it learns quickly and willingly, it is worth teaching it various tricks or fetching.

Ideal environment

The love of heights is a Somali characteristic. It likes to be as high as possible and will appreciate having one or more cat ladders that go up to the ceiling. If these are not available, it is perfectly capable of reaching the highest point of any room. Luckily, it is graceful by nature and rarely breaks things unless it’s just out of curiosity.

The Somali is adaptable throughout its life and fits well in any home where it is loved and given lots of attention. In a home where people work or are at school during the day, the Somali does best with a companion, ideally another Somali or Abyssinian who matches its activity level. If left alone, it can easily tear the house apart while it looks for something interesting to do.

The active and social Somali is the perfect choice for families with children and cat-friendly dogs. It will play just like any retriever, learns tricks easily, and loves the attention of children who treat it with courtesy and respect. It is smart enough to stay out of the way of small children, but loves school-aged children because they match its energy level and curiosity. Nothing scares it, certainly not dogs, and it happily makes friends with them as long as they don’t cause it any trouble.

Care

The medium-long coat of the Somali requires moderate grooming. Brush its coat once or twice a week to remove dead hair and it’s good to go. In the spring, when the cat sheds its winter fur, it may be necessary to comb it daily. Claws should be trimmed every few weeks if they are not worn enough. Always make sure the eyes and ears are clean, if they are dirty, clean them gently.

Common health problems

Some Somalis, like some Abyssinians, may develop a hereditary health problem called pyruvate kinase deficiency. Pyruvate kinase is a key regulatory enzyme in sugar metabolism. PK-deficient cats typically have intermittent anemia. The hereditary condition is caused by a recessive gene; DNA test is available to determine if the cat is a carrier of the disease or not .

Other problems that can occur in the breed include a disorder called renal amyloidosis, a condition called myasthenia gravis that involves severe muscle weakness, and an eye disease called progressive retinal atrophy, which can lead to blindness over time.