History of the Somali cat
The history of the Somali cat begins in the early 50s. At that time, breeders of Abyssinian cats were seeking to achieve the short coat deemed the standard in that breed, but they ended up producing longhaired kittens as well. So are we saying that Somali cats are just Abyssinians with semi-longhaired coats? The answer is irrelevant, because these new cats – originally seen as undesirable “by-products” – were so well received that they soon established themselves as an independent breed with a unique look! In the spring of 1979, the Somali breed was finally recognised by the CFA, and the Somali Cat Society was founded.
Appearance of the Somali cat
n terms of appearance, it’s easy to see that Somali cats are related to Abyssinian. At first glance, they appear to be longhaired versions of Abyssinians. Plus, there are many similarities between the two in terms of temperament. For example, fans of both breeds love their wildcat flair but also their outgoing, people-oriented character. It’s a mixture you wouldn’t expect!
Size of the Somali cat
How big do Somali cats get? Somalis are medium-sized cats and despite their delicate bones, their physique is muscular and firm. Adult Somali cats can have a shoulder height of up to 40 cm. Their legs appear rather narrow in relation to their strong bodies, and their oval paws are also relatively small. Somali cats have long, full and fluffy tails that are broader at the base and taper to a point at the end, much like a fox’s tail.
Weight of a Somali cat
What is the optimal weight of a Somali cat? When this cat is in good shape, it will have an average weight. that’s within the norm. For pedigree cats, the breed standard stipulates certain weight specifications. Female Somali cats should have a weight of 2.5 to 4.5 kg. Since Somali males are built stronger by nature, they will inevitably be heavier: in other words, Somali males weigh an average of 3.5 to 5.0 kg.
Coat of the Somali cat
The coat of the Somali cat is very delicate, but also very dense. Their fur is semi-long, and the only places where it’s longer and fuller than on the rest of their bodies is on the belly, the thighs and hindquarters, the ruff and the tail. A typical characteristic of Somali cats is also the conspicuous tufts of hair on the inside of their large ears that tend to curl slightly to the outside.
Colour of the Somali cat’s coat
The colour of a Somali cat’s coat can have many variations in addition to the wild colour, also called “Ruddy” or “Usual”. These varieties emerged over the course of time and include blue, fawn, silver and sorrel. The coat pattern is the same for all basic colours, although certain areas have a darker colour than the rest: for example, the nose leather (rhinarium), the back of the hind legs and a part of the pads known as the plantar sides.
Length of the Somali cat’s coat
The Somali cat has a medium-length coat. The coat is semi-long on the body but denser and longer on the belly, around the neck, on the tail and on the hind legs. It looks as if these cats were wearing flared harem pants on their hind legs and as if they had a majestic mane around their neck area!
Coat pattern of the Somali cat
Somali cats have a striking coat pattern: it’s a contrasting banding of the hair known as ticking. In ticking, the base tone of the coat is interrupted by darker bands. Also, the tip of the hair always has a dark colour. This banding should be as distinct and high-contrast as possible. No gray hairs? On the chin and whiskers, Somalis might have light to white patches! But these are limited solely to these areas.
Eyes of the Somali cat
Somali cats have big, almond-shaped eyes that are full of expression and set at a slight slant on their wedge-shaped heads. Regardless of coat colour, Somali cats’ eyes sparkle in brilliant amber as well as in varied shades of green and yellow. Each eye is outlined by the respective shade of ticking.
Special features of the Somali cat
One special feature of Somali cats is the coat colour of their kittens. In fact, Somali kittens are like little goodie bags – with a surprise in each one! Much like Abyssinian kittens, Somali kittens are born with a dark coat that becomes lighter and lighter with time. It can take several months for this colour shift to come to an end, sometimes even until the cat is two years old! Only then will the Somali cat’s coat have developed the final colouring it will have all of its life.
Key attributes of the Somali cat
One of the unique attributes that Somali cats sometimes bring to the table are their so-called “sole stripes”. If these stripes are present in a Somali cat, they will be located along the metatarsal bone of its hind legs. It’s also possible for Somali cats to have an outline around their nose leather (rhinarium). They also have a dark line, the so-called “eel stripe”, running along the spine all the way to the end of their tail!
Character of the Somali cat
What kind of character does the Somali cat have? They are quite similar to Abyssinians. And just like those cats, Somalis are very sociable. They need lots of attention and company to feel comfortable and at ease. Somali cats are friendly and get along well with their housemates, whether they’re humans or fellow furry creatures. Somalis are also lively and curious; they like to examine objects in depth in order to figure out if the item is suitable for playing or not.
Price of the Somali cat
How much does a Somali cat cost? The average cost of a Somali cat is between €750 and €1.850. The price depends on the breeder as well as on the age and sex of the cat. It also depends on the breeder’s own expenses. When a breeder is a member of a pedigree cat club, this is an indication that they are a serious professional; unfortunately, however, it’s not a 100% guarantee. In other words, it’s always a good idea to steer clear of particularly low-priced kittens and “black sheep” who pretend to be breeders.
The breeding of the Somali cat
It was 1979 when the American Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) officially recognised the breeding of the Somali cat. Somalis are not a subspecies of the Abyssinian but an independent cat breed with its own exclusive breed standards. At around the same time, the new breed was given its melodious name and the “Somali Cat Society” was founded.
Things to know about keeping and caring for Somali cats
Somali cats have medium-length coats that can be groomed and shaped with surprisingly little effort. Since the coat is very fine and wonderfully soft, it rarely becomes matted. Any loose hairs can be easily removed with a brush. The longer parts of their coat should be carefully combed through using a coarse comb. As with all other cat breeds, it’s important to clean and care for your cat’s teeth and ears on a regular basis. Somali cats love going outside, whether in a cat-safe garden or a generously laid-out outdoor enclosure.
Somali kittens
Somali kittens are very active and absolutely love to play! These lively furry friends are also very intelligent, which means they’ll come up with all sorts of new games to play. Everything they encounter will be examined very carefully and sniffed extensively: Could this be a new toy? Like all kittens, Somali kittens are beautiful, cuddly, fuzzy creatures that need a lot of attention. Somali kittens are especially happy when in pairs and small groups, rather than alone.
Typical diseases of the Somali cat
The typical diseases associated with Somali cats are very similar to those of Abyssinian cats. They include retinal illness and a particular form of anaemia that reduces the life span of red blood cells. Somali cats can also have kidney-related issues whereby they might experience an accumulation of protein fragments in those organs. If they have a disease, their musculoskeletal system might be impaired. Although all this might sound frightening, you can think of it more like an information leaflet: despite their similar genetic predisposition, not every Somali cat is destined to become ill. On the contrary, it can enjoy perfect health all its life!
Life expectancy of the Somali cat
The average life expectancy of the Somali cat is roughly 12 to 15 years. Although many of us believe that cats have more than one life, this theory probably derives from the fact that our furry friends are very smart and highly adaptable. In other words, it’s not possible to say exactly how long a Somali cat will live. It all depends on a series of different factors, and some cats will simply live longer than others Special cats.
FAQs
Depending on the breeder as well as on the pedigree, sex and age of the cat, the price for a Somali cat will range on average from €750 to €1,850.*
*Source: Somali Katze: Wesen, Farben, Charakter und Bilder (wamiz.de) s of 16.11.2022
Somali cats live for 12 to 15 years, which is a standard lifespan compared with other cat breeds. Their life expectancy is roughly 15 years on average. One cat year corresponds to roughly 15 human years, which means that a Somali cat can live to be up to 77 years old!
In terms of appearance, it’s quite obvious that the Somali cat is related to the Abyssinia cat. In fact, at first glance, you might think you’re looking at a long-haired version of an Abyssinian. There are also many similarities between these two cat breeds in terms of their temperament.
Somali cats are medium-sized cats. They have a firm and muscular physique despite their delicate bone structure. Adult cats can reach up to 40 cm in shoulder height. In relation to their bodies, their legs and oval paws appear comparatively narrow.
Somali cats develop relatively quickly and are considered to be fully grown at around twelve months. Adult females have a body weight of between 2.5 and 4.5 kg, while the more powerfully built adult males weight 3.5 to 5.0 kg on average.
Somali cats are ideal indoor companions, but they also like going on the prowl outside. Since Somalis enjoy being very active, it’s important that their living space makes it possible for them to play and romp around, ideally in a cat-friendly flat with access to outdoors or in a house with a secure garden or balcony.
The Somali cat comes from the United States, which is also where the breed got its start in the 50s. It received its expressive designation in 1979 and, just like Abyssinian cats, the name was inspired by an African country.
Somali cats are lively and playful. And they also stay that way well into old age! These friendly cats enjoy lots of attention and activity. They also like to make sure everyone is aware of them by meowing loudly. Still, they’re not as possessive or as loud as Siamese cats.
Somali cats will get along with any other cats that are just as sociable and lively as they are. In other words, the perfect playmates for Somalis are cats that are similar in character and temperament. In that case, fun is pre-programmed! Somali cats also usually get along well with other animal companions.
Somali cats like to be active and thrive on lots of attention and companionship. Somali cats will not enjoy being left alone all day. It’s not even advisable to keep them in a separate room. They see themselves as members of the family and will always want to be where everybody else is!
Somali cats should not be kept alone. They are sociable cats that need closeness and contact with other animals and people. And they aren’t really picky about it: if they have to, they can also get along with dogs! If the chemistry is right, it’s not at all a problem for these cats.
Somali cats are very sociable. They need companionship and enjoy being with others. Since they demand a lot of attention, you should make sure to avoid jealousy when interacting with other housemates. In other words, make sure to distribute your attention evenly among all!
Somali cats may be susceptible to diseases that also occur in Abyssinian cats. However, despite similar genetic predisposition, not every Somali cat is doomed to fall ill. In fact, they can just as well remain healthy throughout their lives!
Among the key attributes of Somali cats are the so-called “sole stripes” on the metatarsal bone of the hind legs, the rimmed nose leather as well as a dark stripe – the so-called “eel line” – that adorns their backs along the spine to the end of the tail.
Yes, there is such a thing as a blue Somali cat. The base colour of blue Somalis is light cream. The ticking, the soles and the pads on their feet have a distinct azure colour.
