Somali

The Somali evolved from Abyssinians, which were exported to North America, Australia, and New Zealand in the 1940s. However, it was commonly believed that longhaired non-Abyssinian cats or a cousin of the Abyssinian was introduced into the gene pool. Their descendants, known as longhaired Abyssinians or Somalis, first appeared in 1953. They were named after Somalia, the neighbor of modern-day Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia), from where their ancestors were imported. With a well-balanced, affectionate, sociable, and playful personality, beautiful appearance, and endearing, soft meow, the Somali cat is a great family pet or companion animal.

Breed History

The modern Somali breed began in the 1940s when Abyssinian kittens were exported to North America, Australia, and New Zealand by the British breeder Janet Robertson. In 1953, the first known long-haired Abyssinian appeared in America bearing the name “Raby Chuffa of Selene.” This cat shocked breeders, probably having carried a recessive long-haired gene. Some breeders took to this unique type of Abyssinian and went about breeding more of them.

Meanwhile, an American breeder named Evelyn Mague had long-haired Abyssinians appear in her cats’ litters as well and dubbed them “Somalis,” a reference to the conflict between Ethiopia (ancient name Abyssinia) and Somalia. As there were conflicts among breeders as to whether or not long-haired Abyssinian cats were “true Abyssinians,” the alternative name was fitting. The Somali breed was recognized as a new breed by the CFA in 1979 in North America, in 1982 in Europe, and internationally in 1991.

Traits: What to Know Before You Buy

• This breed has some grooming needs. Although its coat is fine and silky-soft, you should brush it 3 times a week.
• It’s an active breed, having a muscular and agile body. Toys and perches are a must-have.
• It’s famous for its dextrous paws, which it uses to play with toys similar to how a monkey would.
• Thanks to its large ears, fluffy coat, and bushy tail, it’s nicknamed the Fox Cat.
• Somalis are intensely curious and need to explore, a characteristic that leads some owners to decide to baby-proof their cabinets and drawers.
• As a long-haired relative of the Abyssinian, Somali cats have lithe and athletic bodies, and both their markings and fluffy tails provide them with a notable resemblance to a fox.
• Despite their huge personalities, Somalis aren’t especially outspoken vocally. Their vocalizations are soft, but they aren’t afraid to let you know what they want.

Personality

The Somali cat has a temperament that is balanced and friendly towards children, strangers, and other pets, an easygoing, social, affectionate, playful, intelligent personality, and high-energy, curious, tenacious, and active behavior. It loves to play and explore its surroundings and enjoys company. This adventurous breed is not for the sedentary home or owners who cannot give it plenty of attention. On the other hand, as a very quiet breed, it doesn’t meow much. When it does meow, it’s very soft.

Size and Weight

The Somali cat has a muscular body, large almond-shaped eyes, large pointy ears, bold facial markings, a fluffy tail, and fine, silky-smooth fur. It is medium-large in size with a semi-long, ticked coat. Males and females are about the same size, measuring 11 to 14 inches in length, although males tend to be larger. Males, on average, weigh 8 to 13 lbs, while females weigh 6 to 10 lbs. A Somali kitten is about 2 pounds at 8 weeks of age and remains a kitten until reaching maturity at 18 months.

Price

Somali cats are relatively rare, but they’re also one of the most popular choices for show cats, and full-bred members of the species tend to be expensive as a result. A reliable breeder will charge between $1,000 and $1,500 for a purebred Somali, and that’s likely going to be your best bet. Somali cats are very rare at shelters, and rescues devoted to Somalis are practically unheard of.

There might also be a time investment. The rarity of Somali cats ensures that there are often waitlists involved in getting one. As always, be sure that you’re working with a reputable breeder. Fortunately, Somali cats aren’t especially prone to any particular genetic defects or illnesses. If the price of a Somali is too prohibitive, the short-haired Abyssinian has a very similar personality and is far more common.

Kittens

Somali kittens aren’t that different from kittens of any other breed, but their bright and hyperactive personalities offer a good preview of what you can expect them to be like as adults. A Somali kitten is going to be every bit as rambunctious and playful as kittens of another breed, but their high intellect means that they can be more troublesome than the typical domestic kitten. That level of playful curiosity is only going to extend into adulthood as well, and their cleverness is only going to develop over time.

The development of a Somali kitten is similar to that of a traditional domestic cat. At four to six months of age, a Somali kitten will lose its kitten teeth and grow its adult teeth. The six-month period sees some of the most prodigious growth as well. A Somali kitten will average a weight gain of about a pound a month until it’s a year old. At 18 months, they’ll be fully grown, but they’ll have grown out of their lanky proportions into a shape more resembling an adult cat by the time they’re a year old.

Breed vs. Mixed

Purebred Somali cats are essentially longhaired Abyssinians. They all have large almond eyes, large pointy ears, bushy tails, and fine coats. They are medium to large. The ticking on their coats has between four and twenty colors on each strand of fur.

Somalis can be bred with Abyssinians, although some of the kittens will lack the long-haired coat characteristic of the Somali. To identify if your cat is a purebred Somali or a mixed breed, you must look at the physical features, including the ticking colors on its fur. Body size, proportions, legs, feet, and behavior are also important factors, including the Somali’s famous dexterity. A purebred Somali will have all of the physical and personality features, while mixed breeds lack some. Even if a cat appears to be purebred in appearance, you must also take personality and behavior into account.

Types of Somali Cats and Colors

The standard Somali color is golden brown with black ticking, also called the usual or ruddy color. A total of 28 colors are possible, with certain organizations accepting only some of them. All of the Somali registries allow ruddy, red (sorrel), blue, and fawn. Most also allow ruddy silver, sorrel/red silver, blue silver, and fawn silver, while some registries may accept chocolate, lilac, red, cream, and various combinations of tortie along with silver tortie variants.

Here are the possible types of Somali cat colors:

• Ruddy: A golden brown
• Sorrel: A red-orange
• Blue: Referring to the darker tint on individual hairs, the base coat is a light oatmeal shade.
• Fawn: Blonde, with a deeper beige over the top.
• Chocolate: A darker brown on the back, legs, and tail with a lighter belly
• Lilac: Similar to blue, but with a more purplish tint and darker oatmeal base color
• Red: A darker sorrel (red-orange)
• Cream: A white base with an apricot top
• Tortie: Tortoiseshell, meaning a mixture of 2 colors (except for white), either appearing randomly (mosaic tortie) or split evenly (chimera), including color variants such as ruddy tortie.
• Silver: A light silvery base color with a darker grey top, legs, and tail, including color variants such as ruddy silver or silver tortie.