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Somali

Felis Catus

Last updated: February 16, 2021
Verified by: AZ Animals Staff
  1. Animals Home
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  4. Somali

Active, intelligent and playful!

Continue Reading after the facts...


Somali Scientific Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Carnivora
Family
Felidae
Genus
Felis
Scientific Name
Felis Catus

Somali Conservation Status

  • Not Listed

Somali Locations

  • North-America
Somali Locations

Somali Facts

Temperament
Active, curious and playful
Diet
Omnivore
Average Litter Size
5
Common Name
Somali
Slogan
Active, intelligent and playful!
Group
Longhair

Somali Physical Characteristics

Colour
  • Brown
  • Fawn
  • Black
  • White
  • Cream
  • Lilac
  • Ginger
  • Golden
Skin Type
Hair

Somali Images

Click through all of our Somali images in the gallery.

View all of the Somali images!




The Somali is a long-haired Abyssinian cat meaning that its origins lie in Northern Africa. Despite this though, the Somali cat is primarily found and bred across the United States today.

The Somali cat breed appeared spontaneously in the 1950s from Abyssinian breeding programs when a number of Abyssinian kittens were born with bottle-brush tails and long fluffy coats. Unlike most long-haired cats, Somalis shed very little excess hair.

Abyssinians and Somalis share the same personality (active, intelligent, playful, curious) and appearance. The only difference between them is the fur length and therefore the amount of grooming required.

The Somali cat is a popular breed of domestic cat as they are active, playful, curious and affectionate. The Somali cat is known to thrive on the company of other animals including humans and other household pets.

Despite their elegant appearance and bouncy nature, the Somali cat is known to be prone to having problems with its teeth. As with Abyssinian cats, the Somali cat also shares the same defective kidney gene which is known to be present in at least 5% of all Somali cats.

View all 84 animals that start with S


Somali FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Are Somalis herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores?

Somalis are Omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals.

What Kingdom do Somalis belong to?

Somalis belong to the Kingdom Animalia.

What phylum to Somalis belong to?

Somalis belong to the phylum Chordata.

What class do Somalis belong to?

Somalis belong to the class Mammalia.

What family do Somalis belong to?

Somalis belong to the family Felidae.

What order do Somalis belong to?

Somalis belong to the order Carnivora.

What type of covering do Somalis have?

Somalis are covered in Hair.

What genus do Somalis belong to?

Somalis belong to the genus Felis.

How many babies do Somalis have?

The average number of babies a Somali has is 5.

What is an interesting fact about Somalis?

Somalis are active, intelligent, and playful!

What is the scientific name for the Somali?

The scientific name for the Somali is Felis Catus.

Sources
  1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife
  2. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals
  3. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia
  4. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species
  5. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals
  6. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals

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