Somali Cat 101 : Breed & Personality

Like his sibling the Abyssinian, this cat breed lives it's life to the fullest. He climbs higher, jumps farther, plays harder. Nothing escapes the notice of this highly intelligent and inquisitive cat.

The Somali Cat Breed.

Enter the Somali. This longhaired variety of the Abyssinian was first noted in the early 20th century, and probably came about when breeders introduced longhaired cats into their breeding programs, to augment their stock. This is a common occurrence, especially after World War II, when Abyssinians and most cat breeds were endangered. The Somali cats weren’t developed as a breed in their own right, until the 1960s and 1970s. They were given the name Somali, as a nod to that country’s geographic status, as the next-door neighbor to Ethiopia, (formerly known as Abyssinia).

This is a medium-size cat weighing 6 to 10 pounds.

Except for the additional length, the Somali has the same ticked coat as the Abyssinian. A ticked coat has alternating light and dark bands of color on each hair shaft. The Somali’s ticking may be slower to develop, than that of the Abby.

Everything about him suggests his lively, attentive nature. The Somali has a slightly rounded wedge-shaped head, topped with large, broad ears, the better to hear you with. Large almond-shaped eyes, of gold or green express interest in everything they see. On the face, dark lines may extend from the eyes and brows.

The muscular body is graceful and athletic. It falls into a middle ground between the stocky, or cobby, body of a breed, such as the Persian, and the long svelte body of the Oriental breeds such as the Siamese. The body of the Somali is supported by slim yet fine-boned legs, accompanied with small, oval, and compact paws. Somalis, are often said to look as if they are walking on tip-toe. Swishing behind them, is a full brush tail, thick at the base and slightly tapering at the end.

Its bands of color give the Somali’s coat a warm, glowing appearance. To the touch, the medium-length hair is soft and silky with a fine texture. The Somali stands out from the Aby for the ruff around his neck, and the “breeches” on his legs, which gives him a more full-coated appearance. Also, horizontal tufts of fur adorn the inner ears.

Like his sibling the Abyssinian, nothing escapes the notice of this highly intelligent and inquisitive cat. Staying a step ahead of a Somali, or even just keeping pace with him, requires the fancy footwork of an Athlete, the brainpower of an Einstein, and a sense of humor that never stops. You never know what he’ll get into next, although you can assume that if you have something, or are doing something, your Somali will want to investigate it closely.

This is a playful, persistent cat who adores being the center of attention and will do anything to achieve and maintain that status.

They are smart enough to get out of the way of toddlers, making them perfect family pets. Introducing them to older active children is good, because they are a match for his energy level and curiosity. Nothing scares him, certainly not dogs, and he will happily make friends with them if they don’t give him any trouble. Somalis have also been known to get along with large parrots, ferrets and other animals.