Portraits of popular breeds at home and abroad: Somali cat

A Somali cat is a long-haired version of Abyssinian cat, one of the oldest cat breeds in the world. But it does not have an interesting or long history itself. Even though it is named after an African country, first Somali cats were born in the United States and America has also played an important role in their recognition.

A Somali cat is a long-haired version of Abyssinian cat, one of the oldest cat breeds in the world. But it does not have an interesting or long history itself. Even though it is named after an African country, first Somali cats were born in the United States and America has also played an important role in their recognition.

However, their occurrence was a coincidence, as a matter of fact. Abyssinian cat keepers were sometimes negatively surprised when one or more semi-longhaired kittens were in a litter. They were taken out and gifted to someone in the beginnings, but there has been an increasing interest in them later on and keepers decided to start breeding the Abyssinian cats with semi-long hair to create a new variety. In the end of 1960s’, the breed was acknowledged by many breeders’ associations.

Therefore, it will probably be no surprise that the character of Somali cats is not very different from that of Abyssinian cats. The most significant character trait of both breeds is their great need of attention and contact with people. They really suffer by being alone and they will even appreciate a company of another cat or even a dog in distress, even though this is not their preferred choice. But be careful about getting another pet, some Somali cats might get jealous.

Although they are calm animals, they are very extrovert and remind you of their presence quite well, even though they can’t be compared to Siamese cats in this regard. You’ll have a lot of fun with kittens. They are very active and playful and keen to take the initiative. But be prepared that they like to climb things. Get them enough scratchers and cat furniture before they destroy yours. They are enormously intelligent, smart and curious cats. They subject everything new to an inspection, starting from a shopping bag and ending at guests. They are little nosey-parkers and you can hide nothing from them.

Although Somali cats need a lot of attention, their fur does not. You can keep it in a good shape with minimum care. The fur has a smooth texture; therefore, it does not tend to get tangled a lot. Its original colour is ruddy, but new attractive colours gradually occurred. All of them have remarkable ticking – the basic fur colour alternates with two or three darker stripes on individual hairs as it does for example in a wild rabbit. The interesting fact is that Somali kittens are born with dark fur and it gets lighter as they get older. They can grow up to their final colour and ticking even until they are two years old.

Have you got good experience with this breed? Even though I generally tend to like mavericks more, these little soft dependent cats have enchanted me. For lonely souls, they can be good companions that will make you busy.

 

Related articles

History of search and rescue dogs

The use of dogs in search and rescue (the so-called SAR) is an integral part of natural disasters, mass accidents or, for example, when search for missing people. Do you know, when the first dog rescuers appeared?

Call of the wild? What is dog puberty like

Every dog has its individuality and is unique in its own way, so even the period of growing up can differ significantly in every individual. I know dog owners, who didn’t know what to do with puberty excesses of their otherwise loved four-legged...

Dog sled

One dog isn’t enough for you and you’re looking for an excuse that will help you vindicate having a whole pack at home? One option is to become a musher - a dog sled racer. For adrenaline lovers, who’d love to ride through the landscape on a sled using...

So cold you wouldn’t send the dog out

It’s like a rollercoaster ride with outside temperatures this winter, once you’re up and then back down. All the more attention should we pay to the care for our dogs. Since it’s not only us, people, who don’t take well to the changing temperatures.

Dog and cat insurance

Unfortunately, in the life of dog owners, even unpleasant situations occur, which aren’t only an intervention in the life of your dog partner, but also affect your wallet. For example, if the dog gets hit by a car or it is otherwise injured and the...

Facts about cat eyes

Kittens, as well as a number of other animal offspring, are born blind. Their eyes open around the tenth day of their life and only after another week, they are fully functional. Even though the sight in a cat belongs among the best-developed senses,...