The Somali is a medium-sized cat with an elongated body and well-developed muscles.
The Somali is moderate in appearance all round with flat flats to the head. she has a soft dipping triangular head. Her rather large ears sit tilted forward giving her an alert and aware look as if she is always paying attention to everything. Her eyes, which appear large in her face, show the alertness and intelligence inherent in the breed.
The Somali’s coat is full of exaggerated ear tufts. the fur is soft without being woolly and the tail is fluffy like a fox’s tail. the coloring of the Somali is special. most of the fur has bands of color on each individual hair, with the fur appearing darker along the spine line. the body color softens and lightens under the neck and underside of the cat and the inside of the legs. She has a wild look around her, but is by no means extreme, except in her skin color, which is banded with color giving it a richness and depth not seen in other races.
personality:
The Somali is an active cat who loves to jump and play. despite that, she is an easy cat to have in your house. Somalis love people and other animals. Somalis are social cats and like to have company. this company can be provided by another cat or when people are not at home.
They’ll play with their own toys for hours, but they’ll also enjoy some great interactive playtime with their parents. Somalis will speak in his soft and calm voice.
living with:
The Somali is loving and affectionate and loves spending time with her parents. While the Somali is a long-haired cat, the coat is easy to care for as it is not woolly. A daily brushing as part of play time will keep the Somali’s coat silky smooth. it will reward its groomer with an affectionate purr.
Somalis are active cats and will generally keep their weight in check with compensatory exercise. they should have some tall perches and cat trees available for them to jump on and climb.
story:
The Somali is essentially the long-haired version of the Abyssinian. the abyssinian developed in great britain from a cat brought to that country by lord robert napier, after a military expedition to abyssinia. The cat Lord Napier brought to Britain was called the Zulu, and was the basis for the beautiful breed known today as the Abyssinian, as well as the Somali breed.
the unique ticking pattern on the fur of the Abyssinian reminded people of the camouflage pattern on the fur of the wild rabbit. To perpetuate this, Zulu were crossed with random bred cats that had a similar appearance to their coats and the Abyssinian breed was created.
Some of the kittens born to the Abyssinian litters appeared to have long hair. since long hair was not a desirable trait in Abyssinians, the long-haired kittens that were born were altered and placed as pets. however, many breeders loved the way longhair looked on Abyssinian cats, and in the late 1960s, these breeders created a longhaired version of the Abyssinian and called it the Somali. the beautiful marked coat can be seen on the Somali just like the Abyssinian. Thanks to its unique appearance, charming personality, and easy care, the Somali quickly became popular.
