Everything you need to know about Somali cats

Somali cats are very beautiful. They look like real aristocrats - flexible, graceful, with a fluffy "fox" tail, a piercing look and a sophisticated collar. At the same time, they are curious as kittens, playful, tender - real companion cats. If you are looking for a kind and cheerful, yet unobtrusive cat with the character of a dog, there is no one better than a Somali.

The exact details of the origin of the Somali breed cats are unknown, but periodically long-haired kittens appeared in litters of the Abyssinian breed, and this happened in different places. The appearance of the so-called longhair gene is associated with the name of the breeder Janet Robertson. In the 1940s, her kittens of the Abyssinian breed were sold all over the world. So, after some time, kittens with long hair and a tail of increased fluffiness appeared among the Australian, Canadian and American Abyssinians. At that time it was considered a breed marriage, and kittens did not participate in further breeding.

In the 1960s, Canadian and American cat breeders decided that they would make a separate breed from long-haired Abyssinian kittens. The success of long-haired kittens is associated with the name of another breeder - Mary Meiling, it was she who demonstrated them at an exhibition in Canada, where they made a splash. In 1978, the CFA recognized the Somali breed, and now Somalis have gained worldwide recognition. In the same year, a description of this breed was compiled and a standard for it was approved.

The breed got its name from a country on the border with Ethiopia, where Abyssinian cats probably appeared, its breeder Evelyn Magyu from America suggested.The first representative of the breed was officially registered in the name of the same Mary Meiling in 1965. And the club “Somalis” earned in 1972.

The logical conclusion is that Somalis are the closest relatives of the Abyssinians. In 1979, Somalis gained champion status. The following year, Somalis were accepted by all clubs of felinologists, they were allowed to participate in exhibitions. A year later, Somali cats are spread in European countries, and after 10 years they are recognized by international organizations. Now Somalis can participate in any exhibition held in the world.

It remains a mystery why the longhair gene appeared. After all, Abyssinians are cats with short hair. They have a thick and soft coat, in the shoulder area it is shorter. The head of a Somali is small, very neat. In contrast to the head, the ears are very large. Some representatives of the breed have tassels on the ears. The front paws have 5 fingers, and the hind legs have 4. Between the toes, the fur grows densely. The eyes of Somalis are very expressive, have an almond-shaped shape and can be brown or green, or amber-golden.

Cats grow up to 26–30 cm in length, up to 30 cm in height, and weigh 3.5–5 kg. Somali cats are very bright, attractive animals. Due to the contrasting colors of the muzzle and large ears, as well as the inquisitive look, they look like chanterelles. The similarity enhances the furry tail.

The breed standard also provides for the following features:

• the head is wedge-shaped, smoothly rounded to the chin;
• the ears are wide-set;
• tail length is proportional to body length;
• eyes are black with the “arrow” above;
• paws are rounded to the line of the fingers;
• cheekbones are weakly expressed, under the line of vibrissae they narrow.

The hair on the body is unevenly distributed, on the shoulder blades the length is minimal, on the back - slightly longer, and the hair on the stomach is the longest. On the neck of cats a lush collar, on its hind legs - fluffy panties.

Like any other cat breed, Somalis have both advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the pros, namely:

• representatives of the breed are absolutely charming;
• playful, curious;
• amenable to training;
• unobtrusive and have great intuition;
• smart and smart;
• unpretentious in food;
• excellent health.

There are also disadvantages, although insignificant, such as:

• Somalis very poorly tolerate loneliness, even short-lived;
• quite wayward and may sometimes disobey the owner;
• love to play with the hair of the owners, so long-haired people can be difficult with such cats;
• prone to kidney disease;
• unusually mobile, which can bore people who are prone to contemplation.

Somali cats are amazing. They are relatives of Abyssinian cats, and from them curiosity and a lively character were transmitted to them. But Somali representatives of the cat family are quieter and more tactful when compared with the Abyssinians. Somalis are loved by all family members. They perfectly find contact with children, even the smallest. They like to play with them, are patient and will never scratch a child, even if he caused them discomfort.

Somali cat behaves differently with an adult. Even with the cat’s great curiosity in relation to all the owner’s actions, he will not impose his society on him and will not bother him. Somalis are incredibly fond of talking. Even if a person came to the house for the first time, the cat will demonstrate everything that he can to attract his attention to himself.But they intuitively feel when their interest is inappropriate, when a person is in the wrong mood to play and communicate, then they remain on the sidelines.

Representatives of this breed have a great mind. They are quite easy to train, they well perceive the basic set of standard commands, they can even learn to bring small items to the owner. Some Somalis can perform a number of tricks, as stubbornness is not inherent in them, and they also take with interest any actions on the part of the owner. But, of course, they still remain cats, not dogs.

Somalis adapt well and quickly to changing conditions. They can easily get along with other pets in the house, and although they are terrific hunters, they can even make friends with rodents. Representatives of the breed retain playfulness and curiosity until old age. They really like small objects and details, and most of all - drops of tap water, which they catch with their paw.

Somalis have extraordinary dexterity. Without much effort, they climb onto the tallest objects in the house - a cabinet, a refrigerator, and also know how to "leak out" into hard-to-reach spots. Motility is well developed among representatives of the breed - they can hold small objects in their paws and play with them. They are very nimble, agile, energetic. Sometimes it seems like they do not need rest.

They like to be with one of the family members, but if the owners are not up to it, they will go about their business. Left alone for a long time, it can take offense. An excellent way out is to have a “partner” pet, preferably also from the feline family.

Distinctive features of long-haired Abyssinians are as follows:

• non-aggressive to the owners or to strangers;
• easy to contact, friendly;
• smart, smart;
• love “hugs”, affectionate, tender;
• well trained, remember teams, give in to training;
• wayward, they can "send off" an overly obsessive person.

Despite its non-aggressiveness, Somali cats do not always calmly respond to inconvenience. If there are babies in the family, it is better not to leave them alone with the cat. Having played out, the child can inadvertently pull the cat by the tail or mustache and get a paw or a bite.

Somalis are long-haired “copies” of Abyssinians. They have equally flexible and graceful bodies of medium or large size. The muzzle is very expressive. However, there are also differences, namely:

• wool length;
• a lush collar and a fluffy tail resembling a fox.

During molting, Somalis look pretty ugly, but the rest of the time they are very beautiful. The color of the representatives of the breed may be different, but there is always a ticking. The presence of ticked color is the main sign of the Somali. Ticked color is the presence of dark transverse stripes on each hair. The more strips a cat has, the more valuable it is.

Initially, only two shades were present in the color palette - wild and sorrel. Now it is much wider and becomes more and more refined every year. The main range of colors of Somalis today is represented by such colors as:

• wild - reddish or brownish-red tone of hair, black at the ends; a dark back strap must be required;
• roe deer - cream-matte wool, in some places it has a warm color, at the base the shade is very light; among roe deer, it is precisely homogeneous color that is most valued;
• blue, or rather, a smoky blue tint on top, and inside - light beige or cream; stripes of gray-blue hue, the same tone and pillows on the legs are clearly visible on the surface;
• sorrel - copper-red color with a departure in light brown, at the base of the apricot hue; in cats of this color, the nose and paw pads are pink, and on the tip of the tail and ears the hair is brown;
• silvered - any color in which the shade of the undercoat and ticking is white.

If you buy a Somali kitten to participate in exhibitions, then you need to consider what is considered a marriage of the breed, namely:

• the presence of sand or gray;
• black areas at the base of the coat;
• residual patterns - stripes on the legs, spots on the body;
• white spots are an indicator for disqualification of a kitten; let's say white color only on the chin, throat, nostrils;
• crocheted tail;
• a closed necklace;
• the presence of an extra finger or, conversely, a shortage.

The cost of a representative of the breed starts from 11 000 rubles. Of course, the price depends on what gender the kitten has, what external data it has, what kind of pedigree it has. There are several Somali nurseries in the country, the largest in Moscow.

There are nurseries in Kiev and Minsk. If you get a kitten via the Internet, first of all, check the seller’s reputation and reviews about him. Feel free to call or write to buyers who purchased kittens from this breeder and ask if they are happy with the purchase. This will allow you to avoid wasting money, because, as already mentioned, Somalis are not cheap.

Care for the Somali cat (as well as for any long-haired representative of the cat family) must be very carefully. Long wool requires brushing and regular combing. Somalis have a thin, soft coat of medium length that looks well-groomed and does not roll into tangles. But this, of course, does not mean that you do not need to comb out the wool.

In addition to wool, representatives of the breed have an undercoat that grows quite densely. To do this, you need a furminator. If you use it, the molt will not be so strong. This, of course, will have a positive effect on cleaning the premises. Although it should be noted that Somalis, despite their relative longhair, do not shed as much as other breeds with similar fluffiness.

If the Somali is kept in a city apartment, then you need to walk with her regularly. If you are sure that there are no ticks on the lawn where you plan to walk, then you can put a harness on the cat and let it walk. If such confidence is absent, it is better to walk the cat in the area fenced and sprayed from insects. Perhaps you should also use a special anti-mite collar. You can let the cat out onto the loggia provided that it is glazed and well enclosed.

After walking the cats must be washed. Somalis are completely calm about water, in addition, they exclusively trust the owner, so there should be no problems with bathing and washing paws. Somalis need toys, claws, and other games. It is advisable to change the toys so that they do not bother the cat. Because if this happens, a curious animal will go looking for "toys" on the table or bedside table of the owner.

Somali cat needs to eat well and with high quality. The owner can cook her food herself or buy ready-made food. Both of them are acceptable.The finished feed should contain at least 40% meat. This, of course, is not cheap, but another is unacceptable. If you choose ready-made food, then you can not alternate it with natural food. Otherwise, the cat may be waiting for digestive diseases.

If you settled on natural food, then it should be balanced very strictly: for kittens in a 3: 1 ratio, animal to vegetable, and for adults - 2: 1.

Representatives of the Somali breed are distinguished by excellent health. Teeth and gums are sometimes disturbing and should be checked periodically. Teeth need daily brushing. Because of their friendliness and curiosity, Somalis often pay attention to other animals - birds, dogs, other cats. Not all of them are happy with this pressure and do not want to communicate. Therefore, sometimes Somalis get injured from animals.

In the period from 9 to 12 weeks, kittens can be vaccinated for the first time. This is a comprehensive vaccination: it protects against chlamydia, plague, calicivirus, rhinotracheitis. After a month, you can do a re-vaccination. They are vaccinated against rabies either with primary vaccination or with repeated vaccination - this depends on the desire of the owner. Subsequently, vaccinations are given at the age of one year, and then every year.

There is one serious disease that Somalis are prone to. This is pyruvate kinase deficiency. This occurs due to the presence of a recessive gene that causes the development of jaundice. The risk group consists of kittens up to six months and individuals after 12 years. They treat jaundice by injection with glucose and saline. Intravenous injection.

According to statistics collected by veterinarians, Somali cats are susceptible to diseases such as:

• renal amyloidosis - unfortunately, there is no treatment; only cats get sick, caused by a violation of protein metabolism;
• dislocation of the patella - this pathology is hereditary; if the form of the disease is severe, then it is treated through surgical intervention;
• obesity - males suffer mainly after the castration procedure; appetite increases, so you need to carefully monitor what and how much the cat eats.

If the animal does not have enough vitamins, then gum inflammation (gingivitis) may occur, as well as the formation of tartar. It is not worth mentioning the need for regular deworming, as well as inspection for fleas. This is especially important for those cats that walk on the street. Once every 6 months it is necessary to visit the veterinarian for a routine examination.

The appearance of the first estrus in a cat usually occurs at the age of 8 months. However, it is recommended to give birth not earlier than reaching one year. Due to aristocracy and refinement of the breed, it is difficult for Somalis to get pregnant, among them individuals that are often incapable of pregnancy and bearing children are very common. That is why kittens are so expensive.

To increase the likelihood of becoming pregnant, meetings with the cat should be carried out in the cat. The cat needs to stay there for 3-4 days to get comfortable and reduce stress. If the cat’s pregnancy is established, then she needs a lot of attention and affectionate communication.

Kittens are born with collars and panties (of course, in their infancy, but still distinguishable). Mom cat cares for kittens very carefully. It is better to leave kittens with their mother until they reach the age of 12 weeks, otherwise they will experience severe stress. This can affect both their mental state and physiological. If the cat is not taken away for mating, estrus will occur more often, at most - three times a month.Their functioning of the reproductive system is disrupted, cysts and polyps form.

See more about Somali cats in the next video.