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| Weight |
8-10 lbs. |
| Overview |
Somalis, longhaired Abyssinians, are gentle, bold, playful, and extremely busy, always seeking to be part of household activities. They are freedom-loving and dislike close confinement or restraint. Although not lap cats, they are companionable, people-oriented, and sociable with other animals. Their voices, though rarely used, are bell-like and pleasant. |
| Appearance |
The Somali is a lithe, muscular cat of medium length. It has a rounded wedge-shaped head, expressive gold or green almond-shape eyes, and large, moderately pointed ears. A rounder head and long hair--especially on the fluffy, foxlike tail, the britches, and the neck ruff--are the only features that distinguish the Somali from the Abyssinian.
The Somali's most striking feature is its beautiful ticked tabby coat. The characteristic tabby "M" typically appears on the forehead.
Four colors are recognized by the major U.S. breed associations: ruddy (the darkest and most common of the colors), red (sorrel or cinnamon), blue, and fawn. European breed registries recognize additional colors.
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| Gromming Needs |
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| Origins |
Somalis appeared in the 1950s as offspring of Abyssinian matings with other breeds. Initially these longhaired Abys were considered undesirable and were not taken seriously. But in the 1970s, an American breeder recognized their beauty, named the breed (calling it Somali because of Somalia's geographic proximity to Ethiopia), and began an extensive breeding program. Since then its popularity has spread from the United States to other parts of the world. |
| Other |
Breed-related health problems: patellar luxation; renal amyloidosis; retinal atrophy (a rare eye condition that ultimately leads to impaired vision). |
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