 |
| Vital Statistics: |
| Place of Origin: Great Britain |
| Coat Type: soft, dense, bushy tail |
| Color: ticked ruddy, red, silver, blue or lilac |
| Temperament: loving with family, wary of strangers, good with other cats, active, intelligent, playful |
Where does the Somali come from?
Although originally thought to be a mutation, it has been discovered the Somali was produced by breeding Abyssinians to longhaired cats in Britain around 1900. Abyssinians exported around the world including the U.S. carried the gene for long hair. Resulting litters of longhaired cats became the Somali appearing in the U.S. in the mid 1960s.
What does the Somali look like?
The Somali is a vigorous medium to large cat with a slightly arched back. The head is a slightly rounded wedge showing some contour in profile. Ears are large with a moderate point, broad and cupped at the base. The inner ear is tufted. Eyes are large and almond shaped encircled by a darker color. The tail is bushy and fox-like. The coat is very soft and dense, medium long with ticked fur and darker bands. Colors are ruddy, red, silver, blue and lilac. The Somali shed very little.
Does the Somali make a good pet?
While the Somali loves the company of its family and other pet cats it is familiar with, it can be wary of strangers. They are very active and enjoy the outdoors except in winter when they should be kept inside. They are skillful hunters, very curious, playful and intelligent.
Where can I adopt a Somali?
Here are some organizations online you might try.
www.cats-central.com/cat_club.htm
Possible Health Issues
Dental problems, pyruvate kinase deficiency (low count red blood cells, anemia), progressive retinal atrophy, myasthenia gravis (neuromuscular condition).
