By MARJORIE DORFMAN
The Somali cat is considered to be
a longhaired cousin of the ancient
Abyssinian, and its long and silky
coat was at one time considered to
be an undesirable trait among
breeders who did their best to
eliminate it from their breeding stock.
In the l960s, however, cat fanciers
began to appreciate the exquisite
beauty of these creatures and
the breed was born, named for
Somalia, the country bordering
Abyssinia.
These well-proportioned, medium-
sized cats are beautiful to look upon,
and bear a strong resemblance to a
small fox, with large ears, masked
face, full ruff and very bushy tail. They
are often called, in fact, the “fox cat.”
Lovers of life, Somalis are highly
intelligent extroverts and very sociable
creatures. They are known for their
sudden bursts of energy, at which
time they toss whatever they can pick up in the air and sometimes run sideways like a
monkey. They can and often do open cupboards and drawers, and consider running
water a favorite toy. They thrive on attention and retain their kittenish personalities for all
of their lives. Many Somali owners boast that these lovable cats are always a joy to be
around.
Somalis are sweet-faced, lithe and very muscular. Immensely curious, the faces of these
cats brim with intelligence and alertness. Oddly, when a Somali is standing upright it will
often give the observer the impression that it is standing on its toes. (Ballet lessons are,
however, optional for this breed.)
Their coats are usually one to three inches long with much shorter fur across the
shoulders. Known as agouti or ticked, each hair contains four to twenty bands of color
usually as many as ten or twelve. The ticking is always darker than the ground color,
which renders a shimmering quality to the coat. This shiny line of darker color is
sometimes called an “eel stripe.” The Somali’s coat comes in beautiful shades of ruddy,
red, blue and fawn and although it has a coarse appearance, it is extremely soft, like that
of a rabbit. Their tails are naturally fluffy and their feet have tufts between the toes. Eyes
are large and almond shaped and, range in color from deep green to an intense copper.
Somalis retain the tabby “M” on their foreheads, and the coloration from the corner of their
rimmed eyes gives them the semblance of wearing eyeliner. Somalis are known to have
small litters of three to four kittens at most. They develop slowly, not reaching maturity
until about eighteen months of age. These cats are even-tempered and very easy to
handle. They make wonderful companions and are ideal for households with children
and other pets. They are generally quiet cats, like their Abyssinian cousins and their soft
voices are not often heard. Playful and very active, Somalis do well as indoor pets if they
are given plenty of room to run and many toys to play with. They are known to love a party
and “all invited guests.”
Somalis shed very little, even less than many shorthaired cats. They have two seasonal
molts in spring and fall, but otherwise shed minimally throughout the year. Many of these
cats have what is known jokingly as the “hairdresser gene.” This refers to the need to
dress the hair of their human owners. These cats are known to try to groom hair, beards
and moustaches particularly if the hair is treated with any kind of hairspray or mousse.
(Not misspelled mouse, folks; I do mean mousse.)
In summation, the Somali is a cat that keeps its owners lovingly on their toes, a noble
and well-loved position for such a special creature.
For more fun articles, visit Dorfman’s website, www.whatsnewemu.com.
The Somali cat is considered to be
a longhaired cousin of the ancient
Abyssinian, and its long and silky
coat was at one time considered to
be an undesirable trait among
breeders who did their best to
eliminate it from their breeding stock.
In the l960s, however, cat fanciers
began to appreciate the exquisite
beauty of these creatures and
the breed was born, named for
Somalia, the country bordering
Abyssinia.
These well-proportioned, medium-
sized cats are beautiful to look upon,
and bear a strong resemblance to a
small fox, with large ears, masked
face, full ruff and very bushy tail. They
are often called, in fact, the “fox cat.”
Lovers of life, Somalis are highly
intelligent extroverts and very sociable
creatures. They are known for their
sudden bursts of energy, at which
time they toss whatever they can pick up in the air and sometimes run sideways like a
monkey. They can and often do open cupboards and drawers, and consider running
water a favorite toy. They thrive on attention and retain their kittenish personalities for all
of their lives. Many Somali owners boast that these lovable cats are always a joy to be
around.
Somalis are sweet-faced, lithe and very muscular. Immensely curious, the faces of these
cats brim with intelligence and alertness. Oddly, when a Somali is standing upright it will
often give the observer the impression that it is standing on its toes. (Ballet lessons are,
however, optional for this breed.)
Their coats are usually one to three inches long with much shorter fur across the
shoulders. Known as agouti or ticked, each hair contains four to twenty bands of color
usually as many as ten or twelve. The ticking is always darker than the ground color,
which renders a shimmering quality to the coat. This shiny line of darker color is
sometimes called an “eel stripe.” The Somali’s coat comes in beautiful shades of ruddy,
red, blue and fawn and although it has a coarse appearance, it is extremely soft, like that
of a rabbit. Their tails are naturally fluffy and their feet have tufts between the toes. Eyes
are large and almond shaped and, range in color from deep green to an intense copper.
Somalis retain the tabby “M” on their foreheads, and the coloration from the corner of their
rimmed eyes gives them the semblance of wearing eyeliner. Somalis are known to have
small litters of three to four kittens at most. They develop slowly, not reaching maturity
until about eighteen months of age. These cats are even-tempered and very easy to
handle. They make wonderful companions and are ideal for households with children
and other pets. They are generally quiet cats, like their Abyssinian cousins and their soft
voices are not often heard. Playful and very active, Somalis do well as indoor pets if they
are given plenty of room to run and many toys to play with. They are known to love a party
and “all invited guests.”
Somalis shed very little, even less than many shorthaired cats. They have two seasonal
molts in spring and fall, but otherwise shed minimally throughout the year. Many of these
cats have what is known jokingly as the “hairdresser gene.” This refers to the need to
dress the hair of their human owners. These cats are known to try to groom hair, beards
and moustaches particularly if the hair is treated with any kind of hairspray or mousse.
(Not misspelled mouse, folks; I do mean mousse.)
In summation, the Somali is a cat that keeps its owners lovingly on their toes, a noble
and well-loved position for such a special creature.
For more fun articles, visit Dorfman’s website, www.whatsnewemu.com.
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