Somali Cats 101 : Fun Facts & Myths
Channel: Kitten Life
Date: 16/11/2020

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In today's video, we are going to talk about some interesting facts and myths about Somali Cats.

An active, playful cat, the Somali is very social and enjoys interacting with people and other cats.

Somalis are active enough generally to keep their weight under control if given enough space to jump and climb.

The Somali is a medium-sized cat with a long body and nicely developed muscles.

The Somali is moderate looking in all aspects with smooth planes on her head. She has a gentle dip in the triangular head. Her rather large ears sit tilted forward giving her an alert, aware look as if she is always paying attention to everything. The eyes, which look large in the face, show the alertness and intelligence inherent in the breed.

The Somali is essentially the longhaired version of the Abyssinian. The Abyssinian was developed in Great Britain from a cat brought into that country by Lord Robert Napier, following a military expedition to Abyssinia. The cat Lord Napier brought to Britain was named Zulu, and he was the foundation of the beautiful breed known today as the Abyssinian, as well as the Somali breed.

The unique ticking pattern on the coat of the Abyssinian reminded people of the camouflage pattern on the coat of the wild rabbit. In order to perpetuate this, Zulu was bred to random-bred cats that carried a similar look to their coat and the Abyssinian breed was created.

If wild looks and a curious nature are the keys to your heart then prepare to be won over by the stunning Somali cat.

1. Somali cats look a bit like foxes

The bushy tail, lion-esque ruff around her neck and furry breeches give the Somali cat the wild look of a fox, but the breed is actually as simple as this: a long-haired version of the Abyssinian. 

The coat on the Somali is full with exaggerated tufts of hair in the ears. The fur is soft without being woolly and the tail is fluffy like a fox's tail. The coloring of the Somali is special. The majority of the fur has bands of color on each individual hair, with the coat looking darker along the spine line. The color on the body softens, and lightens under the neck, and the underside of the cat and the insides of the legs. She has a wild look about her, but is not at all extreme except in the color of the fur, which carries bands of color giving her a richness and depth not seen in other breeds.

2. All about that Somali coat

The ticked bands, alternating from light to dark, give the Somali cat an ethereal, glowing appearance that is hard to tear your eyes away from. Seen in four recognized colors (blue, ruddy, fawn and red), the ticked fur on the back and tail correspond with the lighter shade seen on the Somali’s underside to give her that lit-from-within glow.

3.  Expect easy grooming with a Somali cat

It might look like the Somali cat has a high-maintenance grooming routine, but she’s actually pretty easy-breezy when it comes to keeping that fur in tip-top shape. Weekly brushing makes her shine, while regular nail trims keep her toes, which feature tufts of fur in between, perfectly manicured.

4. The power of Somali cat paws

Aside from featuring cute clumps of fur between each toe, those paws also have a unique ability: They can hold objects and food in them (like a monkey), open cabinets and cupboards with ease, and even turn on the faucet for a bit of water play!