Twillingate's Somali page

Appearance

The Somali is a long-haired Abyssinian, a moderate-sized cat with soft, medium-length fur. The Somali has a bushy tail, large ears, a masked face and a full ruff, which all contribute to a somewhat foxy appearance. The Somali's wild, feral look immediately draws fascinated attention.

Somalis are well-proportioned cats with firm muscular development. Their bodies are medium long and graceful. Their large, almond-shaped eyes range in colour from intense green to rich copper.

Male adult Somalis weigh about five kilograms on average. Adult females are smaller, averaging about four kilograms.

Coat and Colour

Somalis have a medium length coat which is soft and silky and requires little grooming. The coat is usually two to seven centimetres long, with shorter fur across the shoulders. The tail is full and bushy, and there are tufts of fur between the toes. Longer hair forms a ruff (over their chests) and breeches (on their hindquarters).

Somalis are ticked cats. Each hair has a basic ground colour, with 4 to 20 bands of darker colour. The bands give a glossy or shimmering appearance to the cat, but do not produce stripes. A show-quality Somali has no white, except around the mouth and under the chin. A show-quality Somali also has no stripes or tabby markings.

Twillingate Cattery has the following colours:

Class Base colour Ticking Nose

Tawny (Ruddy) Tawny red Black Tile red

Cinnamon (red) Warm red Chocolate brown Rosy pink

Silver Silver Black Tile red

Class	Base colour	Ticking	Nose
Tawny (Ruddy)	Tawny red	Black	Tile red
Cinnamon (red)	Warm red	Chocolate brown	Rosy pink
Silver	Silver	Black	Tile red

The Somali coat colour develops slowly. Kittens are usually darker and less warmly coloured than they will be in adulthood. Full ticking and colouring takes about 18 months to develop.

Disposition

Somalis live up to their appearance of alert intelligence and keen curiosity. They are active, playful and intelligent cats. They are extremely affectionate and people oriented. They make wonderful companions and like to be handled.

Somalis are even-tempered and easy to handle. They are ideal cats for households with children, as they are quite gentle (provided they are not mistreated). They get on well with other animals, and are suitable for homes that already have other pets.

Somalis are generally quiet cats. They have soft voices which they don't use much. Some Somali females even have a "silent heat" where the cat is in heat but doesn't call. (The buyer of a pet Somali female should therefore have her spayed as soon as she is old enough, to prevent inadvertant breeding.)

The Somali is not the cat to choose if you want a placid cat that will spend much of its time sleeping instead of playing.

Care

Somalis require remarkably little care for long-haired cats. Although the fur is long, it does not mat. Little brushing is required (although many Somalis will still enjoy the attention).

Somalis shed very little, less than many short-haired cats. They have two seasonal moults in spring and autumn, but shed minimally at other times.

The main care requirements are good food, fresh water, regular veterinary check-ups, regular vaccinations, toys, and lots of love.

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