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- From: Barbara French <bcfnmp@rit.edu>
- Subject: rec.pets.cats: Somalis Breed-FAQ
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- Archive-name: cats-faq/breeds/somalis
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- URL: http://www.fanciers.com/breed-faqs/somali-faq.html
- Last-modified: 12 Mar 1997
-
- All the cat breed faqs are available as ASCII files either on rec.pets.cats
- or via anon ftp to rtfm.mit.edu under pub/usenet/new.answers/cats-faq/breeds/*
- They are also viewable on the World Wide Web at
- http://www.fanciers.com/breeds.html.
-
-
- Somali Breed FAQ
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- _Author:_ Barbara French, Tarantara Cattery, USA,
- bcfnmp@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
-
- _Comments and Editing:_ Elina Laine, Bitterblues Somalis, Finland,
- ellaine@tre.tele.nokai.fi
-
- Copyright (c)1995 Barbara C. French, bcfnmp@ritvax.isc.rit.edu.
- All Rights Reserved.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Table of Contents
-
- Physical Description
- Characteristics and Temperament
- Is This Breed for Me?
- Care and Training
- History
- Special Medical Concerns
- Famous Somalis
- Breeders
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Physical Description
-
- The Somali is a moderate-sized cat with soft, medium-length fur and a
- bushy tail which has sometimes earned the cat the nickname "fox cat".
- Somalis are also referred to as "longhaired Abyssinians", since
- Abyssinians are the "parent breed" of the Somali breed.
-
- Somalis are sweet-faced, lithe, muscular cats with an overall
- impression of alertness, intelligence and keen curiousity. A standing
- Somali should almost give the impression that it's standing on its
- toes. The best term for a Somali would be "moderate" -- medium hair,
- medium size, medium type (neither cobby nor svelte).
-
- Somalis are ticked cats. Each hair on their bodies has bands of darker
- color, sometimes as many as 10 or 12 in a Somali. The ticking is
- darker than the ground color, giving the impression of a gloss or
- shimmer to the cat. Although ticking is a type of tabby, the
- show-quality Somali has no stripes on its body. A pet-quality Somali
- may show some tabby striping on its legs, tail or throat. The ticking
- usually causes a darker shine of color along the cat's back and on the
- tip of its brushy tail, and gives the cat an exotic, wild look.
- Although the fur might look coarse, it's extremely soft, almost
- rabbit-like.
-
- Somalis have the tabby "M" on their foreheads, and display
- pencil-strokes of darker color drawn out from the corners of their
- eyes. As the darker color also rims their eyes, Somalis may look as if
- they're wearing eye liner. They usually have no white on them, other
- than white around their mouths and under their chins. White on other
- parts of their bodies is considered a disqualifying fault for the
- show-quality Somali.
-
- Somalis are accepted by all cat associations in four colors: ruddy,
- red, blue and fawn. The chart below will help decipher these colors.
- Somalis also have corresponding nose and paw leather colors, depending
- on the color of the cat.
-
- Color Class Color of cat Color of ticking Nose leather
-
- Ruddy Ruddy-red Black Tile red
- Red or sorrel Warm red Chocolate brown Rosy pink
- Blue Soft blue Slate blue Mauve
- Fawn Rose-beige Light cocoa brown Salmon
-
- They are accepted in some European associations in various silver
- tones, but as yet silvers are not accepted in the United States. Some
- European associations also accept sex-linked orange and tortiseshell.
-
- Somalis have gold or green eyes in all colors, with the more depth and
- richness of color the better. Some associations, such as the American
- Cat Association, also accept hazel. Females are smaller than males,
- weighing about 8-10 pounds on average as adults. Males are an average
- of 10-12 pounds as adults, although some may be larger. The Somali
- coat color develops slowly, and doesn't show its full, mature ticking
- and coloring until age 18 months. Kittens tend to be darker and less
- warm-colored than they will be in adulthood.
-
- Somalis generally have longer hair over their chests (the "ruff") and
- on their hindquarters (the "breeches"). Their tails are full and
- brushy, almost like that of a fox.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Characteristics and Temperament
-
- Somalis are active, playful, interactive cats. Like their parent
- breed, the Abyssinians, Somalis seem to wake up every morning with a
- "to-do" list. They should be given plenty of room to run, lots of
- individual attention and play, and a variety of toys.
-
- Somalis seem happiest if kept with another cat of about their own
- activity level. Contrary to what some cat books say, though, Somalis
- do very well as indoor-only cats, provided that they are given plenty
- of room to run and play.
-
- Somalis are even-tempered and easy to handle. They are ideal cats for
- households with children, as they are quite gentle (provided the
- children do not abuse them). They also do well as in a "mixed pet"
- household, getting along well with other animals.
-
- Somalis are extremely affectionate and people-oriented -- "loves a
- party and all the guests", as one of my kitten buyers told me.
-
- They are also extremely inquisitive and clever, which may cause some
- trouble for the cat! An open door is as good as an invitation, as are
- garbage pails, windows and open drawers. Fortunately, they are also
- easy to train to use scratching posts.
-
- Like Abyssinians, Somalis are generally quiet cats, with soft voices
- they don't use a great deal. Somalis are adept communicators, but
- don't rely on their voices to do so. This can be frustrating for
- breeders, as a Somali female may have a "silent heat" (in heat but
- doesn't call). Buyers of pet Somali females should also be careful to
- have their female spayed as soon as she is old enough for this reason,
- so an inadvertant breeding doesn't take place.
-
- They also shed very little, less than many short-haired cats. They
- have two seasonal moults in spring and fall, but otherwise shed
- minimally throughout the year.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Is This Breed for Me?
-
- If you want a cat which is playful and interactive, almost "dog-like"
- in this way, the Somali is a terrific breed. They are loving and
- affectionate and make wonderful companions. Many are avowed and
- devoted lap cats and are forever following "their" human around.
-
- If you're looking for all the beauty of the long hair without the fuss
- or shedding, the Somali is a good choice. (See Care and Training
- below).
-
- If you're looking for a breed that's good with children or to
- introduce into a multi-pet household, the Somali is a good choice.
-
- If you're looking for a cat which will spend a great deal of time
- snoozing peacefully instead of playing, or a placid cat with a great
- deal of quiet and refined dignity, the Somali is not the cat for you.
-
- I would not recommend a Somali for an elder who is frail, as any
- Somali owner will tell you that Somalis are very good at getting
- underfoot.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Care and Training
-
- Somalis are intelligent but somewhat willful. Thus, training is done
- far better with rewards than with punishment. They can be trained
- easily to use a scratching post by heaping attention and pats on them
- whenever they use it. They can be trained to do simple tricks with
- relative ease, such as fetching and shaking hands.
-
- Somalis need little care to keep their coats in good condition. Their
- soft, silky hair requires little brushing, although most Somalis love
- the attention if brushing is viewed as affection time rather than a
- chore. They do not mat, although the longer fur around their
- hindquarters can sometimes mat if not brushed regularly. As stated
- before, they shed very little.
-
- Otherwise, good food, fresh water, regular vet-checkups, regular
- vaccinations and lots of love is all they need to thrive.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- History
-
- Where the longhaired gene came into the Abyssinian population is a a
- subject of speculation, but before the Somali breed began to be
- advanced in the late 1960s, longhaired kittens popped up in Abyssinian
- litters. These longhaired kittens, which couldn't be shown or used in
- a breeding program, were quietly neutered and given away or sold as
- pets.
-
- In the late 1960s in the United States, people taken with these
- longhaired "mistakes" began breeding these cats purposely and
- advancing that the breed become accepted for championship status. This
- was not the first advancement of this breed; a Somali was shown in
- Australia as early as 1965. By the late 1970s, the Somali was accepted
- by all North American cat associations for championship status. It has
- had slower acceptance in Europe; the GCCF (Governing Council of the
- Cat Fancy), Great Britain's cat association, did not fully recognize
- the Somali for championship status until 1991.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Special Medical Concerns
-
- The Somali is a remarkably hardy cat, with few associated health
- problems.
-
- Like many cats of all breeds and mixed breeds, Somali are prone to
- gingivitis. This condition should be monitored at annual veterinary
- visits (more often if a problem occurs). Feeding the cat a large
- portion of its diet as a high-quality dry food helps this problem.
-
- It has just been discovered that a few lines of Somali may be prone to
- a type of anemia called _auto immune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)_. If you
- have a Somali with anemia or anemia-like symptoms, , request a PCV
- blood test. This test is not usually done on a normal blood workup for
- cats, as AIHA is found much more commonly in dogs. The normal
- treatment for AIHA is steroid therapy. The problem is that the
- symptoms can be close to a fairly common cat disorder, _feline
- infectious anemia (FIA)_, which is treated with antibiotics. This is
- an inappropriate therapy for AIHA. Somalis are no more or less prone
- to FIA than any other cat.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Famous Somalis
-
- A Somali named Liberty Valence can be seen on "Little Friskies"
- commercials in the United States. The first two Spots on _Star Trek:
- The Next Generation_ were red Somalis (one was Liberty Valence). A
- Somali graces the cover of the _Readers Digest Guide to Cats_ , and
- the cover of the box for the software _Morph_ . (Hint: The Somali is
- on the bottom).
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Breeders
-
- Since there are not many Somali breeders and there is often a high
- demand for these beautiful kittens, many Somali breeders have waiting
- lists.
-
- A pet-quality Somali kitten in the United States will generally cost
- about $400 US, a usual price for pet-quality kittens of many breeds.
-
- There are many Somali breeders who are available through electronic
- mail through the Fanciers Breeder Referral List.. (Take me to the list
- of Somali breeders now).
-
- Somali breeders are also listed in such magazines as _Cat Fancy, Cats_
- and _Cat World._
-
- Somali cats may also be available through Somali and Abyssinian Breed
- Rescue and Education (SABRE). Somalis rarely end up in shelters, but
- those few that do may find their way to SABRE and may be available. To
- date, all such rescues have been adult cats. For more information
- about SABRE and information about cats who may be available for
- adoption to an excellent home, consult the SABRE homepage, or e-mail
- contact Erin Miller.
-
- _________________________________________________________________
-
- Somali FAQ
- Barbara C. French, bcfnmp@ritvax.isc.rit.edu
- Last updated: December 15, 1995
-