With a very characteristic coat and energetic personality, the Somali cat quickly became popular after its creation. In this sense, he has as an ancestor the cat of the Abyssinian breed, having long hair that resembles a wild rabbit or even a small fox.

Furthermore, the Somali cat is a relatively recent breed in Brazil, but has already won the hearts of many around the world. That's because this is a very affectionate and receptive breed, and gets along very well in large families and even with children. So, check out everything you need to know to have a Somali cat!

First of all, what most draws attention to this breed is its tail with long and lush hair. By the way, the pattern of the Somali cat's fur is quite exotic and it certainly stands out from the rest.

In this sense, the creation of the breed is intertwined with that of the Abyssinian cat. Developed in Great Britain, some Abyssinian puppies had a longer coat from an early age. However, this coat length was not desired at the time and therefore not perpetuated by breeders.

However, the long-haired Abyssinian specimens were attracting the attention of other people, and it was in 1960 that Canadian breeders decided to invest in the development of the breed. Thus, it was only in 1979 that it was recognized as an official cat breed.

In this way, the Somali cat maintains the characteristics of its ancestor's coat, the tail without stripes and with a dark tip, typical of wild animals. In addition, he is a stocky, muscular cat with a medium-sized head and smooth contours. Furthermore, their ears are ideally set apart and their eyes are typically amber.

So, the main colors of the Somali cat are cinnamon, golden brown and orange brown. However, the breed has 28 different coat colors. Therefore, the choice of color ends up interfering with the value of the puppies.

Although it is a very popular breed in the United States, Canada and Europe, the Somali cat only arrived in Brazil in 2012. Thus, it is still rare to find a breeding center with kittens of the breed available for purchase.

In this sense, it is important to find a reliable place to acquire a specimen of the breed. This is because there are breeders that do not respect the welfare of animals, and when buying from unknown places you may be funding animal cruelty. Therefore, look for recommendations and get to know the place before adopting your puppy.

Furthermore, due to the difficulty of finding the Somali cat in Brazil, the value of the breed's kittens is usually above R$5,000.00. Thus, prices vary according to the sex and coat of the cat.

So, the Somali cat has a muscular body, medium-sized legs and a majestic and elegant look. Thus, he is considered a medium-sized cat, with a height between 20 centimeters and 25 centimeters and usually weighs between 3.5 kg and 5 kg. By the way, females are usually smaller than males.

In general, this cat is strong and robust, but although he is in good health, there are some genetic predispositions to some diseases. First, pyruvate kinase deficiency can affect up to 30% in Somali cats. In this sense, the lack of the enzyme pyruvate kinase can cause anemia.

Furthermore, the Somali cat can also develop progressive retinal atrophy, a hereditary disease that affects the kitten's vision. In addition, it is important to take your cat to the veterinarian for regular appointments and to maintain the vaccination routine. With good care and health, the Somali's life expectancy is long, and can exceed 15 years.

Well, if you intend to have a cat of this breed, it is important that you have the time and disposition for your pet. That's because the Somali cat has a lot of energy and likes to play, run and jump. In fact, environmental enrichment is essential for him to have a healthy and happy life.

So invest in shelves, scratching posts and towers so that the cat has room to jump and be entertained. In addition, this breed is very intelligent and you can easily teach your pet tricks. It is also important to provide games and activities that challenge the curiosity and intellect of these cats, who are very smart and can get bored easily.

Furthermore, it is important to maintain a good grooming routine for the Somali cat. In this sense, the breed is characteristic of longer hair. Therefore, it is interesting to brush it at least twice a week with specific brushes for its hair type.

Although he is a very agitated and energetic cat, the breed is also usually a foodie. That is, try to keep your Somali cat's diet balanced with quality feed that offers a good amount of protein. Also, have a regressed meal routine, as the breed is prone to obesity.

Finally, the Somali cat will demand from you what every pet requires, love, attention and a lot of affection! By the way, do you want to know another breed of cat that is very affectionate and tends to get attached to the owner? Then check out our following content and find out everything about the Scottish Fold cat.