THE SOMALI

What Is The Somali Like As A Pet?

Active, alert, affectionate, intelligent are just a sample of the words somali owners use to describe these wonderful pets.  The Somali insists on “paws on” contact with their humans.  They seek out people to love with the intensity of a heat-seeking missile.  They specialize in body contact - head bumps, leg rubs, nose snuggles, ear nibbles and shoulder riding.  They may have soft quiet voices, but they demand attention from their owners.  Somalis are not for people who prefer independent cats.  Somalis also teach their owners to be neat and tidy housekeepers.  Obviously to them, anything left laying around was meant to be a toy for their recreational pleasure.

What Does The Somali Look Like?

The Somali’s wild-looking appearance attracts many people to the breed.  The ruddy coat coloring resembles the color often seen on wild squirrels, rabbits, foxes and deer.  The fur consists of a reddish brown silky-soft undercoat.  This is covered by longer hair which is banded or “ticked” with several colors.  The original and most popular color is called ruddy.  It begins at the base of the hair with a burnt sienna color alternating shades  of reddish browns and finally tipped in black.  Ruddy kittens are born very dark and with no bands of ticking.  The ticking develops gradually as they mature.  It can take up to two years for this unique coloring to reach its full beauty.