About Somalis and Abyssinians and Variants

Somalis and Abyssinians are related breeds. Essentially the Somali is a longer haired version of the Aby. Abyssinian Variants are also referred to sometimes - Abys can be used in Somali breeding programs but not vice versa, and an Aby variant is an Abyssinian that is carrying the gene for long hair. It is still a pedigreed cat.

Appearance and Colours

Somalis and Abys have a special wild look that comes from the ticking on the fur. Each hair has alternating bands of colours, giving a flecked appearance. In South Australia, Somalis are available in the colours of Tawny (ruddy in the USA, usual in the UK), cinnamon (also called sorrel), blue and fawn. Each has its special appeal, however tawny is the colour most often seen. For a closer look at Somali and Aby colours, click here (but come back again!) teach in site

Silver

The above four colours are also possible in a silver version, called respectively Black Silver, Cinnamon Silver, Blue Silver and Fawn Silver. In these colours, a particular gene inhibits the base coat colour, leaving the ticking on a white undercoat. Often the gene does not completely cover the underlying colour, causing colouring of the undercoat, called rufousing. It is particularly difficult to achieve a coat clear of rufous in Abys and Somalis, because the base coat has been selected to be very warm and coloured. But clear coats have been achieved, and the effect is dramatic and very beautiful.

For more detailed information about Somalis and Abyssinians conformation and colours, check out the breed standards, for Somalis and Abyssinians at the Australian Cat Federation website.

Personality

Somalis and Abyssinians have bright, bubbly, energetic and loving personalities. These cats make their presence felt - they share their special joie de vivre with the humans in their lives. They often like to sit on your shoulder to supervise what you are doing, will help with the housework - they are great at making the beds!

Vivace Zayla – pic by David Kilpin

They are intelligent cats who can be taught tricks such as fetching items, and take to walking on a lead. Importantly, they are easily trained to use useful (to humans!) items like scratching posts.

Care

These breeds are not high maintenance - even the Somali's beautiful coat does not require a lot of grooming. Once a week grooming will keep the Somali looking and feeling good. Abys can be groomed simply by stroking with a wetted hand.

People are sometimes surprised to learn that Abys and Somalis can be kept indoors - particularly if they learn as kittens. We have Somali pets who have always been restricted to indoors and cat runs, and they are thriving and gain all the exercise they need. We strongly recommend not allowing these cats to roam, as their busy agendas sometimes don't allow for good road sense, and an indoor life also protects local wildlife. Further information can be obtained from websites such as the American Cat Fanciers Association