The longhaired Abyssinian: a supple cat with a soft, ticked coat and a tail like a fox's, curious and fond of people.
The Somali is the longhaired Abyssinian. The Abyssinian is its short-haired sister breed: they share the same build, the same colours and the same coat in which every hair has light and dark bands. Only the Somali's coat is semi-long and silky, with a ruff, breeches and a big plumed tail. That makes it look like a little fox. It is clever, playful and wants to be part of everything.
Loves its people and wants to share whatever they do, often even more than an Abyssinian.
Not a lap cat: it drops by, but would rather join in than sit still.
Stays playful all its life, a real clown who loves games and toys.
Lively and always busy, happiest with something to climb and a window to look out of.
Likes to chirp and trill while it 'helps' you, but is not known as a loud cat.
Clever and quick to learn what pays off, such as opening a cupboard door.
Usually friendly with visitors, but a sensitive Somali may hang back at first.
Often a fun playmate for somewhat older children who are calm with it.
Little is known about it. Let a dog and a Somali get used to each other slowly.
Happy with one or two cat friends, but less so in a big group where it has to share attention.
Does not like long days alone. It is happiest with company.
Can live indoors with enough toys and scratching posts. A safe garden or balcony is nice, as it likes to roam.
The Somali comes from Somalia.
The name is just a wink: Somalia lies next to Ethiopia, once called Abyssinia, after which the Abyssinian is named. The breed was made in North America.
A Somali is just an Abyssinian with long hair.
In its genes that is nearly right. But CFA names real differences: a silkier coat, bands that appear slowly and a fuller tail. Most registries see it as a breed of its own.
The long coat comes from a Persian crossed in on purpose.
Some Abyssinian breeders thought so, but a 1976 pedigree study traced every Somali back to Abyssinians. How the gene for long hair first got into the Abyssinians was never recorded.
In the 1950s, long-haired kittens kept turning up in North America in litters of Abyssinians, the short-haired sister breed. At some point a hidden gene for long hair had entered their pedigrees. In the 1960s breeders in Canada and the United States began breeding these cats on purpose, and named them Somali. Recognition followed: in 1979 in America, in 1981 in Europe.
In North America, Raby Chuffa of Selene appears: the first known long-haired Abyssinian.
Breeders in Canada and the United States, among them Ken McGill and Don Richings, start breeding long-haired Abyssinians on purpose.
New Jersey breeder Evelyn Mague finds the long-haired male George in a shelter and names the new breed Somali.
The Somali Cat Club of America is founded, with Evelyn Mague as president.
America's CFA starts registering Somalis. A pedigree study shows they all descend from Abyssinians.
CFA lets the Somali compete for championship titles.
The first Somalis come to England. Germany and the Netherlands already had them in the 1970s.
The European federation FIFe recognises the Somali, with the same standard as the Abyssinian.
Britain's GCCF gives the Somali championship status.
The GCCF gives preliminary recognition to the Somali Shorthair: short-haired cats from Somali lines.
Medium-sized, supple and muscular, neither stocky nor very fine. It stands tall on its legs, as if on tiptoe, just like the Abyssinian.
A short-haired cat from Somali lines. It looks like an Abyssinian, with a smooth, fairly short coat without ruff or breeches, but it carries the gene for long hair hidden inside.
Recognition: Preliminary recognition by Britain's GCCF since 2012. In CFA such a kitten counts as a Somali.
Cat registries write colours as an EMS code. The letter is the colour (n black, a blue, d red, f tortie), s means silver or smoke, y golden, and the numbers tell you about white (01–09), shading (11, 12), the tabby pattern (22–25) or colourpoint (33).
Ruddy(n 25)
Sorrel(o 25)
Blue(a 25)
Fawn(p 25)
Ruddy silver(ns 25)
Sorrel silver(os 25)Silver is allowed by FIFe, WCF and Britain's GCCF. CFA only names the four classic colours.
In Britain's GCCF and France's LOOF, not in FIFe or WCF.
In Britain's GCCF and France's LOOF, not in FIFe or WCF. True red is not the same as sorrel, which is sometimes also called 'red' in America.
Britain's GCCF recognises tortie; France's LOOF judges it too. FIFe and WCF do not have it in the Somali.
A Somali is always ticked, with no stripes or spots on the body. White, white patches and points are in no standard; only a little white on the chin and nostrils is fine.
Its pointed ears, slim body and full plumed tail have earned it the nickname fox cat.
A Somali kitten is born dark. Only at about two years old does it have its real, ticked coat.
Somalis often find water exciting. Some turn on the tap themselves to watch the drops.
It is clever enough to learn how to open a closed cupboard door.
Two Somalis never have short-haired kittens, because the gene for long hair must be there twice and both parents have it twice.
According to Britain's GCCF a Somali usually lives 12 to 14 years, other sources say up to 15. There is no large study of Somalis alone.
Red blood cells break down too soon, so the cat has bouts of anaemia: it is then tired, thin and off its food. It can start anywhere between six months and five years, and some cats never show anything. In a 2012 study about 1 in 6 tested Somalis was a carrier. Testing has made the risk smaller today.
How it is found: DNA test of the parents. A kitten only gets it when both parents are carriers.
As in the Abyssinian, there are two forms. In the usual form (rdAc) a kitten sees normally at first, but the retina slowly wears out, and most cats are blind between three and five years old. In the early form (Rdy) a kitten can go blind in its first months. An indoor cat often copes for a long time.
How it is found: Two separate DNA tests of the parents, for rdAc and for Rdy. For rdAc two carriers are not mated together; a cat with Rdy is not bred from.
Tartar makes the gums red and sore, and the cat can lose teeth. Some Somalis are prone to it.
How it is found: No test. Check the teeth often, and have the vet clean them at the yearly check when needed.
Gentle brushing once a week keeps the coat free of tangles; much less work than a Persian. In the thick winter coat, do check the breeches and between the hind legs.
It needs a lot: toys, scratching posts to climb and a spot with a view of everything that moves.
Watch for tartar and red gums, and have its teeth checked every year.
If it goes outside, give it a safely fenced garden or balcony. It is curious and likes to wander far otherwise.
It does not want to be alone all day. A second cat helps, but it does not enjoy a big group.
Checked on 21 October 2026
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