The Somali is a breathtakingly beautiful cat, with a vibrantly colorful coat, full plume tail, and alert personality. The combination of ticked, dramatically colored fur, striking facial markings, large ears, dark hocks, and full bushy tail and britches gives the Somali a wild “little fox” look which immediately captivates.

The Somali cat is a combination of beauty and personality; a very intelligent cat, its zest for life and love of play (many will fetch toys, open cupboards, and play with water) blossom with human companionship. The Somali is the epitome of everything most people want in a companion animal - lively, alert, and actively engaged in everything that piques their curiosity - but when playtime is over, they will seek all the attention and affection their caretakers are willing to give.

Basically, the Somali is a longhaired Abyssinian, the result of a recessive gene in the Abyssinian cat. How this gene was introduced into the Abyssinian gene pool is a subject of much speculation and controversy; nevertheless, it happened, and the result is our beautiful Somalis, for which we will be forever grateful! A recognized breed in CFA since 1979, Somalis have enjoyed many successes in the show ring. Nothing is more delightful to watch than an impeccably groomed Somali perform in the judging ring. A natural clown, the Somali will show itself to the fullest while playing with any toy a judge chooses.

The Somali is a well-proportioned medium sized cat with firm muscular development. The medium-length, soft and silky coat requires little grooming. The coat is longer around the ruff, tummy, and britches – with that lovely, fluffy, full tail. The feet have tufts of hair between the toes. The large, almond shaped eyes range in color from intense green to rich copper. The coat pattern is agouti (also called “ticked”), which has multiple bands of color on each hair. The Somali comes in four recognized colors in CFA: ruddy, red, blue, and fawn. The colors showing in the ticked fur of the back and tail harmonize with the solid, lighter color on the cat’s undersides.