Somali Cat: the long-haired Abyssinian with a fox's tail

In the mid-20th century, Abyssinian breeders started noticing something odd in some litters: kittens with semi-long fur. The trait was recessive, so only homozygous cats showed it, and at first these fluffy outliers were brushed aside as "defective Abyssinians" and quietly placed in pet homes. Two breeders saw something else. Mary Mailing in Canada and Evelyn Mague in the United States decided in the 1970s to stop hiding them and start building a breed of their own.

Today the result is the Somali: an Abyssinian wrapped in a silky semi-long coat, with a tail so full it earned the cat its nickname. It runs, climbs, chatters softly, and follows its people from room to room with the same restless intelligence as its short-haired ancestor.

Where the Somali's name comes from

The name Somali is a geographic wink rather than a statement of origin. Abyssinia, the old name for modern Ethiopia, sits next to Somalia, so breeders borrowed the neighboring country's name to mark the "cousin" relationship to the Abyssinian. The cat itself has no Somali roots: it is simply an Abyssinian carrying the long-hair gene, developed in North America.

The full, plumed tail reads visually like the brush of a small fox, which is why the breed picked up the informal nickname "fox cat" in some circles. The CFA recognized the Somali in 1979, and the international federations followed.

How is it different from the Abyssinian?

Only in one place: the coat. Everything else, body, pattern, and personality, is shared.

Trait	Somali	Abyssinian
Coat	Semi-long, silky	Short, fine
Tail	Full, fox-like	Long, short-haired
Brushing	2-3 times a week	Weekly
Body	Lean, muscular	Lean, muscular
Pattern	Ticked	Ticked
Temperament	Sociable, vocal, energetic	Sociable, vocal, energetic

The temperament is identical to the Abyssinian: extreme sociability, sky-high energy, notable intelligence, and a real need for human company.

What its temperament is actually like

Everything the Somali is, it inherited from the Abyssinian, then kept turned up to maximum.

• Extreme sociability with its family. This is not an aloof cat that tolerates you; it actively seeks you out.
• Very high energy. It plays, leaps, and climbs, and it wants vertical territory to do it on.
• High intelligence and curiosity. Expect a cat that investigates cabinets, learns routines, and gets bored fast without stimulation.
• Soft but communicative voice. It talks, but quietly, with chirps and trills rather than loud demanding meows.

The flip side is real: the Somali needs company for a good part of the day and does not handle prolonged solitude well. An owner gone ten hours a day will come home to a frustrated, sometimes destructive cat.

What hereditary health issues it has

The Somali carries the same genetic load as the Abyssinian, which means a responsible breeder should be testing for it.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). An inherited degeneration of the retina that gradually leads to blindness. A genetic test is available, so carriers can be identified before breeding. Lines screened for the recessive rdAc mutation are the safe ones.

Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PK-Def). An inherited enzyme defect that causes intermittent anemia. It is one of the better-understood conditions in this lineage, with a reliable genetic test through laboratories such as the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory.

Renal amyloidosis. Abnormal protein deposits in the kidneys that can progress to renal failure. Unlike PRA and PK-Def, there is no predictive genetic test yet, so it is managed through veterinary monitoring rather than pre-breeding screening.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Present at a moderate level, as in many breeds. The heart muscle thickens and circulation suffers; periodic cardiac screening (echocardiography) is the practical safeguard.

Average life expectancy is 12-15 years with appropriate care. Buying from a breeder who can show PRA and PK-Def test results on both parents removes most of the avoidable risk.

Does the Somali need a lot of grooming?

Less than you would expect from the look of it. The coat is silky and lacks a dense undercoat, so it does not mat the way a Persian's does.

• Brushing 2-3 times a week with a wide-tooth comb or a deshedding tool for long-haired cats.
• Daily brushing during seasonal sheds, which are heavier in spring and fall.
• Attention to the ruff and the base of the tail, where tangles first appear.

That is genuinely the whole routine. The fox-like tail looks high-maintenance and is not.

Does it adapt well to apartment life?

Yes, with conditions. The Somali does not need acres, but it absolutely needs an enriched interior:

• Tall vertical scratching posts and cat trees. This is a climber, and it wants height.
• Interactive and puzzle toys to channel its intelligence; without them, that energy turns into mischief.
• Daily active play with a human, not just objects left on the floor.
• Ideally a second active cat for company, especially in a household where people are out during the day.

Given those things, a Somali thrives in an apartment. Denied them, it becomes restless and frustrated.

How much should a Somali eat?

A healthy 9-pound (4 kg) adult needs roughly 1.5-2.3 oz (45-65 g) of premium dry food per day, adjusted for activity, and this is a very active cat. Prioritize high animal protein to support that constant energy expenditure, and split the ration into two or three meals. Fresh water should always be available, ideally from a fountain, since many cats in this lineage prefer moving water.

How much does a Somali cost in the United States?

A kitten with pedigree from a CFA- or TICA-registered breeder, with PRA and PK-Def testing on the parents and early socialization, typically costs between $900 and $2,000 in 2026. Show-quality lines run higher. As always, a suspiciously cheap kitten sold without documentation usually means absent genetic testing and a much higher chance of inherited disease down the road.

If you would rather adopt, Abyssinian and Somali rescues exist in the United States, and breed-specific rescue groups occasionally place adults who were surrendered when their previous owners underestimated the energy level.

Somali data sheet

Identification

• Size: medium, lean and athletic
• Weight: 8-12 lb males / 5.5-9 lb females
• Length: 16-21 in nose to tail tip
• Life expectancy: 12-15 years
• Origin: Canada and the United States (1970s), descended from the Abyssinian

Physical

• Coat: semi-long, silky, ticked, no dense undercoat
• Colors: ruddy, sorrel (red), blue, fawn
• Tail: full and plumed, fox-like
• Eyes: amber or green, expressive

Temperament

• Sociability: very high
• Vocalization: soft and communicative, rarely loud
• Trainability: high; learns games and cues readily

Care

• Brushing: 2-3 times a week; daily during shed
• Exercise: needs vertical space and daily play
• Company: poorly suited to long hours alone

Is this breed for you?

Yes, if you are home often, want an active and interactive cat, and can provide vertical space and daily play. The Somali rewards engagement with affection and entertainment, and it pairs beautifully with another energetic cat.

No, if you are away from home most of the day, prefer a calm and sedentary lap cat, or want a low-interaction pet. This is a cat that needs a partner, not a decoration.

Frequently asked questions

Is it the same as the Abyssinian? Genetically, almost: the Somali is an Abyssinian that carries the recessive long-hair mutation. The temperament is identical; only the coat differs.

Does it shed a lot? Moderately, with heavier shedding during seasonal molts in spring and fall. The lack of a dense undercoat keeps it manageable.

Does it get along with dogs? Yes, with calm, cat-friendly dogs, especially when introductions are done gradually and early.

How long does it live? Typically 12-15 years with appropriate care and genetically screened parentage.

Does it need another cat? Not strictly, but it does much better with active company. A second energetic cat is a strong recommendation for households where people are out during the day.

Bibliography

• The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), Official Breed Standard: Somali. https://cfa.org
• The International Cat Association (TICA), Somali judging criteria and genealogical registry. https://tica.org
• University of California Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, genetic testing for PRA and pyruvate kinase deficiency in Abyssinian and Somali cats.
• American Veterinary Medical Association, clinical resources on feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
• Royal Veterinary College, VetCompass studies on hereditary disease prevalence in cat breeds.