About Abyssinian & Somali cats

The coolest cats you'll ever meet

The most intelligent cats in the world

Rated as the most intelligent cat species on earth, once you meet an Aby or a Somali, your life will never be the same.

Although registered as different breeds, Abyssinian and Somali cats are genetically the same breed, the only difference being the length of the hair. Abyssinian cats have short hair, while Somali cats have long hair (and are sometimes called long-haired Abyssinians)

Colours

One of the most unique and amazing things about the Abyssinian and Somali cats, is their colour! Have you ever seen a cat that glows? Look no further :) There are 4 main colours, and much rarer are the silver variations of these colours. Which is your favourite? We are lucky enough to have one of each colour Abyssinian cat at our home in Cape Town, South Africa.

Ruddy (Usual, Wild)

The most common (and popular) colour, a ruddy brown with black ticking, these cats have a wild look to them

Sorrel (Cinnamon, Red)

A rich warm glowing red with chocolate brown ticking, think luminous orange or we like " nuclear orange "

Blue

A warm blush beige undercoat with slate blue ticking, this colour is more rare and extremely unique and beautiful

Fawn

A warm beige undercoat with cocoa brown ticking, very similar to their cousins the lions. The most rare colour.

Black Silver

Rarer still are the silvers, they have the same 4 colour variations, except they have a silvery white undercoat

Basics about the breed

Physical Attributes

Abyssinian's are medium sized short haired cats. Their bodies are athletic and muscular, think minature lynx or puma. Their faces are expressive, with large almond shaped eyes and large cupped ears.

Colour

Well known for their intensely coloured coats, they have a unique ticked pattern (bands of different colours on each strand of hair), giving them a wild looking appearance. The four main colours are ruddy, sorrel, blue and fawn. Less common are the silver variations of these colours.

Personality

Rated as the world's most intelligent cat, they are always on the move exploring and playing, and will interact with their family 24/7. They do not want to be left out of anything, and will follow you around the house assisting with cooking, cleaning, showering, and sleeping.

Grooming

They require very little when it comes to grooming. We hardly find cat hair anywhere, although you might find a bit of hair shed when they loose their winter coat, and we do give ours a wash ever few months.

Unique traits

Extremely intelligent

Many love water and will swim/shower/bath with you

Athletic and love to climb

Very affectionate

Loyal and form strong bonds

Health

Very healthy cats, although some do develop tooth problems later in life.

This can be managed by annual checkups at your vet. Kidney disease used to be a problem, but this can be excluded with genetic testing.

Want to learn more?

Check out these websites & social media pages to learn more about Somali & Abyssinian cats. Please also feel free to contact us with your questions, we are always happy to help : )