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Somali Cats

Are Somali Cats Affectionate?

By Jack Bodeley on Jan 4, 2024 Reviewed by Mick Ford

Unlock the charm of Somali cats: Discover if these feline beauties are as affectionate as they are stunning. Your guide to Somali cat companionship!

Are Somali Cats Affectionate

Table of Contents

Are Somali cats friendly?

Yes. Somali cats are friendly, affectionate, extremely active, and they love to be close to people. Some can be a bit shy though most will get along well with children, strangers and other pets rather easily.

The Somali comes with all the virtues (and vices) of the Abyssinian.

Don’t get a Somali if you want a graceful cat that’s going to lie around the house all day. Like the Aby, the Somali is vigorous, animated, with a real need for play.

Everything is a game to the Somali.

Some Somalis will play fetch, but some will prefer to chase that ball down the hall and then bat it up and down, around and around, until it rolls to your feet for you to throw it again. You will need lockable cabinets when play time is over.

Somalis remain playful and tireless well into their old age.

They are more naturally active, and restless, than most other cat breeds.

Is Somali cat a lap cat?

No. Somali cats may be affectionate but, like most hyperactive breeds, they are not lap cats. They don’t like to be cuddled and when picked up will usually wiggle until you relent and put them down. They prefer to be near you rather than on you.

Somalis are high-spirited, hyperactive, felines—

They love to prance around the house, opening cupboards, drawers, turning on water faucets and generally getting into trouble. Open a drawer and your Somali will be there to peer in, and stick paws inside.

Somalis are very amusing cats to have. They are more like people than cats—small, hairy, hyperactive people.

Although they are not as active as the Abyssinian, Somali cats rate highly in activity level.

Activity levels generally refer to how much a cat breed moves about without being stimulated, as well as a breed’s tendency to be activated by stimulus, such as someone dragging a lamp cord across the floor.

Do Somali cats make good pets?

Somali cats share more than just a fleeting resemblance with the wily fox — they know more ways to get into mischief than a skulk of foxes and they are highly intelligent, which contributes to their talent for mischievous amusement.

If you prefer a high level of activity in a pet and love seeing your cat move and race across, a Somali likely won’t disappoint.

Because the predictive value of activity level is very high, you will be more successful in predicting a kitten’s activity level as an adult than you would most other traits. High predictive value traits such as vocalization and activity levels are far less influenced by environment and training than low predictive value traits such as furniture scratching, for instance

The Bengal and Abyssinian stand out as the most active cat breeds, and the Somali is quite simply a longhaired Aby.