Sokoke vs British Longhair - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

Compared to other breeds of cat, the rare Sokoke Forest Cat is a fairly new natural breed. It comes from the Sokoke district of eastern Kenya but was developed in the USA.

It is in fact, named after the Arabuko Sokoke National Forest, from where the wild foundation stock came from. Wildlife artist Jeni Slater started breeding these cats in the 1970s. They eventually reached Denmark, where further breeding continued, with the cat becoming popular with local cat fanciers, and laid the foundation of the breed in Europe.

Today, there are just a few breeders registered in the UK and TICA, The International Cat Association lists the Sokoke cat as a New Preliminary Race and it was recognized by FIFe in 1993.

The British Longhair cat hails from Great Britain. The cat is a longer-haired variety of the British Shorthair.

These British Shorthairs were interbred with imported long-haired varieties with the idea being to bring about a cat that was more compact and stout and with a rounder face. Today the British Longhair is an established longhair breed in its own right.

The Sokoke is a medium-sized cat with a long, lean body and slender legs. The hind legs are somewhat longer than the front legs. The head is smallish and round and he has a constantly alert look to him.

A striking characteristic of the Sokoke cat is its tabby fur, which people say looks like the bark of a tree and it is brindle in coloring.

The tail is medium to long and the ears are also fairly large, The eyes are large and almond-shaped and can be greenish to brown. The coat is short and coarse.

Temperament:

Cat lovers enjoy these playful, curious, intelligent, and family-orientated cats. In spite of their wild side, they adapt easily into different homes.

They’re inquisitive and will follow you, much like a dog. They will even enjoy a leash being put on them and being taken for a walk. They’re very sociable and vocal too and get on with everyone, children and other pets included.

They’re playful cats, loving to jump and climb and then look down at you from their high perches. Easily bored, you will need to provide fun and games continuously.

They enjoy being involved with everything you’re doing and form a strong bond with their owners. Because the Sokoke is social and affectionate, they require quite a lot of attention, and if they don’t get the attention they crave, they meow in anxiety.

The beautiful British Longhair cat is a medium-sized feline, leaning towards being a large cat with semi-long hair.

The cat, whether males or females can weigh between 4 and 8kg. It is robust and muscular with round paws and legs of medium length. The ears are smallish and round at the tips.

The color of the eyes can be different - browns, greens, blue, and grey. The colors of the coat can be blue, white, black, grey, calico, tabby, bi-color and tortoiseshell. The coat can be a solid color or it can be in different patterns. The fur is always medium length and silky with an undercoat.

Temperament:

The British Longhair has much the same personality as the British Shorthair – being calm, amicable cats who appreciate their human owners.

They’re adaptable cats too and are willing to get along with any other pets in the home as well. They’re playful and affectionate with their owners but don’t particularly like being held for too long.

Even though this is a docile cate, it is intelligent and will require mental stimulation. You’ll need to invest in a few ‘intelligent’ type of toys to keep your cat physically and mentally active. Take a look at the kinds of games where your cat will be required to ‘hunt’ for his food.

Your Sokoke is a very social cat and he will get on particularly well in a home with children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.

They are able to adapt well to homes where there are other pets too. They just love exercise and lots of fun. They don’t like being in a home where the owner is out at work all day. The solution to this is to provide him with another cat as a companion.

Sokoke cats are great with people of all ages, and when you bring one of these lively cats into your home, make sure he also receives his share of love and companionship.

The British Longhair makes an awesome pet and can live happily with children, other dogs, and cats and all of his human family.

He isn’t a cat that wants to be picked up too often – he is independent but is willing and loving towards his humans.

For the friendship he offers, you’ll want to reward him for the joy he brings by providing well for him.

Sokoke cats are generally healthy and have no inherited diseases. To ensure that your Sokoke stands a chance of having a healthy life, you need to have him vaccinated against the life-threatening cat diseases there are.

If your Sokoe cat isn’t his usual self day after day, make a point of getting him to the vet just as soon as possible.

Scratching and hair loss:

Parasites are a terrible scourge with cats, and in fact, the number one cause of hair loss in cats is fleas. The bite of a flea can cause an allergic reaction. Your cat can become miserable with continuous biting, itching, and scratching and this can all lead to hair loss.

It is a wise move to speak to your vet about a good product to treat your furry friend with.

Diarrhea:

There can actually be many causes of diarrhea in cats and one of them is parasites, but it can also be caused by a viral infection or food allergy or something else.

You want to get your cat to the vet who can help you bring it under control. You may also have to feed your cat a bland kind of diet to help the cat’s digestive tract recover from the diarrhea.

These beautiful cats can be prone to obesity if kept as an indoor cat only and a cat that doesn't get enough exercise.

Obesity, an accumulation of excess body weight, is a preventable disease. It is necessary to prevent this obesity as it can reduce your pet’s life expectancy. Fat tissue is active, secreting inflammatory hormones and creating oxidative stress on the body’s tissue, and this is precisely what contributes to so many diseases.

The British Longhair cat can also be prone to renal polycystosis. This disease is where many pockets of fluid or cysts form in the kidney and if they grow large over time they can actually interfere with kidney function and this can bring on kidney failure.

Because the Sokoke’s coat is short and close-lying, with little or no undercoat, brushing once a week will be sufficient.

Keep the cat’s eyes and ears clean, and his claws trimmed.

The Sokoke cat is very energetic, and he will need games, toys, and attention to keep him physically and mentally stimulated. They love climbing so a climbing tree and other kind of equipment will be a good idea.

Provide your cat with a litter box and ensure it is kept scrupulously clean by removing the cat’s feces every single day.

Diet is of critical importance to the health and happiness of a cat. Some people try to feed their cats human foods and wonder why their cat is continuously sick. A cat is a carnivore and he requires meat.

You can speak to your vet about the best kind of commercial cat food there is for your cat. Read the label and feed him portion-sizes as directed.

Make sure your cat has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Because of the long hair, the British Longhair is going to require brushing as the coat can easily become matted, particularly as the coat thickens in preparation for winter.

You’ll need to brush the hair once a week, but perhaps more in peak shedding times. A gentle but firm brushing keeps the cat’s fur and skin in good condition.

Have your pet spayed and neutered to avoid unwanted kittens.

Take your pet to the vet as soon as he is unwell. He is part of your family now and must be treated as such.

Provide your pet with human companionship especially if you buy one of the more social cats.

If your cat is an indoor pet, provide him with a litter box ad be prepared to clean it every day.

Provide a clean, dry, comfortable bed in a quiet area.

Provide your cat with stimulating toys.

Vaccinate your cat against the major feline diseases. Also, have your cat dewormed.

Diet:

In terms of nutritional requirements, make sure that your British Longhair gets the very best cat food there is, whether you provide him with homemade food or you give him some of the excellent commercially manufactured cat foods there are.

There are wet- and dry foods and it's for your furry friend to decide which one he prefers.

Learn to read labels and make sure your cat is getting foods high in protein, after all, your cat is a carnivore.

Be sure that the food has lots of vitamins and minerals for his health. A cat also needs a constant supply of fresh, cool water.