Somali vs Ocicat - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

Somali vs Ocicat - Breed ComparisonBoth Somali and Ocicat are originated from United States. Both Somali and Ocicat are having almost same weight. Both Somali and Ocicat has almost same life span. Both Somali and Ocicat has same litter size. Somali requires Moderate maintenance. But Ocicat requires Low maintenance

History

somali - historyThe Somali is a medium- to longhaired Abyssinian. It was in Britain that the original introduction of the longhaired gene took place.

The first Somali cats came about in 1940 and it was British breeder Janet Robertson who exported some of her Abyssinian kittens to New Zealand, Australia and North America, Australia. Most of the kittens had long hair and breeders started showing an interest.

An American Abyssinian breeder Evelyn Mague decided to call her cats Somalis and the breed was recognized internationally by 1991.

ocicat - historyVirginia Daly was the first breeder of Ocicats, hailing from Michigan. She wanted to breed an Abyssinian-pointed Siamese in 1964 and the first kittens looked to be Abyssinian.

With the next litter, the Abyssinian-pointed Siamese and a spotted kitten, nicknamed an Ocicat. Further breedings produced more spotted kittens and became the basis of the Ocicat.

A breeding program was started for Siamese to Abyssinian, and the kittens bred to Siamese. Later the American Shorthair was introduced to the Ocicat and this brought in bigger boning as well as adding silver to the 6 colors of the Ocicat.

It was during the 1980s that the cat was accepted for registration in The Cat Fanciers' Association.

Description

somali kitten - descriptionThe beautiful Somali is a medium-sized cat which means he weighs in the region of 3 to 6kg. He is muscular and lean with the ears being set wide apart.

The ears are also tufted. The eyes of the Somali are almond-shaped and are usually a brown shade or green in color. The legs are long and the paws are also somewhat tufted. The tail is well plumed.

The Somali's coat is lovely and soft, while being thick and lustrous. The adult cats have a ruff. The Somali's coat comes in a range of colors but the most regular color is a beautiful brownish color with black ticking.

Temperament:

The Somali is an intelligent cat that relies heavily on its human owners for company as well as love and care.

They’re fun-loving cats that get on well with children in the home and from other pets. They are active cats and will need exercise. They should have some high perches and cat trees available so they can jump and climb.

ocicat kitten - descriptionOcicats, with their wedge-shaped heads, are strong, large cats with muscular legs that have striped markings. The cat can weight between 4 and 7kg. The ears are large and pointed.

The cat has almond-shaped eyes. The fur has dark spots and there are many color variants that are approved by the major cat registries. The standard colors for the cat are chocolate, cinnamon and tawny.

Temperament:

These large cats have got personality traits from both cats – the Siamese and the Abyssinian. They are friendly, playful, and sociable cats, making excellent family pets, getting on well with children and other pets. Those who have owned them say owning such a cat is similar to owning a dog as they can be taught basic commands and tricks and even walk on a leash.

They are even known to swim with you. They’re cats that crave the attention of their human owners, but bond specifically with one person. It won’t do at all well in a household where it is left alone for long periods of time.

It's an intelligent cat and will most certainly need toys and a lifestyle that is stimulating.

Characteristics

somali cat - characteristicsThe Somali is such a loving and affectionate cat, just loving to spend time with her human family.

Thanks to the cat’s good looks and lovely personality, this low-maintenance cat is a firm favourite when looking for a splendid pet and companion.

ocicat cat - characteristicsThe Ocicat is a friendly, non-aggressive cat that is devoted to his human family. It’s a cat that thrives on being around people and won’t relish being left alone for long periods of time.

The largish cat is intelligent and easily trainable. He loves toys and it will be good to buy him some toys that require him thinking a little bit.

Highly energetic, he’ll love nothing more than for you to become involved in his games. Give him the attention he craves and he’ll become your best friend.

Health Problems

somali kittens - health problemsAlthough the Somali cat breed is healthy, as with many other cat breeds, there are a few hereditary diseases found in the Abyssinian that may be linked to this breed too. Look out for eye problems with the cat as well as anaemia.

Progressive retinal atrophy

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is a degenerative disorder of the retina. This eye disease can either be inherited or acquired.

When a cat gets sick there are some antibiotics that have been associated with progressive retinal atrophy in cats. Cats can also develop vision loss if their diet is deficient.

You have to be very aware of your cat’s diet and ensure that he is getting all the right ingredients, one of which is amino acid taurine. If you can see that your cat is battling to see, you should get him immediately to the vet.even though there is no treatment for PRA. . The vet will explain to you how to make life more comfortable for your pet.

Anemia

Anemia isn’t a specific disease with your cat but rather the result of some other disease or condition. The most common sign that your cat has anemia is that you won’t find that normal pink color of the gums. Your cat will be listless and there may also be signs of blood loss such as blood in the feces or urine. Your vet will do several tests to diagnose the anemia.

ocicat kittens - health problemsDiet is a crucial part of being a healthy cat, There are many excellent commercially manufactured cat foods on the market and your cat might prefer the wet- or dry type of cat food.

The idea is to choose the highest quality cat food that is packed with meat and protein as your cat is a carnivore. One good way to choose a good cat food is to read the ingredients and make sure that the first ingredients are meat.

He wants chicken, tuna, liver and pheasant in his diet. Make sure that the food also contains taurine as this is an essential amino acid that every cat must have.

If in any doubt, speak to your vet as cats require certain vitamins and minerals to remain healthy. Always ensure a fresh supply of cool drinking water.

Your cat requires being vaccinated and dewormed.

Get to know a good vet in your area so that if your cat is sick, you don't have to waste precious time searching for a vet.

Caring The Pet

somali cats - caringCats can sometimes be finicky eaters and even the most delectable morsels might be ignored.

Every cat is unique but every cat is a carnivore – a meat eater – and requires a host of nutrients in their food to be healthy. Commercial cat foods aren’t all one and the same. You get different food for kittens, different foods for young adults, for pregnant cats, for energetic cats, and so on.

There is cat food for every season of a cat’s life. Other important considerations are feeding the right quantity of food to your cat.

Brush your Somali cat each week to keep the coat soft and silky.

Provide your cat with a litter box and empty out the feces every day.

Provide your cat with bowls, bed, scratching post, climbing tree, and toys.

Have your cat spayed or neutered to prevent kittens.

ocicat cats - caringProvide your Ocicat with companionship as these are cats that can’t be left for hours on their own.

Provide your Ocicat with a litterbox that is kept clean. Your ocicat’s dropping must be regularly raked up out of the litter box sand and removed. A cat won’t use a dirty litterbox.

Treat your Ocicat for parasites. In fact, treating parasites isn’t a once-off treatment but ongoing. You can consult with your veterinarian for advice on the best and safest way to treat your pet for worms, ticks, fleas, and mites.

Brush your Ocicat’s fur once a week. They have short fur so they are fairly low maintenance. You can use a rubber hand brush and you can even wipe the fur down with a damp cloth to remove dust. He will have to have his claws trimmed.

Nobody should buy a pet and then do as little as possible for it. Your Ocicat’s going to need daily exercise as well as mental stimulation and he will require this through interaction with his human family. Buy him stimulating toys to keep him busy, play games with him and buy a cat leash so you can take him on walks outdoors for a bit of sunlight.

Basic Information

Origin:
United States
United States
Weight Male:
3 - 6 kg
6 - 14 pounds
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
Weight Female:
3 - 6 kg
6 - 14 pounds
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 15 Years
10 - 17 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 6
2 - 6
Other Names:
None
None
Colors Available:
Coat of many colors - mostly brownish color with black ticking.
cinnamon, chocolate, tawny - spots and stripes
Coat:
Medoum length, soft and silky
Short and silky
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Tabby vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  2. Thai vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  3. Tiger Cat vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  4. Tonkinese vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  5. Torby vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  6. Tortoiseshell vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  7. Toyger vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  8. Traditional Siamese vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  9. Turkish Angora vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  10. Turkish Van vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  11. Tuxedo vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  12. Ukrainian Levkoy vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  13. Ussuri vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  14. Viverral vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  15. Van Kedisi vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  16. York Chocolate Cat vs Somali - Breed Comparison
  17. Somali vs Abyssinian - Breed Comparison
  18. Somali vs Aegean - Breed Comparison
  19. Somali vs African Serval - Breed Comparison
  20. Somali vs Chausie - Breed Comparison
  21. Somali vs American Bobtail - Breed Comparison
  22. Somali vs American Curl - Breed Comparison
  23. Somali vs American Keuda - Breed Comparison
  24. Somali vs American Longhair - Breed Comparison
  25. Somali vs American Polydactyl - Breed Comparison
  26. Ocicat vs Abyssinian - Breed Comparison
  27. Ocicat vs Aegean - Breed Comparison
  28. Ocicat vs African Serval - Breed Comparison
  29. Ocicat vs Chausie - Breed Comparison
  30. Ocicat vs American Bobtail - Breed Comparison
  31. Ocicat vs American Curl - Breed Comparison
  32. Ocicat vs American Keuda - Breed Comparison
  33. Ocicat vs American Longhair - Breed Comparison
  34. Ocicat vs American Polydactyl - Breed Comparison
  35. Ocicat vs American Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  36. Ocicat vs American Wirehair - Breed Comparison
  37. Ocicat vs Applehead Siamese - Breed Comparison
  38. Ocicat vs Ashera - Breed Comparison
  39. Ocicat vs Asian - Breed Comparison
  40. Ocicat vs Asian Semi-Longhair - Breed Comparison
  41. Ocicat vs Australian Mist - Breed Comparison
  42. Ocicat vs Balinese - Breed Comparison
  43. Ocicat vs Bengal - Breed Comparison
  44. Ocicat vs Bicolor - Breed Comparison
  45. Ocicat vs Birman - Breed Comparison
  46. Ocicat vs Blue Russian - Breed Comparison
  47. Ocicat vs Bombay - Breed Comparison
  48. Ocicat vs Brazilian Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  49. Ocicat vs Bristol - Breed Comparison
  50. Ocicat vs British Longhair - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Cat Breeds