Both Sokoke and Safari are originated from United States. Both Sokoke and Safari are having almost same weight. Sokoke may live 4 years less than Safari. Both Sokoke and Safari has same litter size. Both Sokoke and Safari requires Low maintenance.
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 Safari Cat, hailing from the USA, is one of the rarest breeds of cats. There are only about 70 of these cats registered at the International Cat Association.
The Safari cat is a mix of a moggy and Geoffroy's cat. At first, the cat was used for research purposes by Washington State University but then cat breeders took over the development of the breed.
The name ‘Safari’ was chosen because of its wild look.
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.
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 hybrid Safari cat is a medium to large-sized cat that at first weighed in the region of 15kg, but the cat now weighs roughly 11kg.
Its body is much like that of the wild parent, the Geoffroy – muscular and compact. The ears aren’t particularly large and are smallish, rounded ears with a fairly broad head.
It has a typical wild cat look and is a spotted or rosetted cat breed. Below the spots, the coat is a silvery grey shade.
The coat which is short actually comes in a variety of colors that come from both cat breeds. The eyes of this cat are either yellow or green. The Safari cat certainly has a wild cat appearance, because of the cross-breeding. This is a rare cat and because of this, there is no breed standard for it.
They can live to be between 17 and 20 years of age.
Even though one of the parent breeds is a wild cat, the Safari cat is described as an easy-going cat that can make a good pet.
The cat is very intelligent and playful and will enjoy swimming and climbing. It is for this purpose that he needs to have quite a large outside enclosure with a pool of sorts so that he can paddle.
There isn’t much information on their interaction with children and other pets in the home. While they are quite likely to make good pets where there are children, there would have to be supervision where there are small children. During play, these cats can bit. It would be extremely important to teach children to respect any animal and to be gentle and kind to them.
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.
As a hybrid cat, your Safari is interesting alright, but unfortunately, you can’t ever be 100% sure of a hybrid cat. It needs careful consideration before you bring one into your home.
Apart from coming into the home from time to time, hybrid cats need an outside enclosure too that is securely fenced and gated and with a roof.
You made a decision to buy a cat with a wild side. It may live up to all your expectations but it may not either.
When you do research you find that the biggest number of behavioral complaints from owners of hybrid cats are about aggression issues and the refusal to use a litter box when indoors.
There is still a raging debate going on as to whether hybrids make suitable pets, but when you bring any animal into your home, as a responsible adult it is your job to provide well for it to ensure its happiness.
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.
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.
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.
The Safari cat isn’t a particularly well-known breed so there isn’t much information on their health. They can suffer from the same illnesses as non-hybrid domestic cats.
Certain hybrid breeds, such as the Safari, can sometimes have issues with reproduction as some cats are infertile. Domestic cats and wild cats have a different number of chromosomes and this results in reproductive problems, and stillbirths are quite common.
Because the Sokoke’s coat is short and close-lying, with little or no undercoat, brushing once a week will be sufficient.
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.
It is recommended that you brush this cat each week. He isn’t a big shedder but the brushing once a week keeps the fur in good condition, removing loose hairs and dust.
A high protein diet is imperative. Cats are carnivores and a meat diet is imperative. You can speak to your vet or a cat expert about feeding your Safari cat. Certainly, they need to be fed high-quality cat food. These foods are available in wet and dry form.
He will definitely need some raw meat. Make sure you understand the ingredients in some low- quality cat foods as corn for cats can be a problem for them, hard to digest and it could cause intestinal problems.