MyCatBreeds
Both Somali and American Wirehair are originated from United States. Both Somali and American Wirehair are having almost same weight. Both Somali and American Wirehair has almost same life span. Both Somali and American Wirehair has same litter size. Somali requires Moderate maintenance. But American Wirehair requires Low maintenance
The 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.
The American Wirehair started as a spontaneous mutation so that somewhere along the line, an unusual litter with this unique wiry type of fur was born.
The cat hails from New York and it was in 1966 that a couple of barn cats had a litter of kittens, some of which were born with this peculiar wiry hair. Only one kitten survived – a male – and later it was discovered that the gene responsible for the wirehair coat was dominant so that only one parent required the gene to produce Wirehair offspring.
Today, all American Wirehairs are descendants of this one surviving male kitten. Today the breed is still fairly rare. It is, however, recognized by the four largest North American cat associations.
The 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.
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.
The American Wirehair is a medium-sized cat, strong and powerful, and can weight 5, 6 or 7 kg.
The head is in proportion to the body and the cat has a strong muzzle and chin. The ears are medium-sized and are rounded at the tips while the eyes are large, round, and set well apart.
It’s the coat that draws attention as unlike a regular cat’s silky fur, the fur of this cat is springy, coarse and wiry to the touch. The coat can be any color or pattern. It is the cat’s very coat that distinguishes it from all other breeds.
With this coat, the less grooming the better. Brushing or combing can damage it, so unless he is shedding heavily, leave it alone.
The only other care he needs really is nail trimming, to check inside his mouth for bad teeth and to also check inside his ears for redness. Both the teeth and the ears can be a source of pain for your pet.
The American Wirehair may have a harsh coat but there is nothing harsh about his personality at all. He is amicable and loving, getting on well with all members of his human family.
He is an independent cat and while he loves spending time with his family, he is quite capable of spending time on his own as well.
The American Wirehair is a playful cat so you want to give him some toys to entertain himself for when you’re not around.
The 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.
The American Wirehair makes a splendid pet, and while he isn’t the best breed for children, he can make a good pet with those children who have been taught kindness, gentleness and respect for animals.
He is calm, quiet, dependent, and sociable and by providing him with a good home, he’ll prove to be a wonderful pet and companion.
Although 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 (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 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.
The American Wirehair is a healthy type of cat but any cat can develop health issues.
Be aware of Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a common form of heart disease in cats where there is the thickening of the heart muscle.
Be careful of overfeeding your cat as obesity is a major contributory disease to many illnesses that a cat gets. Excess weight can contribute to diabetes and arthritis and put pressure on your cat’s joints. Certainly, carrying extra weight can shorten your cat’s life. Make sure your cat gets smaller, healthier meals and that he is active and exercised.
Cats 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 the cat gently once a week. Your cat will love the connection you and he has. While you brush him, make a point of checking inside his ears and inside his mouth as well. It is also time to trim his nails. If you are hesitant to do this, ask you vet for suggestions or you can make use of a pet groomer too.
Make sure your pet cat is free from parasites such as fleas, ticks and heartworm. Your vet can recommend a treatment and it is also a good idea to talk to your vet about vaccines for your cat.
Have your American Wirehair spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted kittens and to promote better health for your cat.
Always choose healthy food for your pet, bearing in mind that cats are carnivores, which means that you need to choose cat-food for your pet that has fish and meat in it. It can be difficult making good homemade food for your cat but there are excellent commercially prepared cat foods to ensure your cat gets the correct balance of nutrients and calories. Bear in mind that your cat's nutritional requirements change through their different stages of life.