Somali cat activity: play, climbing and puzzle feeders

The Somali is the longhaired variety of the Abyssinian, and it has the Abyssinian's energy. The Cat Fanciers' Association describes the breed as busy, active and agenda-driven, curious enough about a closed cupboard door to learn how to unlatch it. Somalis can amuse themselves for hours with enough toys, but the CFA notes they are happiest in interactive play with a person or another pet. A Somali kept indoors without that outlet tends to find its own, and owners rarely like the results.

Daily play and exercise

Play for a cat is hunting practice: watch, stalk, chase, pounce, catch. A wand toy moved like prey, skittering along the floor, pausing and disappearing behind furniture, gives a Somali the whole sequence. Several short sessions spread through the day suit most cats better than one long one, since cats hunt in brief bursts. Let the cat catch the toy at the end, then offer a small meal or treat, which closes the sequence the way a real hunt would.

The AAFP and ISFM feline environmental needs guidelines state plainly that meeting a cat's environmental needs is essential, not optional, and link a poor environment to stress, stress-related disease and unwanted behavior. For an active breed, that makes daily play part of basic care rather than an extra.

Useful kinds of activity for a Somali:

• Wand and feather toys. The main form of interactive play. Put them away afterwards so they stay interesting and the strings are not chewed.
• Fetch. Some Somalis carry small toys back to be thrown again.
• Solo toys. Balls, crinkle toys and kickers, rotated every few days so the same ones are not always on the floor.
• Water. Some Somalis like to play with a dripping tap or a shallow dish of water. Supervise it and never leave standing water a kitten could fall into.

A Somali that loses interest in play, sleeps much more than usual, or stops jumping to its favorite spots is not just getting older and needs a vet check. In this breed that includes the anemia described below.

Climbing and vertical space

Somalis are agile climbers and jumpers, and in a home without planned high routes they use bookshelves, kitchen cupboards and the tops of doors instead. Vertical space also gives a cat somewhere to watch from and to retreat to, which matters in a busy household or one with other pets.

• Tall, stable cat trees. A tree that wobbles when the cat lands will be abandoned. Choose one with a wide base, or fix it to the wall.
• Wall shelves and walkways. Staggered shelves let a cat move around a room above floor level.
• Window perches. Birds, traffic and people outside hold a Somali's attention for long periods.
• Scratching surfaces. Tall vertical posts and horizontal pads, placed near sleeping spots and room entrances.
• A catio or enclosed garden run. Outdoor smells, sounds and sun without the traffic and other risks of free roaming.

Put fragile objects away from any high route the cat has claimed. Deterring a Somali from a shelf works better when an equally good perch is offered nearby.

Puzzle feeders and mental work

A Somali that has been played with but has nothing to think about will still open cupboards and knock things over. Food puzzles use the cat's natural drive to work for food. A JFMS review of food puzzles for cats notes that indoor housing has been associated with lower urinary tract signs and problem behaviors, and presents puzzles as one way to support physical health and emotional wellbeing. The authors are clear that it is a new area of study and draw partly on their own clinical cases.

Introduce puzzles gradually, starting easy so the cat succeeds straight away:

• Stage one. An open tray or a ball that drops kibble when rolled, filled with food the cat already likes.
• Stage two. Boards where food must be pawed out of wells or tubes, or lifted from under covers.
• Stage three. Puzzles that need several steps, or food hidden in different rooms for the cat to search out.
• Homemade versions. Kibble in egg boxes, cardboard tubes folded at the ends, or paper bags with the handles removed.

Measure the food that goes into puzzles out of the day's ration. A cat that gives up and goes hungry needs the puzzle made easier, not harder, and any cat on a new feeding setup should be watched to make sure it is eating enough.

Pyruvate kinase deficiency

Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is an inherited, autosomal recessive condition of red blood cells. Without enough of the enzyme, red cells cannot produce energy normally and are removed from the circulation early, which causes a hemolytic anemia. It has been documented in Abyssinian and Somali cats.

The disease varies a great deal. In a study that followed 25 PK-deficient Abyssinian and Somali cats for up to 11 years, 11 showed no signs their owners noticed. In the other 14, owners noted signs at a median age of 1.7 years:

• Lethargy
• Pale gums
• Poor appetite, weight loss or a poor coat
• Diarrhea
• Yellow gums or eyes (jaundice)
• Eating non-food items (pica)

Six of the 25 cats died or were euthanized, at a median age of 4.1 years. Sixteen had been bred before diagnosis. Because an affected cat can look healthy, the authors strongly recommend testing before breeding. A DNA test exists. When buying a kitten, ask for the parents' PK results. For a cat already at home, testing gives the vet a reason to monitor blood counts and a quick explanation if the cat becomes lethargic.

No diet treats or prevents PK deficiency. An affected cat should eat a complete and balanced food at a healthy weight. Iron or vitamin supplements should not be added unless the vet finds a specific need, because the anemia comes from red cells breaking down, not from a shortage of the nutrients used to make them.

Other inherited conditions

A form of progressive retinal degeneration called rdAc is caused by a mutation in the CEP290 gene. Research in Abyssinian and Somali cats found close agreement between the genotype and the eye changes, but wide variation in the age when vision loss begins and how fast it progresses. A DNA test is available. No food or antioxidant is known to prevent or slow the degeneration. Cats adapt well to gradual vision loss indoors if furniture stays in the same place, and a cat that starts misjudging jumps or bumping into things in dim light should have its eyes examined.

Familial AA amyloidosis, in which an abnormal protein builds up mainly in the kidneys, is described as a hereditary trait in Abyssinian cats. Evidence on Somalis specifically is limited, but given the shared ancestry it is sensible to watch for increased thirst, weight loss and poor appetite, and to include kidney values and a urine test in routine blood work as a Somali reaches middle age.

Feeding an active Somali

Activity does not mean a Somali needs a special high-energy diet. Most need a complete and balanced adult cat food in the right amount. The Merck Veterinary Manual estimate for cats starts with resting energy requirement (RER), 70 multiplied by body weight in kilograms raised to the power 0.75. Multiply by 1.2 for a neutered adult, 1.4 for an intact adult or 1.0 for a cat prone to weight gain.

Figures are kcal per day, rounded to the nearest 5, and are a starting point to adjust by body condition. Ribs should be easy to feel with a thin covering, and the waist visible from above. The full coat and ruff hide changes, so check with the hands every few weeks.

• Include wet food. It adds water to the diet. A water fountain and several water bowls around the home also help.
• Brush regularly. The semi-long coat sheds, and brushing a few times a week removes loose hair before the cat swallows it. A cat that vomits hairballs often, or retches without producing anything, should see a vet.
• Play first, then food. A play session ending in a meal suits the hunting sequence and gives the cat a reason to come when called.

Sources

1. Somali. Cat Fanciers' Association.
2. AAFP and ISFM feline environmental needs guidelines. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2013.
3. Food puzzles for cats: feeding for physical and emotional wellbeing. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2016.
4. Clinical course of pyruvate kinase deficiency in Abyssinian and Somali cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2008.
5. Retinal degeneration in the Abyssinian and Somali cat (rdAc): correlation between genotype and phenotype and rdAc allele frequency in two continents. Veterinary Ophthalmology, 2009.
6. Familial amyloidosis in cats: Siamese and Abyssinian AA proteins differ in primary sequence and pattern of deposition. Amyloid, 1999.
7. Nutritional requirements of small animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.