Somali vs Birman - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Somali vs Birman - Breed ComparisonBirman is originated from France but Somali is originated from United States. Both Birman and Somali are of same weight. Both Birman and Somali has same life span. Both Birman and Somali has same litter size. Both Birman and Somali requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

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France
United States
Weight Male:
3 - 6 kg
6 - 14 pounds
3 - 6 kg
6 - 14 pounds
Weight Female:
3 - 6 kg
6 - 14 pounds
3 - 6 kg
6 - 14 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 15 Years
10 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 6
2 - 6
Other Names:
The Sacred Cat of Burma
None
Colors Available:
White, cream, chocolate
Coat of many colors - mostly brownish color with black ticking.
Coat:
Medium-long, silky and shiny
Medoum length, soft and silky
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

birmanThere isn’t clarity as to this exquisite cat’s origins. Many people believe they originated as the companions of temple priests in northern Burma.

The cats somehow found their way to France, and it is believed that they have been in France since the 1920s.

The cats nearly disappeared during World War II, but luckily the remaining Birmans that survived were crossed with Siamese and Persians to strengthen the breed. In the early 1950s, pure Birnam litters were produced. It was in about 1959 that Birmans were brought to the United States.

The cats were also recognized in Britain in 1965 and in 1966 by the CFA. The first Birman cats were seal point but later other colors were brought in such as red, chocolate, and tabby.

somaliThe 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.

Description

birman kitten - descriptionThese are medium-sized cats which can become fairly large. They can weigh up to 4, 5 or 6kg. They are fairly heavily boned with a broad face and ears that are widely spaced.

The round eyes are deep blue. The cat’s fur is medium-long and should be silky to the touch with no undercoat. Ther cat is a moderate shedder.

The base color is whitish to cream, but the kittens are always born white. Coat color, whether red, cream, or chocolate is always pointed and the cat always has the white paws.

Temperament:

The Birman isn’t as outgoing as some of the other cat breeds and its a quiet, docile intelligent cat that attaches itself to one particular family member. They can actually become jealous of their human companion and demand their attention.

These friendly cats are wonderful choices for families with children and dogs. They are calm and affectionate, and softly spoken, quietly letting you know when it’s dinner time and enjoying just being around his human family.

He is able to get along well with kids and other pets in the home. He can become quite playful too and because he is so intelligent, you can buy him some toys that require him to think.

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.

Characteristics

birman cat - characteristicsThe Birman cat has to be one of the most beautiful cats there are, but the cat isn’t only a beautiful cat, it has wonderful characteristics as well.

It is a loving, affectionate cat with his human family, loving to spend time around them. Playful and healthy, when you bring this most wonderful cat into your home, it will be as though an angel has come to stay.

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.

Health Problems

birman kittens - health problemsWith good health your Birman can reach up to 13 years of age. With the Birman, the most serious illness is feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which also happens to be the most common heart disease in cats.

It’s a progressive disease and can result in heart failure. The cats are also at risk of developing feline infectious peritonitis.

Also, because this is a larger cat and a stocky kind of breed, it can easily put on weight and then become overweight. Strict attention will need to be given to diet as well as daily exercise.

Also, look out for Corneal dermoid - skin and hair on the surface of the cornea in one eye or in both. Luckily this is an eye problem that can be surgically corrected.

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.

Caring The Pet

General:

birman cats - caringThe Birman has a silky coat that sheds moderately so you want to give him a gentle brush once or twice a week to keep the coat of his soft and silky.

The Birman has a full topcoat, with no undercoat which means that you won’t have the coat matting or tangling.

He’ll need his nails trimmed and his teeth checked regularly. Your vet or professional groomers can do this for you and clean his teeth and check that there are no bad teeth making your pet sick.

Diet:

The Birman cat has access to some great commercial cat food as there are some seriously good quality ones.

Many cat lovers choose cat foods that are AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) approved. It at least provides minimum standards for pet foods.

For your Birman you want to avoid artificial flavors and preservatives. Choose quality foods high in meat protein. As a carnivore, a cat has a huge need for meat protein. Get to know your pet food labels and choose foods with added taurine and vitamin A.

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.

Comparison with other breeds

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