Somali Kittens: Adopt or Buy in Australia?

The short answer

If you want a papered Somali kitten, buy from a breeder registered with a cat council and ask to see both parents' DNA results for PRA rdAc, PRA Rdy, PK deficiency and PKD 1, the four tests on the ACF list. In November 2026 none of the Somali catteries whose own websites we read published a price, and no council or club publishes one, so ask. If papers do not matter, rescues list long-haired cats of all ages for a rescue fee (RSPCA NSW listed $270 for a kitten under 6 months on 13 November 2026). Fees change, so check with them; reference only, not a quote.

A ruddy Somali with a ticked semi-long coat and a bushy tail, sitting on a cat tree in a living room — A Somali has the Abyssinian's ticked coat in a longer length. Registration papers are the only proof of a purebred.

Should you adopt or buy a Somali?

It depends on whether the papers and the DNA results matter to you. The Somali shares the Abyssinian's inherited eye and blood conditions, and only a registered breeder can show you that both parents were tested. If what you want is an active, curious, semi-longhaired cat, the long-haired cats in rescue are worth a look first: numbers change daily, and the fee covers desexing, microchipping and vaccination.

The RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase encourages prospective owners to adopt from the RSPCA or another reputable animal welfare, rehoming or rescue organisation. If you buy from a breeder, it suggests at a minimum checking they are registered by the relevant authority in your state or territory, visiting the place where the animal was born, and meeting the parents, especially the mother.

Route	Reference cost	What you usually get	Main risk
Registered breeder	No price published on the catteries' own websites we read (November 2026); ask	A papered kitten with known, DNA-tested parents	Waiting lists; you still need to see the test results
Rescue	A rescue fee; see the examples below	Long-haired cats of all ages, desexed, microchipped and vaccinated	Unknown parents and no DNA results; a breed label describes looks, not papers
Online ad or social media	Anything; Scamwatch says a very cheap pet is likely a scam	Anything from a real litter to a kitten that does not exist	Scams, untested parents, fluffy tabbies sold as Somalis

Rescue fees read 13 November 2026 on the pages linked below. Reference only, not a quote: rescues set and change their own fees, so check with them.

How do the registries treat the Somali?

As a breed in its own right that is tied closely to the Abyssinian. The CCCA and the ACF each publish a Somali standard that allows the Abyssinian as an outcross, and ANCATS includes the Somali in its breed profiles. Read on 13 November 2026:

Registry	What it publishes	Outcrosses
CCCA	A Somali standard, issue date November 2023: “a semi-longhaired cat of Abyssinian type, medium build, firm, lithe and muscular. It is an alert, active cat and when standing it gives an impression of being on tiptoes.”	Abyssinian
ACF	A Somali standard, effective 1 January 2018, which names FIFe (1987) as its source: “The Somali is the longhaired version of the Abyssinian.”	Abyssinian
ANCATS	A breed profile saying the breed “was developed in the USA by the retention of long haired kittens produced by the Abyssinian”	Not stated on the profile

The CCCA standard adds a note on mixed litters. Offspring of Abyssinian and Somali matings are not to be used in Abyssinian breeding programs; shorthaired kittens from those matings are recognised as Abyssinian for showing only, have their registration certificates annotated “var”, and may be used in Somali breeding. The CCCA Abyssinian standard carries the same rule from the other side.

Overseas, the Cat Fanciers' Association says the first documented longhair Abyssinians were bred in the mid-1960s and named Somali after the country bordering Abyssinia (now Ethiopia), that it began registering Somalis in 1976, and that they reached championship status in 1979. TICA calls the Somali “the longhaired cousin of the Abyssinian”.

What the Australian standard asks for

Body: medium length, lithe and graceful but muscular. The CCCA says the Somali can look slightly heavier than the Abyssinian because of the coat, and that balance matters more than size.
Head and ears: a slightly rounded wedge, with relatively large ears tilted slightly forward “as though the cat is listening”, preferably tufted.
Coat: medium length, very soft, fine and double, distinctly ticked with two or three bands of colour, with a full ruff and breeches preferred.
Colours: the CCCA lists tawny (ruddy), blue, cinnamon (sorrel), fawn, chocolate and lilac, each also in silver.
Eyes: deep gold, gold, hazel or green.

What does a Somali kitten cost in Australia?

We could not find a published price. No Australian cat council or club publishes a Somali price, and Cats Victoria (GCCFV) says kitten pricing is up to individual breeders and will vary depending on the breed. In November 2026 we checked the council breeder directories we could reach: the Cats Victoria Somali page lists one breeder, whose website asks you to make contact for kittens and shows no price; the NSW CFA directory returned no Somali listings; and the GCCFSA Somali page lists no breeder. We also read the websites of other registered Abyssinian and Somali catteries we found by search; none published a price. We do not quote prices from listing sites, social media or general breed websites.

Route	Reference figure	Read
Member breeders	No price published on their own websites; ask each breeder	13 Nov 2026
Cat councils and clubs	No Somali price published	13 Nov 2026
RSPCA NSW	$270 kitten under 6 months; $220 cat over 6 months	13 Nov 2026
Cat Protection Society of NSW	$150 per cat or kitten; $250 for two	13 Nov 2026

Reference figures only, not quotes. Rescues set and change their own fees, so check with them. Fees in other states are in our guide to kittens for sale in Australia.

When you ask a breeder, ask what the price includes. Cats Victoria suggests asking whether the kitten is desexed, how many vaccinations it has had, whether it is microchipped and whether there is a health guarantee, and says the kitten must be 10 weeks of age or older before it comes to you. ANCATS rules set 10 weeks as the minimum and ANCATS recommends 12.

Which DNA tests should a Somali breeder do?

Four, on the Australian Cat Federation's minimum testing list (October 2025). All four are also on the ACF's Abyssinian list, and each has a DNA test, so a breeder can test the parents before mating.

Test	What it is	Source
PRA rdAc	Late-onset inherited blindness: normal vision at birth, signs usually at 1 to 2 years and blindness by 3 to 5 years, though onset varies	UC Davis; Langford
PRA Rdy	A rare, early-onset inherited blindness in Abyssinian and Somali cats, leading to blindness by 7 weeks of age (ACF lists the test at UC Davis only)	UC Davis
PK deficiency	An inherited red blood cell enzyme deficiency that can cause anaemia, often mild and intermittently detectable	Langford
PKD 1	Polycystic kidney disease (ACF lists the test at one laboratory)	ACF
Blood type	The ACF says AB blood group types should be monitored in all breeds	ACF

A buying checklist, not veterinary advice. Read 13 November 2026.

Langford Vets describes PK deficiency as an inherited disease of Abyssinian and Somali cats and highly recommends that all Abyssinian and Somali cats used for breeding are tested. Both PK deficiency and PRA rdAc are recessive, so carrier cats are healthy and a tested pair can avoid affected kittens. Ask to see the laboratory reports for both parents, not just a line in an ad.

See long-haired cats listed near you

Long-haired cats and kittens from the rescues and shelters we aggregate, with each rescue's notes on personality and other pets. Numbers change daily. Every listing links to the rescue, where you apply directly.

Longhairs in Sydney →Longhairs in Melbourne →Longhairs in Brisbane →Longhairs in Perth →Longhairs in Adelaide →

What is a Somali like to live with?

Like an Abyssinian in a fur coat. The Cat Fanciers' Association describes the personality as busy, active, agenda-driven and affectionate: active, curious and bold cats that may learn to open a cupboard, can amuse themselves with toys but are happiest playing with a person or another pet, and follow their people from room to room. TICA describes loyal, affectionate, highly intelligent and very interactive cats that enjoy the company of another cat with a similar active temperament.

The coat is easier than it looks. The CFA says it is relatively tangle-free and resists matting, with weekly combing recommended, and TICA says Somalis are easy to groom. The ACF standard notes that ticking develops slowly and the true coat is not developed until the age of 2 years, so a kitten will not look like the adult photos straight away.

Good fit: a home with time for daily play, secure climbing space indoors, and ideally another playful cat.
Think twice: long days out with no other pet at home, or a wish for a quiet lap cat.
Not a reason to choose one: allergies. ASCIA says all cat breeds can cause allergies; our hypoallergenic cats guide covers how to test a cat first.

Not sure what kind of cat suits you? Try the what cat breed am I quiz, and see our cost of owning a cat guide for the ongoing costs.

How do you check a Somali breeder?

Rescue is not right for everyone. A registered breeder makes sense if you want a kitten with known, tested parents, plan to show, or want a particular colour. If you go that way:

Registration. Ask which council the breeder belongs to: ANCATS, a member body of the Australian Cat Federation, or a member council of the CCCA. Check with that council directly, not through a link the seller sends.
Papers that say Somali. A Somali-bred kitten with a short coat may be registered as an Abyssinian “var” under CCCA rules; ask how your kitten is registered.
DNA reports for both parents: PRA rdAc, PRA Rdy, PK deficiency and PKD 1.
The mother, in person or on a live video call, and where the kittens are raised, before any deposit.
Age and paperwork. At least 10 weeks old, vaccinated, microchipped and desexed or with desexing agreed in writing.
Your state's rules. Some states require a breeder or source number in kitten ads. Our kittens for sale guide has the state-by-state table.

What do Somali scams look like?

Never pay for a kitten you have not seen with its mother, in person or at least on a live video call, and never pay a deposit to a seller you cannot verify.

Scamwatch says scammers set up fake websites, and fake social media and marketplace profiles, to get you to pay for popular breeds and pets that do not exist. Its advice: view the pet in person by visiting the breeder or seller, ask to see the pet on a video call with the breeder, verify the breeder is legitimate and accredited, and compare prices, because a very cheap pet is likely a scam. It also warns about being asked to pay by money order, pre-loaded card, or to several different PayIDs or accounts.

A fluffy ginger tabby sold as a Somali. Without council papers, a semi-longhaired kitten with a warm coat could be any cat.
“Health tested” with no reports. Ask for the laboratory results for both parents.
“Registered” with no council named, or a membership you cannot confirm with that council.
Copied photos. Run a reverse image search on the kitten photos and search a sentence of the ad.

If you have already paid, contact your bank straight away and report it to Scamwatch.

Where to find a Somali type cat to adopt

We do not have a Somali breed page, so watch the long-haired cat listings and set an alert. If the coat length matters less than the personality, the Abyssinian listings show the shorthaired form of the same breed type. A rescue's breed label describes how a cat looks; ask the foster carer about energy level and other pets.

Long-haired cats in the big cities

Abyssinian-type cats

Abyssinians in Sydney, Abyssinians in Melbourne, Abyssinians in Brisbane, Abyssinians in Perth, Abyssinians in Adelaide. Australia-wide: the Abyssinian page and the Domestic Longhair page. In Sydney, our guides to adopting an Abyssinian and Abyssinian health issues apply closely to the Somali too.

Read the Abyssinian kittens guide for the shorthaired side of the breed. Before you apply, the adoption readiness check takes a few minutes, and our guide to adopting a cat in Australia walks through the process.

Frequently asked questions

Should I adopt or buy a Somali kitten?▼

Buy from a breeder registered with a cat council if it has to be a papered Somali with known parents and tested for the eye and blood conditions the breed can carry, and expect to join a waiting list. If what you want is an active, people-focused, semi-longhaired cat, check the long-haired cats in rescue near you. Numbers change daily, so check the live listings.

How much is a Somali kitten in Australia?▼

We could not find a published price. No Australian cat council or club publishes one, Cats Victoria (GCCFV) says kitten pricing is up to individual breeders, and in November 2026 none of the Somali catteries whose own websites we read published a price; they ask you to make contact. We do not quote prices from listing sites. A rescue cat costs the normal rescue fee, for example $220 for a cat over 6 months at RSPCA NSW (read 13 November 2026; fees change, so check with them; reference only, not a quote).

Is a Somali just a longhaired Abyssinian?▼

In type and colour, essentially yes, and the registries say so. The Australian Cat Federation standard opens: 'The Somali is the longhaired version of the Abyssinian.' The CCCA standard describes a semi-longhaired cat of Abyssinian type and allows the Abyssinian as its only outcross. The CFA says the longhair gene was in the Abyssinian gene pool and that the first documented longhair Abyssinians were bred in the mid-1960s.

Is the Somali recognised in Australia?▼

Yes. The Coordinating Cat Council of Australia publishes a Somali standard (issue date November 2023), the Australian Cat Federation publishes one (effective 1 January 2018), and ANCATS carries a Somali breed profile. Overseas, the Cat Fanciers' Association says it began registering Somalis in 1976 and gave them championship status in 1979, and TICA has a Somali breed page.

What health tests should a Somali breeder do?▼

Ask for both parents' DNA results. The Australian Cat Federation's minimum testing list (October 2025) names four DNA tests for the Somali: PRA rdAc and PRA Rdy (two inherited forms of progressive retinal atrophy, which causes blindness), PK deficiency (an inherited anaemia) and PKD 1 (polycystic kidney disease). The ACF also says AB blood group types should be monitored in all breeds.

What is PK deficiency in Somali cats?▼

An inherited red blood cell enzyme problem that can cause anaemia. Langford Vets calls pyruvate kinase deficiency an inherited disease of Abyssinian and Somali cats, says the anaemia is often mild and intermittently detectable, and highly recommends testing all Abyssinian and Somali cats used for breeding. It is recessive, so carriers are healthy; a tested breeding pair avoids affected kittens.

Can Somali cats go blind?▼

Some inherited forms of blindness occur in the breed, and DNA tests exist for them. UC Davis describes PRA Rdy as a rare form of early-onset blindness in Abyssinian and Somali cats that leads to blindness by 7 weeks of age, and PRA rdAc as late-onset blindness in cats with normal vision at birth. Langford Vets says rdAc signs usually appear at 1 to 2 years and blindness by 3 to 5 years, though onset varies.

Do Somalis need a lot of grooming?▼

Not much for a longhair. The CFA says the coat is relatively tangle-free and resists matting, with weekly combing recommended, and TICA says Somalis are easy to groom. The ACF standard notes the full coat and ticking develop slowly, with the true coat not developed until the age of 2 years.

What is a Somali like to live with?▼

Busy. The CFA describes the personality as busy, active, agenda-driven and affectionate, and says Somalis may learn to open cupboards. TICA describes loyal, highly intelligent, very interactive cats that enjoy the company of another cat with a similar active temperament. Every cat is an individual, so ask about the one you are meeting.

Are Somali cats hypoallergenic?▼

No cat breed is. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) says that as all cats have sebaceous glands, all cat breeds can cause allergies. If anyone at home is allergic, get medical advice and spend real time with the individual cat first.

How old should a Somali kitten be when it goes home?▼

At least 10 weeks. ANCATS rules set 10 weeks as the minimum and ANCATS recommends 12, and Cats Victoria (GCCFV) says a kitten must be 10 weeks of age or older, vaccinated, desexed and microchipped before it comes to you. A seller offering a younger kitten is a warning sign.

Sources

Keep reading

The shorthaired original