The sokoke cat comes from the exotic African continent, where we find a feline whose appearance only highlights its origins. The sokoke cat has a spectacular coat, as its pattern resembles that of the bark of a tree, which is why in Kenya, its country of origin, it received the name "Khadzonzos" which literally means "bark".
Do you know that these cats live together and in fact continue to live with the African tribes of Kenya such as the Giriama? In this article on our site we want to explain more about this mysterious breed of cat with arboreal habits that little by little seems to be making a name for itself in the category of domestic cats. Find out all about sokoke cat below!
Origin of the sokoke cat
Sokoke cats, originally called Khadzonzo cats, are natives of the African continent, specifically they are common throughout Kenya, where they live wild both in urban areas and in more rugged ones.
Some specimens of these felines were captured by an English breeder named J. Slater, who together with a breeder friend of hers, Gloria Modrup, decided to breed them and thus originate specimens adapted to domestic life The breeding program was quite successful, because after starting in 1978 just a few years later, back in 1984, the Sokoke cat breed was officially recognized in Denmark, expanding the breed by other countries such as Italy, where they arrived in 1992.
Currently the TICA catalogs the Sokoke cat as a New Preliminary Breed, the FIFe has been recognizing it since 1993 and the CCA and the GCCF have also collected their standard, despite the small number of copies that exist in America and Europe.
Physical Characteristics of the Sokoke Cat
Sokokes are medium-sized cats, weighing between 3 and 5 kilograms In addition, their life expectancy of Sokoke cats is between 10 and 16 years old. These felines have an elongated body, which gives them an elegant appearance, but at the same time their limbs have a developed musculature, being very strong and agile, being the hind legs somewhat longer than the front ones.
The head is rounded and small in size, the upper part, which corresponds to the forehead, being flatter and without a marked stop. The eyes are brown, chestnut or almond, oblique and medium in size. Their ears are medium-sized and always erect so that it seems that they are always alert, although it is not essential, the existence of feathers in the ears is positively valued
The most striking thing about the sokoke is its fur, which is tabby or tabby, making that together with its brown color, the mantle looks like the bark of a tree. This coat is short, amber in color with a brindle pattern and very shiny in appearance.
sokoke cat character
Being cats that in many cases live in a wild or semi-wild state, we might think that it is a dour breed or one that shuns contact with humans, but nothing is further from the truth. Sokoke cats are one of the friendliest and quirkiest breeds in this regard. They are affable, active and energetic cats that need the attention and pampering of their owners, constantly asking for caresses and looking for play.
Although due to the level of activity they need, it is recommended that it is better to have them in large places such as homes that have land or garden areas. However, these felines also adapt to living in apartments, as long as they have areas to play and release their energy in a positive way.
They also adapt very well when it comes to living together, so much so that they are extremely respectful of other animals, be they cats or other pets, as long as they are properly socialized. In the same way, he gets along with people of all ages and conditions, being very affectionate and careful with everyone. Of course, it is proven that this is one of the most empathetic cat breeds, perfectly perceiving the emotional and affective needs of others and giving themselves to them so that they are always well and happy
Sokoke cat care
Being such loving and affectionate felines, the Sokoke will need us to pay attention to their affective needsThat is why they are cats that They don't do very well being alone for a long time. If we do not pay enough attention to them, our feline may be sad, anxious or demanding, emitting continuous meows in order to get our attention.
Having very short hair it will not be necessary for us to be brushing it daily, once a week or two will suffice, baths they are not necessary unless for some reason our kitten has gotten dirty or muddy and we need to remove excess dirt. In these cases we have to take a series of measures such as using a suitable shampoo or ensuring that our cat is completely dry once the bath is finished, otherwise it could catch a cold.
Due to its energy we will have to provide our sokoke with the necessary tools and resources to exercise and thus maintain an adequate energy level. To do this we can buy toys or scratchers with different levels for them to climb, as they love this activity, because in Africa it is common for them to spend the day going up and down of the trees. If we don't want to buy them, we can also make our own toys at home.
sokoke cat he alth
Due to the genetic characteristics of the breed No congenital or hereditary diseases have been found typical of it. This is because it is a breed that has arisen naturally, following the course of natural selection, which has made the specimens that have survived in that wild terrain of Africa, the strongest and most resistant.
Still, we must not neglect the he alth and care of our feline, we must, for example, ensure that its food is adequate and of quality, that it has up-to-date vaccinations, that veterinary check-ups are carried out in which It includes the follow-up of the vaccination schedule and regular deworming, that you can exercise daily or that your eyes, ears and mouth are clean and he althy. We will visit the vet every 6 or 12 months
One aspect to which we must pay special attention is the weather conditions, because having such a short coat and not too dense, without a woolly coat, our sokoke is quite sensitive to cold Therefore, we must take care that the temperature in the home is warm, that when it gets wet we dry it completely or that it does not go outside when the temperatures are too low.
