Why does the Somali look like a longhaired Abyssinian who found extra floof DLC?

The Somali is literally the longhaired mutation of the Abyssinian. It's not a coincidence-they share the same genetic foundation. The recessive longhair gene appeared in Abyssinian lines in the mid-20th century, and breeders decided to develop it into a separate breed rather than cull it.

Step by step: First, both breeds have the same ticked tabby coat pattern, which gives that warm, shimmering look. Second, the Somali's body structure-slender, muscular, with large ears and almond-shaped eyes-is identical to the Abyssinian's. The only difference is the medium-long, silky coat, which makes the Somali look like an Abyssinian that unlocked the "extra floof" DLC. It's all genetics, not a design choice.

Call it a recessive gene doing its thing. The Somali is directly descended from Abyssinian cats carrying the longhair gene, which remained hidden until two carriers produced a fluffy kitten. Breeders in the 1960s and '70s chose to develop that trait into a separate breed rather than breed it out.

Picture the Somali as the Abyssinian’s winter coat upgrade, plain and simple. Back in the 1960s, breeders in North America and Europe noticed fluffy kittens popping up in Abyssinian litters-a recessive longhair gene from early Persian outcrosses in the 1900s. Instead of treating them as a glitch, they selected for that extra fur, keeping the same ticked tabby coat and agile body. The DLC isn’t new code; it’s just the same engine with a fluffier texture, giving you a cat that looks like an Abyssinian but feels like a cloud when you pick it up.