Meet The Sokoke, An African Cat
Despite its wild history, the Sokoke is very sociable and loves to be surrounded by people
Although its wild and elegant aspect is reminiscent of a wildcat and leads to the assumption that it is a hybrid breed, the Sokoke is a true representative of the Felis catus.
She is sociable, talkative, and active. She also climbs excellently and needs space to train.
From Africa into the world
This cat has developed special characteristics that make it a breed of its own. It comes from the coastal areas of Kenya, especially from the rainforests of the Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, from which it got its name.
Since it lived in isolation from other cat populations for several centuries and reproduced naturally, this cat developed a homogeneous aspect.
In the 80s of the last century a breeder brought her to Denmark.
From there it spread to other countries in the old continent and the rest of the world. While it is still not a very common breed, it has been recognized by the leading cat associations.
We introduce you to the Sokoke, a cat from the rainforests of Kenya that was brought to Europe in the 80s of the last century.
Physical characteristics of the sokoke
This medium-sized cat is lean and muscular. She is characterized by her highly developed senses of sight, hearing and smell. Other characteristics of this beautiful breed are:
- Small head compared to the body, wedge-shaped and flattened at the top. The chin is well defined.
- Almond-shaped eyes, large and slightly slanted. The colors range from amber to green.
- Medium sized ears. They become thinner at the tips and are rounded.
- Long, muscular legs. The rear ones are longer than the front ones.
- Long and thin tail with dark and wide rings.
- Marbled, short fur, which can be light brown to dark brown, with sandy, yellow and ocher colored nuances. It also has black stripes and dots that create original patterns.
A cat that needs space to move about
Despite her history as a wildcat, she is a very sociable animal that enjoys the company of her people.
She gets along very well with children and other pets, and communicates through several tones that she makes frequently. She is without a doubt a communicative cat.
Since she is very intelligent , she can be trained to walk on a leash. She will surely follow her owner everywhere in the house.
It is an independent, very active and curious cat that loves to squeeze, climb and jump through tight spaces.
As you may already guess, keeping her in an apartment is not recommended. She needs space to play and run.
She also likes to spend time in trees, like in the African forests. So if you don’t have a garden that the animal can’t escape from, you can buy or build a scratching post for her.
How to take care of a sokoke
The Sokoke has a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. Thanks to natural selection, it is a very healthy breed and has so far not shown any characteristic diseases.
As with any pet, it is recommended that you visit the veterinarian regularly to check that they are healthy.
As with any cat breed, following the vaccination schedule is important. Your vet can recommend the best diet based on the life stage of the velvet paw.
It is enough to brush the cat once a week to shine and keep its short hair clean. And of course you have to ensure enough space for the sokoke to move.
