Editing Somali cat (section)

== Health ==
The Somali is one of the more commonly affected breeds for [[pyruvate kinase deficiency]]. An [[autosomal recessive]] mutation of the [[PKLR]] gene is responsible for the condition in the breed.<ref>{{cite book |author1-first=James A.C. |author1-last=Oliver |author2-first=Cathryn S. |author2-last=Mellersh | editor1-first=Barbara | editor1-last=Cooper | editor2-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Mullineaux |editor3-first=Lynn | editor3-last=Turner |title=BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing |date=2020 |publisher=British Small Animal Veterinary Association |isbn=978-1-910-44339-2 |edition=Sixth|chapter=Genetics| page=131}}</ref>

Somalis may also have hereditary retinal degeneration due to a mutation in the rdAc allele. This mutation is also seen in [[Abyssinian cat|Abyssinians]], [[Siamese cat|Siamese]] cats, and other related breeds.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Narfström|first1=Kristina|last2=David|first2=Victor|last3=Jarret|first3=Oswald|last4=Beatty|first4=Julia|author5-link=Vanessa Barrs |last5=Barrs|first5=Vanessa|last6=Wilkie|first6=David|last7=O’Brien|first7=Stephen|last8=Menotti-Raymond|first8=Marilyn|date=2009-09-01|title=Retinal degeneration in the Abyssinian and Somali cat (rdAc): correlation between genotype and phenotype and rdAc allele frequency in two continents|journal=Veterinary Ophthalmology|language=en|volume=12|issue=5|pages=285–291|doi=10.1111/j.1463-5224.2009.00710.x|pmid=19751487|issn=1463-5224}}</ref>