abyssinian
Playful, willful, active, intelligent
Overview
Origin
Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
Life Span
14-17+ years
Height
8''-10''
Weight
6-12 pounds
Group
Medium-sized short-haired
Price
$1,000-$2,000
History
Abyssinians are one of the oldest cat breeds in existence. The most recent genetic research suggests the breed originated in Southeast Asia, somewhere on the coast of the Indian Ocean. This breed retains many hallmarks of the appearance of felis lybica, a wildcat that contributed its DNA to all domestic cats in existence today.
The modern Abyssinian cat is somewhat different than the original Abyssinian cat. Many of today's Abyssinian lines were created with Russian Blues, Burmese, and Siamese cats as foundation stock.
Abyssinian cats were first recognized by England's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in 1929. America's first Abyssinian cat litter was born in 1935. The breed is recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association and The International Cat Association.
Care
Nutrition
As with all cats, Abyssinians benefit from eating a high-quality food that provides ample protein, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. While all cats benefit from diets with a high moisture content, Abyssinian cats need more water than average. Feeding a high-quality wet food can help cats take in extra moisture.
Grooming
The Abyssinian cat has extremely short hair, so you won't have to spend a lot of time grooming your pet. Use a soft brush or grooming glove just once or twice per week to remove loose hair and keep your Aby looking and feeling their best.
Exercise
Abyssinian cats are extremely active by nature and luckily, they’re not prone to obesity. Give them a big cat tower to climb—preferably one that goes all the way to the ceiling—and keep the interactive cat toys coming. An Aby cat will always entertain you with their agile moves while keeping themselves fit. If you've always wanted to play fetch with a cat, it's likely that an Aby will help fulfill that desire.
Health
Abyssinian cats tend to enjoy good physical health, but they are prone to stress and anxiety, particularly in unfamiliar situations.
Breed Standard
Body
Abyssinian cats have long, lean bodies with well-developed musculature. The overall impression is one of athleticism and balance. The average male Abyssinian weighs 7 to 12 pounds; the average female is smaller, at 6 to 9 pounds.
Head
The Abyssinian cat's head has a modified wedge shape, with slight rounding throughout the brow, cheek, and profile. Cheekbone shading is common, along with shadowing and dots on the whisker pads. The muzzle is balanced, neither square nor pointed. Intact adult males may display jowls.
Eyes
Abyssinian cats can have gold, copper, green or hazel eyes, with dark lines that extend from the eyes and eyebrows. The eyes are large, expressive, and almond-shaped, contributing to this breed's exotic appearance. Around the outer edges of the eyes, darker lid skin is surrounded by a light-colored area.
Ears
An Abyssinian cat's ears are large, wide-set, moderately pointed, and cupped at the base.
Color
The CFA breed standard specifies four accepted Abyssinian cat coat colors: ruddy, cinnamon, blue, and fawn. Distinct nose leather and paw pad colors correspond with each coat color. The TICA breed standard specifies six traditional colors (ruddy, cinnamon, chocolate, blue, fawn, and lilac), as well as six colors in the silver division: black-silver, cinnamon-silver, chocolate-silver, and a diluted blue-silver, fawn-silver, and lilac-silver.
Coat
The Abyssinian has a short coat with a fine, silky texture. The distinctive tabby ticked coat is known as the agouti pattern. Each individual hair is banded in alternating dark and lighter colors with up to four to six bands of ticking. In all Abyssinian cat colors, the tips of the hairs are darkest, and often display subtle patterning.
Tail
Abyssinian cats have long tails that are thickest at the base and taper to a point at the end.
Legs & Paws
The Abyssinian cat's legs are long, slender, and well-muscled. The paws have an oval shape, and are relatively small, almost giving the impression that the cat is standing on its tiptoes.