Abyssinian Cat (breeder verified)

Abyssinian cat
Abyssinian cat. Image: MikeB using Canva.
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The Abyssinian cat is a very popular, elegant, purebred cat with a long and interesting history. It is one of the first cat breeds of the cat fancy. It is not a cat breed that has been bred to an extreme. It retains a normal and elegant conformation in line with its athletic tendencies and intelligent personality. All these, plus the special ticked tabby coat, are the reasons for the breed’s continued popularity.

Some key points:

  • Body Type: Foreign
  • Coat: Tabby
  • Activity: High
  • Talker: Low
  • Lap cat: Low
  • Grooming: Low

Note: this page has been divided into smaller pages. Below each section there is a link to the next page (pagination). Thanks. Page 2 provides Abyssinian cat breeder info.


These Aby kittens were simply gorgeous and that little fella who falls into a deep sleep in the cage before being photographed was my favorite. He seemed to be an individual, independent and not part of the group. You might like to see this video in large format and HD by clicking on this link: Abyssinian kittens being photographed (opens in a new window).

Introduction

Abyssinian kitten made in Russia
Abyssinian kitten made in Russia. Photographer and breeder: Daria Popova (Novomoskovsk)


I hope the short video summarizes the breed. It is how I see the Abyssinian cat in any case. This is a natural breed meaning that there was no intervention by humans in the evolution of this breed of cat until “discovered”, possibly in the late 1800s (Robinson’s Genetics states 1860). Thereafter, through selective breeding the breed has been “refined”. This domestic cat breed is the 4th most popular at the time of writing this (early 2011), based on this site’s long standing popularity poll. See the onsite top 10 list here. Update: 4th at Feb 2010. This site’s poll is based on visitor’s preferences not numbers of registrations. The breed’s origins are unclear but this cat possibly originates from areas that may include Egypt, Ethiopia, the west coast of India and islands off the east coast of Kenya or Asia.

The Times archive of December 4th 1871, writes about an Abyssinian that was brought over to England via India that was shown at the 2nd National Cat Show at Crystal Palace, supporting the importation theory. The journey via India may account for India being seen as one original source of the this cat breed. This may in fact be the case. On the linked page, I stick my neck out and formulate a theory about the Origins of the Abyssinian cat [link]. Interestingly, it is said that there is no documentation to establish the theory that importation took place described1. This seems to be incorrect! Most of the places of origin are on the margins of an area approximately centered by the Indian Ocean (see map). However, in stark contrast to the above, there is an argument that says that the Abyssinian has been created by selective breeding, initially in England from English tabby cats and then internationally over a period of 90 years or so. Tabbies are found globally and they have a ticked coat.

abyssinian cat origins map Map courtesy Google Maps

Thereafter, the argument goes, the markings were bred out and the color of the cat warmed up. This contradicts the other accounts. The Abyssinian is renown for its short agouti ticked coat and balanced conformation. This is an elegant breed of cat with a gloriously glowing coat1.

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