Abyssinian Cat

Custom Search

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

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 5th most popular (takes you to a Google spreadsheet in a new window) at the time of writing this (early 2009), based on this site's long standing popularity poll. See the onsite top 10 list here. 

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]. 

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.




1

History - some more

As mentioned, the history of this breed is somewhat vague. The dates and events listed should be noted with caution as they are contradictory. All the theories are listed in brief to allow a full appraisal.

Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between the "importation/discovery" argument and the "selective breeding from tabby" argument and a cat or cats were imported from Abyssinia which contributed to the development of the breed but where not foundation cats.




As a little digression, this cat breed used to be called, and perhaps is still called in certain countries, by the name, Ethiopian cat. The name Algerian cat has also been used. Click on this link for a light hearted and short discussion on this: Ethiopian cat.

Photo ©copyright Helmi Flick

Photo ©copyright Helmi Flick

3

Appearance/Character and Health

I refer to a great (I think!) large format slide show of Helmi Flick photographs and the CFA breed standard (in summary) on this page.

The Abyssinian cat is a medium sized cat. The body is lithe, strong, muscular. The legs are slender. The head is a modified wedge (another cat fancy term meaning wedge shapped but rounded as heads cannot be exactly wedge shapped - see cat head shape). The ears are large and set apart. The eyes are large and the outside edge should point towards the base of the ears. The body type, as mentioned, is considered to be "foreign" (see cat body types for the meaning of this cat fancy term).

The Abyssinian is also people orientated and loyal. This cat likes to head-butt as a greeting, together with a special trill-meow. They are extremely affectionate. The Aby is also active and can be dog-like (a characteristic common to a number of cats) and also likes water.

If an Aby likes to drink from a tap, you might consider getting a water fountain (e.g. Drinkwell Platinum Water Fountain) as I have read a story about a Bengal that drowned drinking from a tap because her lungs filled up with water.

This breed's liking of water is in common with domestic cats which have a wild heritage, such as the Bengal or Savannah. This is inherited from the wild cat who likes to be near water as it is a source of food in the wild.

The outstanding feature of her appearance is her ticked coat (this is obligatory for an Abyssinian cat). This term means that individual hair strands are bicolored, black and gray-yellow (horizontally banded) which gives a "salt and pepper" look. In this cat breed the yellow band can be enhanced or the color given greater depth through careful breeding, which turns this band color to a ruddy-brown from the gray-yellow.

The Abyssinian cat has a type of tabby coat unlike the other two types namely the mackerel and classic blotched tabby coat. In the Abyssinian type of tabby the striping that is prominent in the other two is almost eliminated or greatly minimized. This therefore leaves no pattern but an even and broken appearance.

Banding can, though, sometimes be seen on the legs, tail and face (it is sometimes finer). Breeders strive to reduce the black tabby pattern as much as possible or eliminate it. See some more information on Abyssinian cat genetics.

The Aby coat is not as silky as, for example, the coat of the Bengal cat. This is due to the individual hairs being a little thicker (src: breeders). 4

---

Cat Coats tabby
You can read about the tabby cat coat plus see a lot of great examples of a wide range of tabby coats by clicking on the above link.

Agouti ticked cat coat
Here's a really good close up picture of a ticked coat (on a wild cat) plus a discussion on the genetics and pigmentation formation.

Abyssinian Cat - Photo of the Week
A great photo in large format of a great cat showing the activity levels. The composition comes from the action. Fine photo Helmi. The cat is called "Nobgoblin"

---

It is the banding that gives this "broken" appearance. Tabby cat coats are the classic cat coat as it provides good camouflage. It is the coat "of choice" for wild cats such as the American Bobcat and Scottish Wild cat. The banding is the result of the presence of the a gene called the "Agouti" gene. Probably the best know gene in cat genetics.



The "ruddy" base color (my terminology) is the most commonly encountered. This is called "usual" by the GCCF (UK's premier cat association) in their standard of points. In the UK there are 5 championship colors:

• Tawny - the foundation color
• Cinnamon (Sorel) 
• Blue (dilute Tawny) - blue grey ticking
• Fawn - dilute Cinnamon - dark cream and copper
• Silver - dilute Tawny

Non-championship colors are: chocolate, lilac, red, cream and tortoiseshell.

In the USA, the CFA standard allows ruddy (ruddy brown, burnt sienna), red, blue (see Natalie below), fawn. Polygenes (multiple genes) change the color of the ticking and the ground color. These genes vary in their numbers from cat to cat. A smaller amount results in what is called "cold tabbies". When the number of polygenes is greater the beige color changes to apricot or burnt sienna. These polygenes also would seem to change the body tabby pattern color to warm brown shades leaving the markings at the extremities dark brown or black.

The longer haired Abyssinian is now registered as a separate breed, the Somali.

This is a basically a healthy cat (but see below). The author of the Cat Fanciers website says that this breed has on occasion been labeled as suffering from a genetically based disease, Renal Amyloidosis. However it not restricted to Abyssinians apparently so the comment seems a little unfair. Also it is hoped that the best breeders will be dealing with health issues in a proper manner and you can ask pertinent questions when adopting.

Updates:

1. It has come to my notice that the Abyssinian cat breed can (I don't know the level of incidence) suffer from an inherited disorder called Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). In this cat it is "late onset". It also affects the Bengals (mid onset - this link takes you to more on this disease) and Persians (early onset). PRA also affects people.
2. Dr. Turner and Jean Turner (authors of Veterinary Notes for Cat Owners) say that this cat breed may be predisposed to a condition called Psychogenic Alopecia (excessive grooming through behavioral problems leading to hair loss). See Feline Endocrine Alopecia.
3. The Aby also may have a predisposition to renal amyloidosis, lysosomal storage disease, gingivitis, patellar luxation.
4. See a full list of genetic diseases concerning a number of purebred cat breeds.

In the demanding world of the show cat, and if you want an Abyssinian that is truly of show cat quality, it is useful to take note of what are considered "faults" in appearance. These are purely cosmetic, of course.

Apparently in the 1970s breeders were less rigorous or the standard was a little easier to meet and some cats had a white patch on the neck/chest area (called a "locket" after lockets worn as jewelry). This is now considered a fault and has been largely bred out. White patches are caused by the white spotting gene or piebald gene, which is behind the tuxedo appearance of the well known non-pedigreed black and white cats (Tuxedo cats).

As mentioned above, this cat's popularity is based in part on the beautifully ticked coat caused by the Agouti gene. The coat is also dependent on the presence of the tabby gene, which produces the familiar tabby pattern such as the lines (mackerel) pattern or in the Bengal cat the marbled pattern.

Such patterns are definitely a no go area for the Abyssinian cat as the coat needs to have a pure shaded (used in a laypersons sense) appearance. Patterns are considered a fault. These markings can be apparent as bands (rings) on the tail and legs and breeders use their knowledge of selective breeding to try and eliminate them.

In some cats a straight line in profile from the forehead to the end of the nose if considered the objective (I am thinking of the Modern Siamese). This is considered part of the "Oriental" look. The Abyssinian cat profile should have a nose "break". This means the profile where the top of the nose meets the forehead has an angle to (not straight). The break varies from breed to breed and breed standard to breed standard. In the Abyssinian cat it is a noticeable but not profound nose break.


If you would like to see a very large format slide show of lots more best photographs of Abyssinian cats by mainly Helmi Flick and other fine photographers then go to this page. You'll be impressed. I also go over, in outline, the CFA breed standard with reference to fine looking cats.

As to behavioral traits, the Abyssinian cat is very inquisitive and agile. As a consequence a greater awareness of what is going on with our cat than usual is required. Abys are intelligent cats (see cat intelligence). This makes them more amenable to training in leash walking and sitting up, for example.

The Abyssinian cat is very affectionate towards people and therefore likes companionship. Despite being able to deal with coohabiting animals in a civilized manner they apparently do not like large groups (src: Medical, Genetic & Behavioral Aspects of Purenbred Cats edited by Ross D. Clark DVM)

Abyssinian cats are fairly quiet and have sweet personalities.

5

Rescue

Click on this link for Abyssinian Rescue
6

Abyssinian Cat Club - UK

The Abyssinian Cat Club (link to their website) in the UK was founded in 1929. Their first "members show" took place in an upper room in Brooke Street, Holborn, London, on March 12th 1930 as reported by the Times newspaper.

At the time there were only about 30 Abyssinian cats in England. 21 of them were at the show. The Abyssinian was a rare breed in 1930. It is much less rare today, being almost common (but no less fine a cat).

The Times newpaper described the breed as rather small and elegant with quite large ears. The journalist referred to the color of this cat breed as looking like that of a rabbit. One of the Abyssinians was melanistic black and the ticking was referred to as being caused by the tips of the individual hairs being blackish or dark brown.

Perhaps of more interest the character was described as being rather shy and gentle and not liking strangers that much but very affectionate (presumably to those people and other animals that he/she was familiar with).

{source: Times Archive - dated March 13th 1930}
7

Things of Interest

This is an expanding area.

In 1963 an Abyssinian cat was worth about £700 ($1400 approx.). In today's money that is about £7000+ or $14,000 at least. This is perhaps a reflection of the rarity of the breed at that time. By my reckoning the breed is one of the least rare purebred cats today (see rare cat breeds). {src: Times Archive}

Another page on this cat - a short one with a slide show.

8

Breeders

These are the Abyssinian Cat breeders that are listed in the first 3 pages of a Google search (excluding directories)

Ameeka
UK based (Lincoln) Ocicat and Aby breeder. This is the first independent breeder website (as opposed to a listing in a directory) on a Google search

Abicatz
Located Danville, WA, USA.

Alexy Abyssinians (link)
USA located - North Carolina. Breeding Abys since 1986.

The fact that for the first time UK catteries top the search charts is perhaps supportive of the fact that this breed started in the UK.

Sources: