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Abyssinian

Abyssinian

At a Glance

Considered to be one of the oldest cat breeds, Abyssinians are tremendously devoted felines. Their distinctive almond-shaped eyes resemble the elegance of the cat statues found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Easy to groom, they are easy to care for and make a great addition to a family. Find out more about this breed and if the Abyssinian is right for you and your family.

Attending a cat show

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All About Cats

Printable Breed Introduction
Breed Standard
Pet Buyer’s Guide
Temperament

Playful

Breed Seminar
Height/Weight Range

Abyssinians are a medium-sized cat, surprisingly heavy considering the slim appearance of their body structure. Females tend to be somewhat smaller in stature and finer boned.

Adult females

6-9 pounds

Adult males

7-12 pounds

Life Expectancy

14 - 17+ years. Many have been known to live well into their 20’s.

Colors

Abyssinians are recognized in two divisions: traditional and silver. Traditional division colors include ruddy, cinnamon, chocolate, and a diluted blue, fawn and lilac. The silver division colors include black-silver, cinnamon-silver, chocolate-silver, and a diluted blue-silver, fawn-silver, and lilac-silver.

Similar Breeds

Opposite Breeds

About The Breed

Known for their unique ticked coat, Abyssinians have the appearance of a wildcat. They are athletic, alert, very active, and intensely curious with all that surrounds them. Fiercely loyal and highly people oriented, Abyssinians are referred to as the cat of the dog world. They are generally great with children, dogs, and other cats.

The overall impression of the ideal Abyssinian is a medium cat, regal in appearance. The Abyssinian is foreign in type. Males proportionately larger than females, the female being finer boned and usually more active than the male. The Abyssinian shows firm muscular development and is lithe and panther-like in activity, showing a lively interest in all surroundings. The coat of the Abyssinian has an iridescent quality. Coat pattern is genetically a form of agouti ticking with even, dark-colored ticking contrasted with lighter bands giving a translucent effect. The Abyssinian is of sound health and vigor, well-balanced physically and temperamentally gentle and amenable to handling.

View Full Breed Standard

This breed has an extremely high activity level. If you would be distressed by a cat sitting on your ceiling fan, this is not the breed for you. Abyssinians are extremely graceful, lithe, and elegant. They show a lively interest in their surroundings and are famous for their playful and curious disposition. Most Abys will stay kitten-like throughout much of their life.

Abys prefer the highest ground they can reach. They love to be on the highest level possible where they are able to observe the room, make decisions, and even guard their family. Don’t be stunned if you find a “flying” Aby on your shoulder!

TICA Regions, Clubs & Rescues

Want to connect with fellow cat lovers and those who love the same breed as you?
TICA is a large resource made up of smaller regions and clubs around the world.
Click here to find a club near you and contact information for your regional director and website.

Wherever you are, you’re in TICA’s world!®

Find a Kitten: TICA Breeders

The TICA website is the only place where you can find TICA member breeders who have signed the TICA Code of Ethics.

Find Abyssinian

    • A pair of Abys named Amber and Rumpler shared the role of Jake, the stranded alien cat in the 1978 Disney movie, The Cat From Outer Space. Actor Ronnie Schell did the voice of Jake.

    • Punkin, a ruddy Abyssinian belongs to radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh

    • A blue Abyssinian named Isis was featured as a significant clue in season 4, episode 7 of the television series CSI.

    • CatTime named the Abyssinians as the Smartest Cat Breed in the World. 

    • The book “Child of the Gods”, written by Helen and Sidney Denham, refers to the Abyssinian as a child of the gods.

    • In 1871 an Abyssinian made an appearance in the world’s second largest major cat show held at London’s Crystal Palace and won third place. 

    • The first cat DNA to be decoded was an Abyssinian. In 2007, the feline genome was finally sequenced. And the star of the science was an Abyssinian cat named Cinnamon. This was a revolutionary discovery for the progress of cat science.

Breed Information & Characteristics

INTELLIGENT • AFFECTIONATE

Abyssinians look like a small mountain lion or cougar with almond eyes set in a dramatically marked expressive face and a spectacularly warmly ticked coat that produces a shimmering iridescence whether still or in motion. They are athletic, alert and very active. Even though they are well-muscled their movement is lithe, graceful and very quick. Their carriage is confident and regal, but their antics have caused some to call them “Aby-silly-ans”! The Somali is simply and beautifully a semi-long-haired Abyssinian. It has the same expressive face but with a shaggy ticked coat, ear tufts and a fox-like tail. The Abyssinians and Somalis are also known as the ‘preposition’ cats because they leave no niche unexplored; they are above, below, in, under, across, beside, between, into, over, among and through everywhere! Perhaps alliteration is an easier way to describe the Abyssinian and Somali: active, awesome, agile, astounding, alert, animated, affectionate, amusing, athletic, astute, amiable and attentive.

The Abyssinian is one of the oldest breeds of domesticated cats, but its real ancestry is lost in time. Romantic tales call it the cat from the Blue Nile saying it is a direct descendant of the sacred cat of Ancient Egypt because it resembles the cats depicted in Egyptian murals and artifacts. Others believe British soldiers from Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) brought a cat named Zula home with them to England at the end of the Abyssinian war in 1868. So far, no documentation links Zula to the cats of today and recent genetic studies identify the cats in the coastal area of the Bay of Bengal in India as the Abyssinian’s potential forebears.

The Abyssinian was developed and refined in Britain. The first Abyssinian arrived in the United States in the early 1900s and they were first exhibited in 1909. In the 1930s an effort to develop the Abyssinian in the US began and it quickly developed into one of America’s favorite breeds because of its expressive eyes, unique coat pattern and personality. The Somali is the stunning long-haired descendant of the Abyssinian and is named for Somalia which borders Ethiopia, formerly Abyssinia, to represent their connection to each other.

Abyssinians and Somalis are loyal, affectionate, highly intelligent and very interactive with their owners and their environment. No place ever goes unexplored and yet seldom do they knock anything off of a shelf or countertop. They are wonderful companions who are highly interested in everything around them and what everybody is doing. They like a good view of their surroundings, so expect them to find them atop the refrigerator, doors, and bookcases. They are entertained by whatever moves outside making bird feeders visible through a window a must. Saying they show an intense curiosity in all that surrounds them is an understatement. Not usually considered a lap cat due to their high energy and curiosity levels, Abys/Somalis do occasionally make visits to your lap or find a way under the covers to spend time near their beloved owners. The way they transform within seconds from a radiant and regal presence into an amazingly playful character with childlike antics and an indomitable spirit is astounding. Engaging companions for people of all ages, they are happiest in the company of others, love to play and will find ways to involve you in their activities. While exceedingly social, they are not always content in large cat populations where they have to share attention.

The Abyssinian is a short-haired cat whose coat has an iridescent warmth of color produced by the Agouti ticking, where each shaft of hair has 4-6 bands of alternating rich color similar to that of a bunny coat. The coat is resilient and when rubbed against the lay of the coat it snaps back into place. Similarly colored, the Somali is semi-long-haired with a coat that is very soft and finely textured. Coat texture for both is generally soft but varies somewhat with different colors because the pigment particles have different shapes and distribution within the hair shaft causing the textural variation.

The Aby/Somali head type is a modified wedge with rounded contours. In profile, there is a rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead with a brow ridge that helps establish the wild appearance to the face. The ears are large and arched forward in alertness not to miss out on anything. The eyes are large, almond-shaped jewels, expressive and richly colored gold, amber or green surrounded by a ring of dark color (eyeliner) that is then surrounded by a lighter color. The muzzle is rounded in contour without being pointy or pinched in appearance.

They are a medium sized cat with males weighing 8-10 pounds and females 6-7 pounds. The body is medium long, lithe and graceful with the muscular strength of a fine-motor skilled athlete. The Aby/Somali is solidly built with a level flank and a slight arch to the back that is more noticeable when the cat is sitting. The legs are slim, long and well-muscled with oval-shaped feet and an appearance of standing on tip-toes.

Abys and Somalis are bred in the following colors: Ruddy, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Blue, Lilac and Fawn and the silver version of these colors where an icy white coloration closest to the skin is followed by ticking up the hair shaft.

Abyssinians are generally healthy, but as with all breeds, they are prone to certain health conditions. While knowledgeable breeders do their best to test for and eliminate genetic health problems, cats may still develop certain diseases or conditions. Abyssinians may have a higher risk for the following:

    • PK-Def ( Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency) Pk-def is a hereditary form of anemia 

    • PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) PRA is a hereditary disease of the retina in the eye that eventually leads to permanent blindness. 

    • PL (Patella Luxation) PL is a defect where the kneecap (patella) has a tendency to slip out of its position, it luxates.

    • RA (  Renal Amyloidosis ) Unfortunately there is no DNA/genetic testing for RA. This is a disease in which an amyloid substance accumulates in the cells of the kidney (and possibly in other organs such as the thyroid gland, stomach and spleen).

It is important to note that PK-Def and PRA can be diagnosed through genetic testing so be sure to ask for certification from the breeder. 

Abyssinians are known to many as the “wash and wear” cat. Their grooming requirements are low as they shed very little and have a short, easy-to-maintain coat. An occasional brushing is all that is required to eliminate dead hair and an intermittent rub down with a cold damp cloth will also help to keep their coat glossy and in good condition. Bathe as needed, starting when your Aby is a kitten. After bathing, pat down with a towel and leave the coat to “drip-dry” on its own.

Nails should be trimmed every two weeks. Begin brushing their teeth regularly at an early age with a vet-approved pet toothpaste.

As with all cats, it is important to give your cat fresh, clean water daily. Fresh, clean water is best, so cats don’t hesitate to drink. If you worry about your cat drinking enough water each day, here’s a tip from some cat behaviorists: place the water bowl at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive, and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less. Filtered drinking fountains (stainless steel preferred) can also be used in place of a water bowl.   

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Abyssinian Breed Committee (5)

Name Email
Chair: Steven Corneillestevencorneille@aol.com
Carlos Lopezpampatica@yahoo.com.ar
Brenda Russoblrusso@comcast.net
Vicki Whiteabylover@verizon.net
Donna MaddoxDonna.j.maddox@gmail.com

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