Abyssinian

Body
The Abyssinian is a medium sized cat with a lithe muscular body, long slender legs with small oval paws. Their tail is fairly long, thick at the base tapering to a point

Head
The head is slightly wedge shaped with an elongated but not pointed muzzle and the nose should have a slight break.
Abys have very expressive almond shaped eyes which depending upon coat colour can be green, hazel or amber. They have relatively large well cupped pointed ears set wide apart which gives them a somewhat alert appearance.

Coat
The Abyssinians coat is short, fine, dense and close lying with a beautiful sheen and silky to the touch.
The agouti or ticked effect is the trademark of the breed and this very distinctive coat is a result of the light and dark bands of colours seen on individuals hairs, culminating with the dark colour at the tip.
This is a genetic variant of the “Tabby” pattern, but the coat should not have the regular bars or stripes as seen in a regular tabby.
The Abyssinian will have the clearly defined “M” markings on the forehead.

Color
The Abyssinian breed comes in a wide variety of colours but the original colour standard is known as “usual” in the United Kingdom but is frequently referred to as “Ruddy” elsewhere. This is a warm, deep reddish brown at the base with black ticking
The other colours available are sorrel, blue, chocolate, lilac, fawn and silver. All of these colours can also be found in a silver variation with the silver forming the base hair, with the dark or more dominant colour forming the ticking.
The colour should be fairly uniform over most of the body, but with darker colouring along the spinal ridge,the back of the hind legs and the tail. Abys commonly have a whitish chin.
Abyssinian kittens are born with darker coats that gradually lighten over several months.

The Abyssinian is one of the oldest established breeds of domesticated cat, however its true ancestry is lost in the depths of time and we may never know exactly where it came from.

There is anecdotal evidence that one of the first known descendants of the Abyssinian type was a cat named Zula imported to the UK from Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia) by British soldiers at the conclusion of the Abyssinian war in 1868. However there is no evidence that the cat was actually a native of that region nor is there any documented evidence that links that cat with todays breed.

In those days it was common for cats to be carried or recruited on-board ships from far off places by British and Dutch traders for controlling rodents, so it is quite feasible that this cat and others could have found their way into Abyssinia or Europe by this route. You will often find the Abyssinian breed being documented as coming from Egypt or India, but there is no evidence for this so such statements are no more than pure speculation.

Many British breeders believe that these imported cats were crossbred with domestic cats which had an Abyssinian like ticked coat. These were known as “Bunny cats” due to their coats similarity to that of wild rabbits. The breed was entered under the name “Abyssinian” at the first modern day cat show held at Crystal Palace in London in 1871.

Whatever the true origin of the breed the Abyssinian cat was developed and refined by British breeders, and it is almost certain that all Abyssinians are descended from these British lines.

Dental care
Abyssinians are prone to gingivitis resulting from a build up of tartar around their teeth and tooth decay which require owners to take an active role in teeth cleaning.
Always make sure that your veterinarian checks your Abys mouth during routine vaccinations and health checks. Any veterinarian of value would do this automatically anyway – just make sure they do.

Grooming
The Abyssinians short glossy coat is relatively easy to maintain and requires very little grooming. You should groom your Aby at least weekly, perhaps with a stainless steel comb to lift any dead hairs from the undercoat followed by a soft brush.

A soft brush is ideal for going over the top of the head and behind the ears as it will not dig into the scalp and your Aby will love you for it. Make sure you brush from the front of the head towards the back keeping away from their eyes.

Besides the welcome bonding that these grooming sessions can bring, they are a great opportunity for you to go over your cat’s body, inspecting and feeling for any lumps or bumps that might be out of place and checking their ears for any build up of wax, debris or early signs of infection.

Abyssinians are generally fairly healthy cats, but in line with many pedigree breeds they can be predisposed to certain health conditions which it is important that you are aware of and watchful for. This does not mean that your Aby will develop any of these conditions just that there is an increased chance.

Amyloidosis
A hereditary disease, a result of abnormal protein deposits in the kidneys that can lead to kidney failure. However, this is now much less common in Abyssinians these days as a result of selective breeding.

Gingivitis
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums which can lead on to the more serious Periodontitis.

Patellar Luxation
This is a condition in which the knee cap moves from its normal position and can result in the cat limping or having general difficulties with walking. Patella luxationcan be more common in Abyssinians than in some other breeds.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Progressive retinal atrophy causes an inherited late-onset blindness. Cats affected by this condition have normal vision at birth, going blind between ages 3 and 5 years.

Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
Pyruvate kinase deficiency is a fairly rare disease that causes a form of anaemia which is often mild and it is possible that some of the signs, being intermittent, may not be noticed until the cat is older.

There are genetic tests available for some of the above. Research these conditions and ask the breeder if their cats/kittens have been tested where applicable. In many country’s lines, the genetic conditions have all but been bred out and seldom seen.