Abyssinian

Abyssinian

The Abyssinian is a domesticated cat breed that is unique because of its coat that appears ticked. The actual place of origin of this species is still not confirmed, many people believe that it originated from Ethiopia. Over the passage of time, the Abyssinian has remained able to secure its foothold as one of the most common feline pets in the United States.

Origin

As the name 'Abyssinian' is of Ethiopian origin, people deduce it to be a native of that place. However, several stories suggest that the cat may be of Egyptian origin. Another camp of researchers, with the aid of genetic engineering has deciphered origins of this breed in the coastal regions of the Indian Ocean. Their theory speculates the breed to be collected from traders dealing in wild animals while the official breeding was done in Great Britain.

Another belief, though not solid enough, relate this species to one single Egyptian female named Zula who was retrieved from Alexandria by a British soldier in 1868. However, no evidence backs up this fact. Also, the first Abyssinian listed in 1882 can not be related to Zula officially.

Appearance

The broad and wedgy head of the Abyssinian has oversized and pointed ears. The almond shaped eyes are usually golden, green, hazel or copper in color. When compared to the body and small round paws, the cat has legs that are slender. Overall it exhibits fine bone structure. The tail is broad and fairly long at the base with the end tapering to a point. The nose and chin, when viewed in profile, form a straight vertical line. The forehead generally consists of an m-shaped marking, also known as "frown lines" above the eyes. The colors can range from ruddy, chocolate, sorrel (cinnamon), blue, fawn, lilac, red, and cream to tortoiseshell. With supple and strong bodies the Abyssinian is a small cat with long legs.

Coat and colors

The medium-lengthened coat is silky and dense. Each hair has three or four darker-colored bands with a basic color. Lighter at the root, it has the darker "ticking" color at the tip.

The original Abyssinian coat or the 'Ruddy' is known as the 'Usual' in the United Kingdom. It consists of warm reddish-brown base and black ticking.

The passage of time has seen the evolvement of various other colors, but the markings are more or less similar. The back part of their hind legs as well as the pads always tends to be darker than the rest of the coat. The Blue ones of this breed feature a light beige body color whereas the Fawn type has it light-cream colored.

Though not recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association, Silver Abyssinians also exist. Their undercoat is always pure silvery white having black, blue, warm dark cream or cinnamon markings. Purely Silver Abyssinians are not desired because of tan patches in the coat, any spots in the coat are more visible that way. The rarer colors are Tortoiseshell, Red, Cream, Chocolate and Lilac.

Kittens are born with lighter coats that get darker on maturity.

Temperament

Abyssinians are playful and intelligent. Very popular among owners and breeders, they are extremely successful show ca