Abyssinian cat breed: the graceful and daring climbing champion who almost never rests

If you want an active, bold and adventurous cat, the Abyssinian might be a good choice for you!

The Abyssinian is not your typical fancy cat, sitting quietly in an armchair. An adventurous, bold and tireless companion who loves to be the centre of attention. With him, everyday life is certainly not dull, as he always has something to entertain the public.

History

Although no one knows exactly when or where the Abyssinian first appeared, a common belief is that this breed is a direct descendant of the ancient Egypt’s sacred cats. Another version of its origin suggests that the ancestors of the present specimens were brought back by British soldiers from Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) when the Abyssinian War ended in the late 1860s. The first individual to set foot on British soil was called Zula. But since there is no written evidence that Zula was a representative of this breed, some breeders claim that the original bloodline is now extinct and that the Abyssinian was recreated by British breeders. What is certain is that the modern breed was bred in the UK.

Exhibiting cats was popular in the late Victorian era. Unusual breeds exhibited at the 1871 Crystal Palace Cat Show one was an Abyssinian who came third. A report on the cat show, published in Harper’s Weekly 1872. published in the 27 January issue, was the first known written record of the breed in print.

Today, genetic evidence suggests that cats originated from coastal regions of the Indian Ocean and parts of Southeast Asia. because mutation in the tabby gene, which is unique to this breed, is not found at all in Egypt and East Africa, but in wild cats along the Indian Ocean coast this mutation and the resulting colouration is found. It is possible that British and Dutch traders brought the cats from ports such as Calcutta, India or the islands of Indonesia. A taxidermied specimen of a cat exhibited in the Leiden Zoological Museum in the Netherlands in the 1830s, named “Patrie, domestica India”, lends credence to this theory. The breed was probably named Abyssinian because the Zula exhibited in the Crystal Palace was imported from Abyssinia. The early pedigrees show crosses with non-Abyssinian cats, which may explain the introduction of new coat colours and the long coat gene.

American cat breeders first imported a few Abyssinians in 1900, but breeding programmes didn’t really take off until the 1930s. At that time, more cats were imported from Britain. It’s a good thing that many cats were exported to the United States, because World War II decimated the breed significantly. Only a dozen Abyssinians survived in England by the end of the war. However, the breed later became one of the most popular cat breeds. Today, the Abyssinian is the second most popular breed with short hairs, ahead only of the Siamese.

Breed standard

The Abyssinian is a medium-sized, athletic cat with a muscular build. It has an elegant, graceful body of medium length and balanced conformation. It has thin legs, oval paws and a long tail that gradually thins. Head slightly wedge-shaped, broad. The eyes are almond-shaped, expressive, with a black outline. The eye colour can be amber, green or yellow. The ears are relatively large, set apart from each other, with slightly pointed tips. The coat is silky to the touch and short, close to the body. Its special tabbiness is caused by a gene. All hairs are ringed, they are striped at least twice and up to four times. The chest, abdomen and the inner side of the limbs are of a uniform base colour. Colours can be wild, red, reddish yellow, blue, silver and fawn. The kittens come into the world with a darker colour and become lighter in colour over time. The weight of an Abyssinian is about 3-5 kg. Expected lifetime is 9-15 years.

Character

The Abyssinian is said to bond and attach to humans in a similar way to a dog. He is an extremely bold, brave and fearless character. Extroverted, playful and above all energetic. Some people say he never rests. Always on the go, he is not known as the clown of the cat world for nothing. He loves high places, for him climbing is an essential part of life. He is extremely intelligent and can be taught tricks. He is friendly and demands attention from his owner. Not a typical lap cat, but more of a curious, explorative nature who almost never rests.

Ideal environment

If you’re looking to share your home with an Abyssinian, it’s important to bear in mind that this cat likes to climb on everything it can. Therefore, one or more climbing poles are essential. He typically gets along well with children and other pets. It can be a particularly good playmate for a child who is curious and playful like him. It is important for the Abyssinian to keep busy, so he needs to be provided with a variety of toys. If this doesn’t happen, it’s easy for him to find something good to do, which the owner may not be happy about.

Care

Grooming his short hair is easy, just brushing once a week is enough to remove dead hairs. Regular care should also be taken to clean the eyes and ears.

Common health problems

Abyssinia can have periodontal disease, which can affect many cats over the age of three, regardless of the breed. He can develop FHS, a neurological problem that causes cats to over-groom themselves, which can lead to hair loss and frequent itching. Patella luxation (dislocation of the knee cap) and progressive retinal atrophy, a degenerative eye disease, can also occur. Kidney problems can develop, such as PKD, which is a polycystic kidney disease in cats. Genetic tests are available to detect this.