The AbyssiniansThe Abyssinians |
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WHAT IS AN ABYSSINIAN?
Often described as looking like “ a little mountain lion”, the Abyssinian cat is one of the oldest of breeds. Thought to have originated in ancient Egypt, his ancestors arrived in England in the middle 1800’s, brought back with troops returning from wars in Ethiopia (modern day Abyssinia). The British were immediately charmed by the little ticked “bunny cats” as the breed was once called, and set about to improve and refine them. In the early 1900’s the breed was imported to America and there are early show records of Abys being exhibited. World War II brought cat breeding to a halt in Europe and it was in America and Canada that the Aby was bred and perfected to the type which you will see on display today.
Abyssinian cats come in several colors. Most frequently seen are the Ruddy Abyssinians which have an undercoat of rust color topped with black guard hairs which are “ticked” or banded in at least two bands of alternating color. Red Abys have become extremely popular in recent years, and are a rich coppery-red with dark brown ticking and pink noses and paw pads. the Blue Aby is a color which has appeared for many years but only recently has gained full recognition in the Cat Fancier’ Association. He is a striking animal with steel blue ticking and an oatmeal undercoat which exhibits a touch of warm apricot tones. Fawn Abys, which are beige fawn with darker toned ticking are rarely seen, but are being bred both here and in Europe.
It is difficult to sum up the personality of this breed in a few words. Terms which
have been applied are “busy”, “curious”, “playful”,
“intelligent” and affectionate”, and the abyssinian is all these thing and
more. He accepts other pets with ease, soon teaching the family dog to respect his person
and initiating play sessions. He seems intent on investigating each new sight and sound,
but is not malicious or destructive. He will lie beside his owner contentedly, or happily
accompany you to the kitchen to supervise production of dinner. Abyssinians are unhappy if
they are shut out of the daily activity of living, and respond best to being made an
“equal partner”. They are quiet cats, making them ideal for apartments and
condominiums. They require little more than sunny windows to bask in and room to play with
their favorite toys. Food in not generally a problem: High quality commercial cat foods
like Iams or Wathams, canned and kibble, and plenty of water will keep your cat healthy.
Their normal life span is from 11 to 15 years with some living beyond this. When provided
with scratching posts and firmly informed that furniture
is off limits, they will respect their owners’ property. Clipping the ends of their
claws will prevent the claws from catching on rugs and make the cats more comfortable.
When you purchase a pet Abyssinian, the breeder will require “spay/neuter”
agreement, obligating you to furnish proof of neutering or spaying prior to giving you the
cat’s registration papers. This is done so that only the finest and soundest
Abyssinians will be bred in order to produce consistently fine cats.
Whatever your preference- Red, Ruddy, Blue , Fawn-pet or future show cat- the Abyssinian
kitten with its enormous ears and wild appearance will soon purr his way into your heart.
Author:
Diane Mendoza, Dimend Abyssinians
909-788-1579
E-MAIL: ITSDIANE@aol.com