Abyssinian

Strikingly wild looking, the Abyssinian gives the impression of an extreme athlete who has just wandered in from the jungle. Lithe and long, with a lean, muscular build and moderately wedge-shaped head and large, almond shaped eyes, the Abyssinian is a supermodel of a cat. From the large ears, small oval feet and long slender tail, the Abyssinian is covered in a fine, short and glossy coat.

Lifespan

9 - 15 years

Weight

2.7 - 4.5kg

Colours

Originally only seen in a sandy wild-cat reddish brown, the Abyssinian may now sport a variety of colours, see the GCCF and CFA websites for further details.

The need-to-know

Benefits from an experienced owner
Needs high-level of enrichment including simulated hunting games and interactive play
Highly active and inquisitive cat
Independent but friendly

Slightly talkative cat
Average build cat breed
Requires grooming once a week
A bit of both indoor and outdoor space

Great family cat
Can be regularly left for a few hours
Great for a relaxed home

Generally healthy breed

Abyssinian cats can suffer from:
- Pyruvate kinase deficiency which is a disease that causes anaemia (death of red blood cells).
- Progressive retinal atrophy which is an inherited disorder where part of the eye degenerates and wastes away, which can result in blindess.
- Amyloidosis where proteins are deposited in the organs and tissues which can lead to organ failure.

Testing available:
- DNA testing for pyruvate kinase deficiency and progressive retinal atrophy which tests whether or not a cat has the potential to be affected by these conditions.

T. A. Niewold et al,'Familial amyloidosis in cats: Siamese and Abyssinian AA proteins differ in primary sequence and pattern of deposition', 1999, The Journal of Protein Folding Disorders

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Personality

Whilst not a lap-cat, as this is not a feline to curl up and relax much, the Abyssinian is a very friendly, curious and inquisitive cat, who will delight in helping or supervising any activity you happen to be involved in. Owners will need to actively enjoy and be amused by a cat who wishes to get involved in household tasks, and be ready to play lengthy games to keep this cat happy and satisfied with life.

Described as intensely loyal and playful, this is a cat who will require owners who are at home a lot of the time, you do not want an Abyssinian to amuse themselves without supervision!

Family-friendly:	3/5
Playfulness:	5/5
Intelligence:	5/5
Likes Other Pets:	5/5
Grooming needs:	3/5
Shedding:	3/5

Although named after the country now known as Egypt, and apparently one of the oldest known breeds, the Abyssinian did not originate from Egypt at all. Studies by geneticists show that the most likely origins for this breed are the coast of the Indian Ocean and parts of Southeast Asia. They gained the name due to the first of these cats imported to the UK being brought from Egypt, and they do closely resemble cats depicted in ancient Egyptian paintings and sculptures. They were first shown in the UK in 1871 at Crystal Palace and it seems that they were brought back to the UK following the departure of British troops from Abyssinia in 1868.

The Abyssinian would love to be an outdoor cat however they are so friendly, active, curious and of course striking in appearance that they can be a theft risk, and also very likely to make themselves unpopular with any neighbours. An outdoor Abyssinian will think nothing of inviting themselves into other peoples’ homes, supervising their activities and helping themselves to food and items they take a fancy to. For this reason, Abyssinians are often better as mostly indoor cats with access to secure cat runs or ‘catios’, or even better and ideally, a fully secure, cat-fenced garden.

If kept indoors only, you will need to provide extensive cat trees and jungle-gym equipment, and consider interior décor carefully. This is a cat who loves to be up high, and will enjoy knocking things down from shelves and other surfaces. This is very much a cat you will need to model your home and lifestyle around.

The Abyssinian requires a lot of room to exercise and play, and as they enjoy climbing and being up high, extensive cat trees or an environment that gives them an outlet for this behaviour are very much a requirement. Highly inquisitive, they are also trainable using positive reinforcement methods, and it is recommended that you use training and/or enrichment games to have your Abyssinian work for some of their food to keep their brains and bodies active.

Every cat is unique and each has their own particular likes, dislikes, and needs when it comes to food. However, cats are carnivores and every cat must obtain 41 different and specific nutrients from their food. The proportion of these nutrients will vary depending on age, lifestyle and overall health, so it's not surprising that a growing, energetic kitten needs a different balance of nutrients in their diet than a less active senior cat. Other considerations to bear in mind are feeding the right quantity of food to maintain 'ideal body condition' in accordance with feeding guidelines and catering to individual preference regarding wet or dry food recipes.

Clean and short coated, the Abyssinian is not demanding to groom. A weekly check over and polish with a bristle brush will suffice. A greasy or scurfy coat can be the first sign of illness and this is spotted much more readily if you groom your cat regularly.

As with all cats, regular vaccination and parasite control is recommended and this should be discussed with your vet.

Bundles of fun if you like a cat involved in everything you do! They are not particularly loud and although they are chatty, it’s a quiet chirrup rather than jarring yowl. The Abyssinian is however quite a demanding cat to live with. Consider them to be a cat-shaped dog and you have a better idea of the attention they need. Suited to homes without children, or with children old enough to respect a cat’s space, and be relied upon to not let the cat out of the house unless they have a secure outdoor space.