The Abyssinian is a slender, short-haired breed developed in Britain in the nineteenth century, known for its ticked coat and constant activity.
It needs company and occupation, and breeders test for two inherited conditions affecting the blood and the eyes.
The Abyssinian is a lithe, short-haired cat with a ticked coat, in which every hair is banded with several colours. It is one of the oldest pedigree breeds and one of the most active.
The breed was developed in Britain in the second half of the nineteenth century. Its name comes from the story that an early cat was brought back from Abyssinia, now Ethiopia, by a soldier returning from the campaign of 1868, but there is no firm evidence for this, and genetic studies point instead to the coasts of the Indian Ocean and south-east Asia. Abyssinians were shown at the first British cat shows and were among the breeds recognised when the cat fancy was organised.
Abyssinians are medium-sized, slender and muscular, with long legs, a wedge-shaped head, large pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes of amber, hazel or green. The coat is short, fine and close-lying. The original colour, called usual in Britain and ruddy elsewhere, is a warm golden brown ticked with black; sorrel, blue and fawn are the other long-established colours, and British registries accept several more.
This is a busy, inquisitive and athletic cat that climbs, explores and wants to be involved in everything. Abyssinians are affectionate and attach themselves closely to their people, but few are content to sit on a lap for long. They do poorly if left alone all day without company or occupation, and suit households that can provide climbing space, play and another animal for company.
The coat needs only an occasional brush. Inherited conditions known in the breed include pyruvate kinase deficiency, which causes anaemia, and a form of progressive retinal atrophy that leads to blindness; DNA tests exist for both, and responsible breeders test their cats. Kidney disease caused by amyloid deposits and inflammation of the gums are also seen.
The Abyssinian is recognised by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), the main British registry, and by the international registries. The long-haired form is recognised separately as the Somali.