Elegance. In one
word, that describes the Abyssinian. The name comes from the
misimpression that the breed originated in ancient Egypt, based on
pictographs of cats on ancient Egyptian monuments. But the modern
Abyssinian cat certainly deserves the reverence the Egyptians felt for
their cats. The Abyssinian is truly beautiful. The coat is
short and ticked. Each hair shaft has three or even four different
bands of color along its length. The coat feels clean to the touch.
The Abyssinian is one of the most athletic and
interactive of cats. It can jump onto a shelf or table without
disturbing any objects. Its body is lithe and muscular. It is of
moderate size, typically reaching five to nine pounds.
The Aby is not a lap cat, although it will settle
next to its owner on a couch or bed.
There are four colors recognized in the U.S.,
ruddy, red, (a.k.a. sorrel), fawn and blue. A fifth color,
silver, is recognized in the U.K. The ruddy is the darkest, with
black highlights mixed with a warm brown/red undercoat. The red
is reddish/brown with a red undercoat. The fawn has a light tan color,
and the blue is a light gray/blue with a peach undercoat.
Most Aby owners feel the Abyssinian is close to
the perfect breed for a pet.
A more
complete breed description is available from the Cat Fanciers
Association.
In one word, elegance, that describes the
Abyssinian. The name comes from the misimpression that the breed
originated in ancient Egypt, based on pictographs of cats on ancient
Egyptian monuments. But the modern Abyssinian cat certainly
deserves the reverence the Egyptians felt for their cats. The
Abyssinian is truly beautiful. The coat is short and ticked. Each
hair shaft has three or even four different bands of color along its
length. The coat feels clean to the touch.
The Abyssinian is one of the most athletic and
interactive of cats. It can jump onto a shelf or table without
disturbing any objects. Its body is lithe and muscular. It is of
moderate size, typically reaching five to nine pounds.
The Aby is not a lap cat, although it will settle
next to its owner on a couch or bed.
There are four colors recognized in the U.S.,
ruddy, red, (a.k.a. sorrel), fawn and blue. A fifth color,
silver, is recognized in the U.K. The ruddy is the darkest, with
black highlights mixed with a warm brown/red undercoat. The red
is reddish/brown with a red undercoat. The fawn has a light tan color,
and the blue is a light gray/blue with a peach undercoat.
Most Aby owners feel the Abyssinian is close to
the perfect breed for a pet.
A more
complete breed description is available from the Cat
Fanciers
