Where Did the Abyssinian Cat Originate?

Posted by Jeanne on January 27, 2009

The Abyssinian is a breed of domesticated cat that some believe to have originated from one Egyptian female kitten named Zula that was taken from a port in Alexandria, Egypt, by a British soldier and brought to England. There have also been at least one, and possibly as many as three Abyssinians introduced from Libya (or less likely Egypt) into the existing Abyssinian gene pool in the USA. Many sources spread the story that Abyssinian breed is a few thousands years old and that it directly comes from ancient Egypt. There are also stories that wild Abyssinians live in parts of North Africa today. The Abyssinian cat has become one of the most popular shorthair breed of cats in the United States.

The Abyssinian’s body is of medium length, lithe, with well-developed muscles. The legs are slender in proportion to the body, with a fine bone structure. The paws are small and oval. The Abyssinian has a fairly long tail, broad at the base and tapering to a point.

The head is broad and moderately wedge-shaped, with almond-shaped eyes that can be gold, green, hazel or copper. The nose and chin usually form a straight vertical line when viewed in profile. Their alert, relatively large ears are broad and cupped at the base and moderately pointed at the tips, where tuffs of hair are commonly seen. Large ear tuffs are viewed as a must for show breeds. An M-shaped marking is sometimes found in the fur on the forehead.

The coat is short, dense, and silky to the touch. Abyssinians owe their special coat to one dominant mutant gene known as Ta. Each hair has a base-color with three or four darker-colored bands; the hair is the lighter color at the root, and the darker “ticking” color at the tip.

The original Abyssinian coat color is known as Usual in the United Kingdom and as Ruddy elsewhere. Over the years various other colors have been developed from this, but the markings on the coat have remained the same. The back of the hind legs and the pads of the paws are always darker than the rest of the coat.

Usual or Ruddy is the best-known and most common coat color. The coat has a warm reddish-brown base with black ticking. In the Usual Abyssinian, the feet and the backs of the hinds legs are always black. Another popular color is Sorrel, which has a cinnamon (yellowish-brown) base, with chocolate brown ticking, paw pads, and backs of the legs. Blue Abyssinians, which have become increasingly popular in recent years, have a light-beige base color with blue ticking, paw pads, and backs of the legs. The relatively rare Fawn Abyssinians have a light-cream base color, with darker cream ticking and warm dark cream pads and backs of the legs.

Silver Abyssinians are a separate group among the breed. Although this color has been in existence for decades and is very attractive, it is not recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA). In Silvers the undercoat is always a pure silvery white. The markings include black, blue, warm dark cream, and cinnamon. Good Silver Abyssinians are difficult to breed because they sometimes have undesirable tan patches in the coat. In addition to this, any spots in the coat show up more clearly on a silver coat.

Abyssinian kittens are born with dark coats that gradually lighten as they mature. It usually takes several months for the final coat color to be established.

Abyssinians are extrovert, willful, and intelligent, but are usually not “lap cats,” being too preoccupied with exploring and playing as they would in their natural habitat. Although very popular among breeders and owners, Abyssinians aren’t often used as show cats because of their shyness towards strangers and their timid nature. They have quiet, engaging voices that can often be misleading.

Abys, as they are affectionately referred to by their fans, need a great deal of contact with the family to keep them happy and can get depressed without daily activity and attention. They generally get on well with other cats, although they need their space; females can sometimes be irritable around other cats. Abyssinians are known for their curiosity and enjoy exploring their surroundings, including heights, although they are sensible cats that do not take unnecessary risks.