A beautiful and colorful cat, the Abyssinian is a visually striking species with a unique agouti ticked coat that creates an adorable ‘wild cat’ look. The Abyssinian is a muscular and athletic cat of medium build with regal airs belying its curious nature and eagerness to play. You will be reminded of the wild hunting cats as you watch your Abyssinian explore its surroundings with skillful confidence.
Personality
The Abyssinian is the cat to have for people who thought they didn’t like cats. They are affectionate, intelligent, and loyal cats who enjoy a lot of human company. If you have a busy lifestyle and need to leave your cat at home by itself a lot then you should really consider getting two Abyssinians so they can keep each other company.
Abyssinians will enjoy your company no matter what you are doing. Not content to just sit in your lap the Abyssinian will want to help you make the bed, read the newspaper, and will no doubt need to know who you are talking to on the phone.
While friendly, Abyssinians will get on better with the older siblings and adults rather than younger children and toddlers. They also absolutely love dogs – especially when they’ve finally taught them who is boss.
Did You Know?
A lot of cat devotees believe the Abyssinian to be a direct descendant of the sacred cats of Egypt due to their regal appearance and remarkable resemblance to Egyptian bronze statues and paintings. The truth is that the origin of the breed is somewhat hard to pin down. The first registration for the breed appeared in English studbooks as far back as 1896. Regardless, the Abyssinian breed has been around a long time and it is thought to be one of the purest breed of cats in the world.
Caring for Your Abyssinian Cat
The Abyssinian is a low maintenance cat who will stay at its healthiest if kept indoors and away from the stray cat population. Abyssinians can be prone to gingivitis if not fed the correct diet. Compensate by feeding them chicken wings and necks early on to prevent tartar build up.
Abyssinians are sometimes prone to the kidney disorder ‘Renal Amyloidosis’, which rarely ends well and is thought to be genetic in origin. It is somewhat rare though, and only crops up in a few breeding lines so this should not sway you from your choice.
Healthy Abyssinians will live well into their teens and will always do best when they have friends to play with all day long.
If you have an Abyssinian cat in your life, please share your experiences below.
Image: John Morton via Flickr
Abyssinians are so beautiful — and so active and smart! We wonder what Sparkle the Designer Cat thinks of this profile? 🙂