Abyssinian Cat: Everything You Need to Know About This Gamesome Cat

Published Categorized as Cat Breeds 1 Comment on Abyssinian Cat: Everything You Need to Know About This Gamesome Cat
Abyssinian Cat: Everything You Need to Know About This Gamesome Cat

Did you know the intelligent Abyssinian cat can be your perfect playmate?

If you already have an Abyssinian cat as your pet, know that your cat is a rare breed. The Abyssinian cats are slender cats with long bodies and expressive almond-shaped eyes.

An Abyssinian is a smart and gamesome kitty; you can call it a perfect play partner for yourself, active and athletic. They are known for their gamesomeness and attachment to people.

Abyssinian cats can be called family-friendly cats because they are highly people-oriented and are gentle towards kids, other cats, and even dogs.

Despite being the source of 24/7 entertainment, one good thing is that they are pretty low maintenance, easily taken care of, and don’t shed. This was just a brief introduction. There’s much more to learn about them. We’ve covered all you need to know about them before adopting, from their background to their health concerns, caring and suggestions. Read more to find out!


A close up portrait of an Abyssinian cat

Origin and History of Abyssinian Cats

The slender Abyssinians are one of the oldest breeds of tamed cats. There are different studies regarding the reveal of the origin and history of the Abyssinians. Some believed the cat originated from the Blue Nile because of its resemblance depicted in Egyptian murals and artifacts.

However, some also believed that Lord Robert Napier, in the 1860s, brought a cat to Britain; the cat was named Zulo. Today Zulo became the foundation of the human-Friendly breed Abyssinian. The breed had a quirky ticking pattern on the coat that reminded people of the camouflage pattern on the coat of the wild rabbit.

The Abyssinian cats were then imported to the United States and were bred throughout the United States and Europe. The first Abyssinian arrived in the United States in the early 1900s, and they were first exhibited in 1909. Because of their unique appearance, coat pattern, and personality, the breed quickly developed into one of America’s favorite breeds.


What Makes Them Rare And Uncommon?

Abyssinians are distinctive in personality and appearance. The cats are known for their unique ticked coat, unique almond-shaped eyes, distinctive body structure, and their ability to be human-friendly. These cats are easy to groom and don’t require a lot of maintenance. They are a source of a great addition to the family, considering that they are gentle towards kids and other animals as well.

A cute Abyssinian cat

Characteristics

You might want to know some characteristics of the Abyssinian when owning this breed.

  • Size: The intelligent Abyssinian is a medium-sized cat, surprisingly they are heavily weighted considering they are slender, they keep their weight under control considering they are active and energetic.  Females tend to be somewhat smaller in body structure,
    Adult females: 6-9 pounds
    Adult males: 7-12 pounds
  • Color: Abyssinians can be divided into two groups, one is traditional that includes colors like ruddy, cinnamon, chocolate, diluted blue, fawn, and lilac. The other one is the silver division which includes colors like lack-silver, cinnamon-silver, chocolate-silver, diluted blue-silver, fawn-silver, lilac-silver.
  • Life Expectancy: Their expected life of span is 14 – 17+ years, but many have lived well into their twenties.
  • Temperament: Clever, lively, loving, Athletic 
  • Highly Energetic: Abyssinians are hyperactive, athletic, and distinguished. They keep their surroundings entertained by showing a lively interest in their surroundings. They are known for their playfulness, Most of the Abys will spend most of their life’s looking kitten-like. They prefer to be on the highest level possible from where they can inspect the whole situation of the room. They are fast, capable of jumping 6 feet high in the air, so don’t get intimidated if you find a flying Aby on your shoulder or somewhere on the top of your room.

Health Tips & Recommendations

Abyssinians are a relatively low maintenance breed, so their grooming requirement is low, just washing mainly. An occasional brushing is all that needs to be taken care of, and a damp cloth for cleaning their coat.

They are generally healthy cats. But like other cats, they are also prone to certain health conditions like light shedding of hair. For the cure, the Abyssinian requires weekly grooming; combing with a steel comb should be sufficient to remove any dead fur or dander.

They are also prone to gingivitis and amyloidosis, so weekly combing is necessary.

They may also have a higher risk of diseases like PK-Def (Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency), PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), PL (Patella Luxation), and RA (  Renal Amyloidosis ). A simple test can determine whether your animal has the recessive genes responsible for the disorder.

Breeders do a simple test that can determine the animal’s health and help one in eliminating genetic health problems. Their dental care is essential for their health.

Some Nutritional Requirements

Now a few things related to their diet like all the other animals, it’s essential to give your cat fresh, clean food and water daily. Here’s a quick tip for you.

If you’re concerned about your cat drinking enough water each day, keep the water bowl at least three feet away from the food bowl. Because cats’ noses are sensitive, an overabundance of food may induce them to drink less. Water bowls can alternatively be replaced with filtered drinking fountains (stainless steel is ideal).


Abyssinian cat in golden warm background

Some Fun Facts about Abyssinian Cats

  • Abyssinian cats are quick learners. Since they are quick at learning tricks and techniques, they can be easily trained to go for walks because they are unusually clever and inquisitive.
  • In Disney’s 1978 picture The Cat from Outer Space, Aby was the titular kitty.
  • The Abyssinian cat was instrumental in the development of Australia’s first pedigreed cat breed, the Australian Mist, a mix of Burmese and Abyssinian.
  • The DNA of the Abyssinian was deciphered in 2007 to aid in the creation of a “rough draught” genome for domestic cats. This decoding has aided our understanding of species domestication and shed light on some feline ailments.

Final Thoughts

If you’re thinking of adopting the Abyssinian breed cat, I would suggest multi-level cat apartments or scratching posts would be great for their living. Abyssinian cats like to explore and find their way up to high shelves; other than that, they are entertainingly friendly towards kids as well.

1 comment

Leave a comment