In Looks, the "Aby" (as it is affectionately know in the cat world) is similar to drawings of the Ancient Egyptian Cats and there are those who believe it originated in the Nile Valley, however, there continues to be speculation and controversy concerning its history. There is no doubt that it is one of the oldest short-haired breeds of cat. The name is not because the breed originated in Ethiopia, formerly Abyssinia, but because the first Abyssinian exhibited at a cat show in England was imported from that country.
Abyssinians appear both stunning and sleek, with the latter feature emphasised by their glossy coats. They have unusual ticked fur, in which each hair has two or more dark bands. The standard Aby shade, called Tawny, is a warm brown ticked with black. Other popular colours are, Cinnamon: a copper red with a red-brown ticking, Blue: a warm beige ticked with various shades of slate blue, Fawn: a rose beige ticked with coco brown, with a blush beige under coat. There are also various shades of Silver.
Medium sized and well muscled; Abys have large, somewhat pointed ears and big brilliant almond-shaped eyes in amber, green or yellow, rimmed in black or brown.
Abys make ideal companions. They are busy cats, alert and active, with voices that are quiet and "bell like". Independent, easy to settle and exceptionally intelligent, they are definitely a cat that likes to be with people. Once you have obtained an Aby as a companion you will never be alone. Abys are excellent at training people to do just what they want them to do. |
