Abyssinian
The Abyssinian is one of the oldest-established cat breeds in the show world, though its actual origins are murkier than the name suggests: it was named for Abyssinia, modern Ethiopia, but genetic evidence points to the Indian Ocean coast and parts of Southeast Asia.
What sets it apart is the ticked coat. Each individual hair carries several bands of colour, so the cat reads as warm and faintly translucent rather than striped or spotted. Underneath is a medium, athletic build. Abyssinians are famously busy cats, usually more interested in what you are doing than in sitting on you while you do it.
- Origin
- Named for Abyssinia; genetics point to the Indian Ocean coast
- Size
- 3.5–5.5 kg
- Lifespan
- 12–15 years
- Coat
- Short and ticked, each hair banded with several colours
- Temperament
- Active, inquisitive, strongly people-oriented
- Shedding
- Low
3 abyssinian photos, newest first
Living with a abyssinian
The short coat asks for very little — an occasional comb through shedding season is about the whole of it.
The activity level is the real commitment. Abyssinians climb, investigate and open things, and one without height, puzzle feeders or a companion will invent its own entertainment at your expense. Vertical space matters more to this breed than floor space.
Ask a breeder about pyruvate kinase deficiency, progressive retinal atrophy and renal amyloidosis, all of which appear in the breed and all of which can be screened for. Otherwise they are robust and tend to live well into their teens.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual cats vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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