Abyssinian Breed History The Abyssinian is one of the oldest cat breeds Early Abyssinian lovers did not keep breed records So the breed’s exact origin is unknown Near the end of the 1800s England was involved in a war in Ethiopia At the time Ethiopia was known as Abyssinia Some people think the first Abyssinian cat came to England not long after the fighting ended Cat enthusiasts claimed that this first cat was from Abyssinia That is how the breed got its name However scientists later discovered that the Abyssinian cat most likely came from Asia
Appearance Abyssinians are known for their distinctive coats The fur is short thick soft and silky It is also richly colored Much of the coat is ticked Each ticked hair has two or three bands of black brown or blue The cat’s undersides chest and legs have no ticking An Abyssinian’s coat color may be ruddy red blue or fawn Ruddy coats are orange brown with dark-brown or black ticking Red coats are a warm red color with chocolate brown bands Blue coats are beige with slate-blue bands Fawn coats are pink beige with cocoa-brown ticking Abyssinians are medium-sized cats with graceful muscular bodies Both males and females can weigh between 8 and 12 pounds 3 5 and 5 4 kg
Abyssinian Behavior These busy cats are always on the move They will play with a toy for hours But they can be just as amused with a wadded-up piece of paper Abyssinians are athletic and smart They are curious and good at solving problems You might find your Abyssinian atop a high perch you thought she could not reach Then you will know she just applied her intelligence to figure out the way up
Kittens Abyssinians can reproduce by six to nine months of age Like all cats a female Abyssinian is pregnant for about 63 to 65 days The mother can have about three litters each year On average she gives birth to four kittens in each litter
