Abyssinian Cat Overview
The Abyssinian is a spunky medium-sized cat that gets about 6-10bs, known for their love of heights, and their coat looking similar to a cougar. It’s one of the oldest known breeds and resembles a small African wildcat. An interesting fact about the breed is that they can learn tricks from their owners.
The Abyssinian breed is also known as “Aby” is highly intelligent and a daredevil. They are very active and attentive to their surrounds always exploring and moving around. This breed is an excellent fit for anyone who likes a little challenge and enjoys a good laugh from their spunky, upbeat personalities; the cat can even be trained to walk on a leash. They can also be described as extremely loyal and people oriented but, not a lap cat. Aby cats are even smart enough to teach their owners a trick or two getting them to do precisely what they want them to do.
Adaptability
Affection
Child Friendly
Dog Friendly
Energy Level
Grooming
Intelligence
Health Issues
Shedding
Social Needs
Stranger Friendly
Vocalization
The Abyssinian breed has soft almond-shaped eyes and a round wedge-shaped face topped with distinctly large ears. They have a long, lean torso and appear like they are always walking on their tippy-toes. Their coat is medium length and comes in a variety of colors ranging from red-brown, a cinnamon shade, slate blue and depending on the association can include additional colors like chocolate, lilac, and silver tones.
The Abyssinian breed is also known as “Aby” has a Hollywood pedigree and is a widely known breed. They were obtained by the wealthy in the Victorian era and paraded around at shows. They are known for their quick feet and agile movements being compared to the famous Fred Astaire. The exact origin of the cat is not known but, it is speculated they came from the Indian Ocean coast and Southeast Asia. Their name is also thought to come from Abyssinia now known as Ethiopia.
Luckily, the Abyssinian breed is known for being generally healthy but, they can have specific known health problems like:
- Periodontal disease
- Hyperesthesia syndrome
- Patellar luxation
- Progressive retinal atrophy
- Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD)
- Renal amyloidosis
They also live to be about 10-15 years old on average. Other tips include brushing their teeth regularly and cleaning their ears to avoid problems.
The Abyssinian breed is low-maintenance. You can choose to brush them a couple of times a week if needed for shedding or give them a bath to remove excess hair. Their nails can use trimming every couple of weeks, and you can clean their ears with a 50-50 mixture of cider vinegar and warm water to avoid health problems. Typically speaking these cats are better kept indoors.