Abyssinian

Appearance and features:

Short haired, medium size, with a slender and lean appearance. Wedge shaped head with large to medium large pointy ears. Almond shaped eyes in either gold, green, hazel or copper color.

Size:

This is a medium-size cat weighing 6 to 10 pounds.

Family:

Related to Ocicats. Ocicats are the result of breeding an Abyssinian with a Siamese.

Coloring:

Ruddy, which is a deep reddish-brown tone with black marks, sorrel, a lighter cooper base, cinnamon, Blue, beige and fawn. Lilac a chocolate is also a newer variant, but not recognized by CFA. Color variations continue to be developed, including Torbie. TICA does recognize the new colors.

Origin:

Traceable roots go back to England in the nineteenth century.

Temperament:

Abyssinians are not a cat that likes to lay around. They have a high need to play and get constant attention. One of the few cat breeds that desires human interaction. They are said to develop a dog-like attachment to they’re owner.

Health concerns:

Abyssinians can be prone to blindness. The blindness is caused by a degenerative retinal disorder caused by a mutation in the rdAc gene. Gingivitis, which is fairly common with many breeds, can also be found in Abyssinians.