Abyssinian cat

{{short description|Breed of domestic cat}} {{Redirect|Abys|the Swiss politician|Rageth Abys}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Use British English|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox cat breed |name=Abyssinian |nickname=Abys |image=Gustav_chocolate.jpg |imagecaption=A chocolate ticked tabby Abyssinian male |country= {{UK}} |stock=Southeast Asian and European cats<ref name="genetics" /> |fifestd=http://www.fifeweb.org/dnld/std/ABY-SOM.pdf |ticastd=https://tica.org/phocadownload/ab.pdf |ccastd =https://www.cca-afc.com/documents/BreedStandards/ABYSSINIAN_20231109_170752.pdf |acfstd =https://www.acf.asn.au/notices/notices/standards/Group%20Three/Abyssinian.pdf |cfastd =https://cfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/abyssinian-standard.pdf |gccfstd=https://www.gccfcats.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ABYSSINIAN-SOP-05_2024.pdf }}

The '''Abyssinian''' {{IPAc-en|æ|b|ᵻ|ˈ|s|ɪ|n|i|ən}}, or '''Abys''',<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Abyssinian |url=https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cat-breeds/abyssinian |access-date=2026-03-21 |website=VCA Animal Hospitals |language=en}}</ref> is a standardised breed of cat with a distinctive "ticked" tabby coat, in which individual agouti-hairs are banded with different colours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://catzinc.org/oldsite/BreedsandBreeders/BreedDescription/Abyssinian.html|title=Abyssinian Breed Description|website=catzinc.org|access-date=31 January 2018}}</ref> The breed's distinctive appearance, seeming long, lean and finely coloured compared to other cats, has been analogised to that of human fashion models. Abys have a distinctive wildcat look with their ticked coat and large erect ears. They are a highly social breed and can be demanding for attention. They do well in multi-cat households due to their social nature. Not a lap cat, Abyssinians are in constant motion, either exploring or playing.<ref name="Joshua"/>

The first members of the breed to be exhibited in England were brought there from Abyssinia (now known as Ethiopia), hence the name. In contradiction, genetic studies place the breed's origins in Southeast Asia and Europe.<ref name="genetics" /> However, it is possible that the breed was introduced to Abyssinia by travellers who had stopped in Calcutta, India.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cfainc.org/client/breedabyssinian.aspx|title=About the Abyssinian|access-date=31 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105105811/http://www.cfainc.org/client/breedabyssinian.aspx |archive-date=5 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==History== What is thought to be the earliest known designated Abyssinian cat is in an exhibit still residing in the Zoological Museum in Leiden, the Netherlands. It was purchased around 1834–1836 from a supplier of small wild cat exhibits as a taxidermy and was labelled by the museum founder as "Patrie, domestica India."<ref name="history" />

===Zula=== thumb|left|alt=Illustration of the so-called first Abyssinian cat, Zula, from the book by Dr. W. Gordon Stables: Cats, Their Points and Characteristics and Curiosities of Cat Life, 1874|Zula, the so-called "first Abyssinian"

The first example of a domesticated Abyssinian, however, involves the story of a cat being brought to England by the British Lt. General Sir Robert Napier in 1868 who had returned from the Abyssinia War. The cat was given the name "Zula" and won first prize in the December 1871 Crystal Palace cat show.<ref name="history">{{cite web | url=http://www.abyssiniandatabase.com/history.php | title=History of the Abyssinian Cat |website=All About Abyssinian Cats}}</ref>

Many modern Abyssinian breeders dispute Zula as having been the first domestic Abyssinian, arguing that the existing illustrations of Zula portray the cat as having ears too small for an Abyssinian and a coat too waved and long.

===Breed development=== The Abyssinian is one of the oldest established cat breeds, being recognised in 1929 by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF). The breed was developed in the United Kingdom with references dating back to at least the 1890s.<ref name="Abyshistory" /><ref name="GCCF">{{cite web |title=Abyssinian |url=https://www.gccfcats.org/getting-a-cat/choosing/cat-breeds/abyssinian/ |publisher=Governing Council of the Cat Fancy |access-date=1 January 2024}}</ref>

The breed was nearly wiped out in the United Kingdom following the Second World War and an outbreak of feline leukaemia virus, resulting in cats being imported from places such as the Netherlands, North America, Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand.<ref name="Abyshistory">{{cite web |last1=Barnes-Hookey |first1=Jacquie |title=History of the Abyssinian Cat |url=https://www.abycatassociation.co.uk/About_Abys/about_abys.html |website=Abyssinian Cat Association |access-date=1 January 2024 |archive-date=1 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101094108/https://www.abycatassociation.co.uk/About_Abys/about_abys.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Breed registration ==

===Breed recognition=== The Abyssinian was first recognised in 1929 by the GCCF.<ref name="GCCF" /> In 1979, this breed first received championship status with The International Cat Association (TICA).<ref name="WCC">{{Cite web |title=Breed Comparisons - Abyssinian |publisher=World Cat Congress |url=https://worldcatcongress.org/wp/cat_breed_comp_aby.php |access-date=2026-03-12 |website=worldcatcongress.org}}</ref>

=== Popularity === Abyssinians are a relatively rare breed worldwide. In 2022, the Abyssinians ranked at position 7 out of 46 cat breeds registered with the CFA.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 2023 |title=The Cat Fanciers' Association Announces Most Popular Breeds for 2022 |url=https://cfa.org/cat-talk/most-popular-breeds-for-2022/ |access-date=12 March 2026 |publisher=Cat Fanciers' Association }}</ref> In the 2024 statistics of FIFe, one of the major global cat registries, the breed ranked at position 18 out of 54 breeds in popularity, comprising 0,9% of their total registered kittens that year, which translates to 848 cats.<ref name="FIFestat">{{Cite web |date=June 2025 |title=FIFe breeding statistics 2024 |url=https://fifeweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/FIFe-breeding-statistics-2024.pdf |publisher=Fédération Internationale Féline |access-date=12 March 2026}}</ref>

==Characteristics== thumb|250px|right|alt=Photograph of a champion adult male Abyssinian cat, showing the classic black coat pattern|A champion adult male showing the classic black ticked tabby coat pattern

===Appearance=== The Abyssinian is a lithe, fine-boned, muscular, medium to large sized cat. The average weight is {{Convert|10|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}} ranging between {{Convert|8-12|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}} with height ranging between {{Convert|8-10|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}}.<ref name="GCCF" /><ref name="petmd">{{cite web |last1=Leeson |first1=Janelle |title=Abyssinian |website=PetMD |url=https://www.petmd.com/cat/breeds/abyssinian |access-date=3 January 2024}}</ref> The head is moderately wedge-shaped, with a slight break at the muzzle, and nose and chin ideally forming a straight vertical line when viewed in profile. They have alert, relatively large pointed ears. The eyes are almond-shaped and are gold, green, hazel or copper depending on coat colour. The legs tend to be long in proportion to a graceful body, with small oval paws; the tail is likewise long and tapering.<ref name="ACC">{{cite web |title=Abysinnian standard |url=http://www.abyssiniancatclub.com/breed-standard.html |website=Abyssinian Cat Club |access-date=3 January 2024}}</ref>

==== Coat ==== thumb|left|alt=Close-up view of the fur of an Abyssinian cat, showing the "ticked" effect|The fur exhibits a "ticked" effect

Abyssinian kittens are born with dark coats that gradually lighten as they mature, usually over several months.{{Citation needed|reason=Claim about coat not featured on GCCF or ACC although it is likely true|date=January 2024}} The coat is short, and is ideally fine, not soft, dense, close-lying and silky to the touch. The ticked or agouti effect that is the trademark of the breed—genetically a variant of the tabby pattern—should be uniform over the body, although the ridge of the spine and tail, back of the hind legs and the pads of the paws are always noticeably darker. Each hair has a light base with three or four bands of additional colour growing darker towards the tip. The base colour should be as clear as possible; any extensive intermingling with grey is considered a serious fault. A tendency to white on the chin is common but likewise must be minimal. The typical tabby M-shaped marking is often found on the forehead.<ref name="GCCF" /><ref name="ACC" />

thumb|Black adult showing a high degree of rufism and a tendency to white on the chin

The breed's original colour standard is a warm deep reddish-brown base (high degree of rufism) with black ticking, known as "usual" in Europe, "tawny" in Oceania, and "ruddy".<ref name="WCC" /> Cinnamon (also called "sorrel" or "red"), a lighter coppery base with cinnamon-brown ticking, is a unique mutation of this original pattern. Other variants have been introduced by outcrossing to the Burmese and other shorthaired breeds, notably blue (on a warm beige base) and fawn (on a softer creamy peach base). The less common chocolate and lilac are not recognised in some registries,<ref name="WCC" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Abyssinian : POINT SCORE |website=Cfainc.org |url=http://www.cfainc.org/Portals/0/documents/breeds/standards/abyssinian.pdf |access-date=15 December 2017 |archive-date=1 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701085055/http://www.cfainc.org/Portals/0/documents/breeds/standards/abyssinian.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> but have been granted full champion status with others.<ref name="WCC" /><ref>{{cite web |title=Abyssinian Breed Group Standard |date=2008-05-01 |website=tica.org |url=https://tica.org/phocadownload/ab.pdf |access-date=11 October 2024}}</ref> Most registries also recognises the silver series,<ref name="WCC" /> in which the base coat is a pure silvery-white with eumelanistic-coloured ticking. Various other colour combinations are allowed, including the "torbie", in which a tortoiseshell pattern in any of these eumelanistic colours is visible under the tabby banding.<ref name="WCC" />

alt=Photograph of a blue ticked tabby Abyssinian kitten|thumb|250x250px|Blue ticked tabby kitten

In summary, Abyssinians are accepted in the following eumelanistic base colours, all in the ticked tabby coat pattern:<ref name="WCC" /> * black ("usual", "tawny", "ruddy") * blue * chocolate * lilac * cinnamon ("sorrel", "red") * fawn

Additionally the following can be combined:<ref name="WCC" /> * silver series * tortoiseshell

===Behaviour=== Veterinarian Joan O. Joshua has written that the "dog-like attachment to the owners" of Abyssinian and Burmese cats causes "greater dependence on human contacts". This stands in contrast to the mere "tolerant acceptance of human company" based around "comforts" that multiple other breeds display.<ref name="Joshua">{{cite book |pages=1 |title=The Clinical Aspects of Some Diseases of Cats |first=Joan O. |last=Joshua |date=2013 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1yjLBAAAQBAJ&q=Abyssinian%20%22dog-like%22&pg=PA1 |isbn=9781483226002 |publisher=Elsevier}}</ref>

With their interest in playing with their owners combined with their curious intelligence, Abyssinians are sometimes called the "Clowns of the Cat Kingdom".<ref name=":0" /> They have soft chirrup-like vocalisations which do not sound like the expected "meow".{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

A study comparing Oriental Shorthair, Siamese and Abyssinian kittens to Norwegian Forest cat kittens found that the former group was more likely to recede and hide as well as display other 'shy' behaviour.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Marchei |first1=P. |last2=Diverio |first2=S. |last3=Falloci |first3=N. |last4=Fatjó |first4=J. |last5=Ruiz-de-la-Torre |first5=J. L. |last6=Manteca |first6=X. |title=Breed differences in behavioural development in kittens |journal=Physiology & Behavior |date=23 March 2009 |volume=96 |issue=4–5 |pages=522–531 |doi=10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.11.015 |pmid=19101579 |s2cid=12358514 |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938408003764 |access-date=6 January 2024|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Genetics == thumb|Cinnamon, the domestic cat who served as the first subject for the sequencing of the feline genome in 2007<ref name="Cinnamon" /> The breed owes their distinctive ticked coat to an interaction of the tabby-gene (''Ta'') and ticked-gene (''Ti''). Their coats are the archetypal example of homozygous ticked tabby expression, due to numerous generations of breeding for this phenotype. In 2007, the first cat to have its entire genome published was an Abyssinian named ''Cinnamon''.<ref name="Cinnamon">{{cite news |last=Highfield |first=Roger |date=31 October 2007 |title=Cinnamon the cat could offer hope to the blind |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/3312347/Cinnamon-the-cat-could-offer-hope-to-the-blind.html |access-date=26 June 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103024108/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=%2Fearth%2F2007%2F10%2F31%2Fscicat131.xml |archive-date=3 November 2007 |publisher=The Daily Telegraph}}</ref>

=== Genetic breed origins === A genetic study into the origins of cat breeds conducted at UC Davis, US, found that the Abyssinian has a low level of genetic diversity, a heterozygosity value of 0.45 within a range of 0.34–0.69 for all breeds studied, and has genetic markers common to both Southeast Asian and Western breeds indicating that cats from both Asia and Europe were used to create the breed.<ref name="genetics">{{cite journal | vauthors = Lipinski MJ, Froenicke L, Baysac KC, Billings NC, Leutenegger CM, Levy AM, Longeri M, Niini T, Ozpinar H, Slater MR, Pedersen NC, Lyons LA | title = The ascent of cat breeds: genetic evaluations of breeds and worldwide random-bred populations | journal = Genomics | volume = 91 | issue = 1 | pages = 12–21 | date = January 2008 | pmid = 18060738 | pmc = 2267438 | doi = 10.1016/j.ygeno.2007.10.009 }}</ref>

==Health== thumb|Fawn ticked tabby Familial renal amyloidosis or AA amyloidosis, a kidney disorder due to a mutation in the AA amyloid protein gene, has been seen in Abyssinians.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Niewold TA, van der Linde-Sipman JS, Murphy C, Tooten PC, Gruys E | title = Familial amyloidosis in cats: Siamese and Abyssinian AA proteins differ in primary sequence and pattern of deposition | journal = Amyloid | volume = 6 | issue = 3 | pages = 205–9 | date = September 1999 | pmid = 10524286 | doi = 10.3109/13506129909007328 }}</ref> The Abyssinian has had severe problems with blindness caused by a hereditary retinal degeneration due to mutations in the rdAc gene. However, the prevalence has been reduced from 45% to less than 4% in 2008 in the country of Sweden.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dobzhanskycenter.bio.spbu.ru/pdf/sjop/MS686%20Narfstrom%20.pdf|title=Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics |website=Dobzhanskycenter.bio.spbu.ru|access-date=15 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217192834/http://dobzhanskycenter.bio.spbu.ru/pdf/sjop/MS686%20Narfstrom%20.pdf|archive-date=17 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> An Australian analysis found the Abyssinian to be over-represented in cases of feline infectious peritonitis when compared to the expected frequency based on census data (4.4% versus 1.5%).<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Worthing |first1=Kate A |last2=Wigney |first2=Denise I |last3=Dhand |first3=Navneet K |last4=Fawcett |first4=Anne |last5=McDonagh |first5=Phillip |last6=Malik |first6=Richard |last7=Norris |first7=Jacqueline M |title=Risk factors for feline infectious peritonitis in Australian cats |journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery |date=7 March 2012 |volume=14 |issue=6 |pages=405–412 |doi=10.1177/1098612X12441875 |pmid=22398460 |pmc=10822597 |hdl=2123/14691 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> An US study had similar results with an odds ratio of 8.98.<ref name="Gough"/>

In a review of over 5,000 cases of urate urolithiasis the Abyssinian was significantly under-represented, with only one of the recorded cases belonging to an Abyssinian.<ref name="pmid22443437">{{cite journal|last1=Albasan|first1=H.|last2=Osborne|first2=C. A.|last3=Lulich|first3=J. P.|last4=Lekcharoensuk|first4=C.|title=Risk factors for urate uroliths in cats.|journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association|date=2012|volume=240|issue=7|pages=842–847|pmid=22443437|doi=10.2460/javma.240.7.842|doi-access=free|url=https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/240/7/javma.240.7.842.xml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240107085652/https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/240/7/javma.240.7.842.xml|url-status=live|archive-date=January 7, 2024|access-date=July 26, 2025|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

The Abyssinian was found to be predisposed to feline atopic dermatitis in a retrospective study of cases of the disease.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Ravens | first1=Philippa A. | last2=Xu | first2=Bei J. | last3=Vogelnest | first3=Linda J. | title=Feline atopic dermatitis: a retrospective study of 45 cases (2001–2012) | journal=Veterinary Dermatology | volume=25 | issue=2 | date=2014 | pages=95-102, e27-8 | issn=0959-4493 | doi=10.1111/vde.12109 | pmid=24597491 }}</ref>

The Abyssinian is predisposed to psychogenic alopecia.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Hnilica | first1=Keith A. | last2=Patterson | first2=Adam P. | title=Small Animal Dermatology | publisher=Saunders | publication-place=St. Louis (Miss.) | date=2016-09-19 | isbn=978-0-323-37651-8 | page=}}</ref>

An US study found the Abyssinian to be at increased risk of aortic thromboembolism with an odds ratio of 6.03.<ref name="Gough">{{cite book | last1=Gough | first1=Alex | last2=Thomas | first2=Alison | last3=O'Neill | first3=Dan G. | title=Breed Predispositions to Disease in Dogs and Cats | publisher=Wiley Blackwell | publication-place=Hoboken | date=2018 | isbn=978-1-119-22558-4 | pages=227–228}}</ref>

A retrospective study in the US found the Abyssinian to be predisposed to acquired myasthaenia gravis with an odds ratio of 4.97.<ref name="Gough"/>

Mycobacterium avium complex infection is a very rare disease: 10/12 cases were Abyssinians.<ref name="Gough"/>

A study of cases of patellar luxation in the USA and in Europe found 38% (26/69) Abyssinians had the condition compared to 1/84 for other breeds.<ref name="Gough"/>

The Abyssinian is the cat breed most commonly affected by progressive retinal atrophy. The condition is caused by two separate mutations in the breed. Early onset PRA is caused by an autosomal dominant mutation in the ''CRX'' gene. Late onset PRA is caused by an autosomal recessive mutation in the ''CEP290'' gene.<ref name="BSAVA">{{cite book |author1-first=James A.C. |author1-last=Oliver |author2-first=Cathryn S. |author2-last=Mellersh | editor1-first=Barbara | editor1-last=Cooper | editor2-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Mullineaux |editor3-first=Lynn | editor3-last=Turner |title=BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing |date=2020 |publisher=British Small Animal Veterinary Association |isbn=978-1-910-44339-2 |edition=Sixth|chapter=Genetics| page=131}}</ref>

The Abyssinian is one of the more commonly affected breeds for pyruvate kinase deficiency. An autosomal recessive mutation of the ''PKLR'' gene is responsible for the condition in the breed.<ref name="BSAVA"/>

==See also== {{Portal|Cats}} *List of cat breeds

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abyssinian (Cat)}} Category:Cat breeds Category:Natural cat breeds