The Abyssinian is thought by some to be one of the very oldest of all breeds of domestic cats. Abyssinians resemble the sculptural and painted representations of ancient Egyptian cats – they are medium in size, muscular yet elegant, with long, well-arched necks, large alert ears, long legs and exotic, almond-shaped eyes. They come in a variety of color variations, including lavender, blue, chocolate, black silver, fawn, sorrel, ruddy and sorrel silver. A unique characteristic of the Abyssinian is the banding, or “ticking,” on individual hairs. There typically are three or four bands of color on each hair. The Abyssinian’s coat is soft, silky and lustrous, with a full undercoat. The tail is broad at the base, tapering to a point which is the color of the darkest ticking of the coat.

Abyssinians are quite active, social and vocal. They bond closely with their owners and want to be involved in everything that their people do. They are very adaptable to new situations and environments. Abys are intelligent and easy to train; they also are quite good at training their owners to wait on them hand and foot. Abyssinians are not simply ornamental lap cats, although they enjoy a good snuggle and are highly affectionate to their family members. This is a sturdy, smart, witty, fun and funny breed that can be demanding of attention and respect.