- Highly active and inquisitive cat
- Friendly but independent cat
- Somehow talkative cat
- Average build cat breed
- Requires grooming once a week
- Outdoor cat
- Great family cat
Personality
The Abyssinian cat is quiet, intelligent and curious and is said to enjoy human company and become attached to its family. It enjoys space and activity, is a good climber, and will appreciate a garden full of trees and high places. Abyssinian cats are playful but tempered with some sense, so are not too reckless!
History and Origins
Country of Origin: Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
Other Names: Abys, Bunny cat
The Abyssinian cat resembles the African wildcat, ancestor of the domestic cat. The history of the Abyssinian cat in the UK is a little obscure, but it is likely that it was brought back via army personnel from Abyssinia (now Ethiopia), in the 1860s. The early Abyssinian cats were crossed with British Shorthairs, and later with oriental breeds. Long-haired Abyssinian kittens have been found in litters for many years, and since the 1970s they have been developed as a separate breed called the Somali.