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Abyssinians
HISTORY OF THE ABYSSINIAN
BREED
General Description
Abyssinians look like a small mountain lion or cougar
with almond eyes set in a dramatically marked expressive
face and a spectacularly warmly ticked coat that
produces a shimmering iridescence whether still or in
motion. They are athletic, alert and very active. Even
though they are well-muscled their movement is lithe,
graceful and very quick. Their carriage is confident and
regal, but their antics have caused some to call them
"Aby-silly-ans"! The Somali is simply and beautifully a
semi-long-haired Abyssinian. It has the same expressive
face but with a shaggy ticked coat, ear tufts and a
fox-like tail. The Abyssinians and Somalis are also
known as the 'preposition' cats because they leave no
niche unexplored; they are above, below, in, under,
across, beside, between, into, over, among and through
everywhere! Perhaps alliteration is an easier way to
describe the Abyssinian and Somali: active, awesome,
agile, astounding, alert, animated, affectionate,
amusing, athletic, astute, amiable and attentive.
History
The Abyssinian is one of the oldest breeds of
domesticated cats, but its real ancestry is lost in
time. Romantic tales call it the cat from the Blue Nile
saying it is a direct descendant of the sacred cat of
Ancient Egypt because it resembles the cats depicted in
Egyptian murals and artifacts. Others believe British
soldiers from Abyssinia (now Ethopia) brought a cat
named Zula home with them to England at the end of the
Abyssinian war in 1868. So far no documentation links
Zula to the cats of today and recent genetic studies
identify the cats in the coastal area of the Bay of
Bengal in India as the Abyssinian's potential forebears.
The Abyssinian was developed and refined in Britain. The
first Abyssinian arrived in the United States in the
early 1900s and they were first exhibited in 1909. In
the 1930s an effort to develop the Abyssinian in the US
began and it quickly developed into one of America's
favorite breeds because of its expressive eyes, unique
coat pattern and personality. The Somali is the stunning
long-haired descendent of the Abyssinian and is named
for Somalia which borders Ethiopia, formerly Abyssinia,
to represent their connection to each other. Personality
Abyssinians and Somalis are loyal, affectionate, highly
intelligent and very interactive with their owners and
environment. No place ever goes unexplored and yet
seldom do they knock anything off of a shelf or
countertop. They are wonderful companions who are highly
interested in everything around them and what everybody
is doing. They like a good view of their surroundings,
so expect them to find them atop the refrigerator, doors
and bookcases. They are entertained by whatever moves
outside making birdfeeders visible through a window a
must. Saying they show an intense curiosity in all that
surrounds them is an understatement. Not usually
considered a lap cat due to their high energy and
curiosity levels, Abys/Somalis do occasionally make
visits to your lap or find a way under the covers to
spend time near their beloved owners. The way they
transform within seconds from a radiant and regal
presence into an amazingly playful character with
childlike antics and an indomitable spirit is
astounding. Engaging companions for people of all ages,
they are happiest in the company of others, love to play
and will find ways to involve you in their activities.
While exceedingly social, they are not always content in
large cat populations where they have to share
attention.
Traits
The Abyssinian is a short-haired cat whose coat has an
iridescent warmth of colour produced by the Agouti
ticking, where each shaft of hair has 4-6 bands of
alternating rich colour similar to that of a bunny coat.
The coat is resilient and when rubbed against the lay of
the coat it snaps back into place. Similarly colored,
the Somali is semi-long-haired with a coat that is very
soft and finely textured. Coat texture for both is
generally soft, but varies somewhat with different
colours because the pigment particles have different
shapes and distribution within the hair shaft causing
the textural variation. The Aby/Somali head type is a
modified wedge with rounded contours. In profile, there
is a rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead
with a brow ridge that helps establish the wild
appearance to the face. The ears are large and arched
forward in alertness not to miss out on anything. The
eyes are large, almond-shaped jewels, expressive and
richly coloured gold, amber or green surrounded by a
ring of dark colour (eyeliner) that is then surrounded
by a lighter colour. The muzzle is rounded in contour
without being pointy or pinched in appearance. They are
a medium sized cat with males weighing 3-6 Kgs and
females 2-3 Kgs. The body is medium long, lithe and
graceful with the muscular strength of a fine-motor
skilled athlete. The Aby/Somali is solidly built with a
level flank and a slight arch to the back that is more
noticeable when the cat is sitting. The legs are slim,
long and well-muscled with oval shaped feet and an
appearance of standing on tip-toes. Abys and Somalis are
bred in the following colours: Tawny, Cinnamon, Blue,
and Fawn and the silver version of these colours where
an icy white coloration closest to the skin is followed
by ticking up the hair shaft.
Ph: 08 7230
8344
Mob: +61 0401 354 052
Email:
Allerbeste Abyssinians
Last
Updated
10/11/2016 09:16 AM |
Allerbeste Abyssinians
Adelaide
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