An old, slim and athletic breed with a coat like a wild rabbit's: curious, always busy and fond of people.
The Abyssinian is one of the oldest cat breeds. It has a special coat: every hair has light and dark bands in turn. So it looks plain at first, but it shimmers like the coat of a wild rabbit. It is slim, stands tall on its legs and is always busy with something. Climbing, exploring and joining in are what it likes best.
Loves its people and wants to be near them, but in its own way.
Rarely a lap cat: it would rather be doing something.
Plays all day, alone with toys or together with you.
One of the most active breeds: always on the move, climbing and exploring.
Fairly quiet. It greets you with a soft chirp rather than loud meowing.
Clever and quick to learn tricks such as fetch, when it feels like it.
Bold and curious: visitors are something to check out, not to hide from.
Often a fun playmate for children who are gentle with it.
Usually gets on with a friendly dog, best when they get used to each other young.
Likes company and often does well with a second cat.
Does not like long days alone. It gets bored quickly.
Can live indoors with lots to climb and do. A safe outdoor run is ideal.
The Abyssinian descends from the sacred cats of ancient Egypt.
It only looks like the cats in Egyptian art. No link has ever been found. Its DNA points to the Indian Ocean coast and South-East Asia, and the breed was made in England.
Because of its name, it comes from Ethiopia, once called Abyssinia.
The name only comes from the first cat at an English show being said to come from Abyssinia. The oldest known cat of this type, in a Dutch museum, came from India according to its label.
A sorrel Abyssinian is a red cat.
Until 1979 this colour was called red, but it is a lighter form of black (cinnamon). Truly red Abyssinians are a different, rare colour.
Cats with a ticked coat were shown in England from 1871. The first was said to come from Abyssinia, the country now called Ethiopia, and that is how the breed got its name. British breeders built up the breed. After the Second World War it had nearly disappeared, but with the few cats left and cats from abroad, the Netherlands among them, it recovered.
A ticked cat labelled 'India' goes into the natural history museum in Leiden: the oldest known cat of this type.
At the cat show in London's Crystal Palace, an 'Abyssinian' cat wins a prize.
Harrison Weir writes the first breed standard: a deep brown cat ticked with black, like a wild rabbit.
The first Abyssinians are entered in the National Cat Club's stud book in Britain.
The American registry CFA lists the Abyssinian among its first breeds.
Britain's GCCF recognises the breed, and the Abyssinian Cat Club is founded in England.
After the Second World War only about a dozen Abyssinians are left in England.
The European federation FIFe recognises the Abyssinian.
The first blue Abyssinian, Fairlie Mehesso, appears at a show in England.
The American registry TICA is founded, with the Abyssinian as one of its first championship breeds.
TICA lets the four silver colours compete for titles.
An Abyssinian called Cinnamon becomes the first cat to have its whole DNA published.
Slim, supple and muscular, neither stocky nor very fine. It stands tall on its legs, as if on tiptoe, with a slightly arched back like a cat about to spring.
Cat registries write colours as an EMS code. The letter is the colour (n black, a blue, d red, f tortie), s means silver or smoke, y golden, and the numbers tell you about white (01–09), shading (11, 12), the tabby pattern (22–25) or colourpoint (33).
Ruddy(n 25)
Sorrel(o 25)
Blue(a 25)
Fawn(p 25)
Ruddy silver(ns 25)
Blue silver(as 25)Silver is allowed by FIFe, WCF, TICA and Britain's GCCF, but not by America's CFA.
Only in TICA and Britain's GCCF. FIFe, WCF and CFA do not have these colours in the Abyssinian.
Only in Britain's GCCF.
Only in Britain's GCCF.
An Abyssinian is always ticked, with no stripes or spots on the body. White, white patches and points are in no standard; only a little white on the chin and nostrils is fine.
Early fanciers called it the bunny or hare cat, because its ticked coat looks like a wild rabbit's.
That is how many colour bands a single Abyssinian hair can have. America's TICA asks for four to six.
The oldest known cat of this type is a stuffed cat from the 1830s in the museum in Leiden.
An Abyssinian called Cinnamon was the first cat to have its whole DNA published.
In the 1978 Disney film 'The Cat from Outer Space', the cat Jake was played by two Abyssinians.
There is little good research on it. Breed guides mostly say 12 to 16 years, other sources a bit less. Take 10 to 15 years as a rough guide.
Red blood cells break down too soon, so the cat has bouts of anaemia. It is then tired, weak or thin. About 1 in 4 tested Abyssinians is a carrier; a kitten only gets it when both parents are carriers.
How it is found: DNA test of the parents. Two carriers are not mated with each other.
Abyssinians have two forms. In the usual form (rdAc) the retina slowly wears out and the cat is usually blind between three and five years old; it used to be common, now much less so. The rare form (Rdy) makes a kitten blind by about seven weeks. It does not hurt.
How it is found: DNA tests of the parents for both forms. For rdAc two carriers are not mated together; a cat with Rdy is not bred from.
An abnormal protein builds up in the kidneys until they stop working well. The cat then drinks a lot, loses weight and is tired. It runs in families and can start in young cats. Careful breeding has made it rare today.
How it is found: There is no DNA test. Ask whether the disease has occurred in the line.
Tartar makes the gums red and sore, and the cat can lose teeth. It is often named in Abyssinians. Brushing the teeth helps prevent it.
How it is found: No test. The vet checks the mouth every year.
Little work: brushing or combing once a week is enough. It hardly ever needs a bath. Do check its eyes and ears each week.
It needs a lot: daily play together, puzzle feeders, tall scratching posts and high places to sit. It is curious enough to open cupboards.
Brush its teeth two or three times a week, so it is less likely to get tartar and sore gums.
Because it moves so much, it is rarely overweight. Food rich in protein often suits it well.
An Abyssinian is not hypoallergenic. If you are allergic to cats, do not count on it.
Checked on 20 October 2026
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