What is a ticked coat?
Abyssinians have a "ticked" coat, which means each individual hair has several bands of color. That gives the coat a warm, glowing shimmer instead of stripes or spots.
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Abyssinian Facts
Abyssinian facts and facts about abyssinians, from the Random Facts shelf.
10 facts on this shelf
How did the Abyssinian get its name?
The Abyssinian is named after Abyssinia, modern-day Ethiopia, because a cat named Zula was reportedly brought from there to England in 1868 after a British military campaign.
Did the Abyssinian really come from Ethiopia?
Despite its name, genetic research suggests the Abyssinian's ancestors most likely came from coastal regions around the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia rather than Ethiopia.
Why are Abyssinians compared to ancient Egyptian cats?
Abyssinians look strikingly similar to the cats shown in ancient Egyptian art and statues, which led to the long-running but unproven idea that they descend from the sacred cats of Egypt.
Which cat breed was used for the first cat genome sequencing?
The first cat genome ever sequenced, published in 2007, came from an Abyssinian named Cinnamon, which made the breed an important part of feline genetics research.
How active are Abyssinian cats?
Abyssinians are among the most active and curious cat breeds. They love climbing, exploring, and getting into everything, so they're rarely the lap cat type.
What colors do Abyssinians come in?
The most classic Abyssinian color is called "ruddy," a warm reddish-brown, and the breed also comes in red, blue, and fawn.
What eye disease can Abyssinians inherit?
Abyssinians can inherit a form of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), a disease that gradually causes blindness, and DNA tests help breeders screen for it.
How did World War II affect the Abyssinian breed?
The Abyssinian population in Britain dropped dramatically during WWII, and breeders had to work hard afterward to rebuild the breed.
Is the Abyssinian one of the oldest recognized cat breeds?
The Abyssinian is one of the oldest recognized cat breeds, shown at cat shows in England in the late 1800s and among the earliest breeds registered in the US.