2. THE ABYSSINIAN
The Abyssinian is an agouti ticked tabby cat in
four colors – ruddy, red, blue and fawn.
The agouti ticked tabby gene originated
in India and/or Madagascar and spread to
Agouti Ticking
the Middle Eastern countries via overland
trade caravans and to northern Europe via ship.
Abyssinians were first exported to North America in the
early 1900’s.
The first known mention of an Abyssinian entry at a cat
show is at the Crystal Palace show in London, England in
December, 1871.
3. THE ABYSSINIAN
The Abyssinian is a colorful cat,
distinctly ticked, medium in
body, regal, lithe, muscular,
balanced temperamentally and
physically, with all elements of
the cat in proportion.
The Abyssinian is interested in
anything - and everything -
around them and is very active.
4. THE ABYSSINIAN
Balance is of major importance, as no one feature has more
emphasis than another:
Head is 30%
(including eye color)
Body is 30%
Color is 30%
(divided equally between
color and ticking)
10% is coat texture (itemized separately to emphasize this)
5. THE ABYSSINIAN
If viewed a different way:
Put coat, color, ticking and
eye color together for 50%
and the other 50% is
conformation of head, body,
and extremities.
The Abyssinian is a proportioned cat with all elements in
balance and harmony.
10. THE ABYSSINIAN
UNDESIRABLE >
Planes on the head that are
flattened on the nose, the
forehead or the tophead.
< CORRECT PROFILE
Gentle curve to the nose,
into a rounded tophead.
11. THE ABYSSINIAN
EARS:
The ears are large, broad and
cupped at the base. The ear
set is forward “set as though
listening”.
Good ear set on each of these cats
Tufts are desirable, though
not mandatory.
12. THE ABYSSINIAN
EARS: Undesirable traits
• Ears that are too close together
• Ears that are too low
• Ears that are too vertical Ears too close together
• Ears that are too small
• Ears that are too narrow at
base
Ears too low Ears are too narrow at base,
and too vertical
13. THE ABYSSINIAN
EYES:
Large and almond-shaped
Accentuated by circles of
lighter fur around them like
Good facial markings around eyes
mascara markings.
Good eye shape and set
14. THE ABYSSINIAN
EYES: Undesirable traits
• Eyes that are too round Eyes too slanted
• Eyes that are too small
• Eyes that are too slanted Eyes too small
• No facial markings to
outline the eye.
Eyes too round
15. THE ABYSSINIAN
TOPHEAD:
Rounded.
Rounded Tophead
A flat tophead looks
awkward and takes away
from the desired rounded
effect. Slightly Rounded Tophead
Ears that are also too low
enhance the flatness of the
tophead.
Flat Tophead
16. THE ABYSSINIAN
BODY:
The body is allotted 30% of
the points in the standard.
The torso is deeper than it
is wide. The line of the
back is level or has a slight
upward curve and the line
of the stomach is essentially
level WITHOUT A TUCK.
The body is never Oriental.
17. THE ABYSSINIAN
BODY:
Muscularity is crucial –
the ideal Abyssinian is an
extraordinary athlete.
The well-developed
muscularity should be
apparent both to the hand
and the eye.
18. THE ABYSSINIAN
BODY:
Oriental body type. Chunky body type.
Long in the body Short in the body
19. THE ABYSSINIAN
LEGS and FEET:
The legs and feet are
proportional to the body and
are of approximately equal
length to the body and the tail.
The key here is proportional.
TAIL:
The tail is thick at the base and
tapers. It should be at least as
long as the body.
20. THE ABYSSINIAN
TAIL FAULTS:
A tail that is too short and
stubby, or too slender at
the base, or to “whippy,” is
not correct.
Tail faults of any kind,
whether at the base, the
middle or the end of the
Short tail.
tail, are a disqualification.
Note appropriate oval paws
21. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT:
The texture of the coat is 10 points.
The coat on an Abyssinian is difficult to explain.
It is dense, soft, and resilient in feel.
If the coat approaches the stiff coarse feel of the
American Shorthair, or the downy softness of the British
Shorthair, or the short, flat, and slick quality of the
oriental breeds, it is incorrect.
22. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT LENGTH:
The ideal Abyssinian coat
is medium in length, long
enough to accommodate
2-3 bands of ticking.
The coat should not be
short and close lying to
the body.
Good coat length
23. THE ABYSSINIAN
COLOR: The Abyssinian in shown in 4 colors: Ruddy, Red,
Blue and Fawn.
Ruddy
Blue
Red
Fawn
24. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT COLOR: Ruddy
Base coat is orangey red or
brown red with darker brown
or black bands of color. No
gray color at the base of the
hair shaft. The belly color
should be the same as the
undercoat color.
Tail tip: Black or dark brown
Paw pads: Black or brown
Nose leather: Tile red
25. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT COLOR: Red
Coat is rich orangey red or
brown red color ticked with
chocolate brown. The
undercoat is the same
orangey red or brown red
color. The belly is the same
color as the undercoat.
Tail tip: Chocolate brown
Paw pads: Pink
Nose leather: Rosy pink
26. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT COLOR: Blue
Warm blue-grey color
with ticking bands in
shades of slate blue.
Undercoat is blush beige,
with no white or gray.
Belly is the same color as
the undercoat.
Tail tip: Slate blue
Paw pads: Pink
Nose leather: Old rose
27. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT COLOR: Fawn
Warm beige color with
ticking bands in shades of
light cocoa brown.
Undercoat is blush beige
with no white or gray.
Belly is the same color as
the undercoat.
Tail tip: Cocoa brown
Paw pads: Pink
Nose leather: Salmon
28. THE ABYSSINIAN
TICKING:
Ticking is the banding of all guard
hairs on the Abyssinian. The ideal
coat has room for at least 3-5
changes in color on each hair of the
back and sides. The changes in
color should be easily seen. The
belly hair is ticked in lighter shades.
If you cannot see the changes in color, the cat has no
visible ticking and that is incorrect.
30. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT and COLOR FAULTS:
Cold gray tones at the base of the
coat – commonly called “mouse
coat.” White undercoat on blue and
fawn.
Lockets – white spot in the throat or
chest area.
Dark broken necklaces in the throat
Locket,
area and barring on the legs.
and
NOTE: Unbroken necklaces are a necklaces
disqualification.
31. THE ABYSSINIAN
COAT and COLOR FAULTS:
Off-color paw pads.
White is allowed on the nostril,
chin and throat area.
White should not extend from White not confined to chin/nostril
the chin to the side of the face, and too low on throat area
nor should it be too low down
on the throat area.
32. THE ABYSSINIAN
A NOTE ON CLARITY:
While there are no points per
se in the standard for clarity,
keep in mind that the penalize
section addresses barring on
legs, dark broken necklace
markings, and rings on tail.
Clarity is a “decision maker.”
If you have two cats you like
equally well, the clarity of coat An example of absolute clarity
color, the ticking, and the lack
of barring can be used to
break the tie.
33. THE ABYSSINIAN
HANDLING:
Let the Abyssinian
show itself off for you.
Put “four on the floor”
and evaluate the
overall cat as your
rhythm dictates.
35. THE ABYSSINIAN
HANDLING:
When you are done with
your examination, take
time to look at the balance
of the cat.
There should not be one
part that overshadows the
rest.
