The document provides information about Abyssinian cats. It discusses their physical characteristics like their short ticked fur and large ears. It also describes their energetic and curious personalities, noting they are one of the friendliest cat breeds. The history section explains that while the breed's exact origins are unknown, it was first brought to Britain from Ethiopia in 1868 and its development was influenced by British breeds. It concludes with basic facts about Abyssinian cats.

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PHOTO CREDITS: © Nataliya Kuznetsova: Title Page; © Margarita Ignatova: 3, 8; ©
Juniors Bildarchiv: 4; © Kirill Vorobyev: 9, 22; © Anna Utekhina: 11, 16; © Corbis
Photos: 14; © Nicola Pedrozzi: 17; © Catherine Scott: 20; © Lynn Stone: all other
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Editor: Jeanne Sturm
Cover and page design by Heather Botto
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stone, Lynn M.
Abyssinian cats / Lynn M. Stone.
p. cm. -- (Eye to eye with cats)
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-60694-339-7
1. Abyssinian cat--Juvenile literature. I. Title.
SF449.A28S763 2010
636.8'26--dc22
2009005990
Printed in the USA
CG/CG
2
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Post Office Box 643328 Vero Beach, Florida 32964

4. Abyssinian Cats 4
The Abyssinian’s Looks 6
Purebred Abyssinians 10
The Cat for You? 14
The History of Abyssinian Cats 18
Abyssinian Cat Facts 22
Glossary 23
Index 24
3

5. The Abyssinian is one high-energy kitty!
Long, lean, and athletic, Abys love to leap
onto tables, bookcases, shoulders, and –
oops! – even drapes.
Abys are also very curious cats, finding
almost every little thing of some interest.
Along with their curiosity and energy,
Abys are full of affection. Many experts on
cat behavior think Abys are the friendliest
breed, or kind, of cat.
4
The Abyssinian breed was named for Abyssinia
(a North African country known today as
Ethiopia) because some people believe this
breed originally came from Abyssinia. The
nickname for this breed is Aby.

6. 5

7. Except for hairless Sphynx cats, all cats
have furry coats. Some cats, like the
Persian, have very long hair. Abyssinian fur
is thick, but quite short.
The most unusual feature of Abyssinian
fur is called ticking. Much of the Aby’s
coat has tiny flecks, or ticks, of color. The
special color pattern comes from several
dark bands on each hair.
6
It’s not hard to imagine the wild
ancestors in this Abyssinian’s lineage.

8. 7

9. 8
All Abyssinians used to have reddish-
brown coats. Today’s Abyssinians may be
reddish-brown, chocolate, lilac, fawn, or
other colors. They have white or cream-
colored chins.
Abyssinians have big, almond-shaped
gold or green eyes with dark eye rings.
They have long legs, small feet, and
large ears.

10. 9
The Abyssinian’s large
ears arch forward. In
competition, judges
look for a thumb print
marking on the back
of the ear.

11. The Abyssinian cat is one of about 40
cat breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers
Association. Cats whose parents are both
of the same breed are called purebreds.
Purebred kittens typically grow up with
the same kind of fur and body shape as
their parents.
10

12. 11
Abyssinian kittens
aren’t the only ones who
are curious and playful.
Adult Abys keep their kitten
curiosity and playfulness
throughout their lives.

13. 12

14. Most cats are not purebreds. Their
parents may have been cats of different
breeds. In most cases, though, neither
parent was a purebred.
People who raise purebred cats like the
fact that they are predictable. In other
words, purebred cats show certain features
over and over again. For example, nearly all
Abyssinians have the same body shape,
ticking, and quiet, friendly manner.
Abys and other purebred cats are
expensive. For this reason, and for their
safety, owners almost always keep
them indoors.
13
Abyssinian’s eyes are usually gold, copper, green,
or hazel. A short vertical line, darker than the
surrounding fur, appears above each eye.

15. No one can guarantee a cat’s looks,
personality, or household habits. But the
looks and personalities of purebreds are
easier to predict than those of
non-purebreds.
Abyssinians, for example, are likely to
meow quietly and purr loudly. They are
curious and friendly. They like other cats.
They especially like their owners. They love
attention and playtime. In fact, some Abys
seem to demand attention!
14
After 12 weeks, an Abyssinian kitten
is usually ready to join its new family.

16. 15

17. Abyssinians love to climb, bound, and
run. If you choose an Aby, be sure you
want to share your home with a four-
footed Olympic class athlete.
Despite being popular with cat fanciers,
Abys are not easy to breed. They may be
difficult to find and expensive to buy.
16
Active and playful,
an Abyssinian enjoys
constant attention.

18. 17

19. The Abyssinian is an old breed. Exactly how,
when, and where it first came about is
unknown. An Englishman brought a cat
named Zula to Great Britain from Abyssinia
in 1868.
Zula was probably similar to modern Abys.
But whether Zula and her type were originally
from Abyssinia is a mystery. Some believe
that the breed began in Egypt or Southeast
Asia. Others believe that British cat fanciers
developed the Aby from British shorthairs and
British bunny cats with ticked coats.
18
Abyssinians, with their large
ears and long bodies, look very
much like the cats found in the
art and tombs of ancient Egypt.

20. 19

21. In the 1930s, American cat fanciers
began to import Abyssinians from Great
Britain. Abys are now the fifth most popular
breed in North America.
20
Abyssinians get along well
with children and other pets.
Loyal and entertaining, they’ll
never leave you bored.

22. The beginnings of domestic, or tame,
cats date back at least 8,000 years, when
people began to raise the kittens of small
wild cats. By 4,000 years ago, the Egyptians
had totally tame, household cats. Most
actual breeds of cats, however, are fewer
than 150 years old. People created breeds
by selecting parent cats that had certain
qualities people liked and wanted to
repeat. Two longhaired parents, for
example, were likely to produce longhaired
kittens. By carefully choosing cat parents,
cat fanciers have managed to create cats
with predictable qualities—breeds.
21

23. Date of Origin – Unknown
Place of Origin – England, and probably Ethiopia
Overall Size – small to medium
Weight – 9-17 pounds (4-7.5 kilograms)
Coat – short
Grooming – every few weeks
Activity Level – very active
Temperament – affectionate; may
be demanding of attention
Voice – quiet
22

24. breed (BREED): a particular kind of domestic animal,
such as an Abyssinian cat
domestic (duh-MESS-tik): refers to tamed animals of
homes and farms
fanciers (FAN-see-erz): those who raise and work to
improve purebred cats
grooming (GROOM-ing): the act of brushing, combing,
and cleaning
personality (pur-suh-NAL-uh-tee): the qualities and
behavior that make one person or animal different
from others
predictable (pre-DIKT-uh-bull): that which can be
decided before it happens
purebreds (PYOOR-bredz): animals with ancestors of the
same breed
Sphynx (SFINKS): a rare, nearly hairless breed of cat,
originally from Canada
temperament (TEM-pur-uh-muhnt): an animal’s nature
or personality
ticking (TIK-ing): a coat of fur having small flecks of
color different from the main color
23

25. 24
Abyssinia 4, 18
affection 4
breed(s) 4, 10, 18, 21
Cat Fanciers Association
10
eyes 8
fur 6, 10
Great Britain 20
habits 14
looks 14
personality(ies) 14
purebreds 10
Sphynx cats 6
ticking 6, 13
kids.cfa.org
www.ticaeo.com
www.nhm.org/cats
A former teacher and sports writer, Lynn
Stone is a widely published children’s book
author and nature photographer. He has
photographed animals on all seven
continents. The National Science Teachers
Association chose one of his books, Box
Turtles, as an Outstanding Science Trade
Book for 2008. Stone, who grew up in
Connecticut, lives in northern Illinois with
his wife, golden retriever, two cats, and
abundant fishing tackle.