Abyssinian Breed

The Abyssinian breed is one of the oldest known breeds and there exists many versions concerning its history. The Aby is an elegant feline with a muscular body, large ears and almond shaped eyes. Abys today still retain the jungle look of the African wildcat, ancestor of all domestic cats. The Abyssinian is foreign shorthair in type. The overall impression of the ideal Abyssinian is a medium cat, regal in appearance. Males are proportionately larger than females, the female being finer boned and usually more active than the male. The Abyssinian shows firm muscular development and is lithe and panther-like in activity showing a lively interest in all surroundings, it is a very lovely, active, playful, and inquisitive breed. This slender, shorthaired breed is distinguished by its coat pattern, which is ticked in the manner associated with wild cats.

The main colours are ruddy, sorrel, blue and fawn:

Ruddy:
Coat ruddy brown (burnt sienna), ticked with various shades of darker brown or black, the extreme outer tip to be the darkest with orange-brown to the skin. The underside of the body, chest and inside of legs to be a tint to harmonise with the main colour, without ticking, barring, necklaces or belly marks. The colour varies from warm apricot to deeper burnt sienna, deeper tones preferred. White or off-white to be confined only to the upper throat area, lips and around nostrils. Tail to be tipped with black, without rings or grey tones. Paw pads: black or dark-brown with black between toes, extending slightly beyond the paws. Nose leather: brick tile red. Eye colour: Gold, copper, green or hazel, the more richness and depth of colour the better.

Sorrel:
A dilution of the ruddy, being a warm glowing red, ticked with chocolate brown, the extreme outer tip to be dark with red undercoat. The underside and inside of legs to be a tint to harmonise with the main colour. Tail tipped with chocolate brown. Paw pads: pink with chocolate brown between toes, extending slightly beyond paws. Eye colour: gold, copper, green or hazel, the more richness and depth of colour the better. Nose leather: Rosy pink.

Blue:
A warm soft blue-grey ticked with deeper blue, the extreme outer tip to be the darkest, with blush beige undercoat. Base hair and underside of the body, chest and inside of the legs to be a pale cream colour, harmonising with the main colour. Tail tipped with a deep shade of blue. Paw pads: Blue-mauve with a deep shade of blue between the toes extending slightly beyond the paws. Nose leather: old rose. Eye colour: Gold, copper, green or hazel, the more richness and depth of colour the better.

Fawn:
Coat warm rose-beige, ticked with light cocoa brown, the extreme outer tip to be the darkest, with blush beige undercoat. Tail tipped with light cocoa brown. The base hair and underside of the body, chest and inside of the legs to be a tint to be a pale oatmeal, harmonising with the main colour. Nose leather: pink-mauve. Paw pads: pink-maude with a light cocoa brown between the toes, extending slightly beyond the paws. Eye colour: gold, copper, green or hazel, the more richness and depth of colour the better.

They are now bred in the following colours:

Selfs (agouti):
ruddy, blue, fawn, sorrel, chocolate, lilac, cream

Torties:
tortie, sorrel tortie, chocolate tortie, blue tortie, lilac tortie, fawn tortie.

Silvers:
sorrel silver, chocolate silver, blue silver, lilac silver, fawn silver, cream silver, tortie silver, sorrel tortie silver, chocolate tortie silver, blue tortie silver, lilac tortie silver, fawn tortie silver.