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Abyssinians are one of the world’s oldest breeds of cats. The origin of the Abyssinian has been since the modern western world first saw them in Britain in 1868. The first cat was given the name of ‘Abyssinian’ at a cat show in Britain. After this, many people claimed that the cat originated in ancient Abyssinia, what is now Ethiopia, but this was not necessarily true. The Abyssinian had been given its name in England because the owner had acquired it in Ethiopia.
Some people believe that the Abyssinian was first bred in Egypt because the hieroglyphic paintings of cats resemble the breed, however there is no evidence for this theory. Some British cat breeders hold the opinion that the Abyssinian is not an old breed at all, and that it was bred from regular brown and silver tabbies and cats with ticked coats. (Ticked coats mean the individual hairs have different bands of colors, and has nothing to do with the tick insect.)
Studies in modern genetics of the Abyssinian may reveal the truth, or at least the theory with the most evidence to date. Some geneticists believe that the Abyssinian originated somewhere in Southeast Asia on the coast of the Indian Ocean. This theory would make sense because the arrival of the Abyssinian into Britain coincides with the time merchants and travelers began traveling to Calcutta, India.
The Abyssinian first became a registered breed in 1896. The first Abyssinians listed in stud book of the National Cat Club were Sedgemere Bottle and Sedgemere Peaty, born in 1892 and 1894 respectively. The Sedgemeres were male Abyssinians, owned by Mr. Sam Woodiwiss.
The Abyssinian did not come to America until the early 1900’s, when they were imported from Britain. Even then, it was not until 1930 that the first registered Abyssinians entered America and began the purebred line that exists today. After 1933, no more Abyssinians were imported to the US for a while due to the second world war. Cat breeding became unimportant during the threat of world annihilation and the number of purebred Abyssinians dwindled. At the end of the war, only twelve registered Abyssinians remained in Britain. Cat breeding soon picked up again, and this time the Abyssinian became much more popular than before.
Abyssinians are very muscular sturdy cats, and bear a striking resemblance to Felis lybica, the African wildcat ancestor of modern domestic cats. The body of the Abyssinian is very graceful and long, and their coats are brown or reddish-brown and short. Abyssinians are very active and intelligent, and they maintain a certain degree of independence and seem to carry on a bit of the wildness of their ancestors. Abyssinians would much rather run and explore than to sit on a lap and be cuddled. Abyssinians enjoy being around humans and they make good pets for families with children. Abyssinians also get along with dogs remarkably well and they seem to have little fear of them. Overall, Abyssinians make great pets for nearly anyone.
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