I adore Abyssinian cats. They're beautiful, intelligent, playful and loyal. I've had five!
This is Memphis, my current adorable Aby girl:
Abyssinian's are the most unadulterated house cat. By that I mean, genetic alteration like in so many domesticated cats has not happened in the Aby. Their fur, you'll notice, is 'ticked' or banded with many colors on each hair. This is unique and only otherwise known in wild cats. There's a black stripe that starts on the forehead, runs down the back of the neck, continues down the back onto the tail and ends in a black point—on all of these cats. Their bottom of their feet is always black; Their chins are always white. Abys present a fantastic assortment of colors and shades giving them a wild appearance. Far and away the most popular coloring is called 'Ruddy.'
Originating in Abyssinia, the English discovered them in the early 18th Century and brought them to England for breeding. Since then, they have become one of the most popular breeds of domesticated cats.
They remain rare and expensive, however.
They're thought to be descendents of the ancient Egyptian temple cats. The resemblance is remarkable. Stone carvings and pictorial depictations indicate their heritage. While traveling in Egypt, I noticed a statuette that reminded me of my Liza, my first Aby.
Of my five Abys, three have been the most remarkable: Liza, Baxter and Memphis.
Next, LIZA.
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