About the breed

The Abyssinian breed of cat has been around for a very long time. It is believed the pedigree breeding lines go back to a single cat developed in Great Britain in 1860. They are a medium sized cat with a long athletic muscular body. They are active and love to play and jump. They are clowns but are also very loving cats. They love people and other animals and love spending time with their family. They are quite social and like company so not good to be left home alone for long periods of time unless they have a companion or an excellent enriched environment. There is little to no grooming requirements with them as they have a sleek short coat.

These cats are highly intelligent and generally extroverted although some more so than others.  They tend to chirp more than meow and are not known as loud cats. They are very dog like in their loyalty to their humans and often form a strong bond with their owners. They are not the kind of cat that will just sit on your lap and love you. You need to spend time with them, playing and loving them. Ensuring they have an enriched environment to keep themselves occupied. Beware that they will get naughty if they get bored when they are young, just like little furry kids. They will look for anything to play with, including climbing curtains and scratching up the furniture if you don’t give them options. Cat trees, toys and playtime will keep them entertained. They have a very curious nature.

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The Somali breed is the best kept secret in the cat world. These Abyssinians wearing fur coats are genetically the same as the Aby but with a recessive gene that results in a longer coat. They also have the nick name of the fox cat. They were developed in the 1960’s from the Aby breeders who were finding long haired kittens in their litters and decided to develop the long hair version of the Aby. Their fur is quite fine and very soft but not woolly so it is much easier to look after than other long hair breeds of cats. They are incredibly affectionate and highly intelligent just like their short haired counterparts.

And what is better than an Aby or Somali – 2 of them. We often suggest considering a bonded pair to ensure that they have company and someone to play with. This might be litter mates, a mum and child, or even having a rescue kitten to grow up with and be best buddies. Ask us about our bonded pair program, we love to see bonded pairs go to great homes.

Both Aby and Somali are very robust breeds, with very little health issues. They a fast and are effective hunters so it is very important that they not be allowed to roam freely. Containing these cats for their own safety and for the safety of the local wildlife is essential. They can be easily harness trained and will happily walk on a leash.