Abyssinian cat: colors

One of the oldest and most beautiful cat breeds, the Abyssinian is distinguished by its sleek physique, big expressive eyes, and short coat that exudes life. They stand out for their elegance and distinctive look, but what really draws the eye are their intriguing color patterns.

The "ticked" or agouti fur of Abyssinian cats gives their coats the appearance of changing color in response to light. A soft, glowing effect is produced by the various colors that are banded around each hair. Although there was only one officially recognized color for the breed at first, breeders have since created several variations, each with a unique charm.

The four main colors of the Abyssinian cat are ruddy, blue, fawn, and cinnamon, if you’re interested in learning more about their stunning shades. This already amazing feline friend is enhanced by the unique mystery and grace that each of these hues brings to it.

Breed standards

The table provides the primary set of features that comply with the standard.

Table 1: The Abyssinian breed’s standards

Body part	Standard
Head	The shape resembles a blade that turns into an elegant and elongated neck
Ears	Wide and deep, have ends of a darker shade. Sometimes there are tassels
Eyes	Almond-shaped, distinguished by dark rims that surround the "glasses" of a more delicate color
Chin	Neat and not slanted. An exception is made for adult cats with a protruding chin
Body	Flexible and plastic, with well-developed musculature
Paws	Oval and compact. Five toes on the front paws and four on the back
Tail	Tapering towards the end and thickening towards the base

The Abyssinian cat has shrunk in size over the past century while keeping all of its dimensions.

Possible deviations

Faults are defined as departures from the norm that occur in Abyssinian cats. Below is a list of these deviations.

Table 2: Variations from the Abyssinian breed’s standards

Location	Deviation
Forelimbs	Presence of stripes
Neck	In one or more places, the necklace framing the neck is torn
Undercoat	Too light in color; not enough grey color
Eyes	No characteristic edging
Body	Too few ticking stripes; the presence of a ghostly ticking pattern

Character

The temperament of Abyssinian cats is rather lively and intelligent. The primary characteristics of animals are their inquisitiveness and rapid learning speed, which enable them to pick up house rules practically instantaneously.

Another trait shared by Abyssinian cats is restlessness.

This breed makes excellent pets for households with young children. After all, they are fairly gregarious and playful in spite of their continual displays of independence.

When necessary, Abyssinian cats are capable of standing up for themselves.

Cats are also tidy, adore attention and care, and resilient to stress, though if they feel extremely afraid, they may begin to growl and hiss. Furthermore, because they enjoy eating well, animals occasionally jump on household dogs or other pets.

What colors do Abyssinian cats come in?

• classic wild;
• sorrel;
• blue;
• faun;
• brown;
• lilac;
• tortoiseshell;
• silver.

The most well-liked color among all the others is wild.

These cats have a sort of "business card" because of their uniform ticking all over them; each hair is painted in a different shade, both light and dark.

Classic wild color

The "fur coat" of individuals belonging to this breed is fundamentally colored in a wild classic hue.

Fascinating! The only color that the relevant organizations recognized as the standard for Abyssinian cats up until 1963 was this one.

For a very long time, only the Abyssins’ erratic color was identifiable.

1. The presence of uniform ticking throughout the parts of the body.
2. The body has a more saturated orange-brown color.
3. On the inside of the legs, as well as the tummy, the wool is painted in hoarse color.
4. Both the front and back limbs have black feathering. In many animals, it even extends to the pads.
5. A fairly wide black stripe stands out along the entire line of the spine, which smoothly ends at the very tip of the tail;
6. The brick-colored nose is outlined at the edges by a border of a darker shade.
7. Abyssinians can have eyes of different colors: green, hazel or golden. However, it is worth noting that all kittens up to about ten months have light blue eyes.

Additionally, the wild color is the most commercial.

Currently, the most prevalent color among Abyssinian cats is wild. Furthermore, this coloring is hereditary in many cats.

Sorrel color

Red, or sorrel color, is a softer version of the traditional color. Although this shade was most frequently referred to as red until the end of the 1970s, it was officially recognized for the Abyssinian breed in 1963.

The coloring of sage implies a gentle blend of various warm tones into one another.

Animals that have this color attract attention because the color of their fur is a mixture of several rich shades: reddish, copper, bright apricot, and chocolate brown.

1. Most pets have fur that is colored in a bright copper shade.
2. There are two types of ticking: both dark chocolate and cinnamon shade.
3. The inner side of the limbs and the abdominal area are covered with the lightest fur.
4. A red-brown stripe runs along the spine, which is much darker than the dominant shade of the fur. The tail is a rich brown.
5. The paws have beige-pink pads, and between them, light chocolate flesh is noticeable.
6. The nose has a pink tint. It is edged with a dark red rim.
7. The most common eye colors in representatives of the breed are copper and gold. However, some pets with sorrel coloring have eyes of greenish or light brown shades.

A trait unique to Abyssinians is sprirrel, which is absent from other breeds.

Fascinating! Wool with a sorrel color is extremely uncommon in other breed representatives. At the same time, standards state that black hairs should not be present in the wool cover of Ethiopians.

Blue color

The color blue has been formally approved by organizations for use on Abyssinian cats. These creatures are distinguished from others by their "fur coat" of a subtle yet striking hue.

1. On the head, back, and head there is a characteristic pattern in the form of a tailcoat, which has a beautiful bluish-gray color.
2. On the chin, the inside of the limbs, in the abdomen and chest area, the color of the wool is lighter – fawn, beige, pale brown, cream or apricot.
3. The undercoat is a lighter shade than the main color.
4. Ticking is present all over the body and has a characteristic shade of a cloudy sky.
5. A fairly thin stripe runs along the entire spine, which stands out against the ticking background with a brighter blue color.
6. The nose of these animals is either brown or gray-blue, but always has a dark edging.
7. Pale pink paw pads are covered with sparse bluish hair.
8. Eyes with blue color are often golden and copper, but cats with green and hazel eyes are also common. At the same time, many people pay attention to their special expressiveness and unique beauty.

Exhibition directors recently approved the use of the color blue.

Crucial! The standard states that bleaching the undercoat of blue-furred Abyssinian cats is not recommended.

Fawn color

In 1989, the distinctive fawn color—which means "little deer"—was authorized. This color is now regarded as the most fashionable and uncommon coat color. It’s actually a lighter sorrel shade.

The palest and most delicate shade of all is fawn.

Crucial! Compared to the options above, fawn is less common. He is, nevertheless, highly valued by numerous breeders. Pets are so beautiful that their "fur coat" makes them look like little lionesses, drawing attention to their unique sophistication.

1. The fur on the body is coffee-colored or cocoa with milk.
2. A stripe with a darker – beige-pink – color runs along the spine.
3. At the tip of the tail, the fur is of a rich pink-beige color.
4. The outer bones, like the undercoat, are colored cream or pale sand.
5. There is a combined color ticking all over the body: cream with lilac-beige.
6. In the tummy area and on the inner surface of all the paws near the body, the fur has a specific oatmeal shade.
7. Pink nose with a reddish edging.
8. The pads of the paws are covered with sparse fur of a beige-pink shade.
9. Different eye colors: copper, golden, greenish, dark hazel.

Fawn-colored Abyssinian cats are not allowed to enter exhibitions with a bleached undercoat.

Even though it is common, the fawn is not yet widely acknowledged.

It should be mentioned that this breed can have representatives that are brown, tortoiseshell, lilac, or silver in color. They aren’t regarded as a widely accepted coat color, though that has changed recently as they have grown increasingly popular.

What genes are responsible for the color and tone of the coat?

1. Eumelanin – responsible for the presence of black ticking.
2. Pheomelanin – responsible for the red shade of the coat.

Even now, it’s still difficult to identify the Abyssinian cat’s new colors.

1. B (black) – a dominant gene responsible for the black color.
2. b (brown) – a recessive gene in relation to B, and a dominant gene in relation to bl. The presence of a rich chocolate shade depends on it.
3. bl (brown light) – a recessive gene that is present in the body of pets with a sorrel color.

The aforementioned genes, members of the dreaded "black group," are responsible for the active synthesis of eumelanin. Furthermore, the red coat color is caused by the gene O, which also produces pheomelanin.

Because Abyssinian kittens are so fluffy, the breed can only be identified by its color.

Research indicates that animals’ colors are influenced by both tone and color. The dominant gene D (dense) and the recessive gene D (diluted) in the gene code actually result in a rich light or dark color.

Apart from color classification, there is a propensity to distinguish between European and American varieties of Abyssinian cats.

Similar to recessiveness, dominance is characterized by the ability to combine dominant genes (DD) or a dominant gene with a recessive gene (Dd) to produce a dark shade. Furthermore, the combination of recessive genes dd results in a lighter tone for the "fur coat."

The letters n, o, a, and p stand for colors in the pedigrees of Abyssinian cats (abbreviation ABY).

Table 3: Color reliance on a gene cluster

The Abyssinian cat earned the moniker "rabbit" because of its small stature and monochromatic coloring.

The Abyssinian breed’s color falls under the tabby color family. It is caused by the agouti gene A, which controls how all hairs alternate between dark and light regions.

The Abyssinian cat is renowned for its eye-catching coat, which is available in an array of earthy, warm hues. These cats come in a variety of colors, including blue, fawn, and cinnamon, but their most common color is a rich reddish-brown known as "ruddy." Their coat is covered in numerous bands of color that tickle each hair, giving them a shimmering, almost untamed look. Because of this special quality, Abyssians are among the most aesthetically pleasing cat breeds, valued for their grace and beauty.

How to care for Abyssinian cats?

An Abyssinian can live for roughly twenty years if given proper care. Nonetheless, certain animals display genetic disorders like atrophic retinopathy of the retina, polycystic kidney disease, and blood disorders brought on by the degeneration of red blood cells. Cats also frequently get leukemia and gingivitis.

It is safe to say that Abyssinian cats live long lives.

1. Compliance with the correct diet.
2. Brush your teeth twice a month.
3. Once a week, comb the fur with a special brush to remove dead hairs.
4. Trim the claws as needed.
5. Get checked by a veterinarian.
6. Get vaccinated.

Video — Characteristics of the breed and care methods

What to feed Abyssinian cats?

Pets need to eat a balanced diet in order to stay healthy and have a lovely "fur coat." It may be industrial or natural.

Members of the breed will not turn down fruit.

1. Boiled meat (preferably lamb and beef) and poultry.
2. Sea fish.
3. Boiled chopped vegetables.
4. Fermented milk products.
5. Eggs.
6. It is recommended to add a little flaxseed or olive oil to the food.
7. Vitamin complexes.

When choosing dry foods, go for the premium variety.

Many owners of Abyssinian cats prefer industrial food. However, you should only use holistic foods, which are made entirely of natural ingredients, and extra-premium dry and wet foods. If the Abyssinian cat is allergic to any of the food’s ingredients, an intolerance may develop. Visit our portal to learn more about the symptoms and available treatments.

We’ll look closely at the goods that are never appropriate to give to an Abyssinian cat.

Products that are dangerous for an Abyssinian cat

Color	Description
Ruddy	A warm, rich brown color with dark ticking and a reddish undercoat.
Blue	A soft blue-gray shade with a lighter, warmer base coat.
Fawn	A light, creamy beige tone with subtle ticking and a pinkish hue.
Sorrel	A coppery, cinnamon shade with a warm, reddish undercoat.

A breed of cat that captivates with its distinct coat colors is the Abyssinian. From the traditional ruddy to blue, fawn, and sorrel, each color variation offers something unique, resulting in a visual feast that accentuates the grace and elegance of the breed. These cats have a distinctive, untamed appearance thanks to their short, sleek, finely ticked coats.

The way Abyssinians’ coat shimmers in various lighting conditions, with lighter tones interspersed with darker bands of pigmentation, is what makes them so fascinating. The distinctive ruddy color of the breed has the most noticeable ticking effect, but each shade has its own allure and highlights the cat’s lean, muscular build.

Selecting an Abyssinian cat means getting a companion with vibrant colors and an inquisitive and energetic nature. With their distinct beauty and loving disposition, Abyssinians, whether ruddy, blue, or fawn, are sure to turn heads and win hearts.

Video on the topic

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Abyssinian cat of wild color. For sale.

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