History
The Abyssinian is one of the oldest known breeds of pedigree cat. It is believed to be descended from a cat called Zula, brought to England by Captain Barrett Leonard at the conclusion of the Abyssinian war in 1868. There are no verifiable, written records tracing early Abyssinians to Zula, but Abyssinians were exhibited at Crystal Palace in 1871 so it is certain that all Abyssinians are descended from cats bred in the United Kingdom. Recent genetic studies indicate that today's Abyssinian may have descended from a breed found in Southeast Asia and the coast of the Indian Ocean. Abyssinians do resemble the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) - the progenitor of all domestic cats.

Appearance
The Abyssinian is a ticked or agouti breed. The distinctive coat appearance comes from the combination of colors on each hair shaft. Abyssinians are medium in size, lithe and muscular. Abyssinians come in several colours. Usually, sorrel, fawn and blue are the most widely accepted colours in the UK, while the American colour terms are ruddy, red, fawn and blue. In Australia, the popular colours are tawny, cinnamon, blue and fawn. The Abyssinian's eyes are oval shaped usually green, hazel or gold and eye lined.

Personality
Abyssinian cats have lively personalities showing interest in all activities around them. Temperamentally they are well balanced. They enjoy the company of human beings and are very intelligent, affectionate and loyal.

Genetic Defect
Abyssinians are prone to gingivitis and tooth decay. They are also susceptible to amyloidosis - a renal disease thought to be hereditary.