Sorrel Abyssinian cats: features of color and subtleties of care

Abyssinian cats are one of the most ancient breeds. Their name comes from the ancient name of the African country Ethiopia - Abyssinia. It is believed that from there they got to the territory of Ancient Egypt, where they became especially revered animals. The images of these cats on the tombs of the nobility and the sculptures that have survived to this day leave no doubt that these are Abyssinian cats.

The modern Abyssinian cat breed was formed in England. It is believed that these animals were brought to his country from Africa by one of the British soldiers. They were first presented to the public in 1871 at a cat show near London.

Interesting that Abyssinian cats of different colors give birth to babies not of a mixed shade, but of the color whose gene is dominant.

The cat of this breed has a rounded muzzle, a long neck. Her ears are large, deep, dark at the ends (sometimes with tassels). The eyes are very expressive, shiny, almond-shaped, with dark eyeliner. The Abyssinians have a well-built, muscular body with elongated limbs. The tail is rather long, thickened at the base, but tapering towards the tip.

The height at the withers varies depending on the gender: for cats it is a maximum of 32 centimeters, and for cats - 28 centimeters.

When describing the color of the Abyssinians, you can often find the word "ticking". It means that each hair in the fur of these cats is colored in alternating dark and light shades, which is due to the presence of a special agouti gene "A" in the genotype of this breed.

By its genotype, the cat of this breed is black, but under the influence of enzymes, eumelanin, which is responsible for the black color, is oxidized and the shade becomes copper-brown.

The sorrel color was officially recognized in 1963, but until 1979 it was called red. These cats have a short coat of rich copper color without a pattern and have a double ticking of the color of dark chocolate and cinnamon.

On the inner surface of the legs and on the abdomen, the areas of wool are lighter, the nose is pinkish, the pads on the legs are dark pink. Cats of this color have a characteristic red-brown stripe running along the spine and a dark brown shade on the tail. Eyes are most often golden or copper colored, but individuals with hazel or green eyes can be found.

Abyssinian cats are known for their activity, pleasant voice, balanced character, affection for the owner (cats are especially devoted). They easily memorize all the rules of conduct in the house, they are neat and not capricious.

For normal development and growth, Abyssinians need super-premium food or a diet that includes boiled meat, sea fish, vegetables, dairy products, eggs. For cats of this breed Do not give raw duck and goose meat, lamb, pork, chicken and fish bones, sweets, salt and spices, sausage, canned food, potatoes and legumes.

Before bringing the kitten into the house, get everything you need: food bowls, scratching posts, a tray, a house, toys; choose a quiet, cozy corner for him. You need to play a lot and for a long time with Abyssinian kittens, they are very fond of sound toys and tall houses. Animals of this breed need a warm room with a temperature of at least +23 degrees Celsius, but this does not mean that they can be left outside for a long time in direct sunlight.

Do not forget to regularly examine and clean your baby's eyes, ears, teeth, comb the coat, and get vaccinated on time.

If you are going to feed the little Abyssinian with industrial food, then choose super-premium food. The kitten should always have fresh purified water in the drinker. With a normal diet, it is useful for kittens to give the following foods:

• frozen raw beef;
• boiled offal;
• boiled chicken;
• sea ​​fish;
• milk (up to three months);
• egg yolks;
• liquid cereals with milk;
• dairy products;
• vegetables;
• sprouted wheat.

It should be noted that in small kittens of the Abyssinian breed, the coat is initially dull, but over time it acquires a beautiful and rich color.

Abyssinian cats are graceful, intelligent and sociable animals. They easily get along with other pets, love games with children. With proper care, these amazing cats can live and delight you for more than a dozen years.

For general information on Abyssinian cats, see below.