Pets Australia Issue 70 August 2017

86

PETS | Creature feature

August http://www.facebook.com/petsmagazine

A TRUE STUNNER

Michael Shawn, an Abyssinian breeder from

Queensland, knows only too well the allure of

this captivating cat. His fi rst experience up close

and personal with the breed was love at fi rst

sight. “I was at a cat show in Perth many years

ago and simply fell in love with the beauty of

the Abyssinian,” says Michael. His wife, Sue, fell

just as hard. “Sue had long-hairs as pets and

then decided that she wanted to show and

selected the Aby for its outlandish personality

and stunning beauty,” he says. “They should

be pictured in the dictionary beside the word

‘stunning’ because that word describes each

and every quality of an Aby.”

Physically, Abyssinians are a medium-sized

cat. Their wedge-shaped head features soft

contours that give the familiar sleek, elegant

It’s not hard to see why people fall in love

with Abyssinians. Be it their striking wild-

cat-like appearance, their vivacious nature

or their protective companionship, they

are the complete feline package with fans

all over the world.

The exact origin of the Abyssinian is shrouded

in myth and mystery, which many believe adds to

the cat’s appeal. One of the most popular claims

is that an Abyssinian was taken back to England

by a British soldier returning from Abyssinia (now

known as Ethiopia) in 1868. Others believe the

Abyssinian is a direct descendant of the original

domesticated cat depicted in ancient Egyptian

artefacts. More recently, however, genetic evidence

indicates that the breed is more likely to have

originated from the humid jungles of south-east

Asia, particularly along the Indian Ocean coast. Photo: Animax Photography

The Abyssinian has a slender, yet muscular body.

As one of the oldest cat

breeds, the Abyssinian

has been admired for

centuries. Kristie Bradfi eld^

discovers why this ancient

feline is so enchanting.

ANCIENT ANCIENT

ABYSSINIANABYSSINIAN

ANCIENT

ABYSSINIAN

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