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The exact origins of the Abyssinian, one of the oldest cat breeds, remain a mystery. Perhaps it originated in Ethiopia, formally known as Abyssinia. Unfortunately, there is no record of agouti cats in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, since it resembles the sacred cat of Ancient Egypt, legend holds that the Abyssinian was born along the banks of the Nile. In fact, it is said that Ramses II asked the king of Abyssinia for a band of cats to take back to Egypt. Cats sporting a coat similar to the Abyssinian can also be found in Africa, Eurasia, and Asia, including Felis Libyca, the African Wild Cat or Gloved Cat, and Felis chaus, the Swamp Cat or Jungle Cat. However, the existence of cats with ticked coloring in India and Asia makes it more likely that the Abysinnian originated in Asia.

Head:Wedge-shaped , with slightly rounded contours); without flat planes . Arched brow. The moderately long nose bridge must never be straight; no break. The profile lines of the head show a gentle contour. Jowls are allowed in mature males. . Muzzle not sharply pointed; no whisker pinch. Strong, well-developed, rounded chin, neither receding nor protruding.
Eyes:Large, almond-shaped, wide-set. Accentuated by a fine dark line of the base color and encircled by a light-colored area . Brilliant, expressive, of one intense color. Yellow (gold), green, and amber.
Body:Medium in length and build, lithe, strong, and muscular. Rounded rib cage. Slightly arched back.
Tail:Fairly long, thick at the base and tapering to the tip.
Coat:Thick, dense, and resilient to the touch, lying close against the skin. Short in length or medium particularly along the spine. Ticking (two or three bands of alternating dark or light color on each hair shaft) similar to the coat of a rabbit. Ticking is not present on the throat, underside, or inside of legs.