Domestic

Type

9 - 15 years

Lifespan

Medium

Size

3 - 5kg

Weight

20 - 25 cm 

Height

Lively, affectionate and intelligent

Temperament

15 mins 3x a day

Exercise

Low maintenance

Grooming

<ul>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Abyssinian. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/freeform/abyssinian" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Abyssinian Cat Factsheet">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/freeform/abyssinian</a></li>
	<li>Michael Day, Urs Giger (online) Pyruvate kinase deficiency. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/pyruvate-kinase-deficiency " target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat pyruvate kinase deficiency page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/pyruvate-kinase-deficiency&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Natasha Mitchell, David Gould (online) Retina: inherited degenerations. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/retina-inherited-degenerations " target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat retina inherited degenerations page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/retina-inherited-degenerations&nbsp;</a></li>
	<li>Sorrel Langley-Hobbs, Rosanna Marsella, Susan Rackard (online) Patella: luxation. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/patella-luxation" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat patella luxation page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/patella-luxation</a></li>
	<li>Penney Barber, Kyle Braund, Michael Day, Richard Squires (online) Amyloidosis. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/amyloidosis" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat amyloidosis page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis/diseases/amyloidosis</a> 
	&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Content provided from <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/felis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat information">Vetstream&#39;s Vetlexicon Felis</a>.

Vetlexicon is the world&rsquo;s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world&rsquo;s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

With their distinctive &lsquo;ticked&rsquo; coat and extrovert personality, the Abyssinian is great fun to have around. Intelligent, sociable, and energetic, Abys want to be involved in whatever&#39;s going on! They love to jump and climb and play. Their short coats need little <a href="/all-things-pet/bad-fur-day-read-our-cat-grooming-101" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to cat grooming">grooming</a>, but these cats thrive on attention. If left alone all day, it might be wise to get a sibling or companion cat to keep them out of mischief.

That’s All You Need to Know About Abyssinians

Where the Abyssinian breed came from is a bit unclear. It was first believed that they originated in Abyssinia (now Ethiopia), but that they also resembled the cats of Ancient Egypt. The breed is now thought to have come from the coast of the Indian Ocean and parts of southeast Asia. It&rsquo;s claimed that the first Abyssinian cat (called Zulu) was brought to the UK from North Africa by British soldiers in the 19th century.

If you welcome one into your home, be prepared for an energetic and playful bundle of fun. Abyssinian cats like to be busy and need plenty of space to explore and climb. These extrovert cats are good with children, multi-cat households and cat-friendly <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dogs</a> and will want to be fully involved in family life. If their owner is out at work all day, they might need a companion to keep them entertained.

They don&rsquo;t need much grooming but can like a lot of attention. If you&rsquo;re looking for a lap cat, Abys may not fit the bill as they might not sit still for long! One thing&rsquo;s for certain, life won&rsquo;t be dull with an Abyssinian cat.

Abyssinian kittens are born with dark coats that lighten as they get older. <a href="/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance">Kittens</a> are full of energy and will want to play endlessly. But make sure that they have been socialised properly from an early age to ensure that they grow into confident and happy adults.

Abyssinians need physical and mental stimulation to keep them from becoming bored and getting up to mischief. It&#39;s a cat who loves <a href="/all-things-pet/cat-games-for-cats" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to games you can play with your cat">lots of interactive play</a> will be needed to keep these felines content. They love human company, and you&rsquo;ll find them great fun to have around. They can be talkative with a sweet chirrup sound.

As Abyssinians are very active cats, you won&rsquo;t need to worry about them putting on too much weight. If you get an Abyssinian <a href="/all-things-pet/buying-a-kitten-heres-what-you-should-look-out-for" title="Link to Everypaw's tips on what to look out for when buying a kitten from a breeder">kitten from a breeder</a>, ask which kitten food they&rsquo;re using and how often to feed them. Keeping to the same feeding schedule will help avoid any tummy upsets. If you want to change to a different brand, it&rsquo;s best to do it gradually and keep to the recommended portion size on the package.

Abyssinians have short coats that don&rsquo;t need much attention. But they&rsquo;ll enjoy a weekly brush or comb. You can also wipe their coats with a damp chamois leather cloth to make their coats gleam.

Aby coats come in a variety of colours. The most common is &lsquo;usual&rsquo; or &lsquo;ruddy&rsquo; where the basecoat is a red-brown colour with dark coloured ticking. Sorrel, blue or fawn are also popular colours.&nbsp;

Graceful and athletic, Abyssinians love to jump and climb. They&rsquo;ll enjoy having a high perch or cat tree, ideally by a window, so they can watch their surroundings from up high. Also, <a href="/all-things-pet/how-to-stop-cat-scratching" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to preventing a cat scratching">provide a scratching post</a> and an enclosed space outside such as a catio so that they can explore in safety.

They&rsquo;re intelligent and <a href="/all-things-pet/kitten-litter-training-tips" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to kitten litter training">easy to litter or toilet train</a>. They enjoy puzzle toys and can pick up various tricks such a fetch.

<a href="/Home/cat-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Insurance page">Everypaw&rsquo;s Lifetime Cat Insurance</a> could be just the cover you&rsquo;re looking for when it comes to your Abyssinian. We have a range of cover levels to choose from, so there&rsquo;s plenty of choice to find the one that suits you both best. All of our policies also come with additional benefits as standard, including Complementary Treatment and help towards Finding Your Cat if they become lost or stolen.

We also have <a href="/petcall" title="Link to Everypaw's Petcall information page">Petcall</a>, a vet helpline that&rsquo;s available to you where you can speak to RCVS qualified vets and vet nurses about your Abyssinian&rsquo;s health, care and well-being. Any time you need to chat, they&rsquo;ll be there for you.

Link to get an Everypaw Cat Insurance quote

Abyssinians can also be affected by retina degeneration. This is another inherited disease. Unfortunately, there&rsquo;s no cure and the condition leads to blindness. DNA testing for the gene mutation allows affected cats to be identified, these cats shouldn&rsquo;t be used for breeding.

As a result of gene testing, this condition is no longer a common problem like it was in the past.

Renal Amyloidosis is another inherited disease that can affect Abyssinians. In this breed abnormal protein deposits (amyloid) build up in the kidneys. This can lead to kidney failure. The condition is progressive but there are few treatment options.

Abyssinians have a higher risk of patellar luxation, a condition where the kneecap (patella) slips out of place. If mildly luxated (dislocated), the patella can be moved back in place but if it&rsquo;s severe, surgery may be needed.

Abyssinian cats can be affected by PK deficiency, an inherited enzyme deficiency that affects red blood cells causing anaemia. Luckily, the anaemia is usually mild and can be managed. As it&rsquo;s caused by an inherited genetic mutation, there&rsquo;s no cure but a genetic test can identify cats that carry the gene.

Affected cats and those that carry the gene shouldn&#39;t be bred from to prevent the condition being passed on. Ask your breeder if their cats have been DNA tested and are negative for the gene responsible for the condition.

Common Abyssinian Cat Health Problems by Vetstream

The Abyssinian is a healthy and robust breed. Along with the usual health problems that can be associated with ageing, the breed can be affected by some inherited conditions. Everypaw has teamed up with veterinary experts Vetstream to help you spot any signs of these.

Abyssinian kitten sitting in a maroon bed

Abyssinian Cat Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Abyssinians have distinctive &lsquo;ticked&rsquo; coats with bands of colour and are a popular breed. They&rsquo;re intelligent, playful and make great companions. This breed guide will give you all the information you need to look after your Aby cat.

Yes, but always make sure that their outdoor space is safe and secure. They&rsquo;re very curious and love exploring. A catio can allow them to be outside but kept safe in an escape-proof enclosure. They enjoy being independent and spending as much time as they can outdoors.

Abys usually live to the age of 15 years, but some have been known to live to be over 20.

Yes, Abys are very friendly. They thrive on interaction and play with humans and other pets in the family.

Yes, Abyssinians enjoy the company of dogs providing they&rsquo;re cat friendly.

Abyssinian Cat Insurance, Care, and Health Advice | EveryPaw

Get a quote for your Abyssinian cat's insurance

Abyssinian

Link to How to Our Guide to Keeping Your Pets Safe at Halloween

Link to log in to the Everypaw Pet Portal

A dog and a cat compare Everypaw's Insurance for Pets

Link to get a quote for Everypaw Pet Insurance 

Link to retrieve a previous Everypaw Pet Insurance quote

Zoomies to Senior Snoozes, We've Got Them Covered

The benefit values featured in the table may vary across the different levels of cover and will depend on the cover you choose. Please check your cover before purchasing. Be aware, for some breeds of dogs we do not provide our &pound;8k and &pound;10k Lifetime cover. 
 
All policies and features are subject to special conditions and exclusions of the insurers, please click the link to read about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance Exclusions page">our policy exclusions.</a> 
 
Excess is applicable to all vet fees claims. When your pet reaches a certain age, the excess payable may change. The excess will be your set excess plus a percentage of your claim amount.

Getting your furry friend covered shouldn&#39;t just come down to cost. There&#39;s a lot more to it than that, so take the time to do a pet insurance comparison. Think about their breed, the level of cover they might need, and what would be important to you. After all, insurance is there for both of you.

One of the best ways to do that is to compare cover levels. This will give you an idea of how much your pet insurance will cost, how much you can claim against vet bills, as well as the policy benefits. It&#39;s all about finding the Lifetime Pet Insurance that works best for you and your pet.

*Based on Everypaw claims data from February 2024 to March 2025

An older dog for pet insurance for older pets

As our furry companions age, they&#39;re more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses here and there. And we want you to be able to look after your pet well into retirement. That&#39;s why we don&#39;t have age limits on our policies. Our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-for-older-pets.html">pet insurance for older pets</a> can help you do the most important thing &ndash; looking after your pet.

What about younger pets? We also offer <a href="/cat-insurance/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance page">kitten</a> and <a href="/dog-insurance/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppy insurance</a>, covered by our cat and dog insurance. No matter how old or young your purr-fect pet is, our pet insurance can give you all-important peace of mind.&nbsp;

Four animals for Everypaw's Multi-pet Insurance

Whether you are looking for a playmate for your pet or if your house is more like a <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dog</a>, <a href="/cat-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Insurance page">cat</a> and <a href="/rabbit-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance page">rabbit</a> smallholding, you need multi-pet insurance that works for you. Everypaw&#39;s policies are just that and give you a discount on every pet too. No matter how many pets you have, from glorious <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides/golden-retriever-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Golden Retriever Dog Breed Guide page">Golden Retrievers</a> and majestic <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides/maine-coon-cat-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Maine Coon Cat Breed Guide page">Maine Coons</a> to lovely <a href="/rabbit-insurance/rabbit-breed-guides/lionhead-rabbit-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Lionhead Rabbit Breed Guide page">Lionheads</a>, it&#39;s there for every single paw.

Link to the Everypaw Multi-pet Insurance page

How Does Pet Insurance Work: Getting a Quote

Our pet insurance quote form takes just 3 minutes to fill out. Here&#39;s how it works:

<ul>
	<li>Select which type of pet you&#39;re looking to insure and enter their age, breed and sex</li>
	<li>Enter basic personal details about yourself including your email and home addresses</li>
	<li>Select your vet fees limit</li>
	<li>We&#39;ll give you a pet insurance price! And we&#39;ll show you what the cost is for the year, plus what your monthly instalments will look like if you choose to pay that way</li>
</ul>

Will my pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Ever found the urge to discover what the best dog breeds to train are or maybe you want to get to the bottom of your pet&#39;s worm problem.&nbsp;<a href="/Home/all-things-pet.html" title="Link to Everypaw's All Things Pet blog">Everypaw&#39;s All Things Pet blog</a>&nbsp;has the content to keep you informed.

Most Popular Celebrity and Royal Pet Names 2025

Link to the UK's Most Popular Celebrity and Royal Pet Names 2025

Link to Our Guide to the 2025 Everypaw Awards

The 2025 Everypaw Awards

Link to The UK's Top 15 Strangest Pet Names 2025 blog article

The UK's Top 15 Strangest Pet Names 2025

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Link to Everypaw Pet Portal information page

Everypaw Pet Portal policy management icon

For that extra peace of mind when your pets get up to mischief, there&#39;s Everypaw. Our pet insurance is for cats, dogs and rabbits, and every policy comes with unlimited 24/7 access to vet nurses and vets. So, if you ever feel a bit &#39;for pet&#39;s sake&#39;, know Everypaw is here for you and your pet when you need us most!

Why Choose Everypaw for Pet Insurance in the UK?

<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/multi-pet-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Multi-pet Insurance page">Insure multiple pets</a>&nbsp;for a multi-pet discount

99% of claims paid in 5 working days*

Unlimited 24/7 access to UK vet nurses and vets with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/petcall" title="Link to Everypaw's Petcall vet page">Petcall</a>

Manage your UK pet insurance policy online in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/pet-portal-info" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Portal Information page">Pet Portal</a>

Three animals for Everypaw's Multi-pet Insurance

Choosing the right pet health insurance isn&#39;t always easy. We know that. And we also know that a key part of deciding is knowing what&#39;s not covered. That way, at least there are no nasty surprises in terms of coughing up for bills that you thought were going to be taken care of by your policy.

So, here are a few of the main exclusions on our pet insurances:

<ul>
	<li>Treatment for any pre-existing conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment for poisoning or any accidental injury that occurs in the first 3 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment for any illness that occurs in the first 14 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment related to breeding, pregnancy or birthing</li>
	<li>Treatment on baby teeth if your pet is over 16 weeks when your policy starts</li>
</ul>

*Switching to Everypaw Pet Insurance? If you can prove your previous insurance runs up to the policy start date, we can waive this for you.

Please see our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Policy Exclusions page">exclusions page</a>&nbsp;for further details.

Fingers crossed, you never have to! We want to reassure you that claiming on your pet health insurance is as hassle-free as possible. That&rsquo;s why we have Vet Pawtal. A direct platform for vets so they can submit claims and leave you to care for your pet.

Vet Pawtal is the fastest and most efficient way to claim. There&rsquo;s no more paperwork for you, and we&rsquo;ll keep you updated every step of the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

If your vet can&rsquo;t submit the claim, don&rsquo;t worry; you can still submit it in the <a href="https://petportal.everypaw.com/register#login" target="_blank" title="Link to the Everypaw Pet Portal">Everypaw Pet Portal</a>. It&rsquo;s straightforward; just log in and follow the instructions. Alternatively,&nbsp;you can <a href="https://www.everypaw.com/downloads-2020/everypaw-claim-form.pdf" target="_blank" title="Link to download an Everypaw claim form">download a claim form</a>, but this can take longer.

Please refer to the guidance in your policy documents for Third Party Liability claims.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, head to our <a href="/Home/claims.html">Pet Insurance Claims information page</a>.

We know pets are just as much a part of your family as any human. So, we know how important it is to you that they&#39;re protected. Choose Everypaw for pet insurance in the UK and give yourself that priceless peace of mind.

We know things can be tough right now, with many people facing money worries. If you have such concerns, please get in touch with us, as we may be able to offer some options to help, which could include reducing your cover or increasing your excess.

If you wish to find out more and your eligibility for any options, please call <a href="tel:03445431009" title="Call Everypaw Customer Services and Claims">0344 543 1009</a>.

Two levels of our Lifetime Pet Insurance cover have been rated 5 Stars by independent financial business, Defaqto, for 8 years in a row.

Deciding which pet insurance your furry bundle of fun needs can be tricky, especially if you&#39;re a new fur-parent. That&#39;s why here at Everypaw.com, we&#39;re trying to keep things simple, we&#39;re all about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Pet Insurance</a>.

Our Lifetime cover is available for your cats, dogs and rabbits. And if you&#39;re looking to cover your cat or dog, there&#39;s a range of cover levels to choose from. Lifetime covers your pet up to a set vet fee limit, and the limits reset for every year of cover.

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Link to the Everypaw Petcall information page

Dog Insurance

Cat Insurance

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Link to the Everypaw Rabbit Insurance page

Rabbit Insurance

Pet Insurance | UK Pet Insurance Quotes | Everypaw

Link to get an Everypaw Pet Insurance quote

Abyssinian Cat Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Abyssinian Cat Facts

Is an Abyssinian Right for Me?

What are Abyssinian Kittens Like?

Life with an Abyssinian

Caring for Your Abyssinian

Dinner time

Grooming time

Training & exercise

Abyssinian Cat Insurance

Common Abyssinian Cat Health Problems by Vetstream

Pyruvate Kinase (PK) deficiency

Retina degeneration

Patella luxation

Renal Amyloidosis

Quick Abyssinian Cat Q&A

Are Abyssinian cats friendly?

Can Abyssinian cats go outside?

What is the average Abyssinian lifespan?

Do Abyssinian cats get along with dogs?

That’s All You Need to Know About Abyssinians

References