Abyssinian Standard (GCCF)

Abyssinian Standard of Points (GCCF)

The Abyssinian cat is a balanced medium-sized animal of foreign type. The lithe muscular body should be of medium build and have a well ticked close lying coat, which conforms to the standard for that colour.

Head
All head contours should be gently rounded especially from the brow to top of head. Wide between the ears, forming a moderate wedge, which tapers from the outer edge of the ear base to a slightly rounded muzzle. A slight indentation forms the muzzle. Allowance should be made for fuller cheeks in adult males. A slight nose break is essential; a bump on the nose is undesirable. The line from the nose tip to the very firm chin should be straight. An elegant neck should arch in an unbroken line from top of head to shoulders.

Ears
Set wide apart, large, well cupped, pricked and furry on their inner edges. Ear tufts are desirable. From the front view the line of the ears should follow the head wedge.

Eyes
Set well apart, large, expressive and a rounded almond shape in an oriental setting. Colour to be a clear deep shade of amber, hazel or green.

Body
Lithe, muscular body of medium build and size. Back straight from shoulder to rump and rib cage rounded.

Legs and Feet
Legs slender and elegant, in proportion to body; small oval feet.

Tail
Thick at the base, tapering and long enough to reach the cat's shoulders.

Coat
Short, fine but not soft, dense in texture and lying close. Distinctly ticked, resulting in at least four bands of colour. The roots must be the colour of the base hair and the final band must be the ticking colour.

Markings
Pigmentation lines of the ticking colour must extend from the inner edge of the eye to the top of the head; and also from the outer edge of the eye to the edge of the ear. The hair around the eyes is pale and the eyelid edge darker. The back of the ears should be darker at the tips, preferably with clear brighter colour at the base. Chin lips and nostrils should be the colour of the base hair or cream; white here is undesirable. White markings, such as a locket, anywhere else are not permitted.

A line of the ticking colour should extend from the back of the head along the spine and tail, ending in a solid tail tip of that colour, the same colour to extend well up the hock. There should be no heavy necklet or bars or any other marks, although a faint well broken necklet or slight leg barring is acceptable.