Breed history
The Abyssinian is one of the oldest cat breeds. However, its origin is unclear. Some claim that this cat comes from Asia, while agouti-colored hair (light and dark hair) is oddly absent from this region. Another story, perhaps more severe, says that the Abyssinian is a descendant of the sacred cat of ancient Egypt from the time of the Pharaohs. It would even seem that Ramses II had one. We find the drawing of this cat on many Egyptian tombs.
Marshal Sir Robert Napier brought the first Abyssinian cat back to Europe in 1868. The latter is called Zula. It was exhibited in 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London. The breeders then decide to work on this breed of cat. They cross it with the British Shorthair in particular. It is also called Bunny Cat because of its large ears; the Abyssinian is recognized as a breed in 1886 in Great Britain. It was exported across the Atlantic, to the United States, at the beginning of the 19th century. In France, it appeared for the first time in 1926 before being recognized in 1927.
