Abyssinians are a special type of tabby cat; they are distinguished from all other tabbies by their beautiful ticked, resilient coats. All tabbies, in fact, have this ticked or agouti background in their coats (whereby each individual hair shaft is banded with different colors); however, superimposed on this ticked background is a particular dark pattern such as mackerel, spotted, or blotched. Through more than 85 years of selective breeding, these dark patterns have been nearly eliminated from the Abyssinian breed, and this is what makes them so unique. Although other tabbies are bred in different colors, Abyssinians are bred and recognized for championship by CFA only in the ruddy and red varieties, and more recently the color blue was recognized in 1984 and fawn in 1989).
Adult Abyssinians don't reach their full potential in coloring or ticking until they around a year and a half old. A kitten who looks pale and washed out when its first baby coat comes in after birth could become a vibrantly colored beauty when its color reaches its maturity.
Eszencia Sea Sprite
The impression an aby gives is that of a small cougar, lithe yet muscular and strong with exceptional balance.
Coat
Warm brown ticked with black. Base colour deep orange. Stomach and inside of legs deep orange to deep apricot to harmonise with the base colour. Any shading along the spine should be of a matching shade. Tip of tail and soles of hind feet are black.
Nose Leather
Brick red, outlined with black.
Paw Pads
Black.
Eyes
Amber, green or yellow; pure, intense colour.
Comments
Withhold challenge for white locket, white extending onto the neck or above the nostrils, unbroken necklace, grey or light undercoat, lack of ticking, bars on the fore legs, marks on the stomach, Siamese type, round head, whip tail.
Faults
Ghost marking on legs, stomach and chest; too much marking on face; absence of outline around eyes; small or pointed ears; round eyes; unclear eye colour; cobby appearance; too deep a nose break.
Eszencia Dylan
Coat
Copper red with chocolate red-brown ticking. Base colour deep apricot. Stomach and inside of legs deep apricot to harmonise with the base colour. Any shading along the spine should be of a matching shade. Tip of tail and soles of hind feet are red-brown.
Nose Leather
Pink, outlined with brick red.
Paw Pads
Pink.
Eyes
Amber, green or yellow; pure, intense colour.
Comments
Withhold challenge for white locket, white extending onto the neck or above the nostrils, unbroken necklace, grey or light undercoat, lack of ticking, bars on the fore legs, marks on the stomach, Siamese type, round head, whip tail.
Eszencia Double Trouble
Coat
Description as for Ruddy Abyssinian but body colour is a warm blue-grey ticked with dark steel blue-grey. Base colour pale cream or beige.
Nose Leather
Blue-grey or brick red outlined with blue-grey.
Paw Pads
Blue-grey.
Eyes
Amber, green or yellow; pure, intense colour.
Comments
Withhold challenge for white locket, white extending onto the neck or above the nostrils, unbroken necklace, grey or light undercoat, lack of ticking, bars on the fore legs, marks on the stomach, Siamese type, round head, whip tail.
Coat
Description as for Ruddy Abyssinian but body colour is dull beige ticked with deep warm cream. Base colour pale cream.
Nose Leather
Pink, or pink outlined with old rose.
Paw Pads
Pink.
Eyes
Amber, green or yellow; pure, intense colour.
Comments
Withhold challenge for white locket, white extending onto the neck or above the nostrils, unbroken necklace, grey or light undercoat, lack of ticking, bars on the fore legs, marks on the stomach, Siamese type, round head, whip tail.