Very clean, an excellent climber, and of unequalled or robustness, the Abyssinian needs exercise. But it will get’ used to living in an apartment as long as it is free to move about from one room to another. A terrace or courtyard garden is sufficient for the cat to stretch its legs if necessary.
Not inclined to wander, it will not want to go much further. A proud cat, aware of its strength, the Abyssinian also knows when to give in; it is a one person cat and will give its owner exclusive devotion and obedience. But with other people the Abyssinian knows what is due to its pride. If you tease it or try too hard to get a response it will quietly withdraw. The claws only ever come out as a last resort.
The Abyssinian is an energetic cat. It needs space. Even in an apartment it will jump from one piece of furniture to another, and it often jumps on top of a high cupboard so it can look down on the world. If it has the use of a garden, it will be seen climbing trees and even leaping from branch to branch.
The Abyssinian will eat most things, but starchy foods or fatty meats should be excluded from its diet. A mixture of fresh and tinned food should be fed. Grooming poses no problems. A brush over every two or three days is sufficient. When moulting, a good brushing against the lie of the hair is beneficial.
Soft to the touch, it should have no strong markings such as stripes or patches. The ticking, however, must be visible. The fine ticked coot is unique among cats. Each hair has two or three distinct bands of colour, the whole blending into an effect often compared to a Belgian hare.
Preferred colouring is reddish brown (known as ruddy in the United States) ticked with black or dark brown. Insides of the legs and the belly should harmonies with the main colour, shades from apricot to dark orange being preferred. The Red Abyssinian should also have clear ticking, but the colour should be a dark reddish brown throughout, with pink nose and pads.