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| Scale of Points | Points |
| Total | 100 |
| Head | 20 |
| Ears | 5 |
| Eyes | 10 |
| Body | 10 |
| Legs | 5 |
| Feet | 5 |
| Tail | 5 |
| Ticking | 15 |
| Color | 10 |
| Coat | 10 |
Facial
Markings | 5 |
| General | The overall impression of the ideal Abyssinian is of a colorful cat with a distinctly ticked coat, medium in size and regal in appearance. The Abyssinian is a foreign short-hair in type. Males may be somewhat larger than females; the females have finer bones and are usually more active than the males. The Abyssinian is a graceful cat that shows eagerness for activity and a lively interest in all surroundings. |
| Head | The head is a wedge modified by slightly rounded contours when viewed from the front. In profile there are no flat planes, but a gentle rise from the bridge of the nose up to and over the gently curving forehead and skull, flowing into an arched neck. The nose is without a stop or pronounced bump. The muzzle shall follow the gentle contours in conformity with the modified wedge shape as viewed from the front and in profile. The chin shall be full, neither projecting nor receding with a rounded appearance. The muzzle shall not be overly square nor sharply pointed. There shall be no evidence of a foxy look or pinch behind the whiskers. |
| Ears | The ears are large, alert, and moderately pointed; at the base, they are broad and cupped at the base and set forward as though listening. The space between the ears shall be approximately the width of the base of the cupped ear. Hair on the ears is very short and close-tying; tip tufts are preferred. A "thumb print" marking on the back of the ear is desirable.
Objection: small or badly set ears. |
| Eyes | Shape 5: The eves are large, almond-shaped, luminous, and expressive; neither round nor oriental, and are slanted slightly towards the ears with the uppermost corner nearly even with the other base of the cupped ear. The eyes are accentuated by a dark lid skin encircled by a lighter area.
Objection: small eyes.
Color 5: Eye color is gold, green or hazel; richness and depth are desirable.
Objections: pale eye color. |
| Body | The body is medium-long. lithe. and graceful, showing lean , hard, musculature, without coarseness. The body shall feel solid. The back is slightly arched when the cat is standing. The rib cage is rounded with no evidence of flat sides. The flank is reasonably level without tuckup. The overall balance is more important than size. |
| Legs | The bones of the legs are long, slim and even. The Abyssinian stands well off the ground. |
| Feet | The feet are round or oval, neat and compact. When standing, the cat gives the impression of being on tiptoe. |
| Tail | The tail is thick at the base, fairly long and tapering.
Objection: Scantyor whippy tail. |
| Ticking | The ticking shall be distinct and even, with two or more darker colored bands contrasting with an equal number of lighter bands; the extreme outer tip is darker and the color next to the skin is clear and bright. The ticking extends over the saddle, sides, and tail without patching or irregularity. The flanks and shoulders shall have not less than one darker band of ticking. Darker shading along the spine and down the top of the tail is allowed if it is fully ticked. |
| Color | The color is warm and glowing. Deeper shades are preferred; however, intensity of ticking shall not be sacrificed for depth of color. Preference shall be given to cats unmarked on the undersides, chest and legs. The tail is without rings. In all colors, the lip, nostril and chin area is lightest in color, being cream or off-white. Lighter color shall be confined to lips, chin and upper throat area.
Objection: Bars, rings, tabby markings, necklace(s), pure white on nostril, chin or upper throat.
Penalize: Coldness, gray, or sandy tones in color. |
| Coat | The coat lies fairly close to the body, and is soft, silky and fine in texture, but dense and
Resilient to the touch with a lustrous sheen. It is medium in length, but is long enough to accommodate Two or more darker bands of ticking which, combined with the warmth of color, gives and iridescent Effect. When brushed backward, the ideal coat springs back into place.
Penalize: Coarse, thin or long coat. |
| Facial
Markings | Above each eye appears a short vertical pencil stroke amidst the lighter area, and at the side of each eye there is a curved pencil line in continuation of the upper eyelid. Cheekbone shading, dots, and shading on whisker pads are all desirable enhancements. |
| Abyssinians are slow in maturing. Allowance shall be made up to 18
months of age in judging color, ticking, coat, markings, and lightness
on nostrils, chin and upper throat area. |
| Color Descriptions |
| Blue | Warm rosy beige, ticked with soft blue-gray or slate blue. The undersides and inside forelegs are a tint that harmonizes with the main body color and shows nor more than a single band of darker color at the tip of the hair; preference shall be given to unmarked rosy beige. Ears and tail are tipped with slate blue. Nose leather: dusty rose. Paw pads: mauve or dusty rose, with slate blue between the toes, and extending slightly beyond the paws and up the back of the hind feet.
| | Fawn | Warm, soft pinkish beige, ticked with light mocha. The undersides and inside forelegs are to be a tint that harmonizes with the main body color and shows no more than a single band of darker color at the tip of the hair; preference shall be given to unmarked pinkish beige. Ears and tail are tipped with light mocha. Nose leather: light pink. Paw pads: pink with mocha between the toes, and extending slightly beyond the paws and up the back of the hind feet.
| | Red | Rich, warm glowing red, ticked with chocolate or cinnamon brown. The undersides and inside forelegs are a tint that harmonizes with the main body color, and shows no more than a single band of darker color at the tip of the hair; preference shall be given to unmarked glowing red. Ears and tail are tipped with chocolate brown. Nose leather: rosy pink. Paw pads: rosy pink with chocolate brown between toes, and extending slightly beyond the paws and up the back of the hind feet.
| | Ruddy | Glowing orange-brown (burnt sienna), ticked with black or dark brown. The undersides and inside forelegs are a tint that harmonizes with the main body color and shows no more than a single band of darker color at the tip of the hair; preference shall be given to unmarked orange-brown. Ears and tail are tipped with black or dark brown. Nose leather: tile or brick red. Paw pads: black or dark brown with black or dark brown between the toes, and extending slightly beyond the paws and up the back of the hind feet. Penalize: off-color or mottled paw pads
Withhold wins: white spotting on body, including lockets and groin spots. Lack of pigmentation on nose leather and/or paw pads. |
Association info
| *C.F.F registers Pedigreed Cats and Household Pets.
*CFF or member clubs put on shows to promote a general interest in cats.
*The shows raise money to fund programs that educate people on cat care, on the benefits of owning a cat and how to own a healthy cat.
| Link: http://www.cffinc.org/
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