Fine-boned, elegant and graceful - these are the epithets that come to mind when you see an Abyssinian cat for the first time. These felines know their worth, they are sublime and proud, high-status and independent. When purchasing an Abyssinian breed kitten, looking into those intelligent eyes filled with the secrets of the Universe, it becomes clear that a simple nickname is not at all for him. The owner will have to rack his brains for a long time before finding exactly the right name for the new pet, which will reflect the essence of the proud character and cold but devoted nature.
Features of choosing a nickname
A nickname for a kitten is a reflection of certain character traits, behavioral and breed characteristics, and appearance. An ordinary nickname is not suitable for Abyssinians; it should make the cat stand out from the crowd, saying that those around them are dealing not just with an ordinary representative of the cat world, but with a royal person.
General recommendations
A cat's name is usually a reflection of its character, behavior, appearance or the history of the breed. That is why owners are not recommended to call their mustachioed pets the first name that comes to mind.
The process of choosing a nickname for a cat will be a fun and exciting activity for the whole family if the owners follow some rules:
- The nickname should be short or reduced to 1-2 syllables. After all, it is difficult for small kittens to remember long and difficult to pronounce names.
- It is desirable that the nickname contain combinations of sounds “ps”, “sk”, “ks” and others similar to them.
- Kittens need to be called in a gentle voice, since they respond more to intonation than to combinations of sounds.
- You should not call a kitten by the nickname of its father or mother, because the name of each representative of the cat family should distinguish it from its relatives.
Interesting! The human hearing range is 16–20 thousand Hz, adult cats – 65 thousand Hz, kittens – about 100 thousand Hz. Fluffy pets, with their sensitive auditory nerves, hear much more than people.
Choosing a name for an Abyssinian boy
This breed came to us from distant, ancient Abyssinia, better known now as Ethiopia. Accordingly, the animal’s name should emphasize its noble, ancient origin. Among owners of pets of this breed, the names of ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian gods are especially popular. Nicknames after the names of famous and famous people in world history are also popular.
Examples of nicknames that are very suitable for male Abyssinian kittens:
- Abraham, Abram, Algeria, Viola, Amethyst, Akella;
- Bacchus, Benji, Bruce, Barkhan, Balagur;
- Vahid, Wagner, Walt, Vinset;
- Hermes, Hector, Hephaestus; Hamlet, Hamilton, Homer, Ganges, Goliath;
- Dyer, Damir, Dinar, Dorian, Joker, Jim;
- Elizar, Yenisei;
- Jacques, Julien, Jean, Jules;
- Zephyr, Zarif, Zeus, Tan;
- Snow leopard, Icarus, Raisin, Invar, Irie;
- Cupid, Crete, Calif, Concord, Karen, Corsair, Cyprus, Cavalier;
- Locky, Latif, Lucky, Lord, Ludwig, Loarn;
- Moor, Meter, Mars, Milord, Merlin, Marcus;
- Naghir, Nitron, Narcissus, Nelson, Nabat;
- Orion, Orpheus, Osiris, Olympus, October;
- Paris, Perseus, Pirate, Ptolemy, Paris;
- Ralph, Raphael, Ramil, Rothschild, Raskat, Robin, Ramses, Richard;
- Sting, Simon, Saturn, Singapore, Sirius, Spartak;
- Typhoon, Tristan, Tirg, Talibakh, Tamerlane, Timon;
- Hurricane, Winston, Olaf;
- Fakir, Phaeton, Flores, Furor, Felix, Fairus;
- Khalif, Hammer, Khabor, Horor;
- Charles, Charlie, Chizar, Champion, Chairi;
- Sheily, Sheriff, Shaman, Saffron, Sheikh;
- Unix, Jupiter, Eustace, Eugene;
- Amber, Yasha, Jaguar;
- Aaron, Edgard, Elvis, Andy.
When purchasing an Abyssinian from a nursery, the new owner is given a passport with the kitten’s name indicated. But, as a rule, it is very complex and long. If within a few days the owner of an Abyssinian kitten has not been able to come up with a worthy nickname for the baby instead of the complex name indicated in the passport, you can use a shortened, affectionate diminutive version.
Maintenance and care
To keep an Abyssinian cat, the usual set is enough: a tray with clean filler, a container with clean water, a bowl for food, and a place to rest. Like other felines, you need a scratching post and a basket or carrier in case you travel. Simple, but proper care for the Abyssinian does not completely eliminate possible problems, but reduces them to a minimum. There is a detailed article about maintenance and care, but here is a brief summary of the main thing.
Read more about the care and maintenance of Abyssinians
Grooming for an Abyssinian
A priori, a smooth-haired animal does not need a haircut. The Abyssinian coat does not require daily grooming. Brushing frequency: once a week or as needed. For bathing you need to buy special cat shampoos.
What to feed
What and how much food to give an Abyssinian cat is not an idle question. Natural feeding is good, but then you will have to learn about all the components of the diet that the animal needs. Manufacturers add the necessary additives to ready-made food, and this greatly simplifies the tasks of the owners.
Natural nutrition
By natural we mean the presence in the menu of a variety of non-canned products that are necessary for the cat’s life (the list is in the additional review).
Ready-made feed
Cheap food from supermarkets, breeders believe, is cat poison. A purebred animal needs professional food - “holistic”, “premium”, “super-premium”. They include prebiotics FOS/MOS, a set of vitamins, microelements (calcium, copper, phosphorus, etc.), amino acid (taurine). It is very undesirable to completely give up a portion of the natural menu.
Read more about feeding Abyssinians
Nickname for a boy based on his character
It is customary to describe purebred Abyssinians with the following words: “a cat with a dog’s character.” These pets will not spend hours cuddling with their owners, and they will avoid house guests altogether, preferring to sit on the sidelines and carefully study strangers. This manner can be emphasized by calling the cat Mars, Tiger, Sting, Pharaoh.
It may seem at first glance that animals so independent and cold in nature are not at all playful. But this is not true at all. Abyssinians love to play and remain active and interested in games until old age. A suitable name for these playful cats is: Champion, Robin, Shaitan.
Another feature of this breed is that the cat, due to its independence, will never beg for a treat from its owners with the help of hysterical meows. These cats rarely meow at all, and their voice is like many ringing bells, which can be emphasized by the appropriate name: Bayun, Balagur, Alt, Virtuoso.
The ideal pastime for Abyssinians is the higher the better. You should not be surprised that after a long search for the Sultan, Stone, Khan or Prince, you will be able to find him peacefully sitting on a curtain or in a closet.
These are cold in nature, but very sociable pets. The owner's return home every time becomes a real event and celebration for them. Alone, these animals can get very bored; they always need an audience and company. The ideal option would be the name: Narcissus, Othello, Moor, Caprice.
Abyssinians treat children very well, but if they begin to bother them with excessive attention and annoying caresses, Abyssinians will not show aggression, but will simply go to a secluded place where no one will disturb them. The most successful nicknames in this case will be: Luntik, Pikachu, Peach.
About the character of the Abyssinian cat
Professional breeders and fanciers include intelligence combined with mobility, playfulness, affection for their owners, and the absence of any aggression in general and towards children in particular as the general characteristics of the docile and harmless Abyssinian. However, due to its active character (read in the additional article), this pet does not tolerate loneliness well.
More about the character and habits of the Abyssinians
"Divine" names for boys
Names borrowed from Egyptian mythology are perfect for noble and stately Abyssinians:
- Thutmose;
- Djehuti;
- Den;
- Ramses;
- Tutankhamun;
- Jer;
- Menkaura Khufu;
- Unis;
- Sebek;
- Djoser;
- Ahmose;
- Ajeeb;
- Waji;
- Amenemhet;
- Henger.
Such names may seem too strict and official for small kittens, but for grown-up and adult kittens they are most suitable. A kitten can be called a diminutive version, for example Tutankhamun as a child might be Tutti.
How does the process work?
The birth process itself takes approximately 6–10 hours. Of course, each cat is different, and labor can take much longer. Experts note that often the duration of the process has a hereditary predisposition.
Childbirth is divided into several important stages:
- fetal formation (lasts approximately 5–10 hours, the cervix opens);
- contractions (the fetus is expelled from the uterus, and the cervix, in turn, fully opens);
- pushing (complete removal of the fetus, usually occurs in 2 – 4 pushings).
Immediately after the kitten appears or a little later, the afterbirth appears. Some cats bite the umbilical cord themselves, others wait for the owner to do it. It is at this moment that the owner’s help is so important.
Beautiful names for graceful cats
It is recommended to call girls of the Abyssinian breed the following names:
- Adele, Altanka, Amira, Aisha, Ada, Assonita, Amina, Aphrodite, Aida, Attica;
- Buffy, Basta, Brenda, Burma, Bravista, Barcelona;
- Virginia, Valencia, Vesta, Vivienne;
- Hella, Gerda, Greta, Garba, Hekla, Galatea, Grace;
- Dolores, Donna, Judy, Gina, Gioconda, Dayna, Georgia;
- Esna, Enji, Yesenia, Elka, Elika;
- Zhador, Josephine, Zhulina, Giselle, Jacqueline;
- Zlata, Zarella, Zurifa, Zulfiya, Zaura, Zateyka, Zauri;
- Ida, Iekra, Toffee, Truth, India, Irma, Foreigner, Igrunya;
- Camilla, Casandra, Camella, Cassiopeia, Cameo, Calypso, Curtiznaka, Cambodia, Carmen, California;
- Lira, Laima, Lourdes, Leona, Linda, Lavender, Latifa, Lunita, Lari;
- Madea, Milady, Miremba, Miram, Michelle, Maggie, Mecca, Mexico, Marquise, Marie, Michelle;
- Nike, Nubia, Nelma, Nefertiti, Naobi, Nellie, Ninel, Nymph;
- Octave, Ophelia, Olympia, Ohara, Omega, Olivia;
- Ptolemy, Patricia, Puma, Pamella, Paulette, Pandora;
- Rummy, Raquel, Ramina, Rumba, Rhonda;
- Sigma, Sabrina, Suzanne, Cindy, Samira, Scarlett, Sarbona, Santa, Saida;
- Taira, Tomila, Tigra, Tehkhi, Tagira, Teyla, Tomiris;
- Windy, Ulanda, Uggi;
- Felicia, Fairy, Fatima, Fortuna, Themis, Faustina, Francesca;
- Persimmon, Happy, Hilda, Hanora, Hensi;
- Chinara, Chaira, Chelsea, Chara, Enchantress;
- Shandy, Champagne, Charlotte, Shani, Shiherazade;
- Yurma, Yuzhanka, Yunga, Yumara, Yukka;
- Effa, Eji, Emma, Etna, Elba.
As a name, you can use the name of the state or the month of birth of the cat. You can think of a nickname based on your character or special habits. An Abyssinian girl who loves to sleep can become Sonya, and a baby who loves to frolic can get the name Igrunya.
Metis: how they differ from purebred Abyssinians
Mixed breeds of the Abyssinian breed differ strikingly from purebred individuals, which is due to the peculiarities of the genetic inheritance of colors. An Abyssinian crossed with someone will either have dirty gray or other unusual shades of fur and undercoat, or stripes will appear on the neck and paws. Such visible exterior features as a white medallion or a white belly are absolutely excluded in the Abyssinian breed, since they do not have the white spotting gene. The base breed also cannot have white "slippers".
Most often, Abyssinians are crossed with a similar breed - the Somali. The resulting individuals - Abivars - are now registered by most felinological associations as Abyssinians, but the American CFA classifies them as Somali shorthairs.
Mestizos, outwardly almost no different from purebred Abyssinians, carry the gene for long hair. As a result, fluffy and even shaggy kittens can be born from mating in the future. There are such types of mestizos as a caracal hybrid, a cross with a Bengal cat.
It is not difficult even for amateurs in breeding cats to compare and distinguish a mestizo from a pure breed. Only those who are professionally engaged in reproduction and strictly monitor compliance with all the characteristics of a particular subspecies without impurities should look at differences as shortcomings.
Abyssinian cat in history
There is still no exact version of the origin of this breed. There are only many assumptions and hypotheses, but the most likely is considered to be the Ethiopian origin of the breed. In Egypt, these cats were treated with special respect, believing that Abyssinian cats are the conductors between two Worlds - the living and the dead.
They lived with the pharaohs and at temples, and always enjoyed special honors and privileges. To this day, during excavations in Egypt, scientists find frescoes with images of Abyssinian cats on the walls of houses and temples, in the tombs of pharaohs and titled persons.
After the conquest of Egypt by the Roman Empire, Abyssinian cats began to be exported to Europe, where they gained the same honor and glory as in their homeland. They quickly became favorite pets among nobles and kings. Based on such a vague and unclear origin, you can choose an unusual and mysterious name for the kitten.
Nicknames of star representatives of the breed
The first Abyssinian cat, which was taken to Europe from Africa and subsequently became the ancestor of all Abyssinians, was named Zulla.
In 1889, the first breed standard was published in England. 7 years later, in 1896, the first representatives of the breed were registered in the Stud Book of Abyssinian cats in England: a cat named Sedgemere Battle and a cat named Sedgemere Petey.
The first Abyssinian, who received the Grand Premier title of the British Cat Fanciers' Organization in 1976, was named Dobran Skol. In 1979, this title went to an Abyssinian cat named Dobrana Amoroso, a descendant of the first champion.
In 1980, a ginger Abyssinian cat named Philos Rosa received the title of Grand Champion, and in 1981 this title was won by another ginger Abyssinian named Siwind.
In 2006, the title of Imperial Grand Champion was awarded to an Abyssinian cat named Nil Amon Ra.
Representatives of the breed from Russia also won at the exhibitions of the World Cat Organization (WCF): an Abyssinian cat named Elzar, born in 2013, and a cat named Foxy, born in 2014. She received such an unusual name for her narrow muzzle and bright red undercoat, which made her look like a fox. Subsequently, Elzar and Foxy became a couple and now produce purebred Abyssinian kittens.
Choosing a name for an Abyssinian cat is a difficult, responsible, but very exciting task. The nickname can be unusual or popular, funny or majestic, but it should be pronounced in a soft and gentle voice so that the kitten gets used to it faster.
Health of Abyssinians
The excellent health indicators cannot be overestimated. Possible diseases include gingivitis, which develops as a result of an incorrectly selected diet. Regular teeth brushing will help solve the problem.
Some cats develop a kidney disease called renal amyloidosis. The disease is not considered a hallmark of the health of this particular breed. In nurseries, when such heredity is identified, they approach the selection of breeding representatives strictly, not allowing the disease to be transmitted to the descendants of culled cats. It is also necessary to get all recommended vaccinations on time.
If you want to take part in the breeding of the breed, the pets are mated. After 63-65 days of quiet pregnancy, kittens will be born. The specific gestation period depends on heredity and the number of fruits. During childbirth, the owner must support the pet and provide her with the necessary assistance.
