Abyssinian
History
In
Arabia, where cats have been sacred since
the sixth century, there springs the myth
of Muhammad's cat Muezza, the first nine-lived
cat in history. It is said that when the
cat was asleep on the Sleeve of Muhammad's
robe, rather than disturb the cat Muhammad
cut off the sleeve so the cat could sleep
on.
When
Mohammad returned, Muezza bowed in a gesture
of appreciation. Mohammad then stroked Muezza
three times down the length of the back,
which, according to some myths, is the thing
that puts cats safely on their feet when
they fall.
Noted
for its intelligence, this slender-bodied
cat enjoys a good romp, and is equally famed
for its ability to play. The cat is affectionate,
soft voiced, and friendly. Its tail, long
and tapered, curves back to the days of Solomon
and Sheba. So legendary an animal must know
things that we cannot fathom. There is an
African expression: "What you don't
know is wiser than you."
The
Earliest Abyssinian taken to Britain was
called "Zula". Its owner was the
wife of captain Barrett-Lennard and its picture
appeared in a book published in 1874. Zula
bears little resemblance to today's Abyssinians.
The
source of the name is not because Ethiopia,
formerly Abyssinia, is thought to be the
original home of these cats, but because
the first "Abyssinian" exhibited
at a show in England was reported to have
been imported from that country.
The
cats came to Europe with soldiers returning
from the Abyssinian War in 1868, In Britain
they were crossed with British Shorthairs
to create the modern version and quickly
became recognised as a competitive breed. |
