How to care for Abyssinian kitty? The Abyssinian breed is an intelligent, witty, fun, and affectionate breed. They are mostly active but can still be quite docile or prim and proper. How to care for Abyssinian kitty? They possess a swift and finesse attitude that certainly matches that elegant ancient look. If you are planning to acquire an Abyssinian cat as your pet, it’s important that your personality and that of your cat is a match so that you can enjoy their company and vice – versa.
How to care for Abyssinian kitty? Abyssinian cats can also be hyper at times because they are naturally good hunters as what most cats are. It may be hard for you as their owner to make them sit still because they are also energetic which is why training at a young age is highly recommended. They are obedient and loyal pets with a very caring attitude.
Getting Along with Abyssinian Cats
If you want to get along with this cat breed, you have to make sure that you give them respect and enough attention not just to their basic needs but as their companion as well. Keep in mind that just like any other animals, they need sufficient affection from their owners so that they can grow fondly of you and perhaps form a strong bond with the family. How to care for Abyssinian kitty? These cats are also perfect for children particularly those who are around 6 – 8 years old as long as they will be treating the cats politely and with respect; he’s also smart to stay away from toddlers. They are highly and naturally sociable, and they also love to interact with humans.
A Friendly Breed
These types of cats are also friendly with other household pets such as dogs, other cat breeds, rabbits, guinea pigs and the likes. They will happily play with a Golden Retriever or any other pets as long as they are properly introduced and socialized. Socializing cats at an early age with other pets will make it easier for them to bond, interact, and live with one another. These cats also like to play with pets who are a match for its energy and curiosity. Abyssinian cats are also known to get along with large parrots or other birds.
These cats are also quite fearless to other animals as long as it will not cause them any trouble like territorial dispute or during feeding time, although of course to prevent this you need to make sure that all of your pets gets enough space, has enough food and more than an adequate living condition.
Abyssinian Kitty Care Tips
How to care for Abyssinian kitty? You have to buy a cat bed that is big enough for your kitten or cat. The bigger the bed, the better for your pet! If you bought a relatively large cat bed even if your pet is still a kitten, it can be both comfortable for them and also economic for you because as they grow larger over time, you won’t have to buy a bigger bed anymore. Make it more comfortable by providing bed sheets or even a small pillow; just be sure that it is a disposable pillow because it can potentially be ruined by your cats.
According to some owners, there are some cats that prefers to sleep on the floor, on a box or somewhere else, if that’s the kind of pet you have, then just let them be especially if it is their first time on your house or with a new owner. They may still be adjusting to their new environment, so don’t force them to immediately sleep on the cat bed you bought. However, to encourage your cat to use the bed, try sprinkling it with catnip. You may even want to keep several beds around the house in places your Abyssinian is likely to hang out like in a quiet room, under a window or in the living room.
Bigger is Better
If you want to buy a cage for your pet, it’s again better to buy a bigger one so that you won’t have to buy every time your pet grows larger. Buying a shelter for your pet is entirely up to you, but your Abyssinian cat may not like to stay there all the time since it’s an affectionate breed, and it is the kind of cat that likes to hang around with people.
The major disadvantage of buying a shelter for your cat is that you have to be able to clean it every now and then so that it won’t become dusty or accumulate any unwanted creatures like ants, unlike if you’re just going to buy a cat bed, it’ll be easy to just wash it or bring it to the laundry shop. However, it may be best to purchase a shelter for them if you have other pets like dogs or other cat breeds so that they won’t fight over territories especially if you only live in an apartment.
Don’t Let Them Run Loose!
If you don’t want to let your cat run loose in the house, you should provide an exercise pen in addition to its cage or cat bed. Abyssinian cats are active creatures and they are also naturally curious, so if you don’t want them roaming around the house and sniffing your stuff, you may want to give them their own play space that has toys and interesting stuff to get their attention off of kitchen supplies or your house figurines.
Aside from that you may want to also provide your Abyssinian cat with a perch or a cat tree since cats love to climb. You can also install shelving on your walls to give your cat a place to perch, so that he/she can have an overview of the whole place and feel secure. Just be careful about decorating your house with things that can be knocked over; cats are notorious for making a game of knocking things off shelves.
Keep them Stimulated
How to care for Abyssinian kitty? Your Abyssinian cats will also need plenty of stimulating and engaging toys to play with to help him work off its excess energy. As with most cats, Abyssinians are also naturally an athletic and agile animal which is why playing or exercising is essential to make them be mentally and physically stimulated. Playing also serves as an outlet for their natural hunting drive, and it’s also a chance for them to bond with you. It’s both fun and healthy for your pet.
Cats in general are very good at keeping themselves busy, you don’t need to buy expensive toys in order to keep them stimulated, although sometimes it is also advisable because some toys are designed to develop certain physical aspects.
Do Fun Activities
Aside from toys available in pet stores, here are some examples of improvised or DIY toys you can find in your household to make your cat or kitten active and lively! You can be as creative and interactive as you want to be when making activities with these things like ping pong balls or golf balls, flashlights (cats are crazy for it), paper bags, empty cardboard boxes, dangling Objects, other various stuff toys. However, before using such items, you have to make sure that you remove any objects that your cat could chew or swallow such as ribbons, plastic bag, feathers, rubber bands, strings, paper clips, pins, tinsel, needles or other small decorations. If possible, always supervise your cat when he/she is playing and keep harmful objects out of reach.
Since Abyssinian cats are naturally active and playful, you need to provide them with plenty of stimulation to keep their intelligent and curious minds entertained. It’s highly recommended that you buy an assortment of toys for your cat until you learn what kind it prefers. Minimum cost of toys is approximately $20 or more, cost may vary depending on the brand.
Feed them Right
How to care for Abyssinian kitty? Feeding your Abyssinian cats a healthy diet is very important for its health and wellness, especially for a very active pet. A high-quality diet for cats is not cheap especially for a medium- sized breed like the Abyssinian. The right amount of nutrients should be provided to maintain its healthy and exotic – looking physique. You should set aside around $50 for a high-quality cat food which will last you about a month. You should also include a monthly budget of at least $10 for treats so you can reward during training.
There will be times that you may need to let your Abyssinian cat play outside the house or even present it for a show, that’s why you might need several cat accessories like a leash (if you’re planning to train them or walk them outside), and other things like cat costumes or dresses, grooming materials as well as any shelter repairs for your cat. On average, extra accessories may cause at least $50 depending on brand and quality of the product. In addition to all of these you should plan for occasional extra costs like replacements for worn-out toys, cleaning products and license renewal.
Have them Micro – chipped
How to care for Abyssinian kitty? If someone finds it without identification, they can take it to a shelter to have its microchip scanned. A microchip is something that is implanted under your cat’s skin and it carries a number that is linked to your contact information. The procedure takes just a few minutes to perform and it only costs about $50 on average, but in some states cost may vary and there are certain documents that you may need to submit in your local government.
Bring them to the Vet
As mentioned earlier, Abyssinian kittens may get ill due to viral and bacterial infection, that’s why you may need to take them to a vet for a medical check-up every now and then. In order to keep your cat healthy, you should take it to the veterinarian about every six months after it passes kitten-hood. You might have to take it more often for the first 12 months to make sure he gets his vaccines on time.
Tips on How to Deal with Your Cat’s Behavior
Scratching Behavior
How to care for Abyssinian kitty? When it comes to things like scratching, you should not try to completely eradicate this behavior, this is because scratching is a normal and important behavior for cats because it helps them to stretch their toes and to spread their scent through glands in the pads of their feet. If your cat is scratching up your furniture, the solution may be as simple as providing him with scratching posts around the house. To encourage your cat to use them instead of your furniture, sprinkle them with dried catnip or use a liquid catnip spray. When your cat uses the scratching post, give him a couple of treats as well to encourage him.
Attention – Seeking Cats
Sometimes cats can develop a tendency toward demanding attention because they don’t do well in isolation. As mentioned earlier, they are an affectionate breed, and they don’t like being left alone. It is important to understand that this is the nature of the Abyssinian breed, and most cats for that matter. How to care for Abyssinian kitty? You can, however, reduce annoying behaviors like incessant ‘meowing’ by not giving in to your cat. If he ‘meows’ at you for attention and you give it to him you will only be reinforcing that behavior. If you want your cat to leave you alone while you are working on the computer, for example, just ignore him until he gives up. Eventually your cat will learn when it is play time and when it is not.
Author and long-time animal lover. Sharing knowledge on pet care through experience and the written word. 