While maintaining a degree of aristocracy, Abys are gentle,  bold, playful, and extremely busy - always seeking an active  part in every ongoing event. They are extremely intelligent, always loyal and excellent at training people. Abyssinians have dynamic personalities, are very sociable and get along with  other pets and people.  They make loving companions, are very affectionate and they want to "help" with everything.  Abyssinians are quite independent.

Abyssinians are prized in-door cats and are normally lithe, muscular and of medium length. They have rounded wedge- shaped heads, expressive gold or green almond-shaped eyes, and large, moderately pointed ears. The Aby's most striking feature is its beautiful ticked tabby coat, which is medium in length and fine in texture. The characteristic tabby "M" typically  appears on the forehead.  According to the CFA, there were 1,683 new Abyssinian registrations in the year 2000, making the  Aby the 5th most popular breed overall and the 3rd most  popular shorthair.