Visitors to the Internet do ask whether Abyssinian cats are friendly. The question implies that all the cats of one breed can be friendly as if it is automatically inherited into all Abyssinian cats as part of their DNA. I don’t think this is a good concept.
Firstly, cat breeders, although they do their best to create friendly cats through ensuring that they are nicely socialised, tend to focus on appearance. All breeders should ensure that their cats are fully socialised and therefore all breeders should put their cats through the same process of allowing them to meet with other people and perhaps other animals before they are sold. Therefore all cats of all breeds should be friendly because if a domestic cat, no matter what the breed, is unfriendly that cat is not going to be popular in the family home. He won’t fit in no matter how beautiful he is.
What I’m saying is that it is probably unwise to associate “friendliness” with any one cat breed. It doesn’t really work that way. If you want a short answer to the question, “Are Abyssinian cats friendly?” then the answer will be, yes, because the breeder ensured that the cats that she created fit in well into family life.
Although of course personality traits such as friendliness are also inherited. Cat breeders will try to ensure that they choose a breeding line which includes cats that are friendly and which to have balanced characters.
If you read books about the cat breeds, the authors describe the breed personality traits in general terms. They have to because they cannot be specific about the personalities of any single cat breed.
The temperament of the Abyssinian cat as described by Gloria Stephens in her book “Legacy of the Cat”, is that the Abbysinian is a loyal, loving companion and a gentle animal that “may seem to understand the feelings of its owner”.
She says that this cat is talkative and will let you know when he/she wants your love and attention. The Abyssinian is inquisitive and loves to climb. To me, this popular cat breed looks to be athletic and an agile climber.
Perhaps there is one last point to make on this subject. Whether a cat is friendly or not in someone’s home also depends upon how friendly the people in that household are towards the cat. It also depends upon how friendly the house is in general. The general atmosphere and ambience of the home is important. The personality traits of the cat’s owner are also important. An anxious, short tempered person who is not a true cat lover may make their cat anxious which may be expressed in terms of unfriendliness.
In truth, there are many elements to a response about the Abyssinian cat’s friendliness or not. Take it from me that breeders will do their best to ensure that their Abyssinian cats are friendly. Then it is over to the cat owner to build on it.
Very well put!