Breed of domestic shorthaired cat, possibly descended from antiquity. In modern times, it was imported from Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) to Britain in the 1860s. The coat of the usual variety is ruddy brown (similar to a rabbit or hare) with each hair ringed with two or three darker coloured bands. It has a medium-length body, long, slender legs, large wideset ears, and deep gold or green eyes. It resembles cats that appear in ancient Egyptian wall paintings.

The breed was recognized in Britain 1882 and is now most widely bred in the USA. There are many varieties.