How To
The Aby
Aby Business
Business
How
To Get
Get Into The
Without Really
Really Trying
Without
by Frances Schuler*
I
LOVE with
FELL IN LOVE
with the
the cover
cover of 1945
1945 Cats
Abyssinians on the
Magazine. They
They were
were owned
owned by
Magazine.
by the
Richardsons in
Tucson, Arizona.
Arizona.
Richardsons
in Tucson,
is called
called the Wijiji CatTheir cattery is
tery.
recovering from aa serious
serious illillAfter recovering
ness I was
was told
told by my
my doctor
doctor to get
get
ness
hobby. II tried
tried several
several but
but didn't
didn't
a hobby.
much interested
interested till II decided
decided to
get much
raising Abyssinians.
Abyssinians. This
This was
was
try raising
fine but it
it turned
turned out
out Abys
Abys were
were not
not
fine
easy to
find. AAfriend
friend finally
finally heard
heard
easy
to find.
of some in
in Tucson
Tucson and
and we
we were
were fortufortunate in getting aa female
female kitten
kitten from
from
nate
those same cats pictured on the magazine. We
We were
were quite
quite in
in love
love with
with
zine.
Tigre from
Shewas
wassweet
sweetand
andeasily
easily handled
handled at
at home
home but
Tigre
from the
the start. She
was really
really scared
scared out of her life
life at
at shows
shows and
and she
she screamed
screamed like
like
she was
Atthis
thistime
timeshe
shehad
hadno
nocompetition
competition at all.
all.
siren. At
a siren.
When we
hunt started
started al]
all
When
we needed
neededa amale
maletotobreed
breedtoto her,
her, the
the hunt
over again.
We had
had met
met the
the Warrens
Warrens of
of Casa
Casa Gatos
Gatos Cattery
over
again. We
Cattery at
at a
show and
upon writing them we
we found
found aa nice
nice male
male whose
whose name
name was
was
show
and upon
Gatos Marc
Tony was
was aa real
real smoocher,
smoocher, he
he liked
liked every
every
Casa Gatos
Marc Anthony.
Anthony. Tony
one. When
When the
the kits
kits were
were born
born there
there were
were three:
three: Tom,
Tom, Dick
Dick and
and
one.
Harriet.
We lost
lost Tom
Tom and
and. Harriet
Harriet at
at two
two months
months but
but Dick
Dick was
was
Harriet. We
sold and
He was
was noted
noted for
for his
his even
even temper
temper
sold
and shown
shown at
at many
many shows.
shows. He
would sit
Dick
and would
sit like
like aa dog,
dog, not
not minding
mindingthe
the people
peopleororthe
the judges.
judges. Dick
16 years.
He had
had been
been
died here
died
here at
at Selene
Selenelast
lastfall
fallatat the
the age
age of
of 16
years. He
neutered so
helped us
raise many
many kittens.
kittens. Dick
Dick liked
liked olives,
olives,
neutered
so he
he helped
us raise
ones.
especially stuffed
especially
stuffed ones.
By this time
time we
we had
had the
the bug.
bug. We
Weliked
likedbreeding
breeding and
and showing
showing
By
cats;; so
We found
found
cats
so we,
we, like
like many
many other
other novices,
novices,wanted
wantedmore
morecats.
cats. We
the Caper
Caper Cat Cattery
Cattery in
in Staten
Staten Island,
Island, a very
very ruddy
ruddy girl
girl
Trinket at the
with the most
most vivid
vivid green
With her
her we
we have
have had
had some
some very
very
with
green eyes.
eyes. With
outstanding kits,
kits, for
for we
we were
were fortunate
fortunate in
in having
havingTa-Lee-Ho's
Ta-Lee-Ho's Ipo
Ipo near
neal'
outstanding
Thesetwo
twohave
haveproduced
produced many
many Grand
Grand Champions:
Champions: Grand
Grand
for stud. These
Champion Selenes
Champion
Selenes Vignette
Vignette of Wiijquise,
Willquise, Selenes
Selenes Farida
Farida of Livingston,
0 Kalyan,
Kalyan, Selenes
Selenes Pogo
Pogo of
of Usaf,
Usaf.
Selenes Firefly,
Selenes
Firefly,Selenes
SelenesHudini
Hudini
'Mrs. Leonard
cats having
having
*Mrs.
Leonard Schuler
Schulerhas
has owned
ownedand
and bred
bred Abyssinil'n
Abyssiniancats
catsfor
for almost
almost 20
20 years.
years. her
her cats
won all
possible highest
highest honors.
honors. She
worked conscientiously
breed.
won
all possible
She has
has worked
conscientiouslyfor
forthe
the betterment
betterment of
of the breed.
At present
present she
she is
is Secretary
Secretary of
of the
the United
United Abyssinian
Abyssinian Club,
Club. aa club
club she
she helped
helped to
to found.
found.
At
B8
138
C. F.
C.
F. A.
my of
of Aberdeen
Aberdeen and
They
and Selenes
Selenes Sha
Sha of
of Shermax.
Shermax. They
Siam Tammy
h \'e some
orne famous
children.
famous grand
grand and
and great grand children.
saes bynow have
Ty~ ..lb)t has
ha always
always been
Now, at 12
12 years,
years,
been "Boss"
"Boss" of
of Selene.
Selene. Now,
Trinket
i
nd
young
cats
give
her
a
wide
path
when
they
is.
and
the
young
cats
give
her
a
wide
path
when
they
still
it
h her.
her. She
She has aa middle
middle aged
aged spread
spread and
and sometimes
sometimes acts
dui with
old lady.
lady. She
Shehas
has not
notalways
always acted
acted like
like one,
one, however.
She
Jibea little old
however. She
habit of hiding when
when she realized we were
were going to a show.
show.
Wa bad habit
look. call
call and use all
known ways
to come
come out. She
Ire would look,
all known
ways to
to get her to
Iy.
yed where
where she
She rode
rode
wally
she was
was and
and we
we had
hadto
to find
find her.
her. She
staved
I dy though
though and
wanted out
her carrier
carrier and
and would
would perch
perch
kite aa lady
and wanted
out of her
the seat
seat and
and ride
ride anything
anything out.
out. She
She liked
liked aa plastic
plastic
heback
back of
of the
esthe
nd Heaven
Heaven help
her in
in aaclosed
closed
earnerr and
helpanyone
anyonethat
that tried
tried to
to put
put her
as
wasour
ourfirst
first"Best
"BestCat."
Cat." We
Wealmost
almostflipped,
flipped, but
but she
she
Sheh was
"B t" many
many times
Once at an
an Eastern
Eastern show
ghow we
we
e "Best"
times afterwards.
afterwards. Once
made
urind Friday
Friday night
night and
and after
after looking
looking for any
any escape
escape holes
holes in
in our
our
arrived
"el room
room we
we left
left her
her out
out and
and went
went to
to bed.
bed. Next
Nextmorning
morning she
she
hotel
gone. Although
Although we
we looked
looked everyplace,
everyplace, and
just knew
knew she
she could
could
w-as.. gone.
and just
get out,
out, she
she was
was nowhere
nowhere to
found. We
We finally
finally were
were about
about
to be
be found.
not get
think she
he had
had been
been cat-napped
\\'e
to think
cat-nappedand
andwe
weheard
heardaa faint
faint noise.
noise. We
ore the
the bed
bed apart and
and found
found she
she had
had either
either found
found aa hole
hole or
or made
made
tore
in the box
box springs
springs so
so we
we had
had to tip
tip itit on
on end
end before
before she
she would
would
onee in
came out.
out. At
Atshows
shows she
she was
was fine
fine ififwe
we stayed
stayed so
so she
she could
could see
gee
while she
cages and when
when she was
was being
being judged.
judged.
she was
was in
in the judges cages
us- while
!If we
we didn't she was
was fresh
fresh and
and took
took swipes
swipes at
judges.
at the judges.
was Raby
Raby Chuffa.
Chuffa. I believe
believe he
\'vas
Our only
only imported
imported cat
Our
cat was
he was
n of
of the last
last kits
kits of
of Raby
Raby Ashanto.
Ashanto. Ile
He is
is in
in almost
almost all
all of
of our
our
one
igrees and
believe has
most outstanding
outstanding eats
cats
pedigrees
and II believe
has been
been one
one of
of the
the most
England. Chuffa
Chuffa has
has always
always sort of
of chirped.
chirped. This
This sounds
sounds silly
sill~'
in England.
but he
he does
does sound
He is
is in
in most
most of
of the
the Red
Red Abyssinians'
Abyssinians'
but
sound like
likeaa bird.
bird. He
Pedigrees. We
We had
had one
one red
red from
from him,
him, Rufus
Rufus the
theRed
Red of
ofSelene,
Selene, who
who
Pedigrees.
brown ticking.
ticking.
had a deep
deep coral
coral coat with brown
had
many, many
and cats
cats have
have come
come to
to Selene.
Selene.
Since then
Since
then many,
many kits
kits and
\\'e have
one to IIawaii
Hawaii and
and
‘N'e
haveshipped
shippedkits
kitsto
to almost
almost every
every state
state and
and one
live, also
also
ne to
Germany. Ta-Lee-Ho's
me
to Germany.
Ta-Lee-Ho'sIpo
Ipo has
has since
since come
come here
here to
to live,
-~- - Gran dChampion
Champion
Grand
Rings Abi
Abi Abdel
Abdel
Rings
who
has
the
most
who has the most
beautiful deep
deep rudrudbeautiful
have seen
seen
dy coat II have
Aby.
in an Aby.
Abys have
I think Abys
distinct sense
sense of
of
a distinct
humor and
and will
will enenhumor
tertain aanyone.
tertain
n y one.
Our neuter,
neuter, Tid
Tid anOur
swers the door.
door. He
He
swers
gets quite
quite excited
excited
gets
Tr. Gr. Selene's Firefly
about it
and if its a
about
it and
Y car Book. 1963
1 i9
peddler and
do not
not answer
answer the
the door
door Tid
Tid tells
tells on
on me.
me. He
He loved
loved the
peddler
and I just
just do
collector and
Insurance collector
and delighted
delighted to
to get
get on
on the
the table to help him write,
make change
one hitch.
hitch. The
The man hated
hated
make
change and
and the
the like.
like. There
There was
was just
just one
Tid. I asked
disliked
Tid.
asked him if he was afraid of him and he said no he just
just disliked
'they were
were sneaky.
sneaky. Tip
Tip paid him
him off for that, for
for one
one time
time when
when
cats as they
the district
district manager
manager was
was along
along with him,
him, Tid took
took off from
top of
of
from the top
regfrigerator,landing
landingon
on his
his shoulder.
shoulder. The
The collector
collector hit the
the ceiling.
ceiling.
the regfrigerator,
Of corse
corse the manager and
and I laughed.
laughed. The
The collector
collector tried
Of
tried to
to act like a
gentleman about
next time
time he
he came
came alone
alone he gave
gave me
me an
an
gentleman
about itit but
but the next
ultimatum, I must
must keep
keep Tid
Tid away
away from
from him
him or mail
mail in
in my premiums. I
decided this
mail them
them now
now before
before he
gives the
decided
this was
was Tids
Tids home
home so
so II mail
he gives
man a coronary.
coronary.
man
She was
was born
born with
with aa small
small deformity
deformity
Gina was
Gina
was our
our little
little liar.
liar. She
always more
She took
took advantage
advantage of us
us many
many
and was always
more or
or less
less babied.
babied. She
times. The
The opening
opening of
of the
the refrigerator
refrigerator door
door was
was aa chance
chance for
for some
some
times.
extra bites.
bites. She
Shealso
also managed
managed to get
get under
under our
our feet
feet for
for when
when she
she
did this she
she was
was of
of course
course picked
pickpo up,
up. and
foot rubbed
rubbed while
while she
did
and her foot
got the
the extra
extra bite.
bite. We
We did
did try
try hard
hard not
not to
to step
step on
on her
her and
and when
when
got
she would
would start
crying and
and raising
raising her
her paw
paw like
like
we missed
missed her
we
her she
start crying
we had
We watched
watched her
her closely
closely and
and discovered
discovered that
we
had stepped
stepped on
on her.
her. We
Gina lied!
She knew
knew this
was one
and the
Gina
lied ! She
this was
one way
way of
of getting
getting attention
attention and
tidbits. She
Shehas
hassince
sincebeen
beenspayed
spayed and
and gone
gone to
to her
her new
new home
home
extra tidbits.
now.
in Maine.
Maine. II sincerely
sincerely hope
hope Gina
Gina is
telling the
in
is telling
the truth now.
nicknamed "Heller"
because she
Choti-Li Fawzia.
Choti-Li
Fawzia, rightfully
rightfully nicknamed
"Heller" because
she has
been just
that. has
has done
done some
some of
funniest things.
She learned
learned
been
just that,
of the
the funniest
things. She
bath room
room at an
an early
early age.
age. This
This she
she did
did all
all by
by herself.
herself.
to use
use the bath
to
door and go up in the willow
willow tree and swing
She would
would dash
dash out of the door
on the highest
highest limb
limb and
and scream,
scream, which
which brought
neighbors
on
brought out all the neighbors
Ourladder
ladderwas
was not
notlong
long enough
enough
to see
see who
who was
to
was "hurting"
"hurting" the
the cat. Our
and neither
neither was
was II able
able to
to climb
climb the
the tree,
tree, so
so I Icoaxed,
coaxed, pleaded
pleaded and
and
and
scolded Heller
her to
to come
come down.
down. In
In desperation
desperation one
one
scolded
Hellertototry
try to
to get
get her
day I decided
decided to
in and
and call
call the
the Firemen
Firemen and
and when
when I came
came out
out
day
to go
go in
the door
door there
there was
was Heller
Heller;; she
she had
had come
come down under her own
own power.
of the
She tried
tried it
it aa few
few more
more times
times till
till we
wedecided
decided she
she could
could not
not arouse
arouse
She
the neighbors
neighbors like
and now
now we
we put Heller
Heller on
leash when
when she
she
like this
this and
on a leash
goes
in
the
yard.
goes in the
It
seems we
we all have a special
special cat. Ours
It seems
was Garnette
Garnette who
who was
was such
such a beautiful
beautiful
was
kit
and later
later aa very
very beautiful
beautiful cat.
cat. She
She
kit and
was alwas never
was
never really
really healthy and she was
dishes,
ways with
with me,
me. helping
helping wash
wash the dishes,
ways
make beds
make
beds and
and even
even assisting
assisting me
me run
run the
sweeper. We
16 months
months and
and
sweeper.
We lost
lost her
her at 16
with each
each new
new litter we
we keep
keep hoping
hoping to
with
like her.
r •
get another just like
two Abyssinian
Abyssinian clubs
Selene's Garnette
There are two
clubs in
in the
The United
United Abyssinian
Abyssinian Club,
Club, Inc., and the Abyssinian Cat Club
Club
States. The
of America. The U.A.C.
U.A.C. has
has published
published aa book
book called
called"Journey
"Journey from
from the
140
C. F.
C.
F. A.
. -ile" written by
by our
our club
club President
President Aida
Aida Zanetti
Zanetti of
of Cambridge,
Cambridge,
Moe Nile"
'. which
been well
well received
received and
sold many copies.
copies. We
We know
know
Mass.
which has
has been
and sold
r is
i much
much more
learn about
about the
the Abyssinians.
Abyssinians. Breeders
Breeders have
have
more to
to learn
there
r 'ed \'ery
improve the breed
breed as can
can be
be seen
seen at
at shows
shows now.
now.
worked
very hard
hard to improve
e classes
quality of
cats is
is very
very noticenoticeThe
classes are
are quite
quite large
large and
and the
the quality
of the cats
e. This
of the
the breeders.
breeders.
able.
This has
has taken
taken much
much hard
hard work
work on
on the
the part of
always exceptions
e there
Of cour
course
there are always
exceptions but
but they
they are
are in
in the minority.
The C.F.A.
C.F.A. Standard
use I
The
Standard now
now in
in use
thinkisisa afine
fineone.
one. This
This was
was written
written
- 11A think
by the
the Abyssinian
Abyssinian Club
think
by
Club and
and II think
we will
will breed
if we
breed cats
cats to
to fit
fit the standand not try to
to change
change the standstandard and
ard to
to fit
fit one
one type
type of
of cat
cat we
we shall
shall
ard
produce some
produce
some outstanding
outstanding cats. When
teiltu
we first
first had
had Abys
Abys at
at shows
shows they
they
we
Caper Cot Trinket of Selene
lacked color.
color. Now
ow we
color and
and
lacked
we have
have color
'hL
i
what
makes
the
Aby
an
Aby.
When
we
can
get
good
type
this is what makes the Aby an Aby. When we can get good type
nd color
color then
To me
huge cat,
cat,
then we
we shall
shall be
behappy.
happy. To
me an
an Aby
Aby is
is not
not a huge
and
a a really
really long
long cat in
in body
body and
and above
above all
all does
does not have
have aa wedge
wedge
not
head. When
When we
we get
get aa cat
cat with
with all
all these
these faults
faults we
we have
have aa ticked
ticked
head.
iamese and
unlovely cat
Siamese
and a very unlovely
cat it is.
Eye color
color is
another thing
thing much
much discussed
discussed by
We
Eye
is another
by breeders.
breeders. We
admire the
deep gold
Many do
do not have
have them
them though
though and
and
. II admire
all
the deep
gold eyes.
eyes. Many
we can produce
produce gold
gold eyes
hazel
un il we
until
eyes exclusively
exclusively let
let us
us be
be happy
happy with hazel
e\'en green.
To me
me Aby
Aby breeders
breeders seem
seem too
too impatient
impatient in
and even
and
green. To
in their
rl ~ire to produce
How many
many perfect
perfect Siamese,
Siamese, Persian,
desire
produce the
the perfect
perfect cat.
cat. How
Burmese do
one so
Burmese
do we
we see?
see? None
so far.
far. Some
Some are
are very
very lovely
lovely but
but not
not perfect.
Texture and
and depth
depth of
of coat
coat isissomething
something also
also much
much discussed.
discussed.
Texture
Ab~'s should
Abys
should have
have aa deep
deepheavy
heavycoat
coatthat
that is
is not
not as
as thick
thick as
as the Russian
Blues but
is never
never close
close lying
have heard
heard it
Blues
but itit is
lyinglike
likethe
the Siamese.
Siamese. II have
de.cribed as a thick open
open coat.
described
Some day
It is
is really
really aa wonderful
wonderful
Some
day II hope
hopeto
to see
seethe
the perfect
perfect Aby.
Aby. It
new owners
owners and
letters about
about
feeling to
feeling
to ship
ship cats
cats to
to their new
and get
get the letters
hem. how
how they
adjusted, how
how easy
to handle
handle and
and how
how much
much they
them,
they adjusted,
easy to
liked. ItItmakes
makes all
all the
the hard
hardwork
work of
of raising
raising them
them worth
worth while.
while.
are liked.
Well anyway,
anyway, II
Well
now have
have a hobby.
hobby.
now
have time to
I don't have
for myself
feel sorry for
feel
and believe
believe me
and
me its
due to
to that
that picture
picture
due
on the magazine.
magazine. Its
on
a very
very satisfying
satisfying
a
hobby. So
if you
you
hobby.
So if
want fun
fun in
in your
your
want
life, get an
an Aby.
Aby.
life,
,j
I
Our first cat, an early Aby, Tr. Ch. Tigre of Wijiji.
141