Cats galore. Cape Cod agency flooded with applications for 8 Abyssinian cats

Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
·3 min read
13

CENTERVILLE — Eight Abyssinian kittens and cats, ranging in age from three months to five-years-old, occupied spacious cages at the MSPCA Cape Cod Adoption Center on Friday morning. The breed is known for being active, athletic and curious, but some of the cats were sitting quietly. Those were a tad under the weather after being surrendered with digestive and respiratory issues.

By Friday morning, more than 600 applications had come in from people wanting to adopt them. People in California, Tennessee and even Puerto Rico sent in applications.

Colleen Evans, the director of operations for MSPCA Cape Cod, said the organization had to stop taking applications because there were so many. She expects the animals will be ready to go to their new homes in a few weeks.

A curious Abyssinian cat named "Gazpacho" joins a dozen other cats up for adoption on Friday at the MSPCA Cape Cod Adoption Center in Centerville. The eight Abyssinian cats, surrendered from a breeder, drew 600 adoption applicants, the center said.
A curious Abyssinian cat named "Gazpacho" joins a dozen other cats up for adoption on Friday at the MSPCA Cape Cod Adoption Center in Centerville. The eight Abyssinian cats, surrendered from a breeder, drew 600 adoption applicants, the center said.

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"It will depend on what panels come back," Evans said, referring to the medical tests the cats had undergone. "Once we have more diagnostic knowledge and treatment plans, we'll be able to determine how long."

The breed is rare and expensive. Purebred kittens from reputable breeders can cost up to $1,200, according to the pet company Petsmont. They are known for being lithe and lean, athletic and playful, curious and attention-loving. But that doesn't mean they spend much time cuddling, according to the Cat Fanciers Association.

An Abyssinian cat named "Chowder" keeps a eye on MSPCA Cape Cod Adoption Center Director of Operations Colleen Evans on Friday at the Centerville facility. The center is caring for eight Abyssinians, and by Friday hundreds of adoption applications had come in, according to Evans.
An Abyssinian cat named "Chowder" keeps a eye on MSPCA Cape Cod Adoption Center Director of Operations Colleen Evans on Friday at the Centerville facility. The center is caring for eight Abyssinians, and by Friday hundreds of adoption applications had come in, according to Evans.

They weigh between six to nine pounds depending on sex, have a life expectancy of up to 15 years, and come in four colors, according to the Cat Fanciers Association. Their fur is ticked, or banded, meaning each hair contains bars of different colors. But the primary ones are ruddy, red, blue, and fawn.

No one can say with certainty where the breed originated, but Ethiopia and Southeast Asia have been cited as possibilities because of genetic testing done on the animals. They were imported to the U.S in 1900.

Edward Fry, the Cat Fancier Association Breed Council Secretary for Abyssinians, called the animals friendly and active.

An Abyssinian cat named "Chowder" keeps an eye on MSPCA Cape Cod Adoption Center Director of Operations Colleen Evans on Friday at the Centerville facility. Eight Abyssinian cats were surrendered to the facility from a breeder, and hundreds of adoption applications had been received by Friday, Evans said.
An Abyssinian cat named "Chowder" keeps an eye on MSPCA Cape Cod Adoption Center Director of Operations Colleen Evans on Friday at the Centerville facility. Eight Abyssinian cats were surrendered to the facility from a breeder, and hundreds of adoption applications had been received by Friday, Evans said.

"They are inquisitive and love to run and will even sometimes fetch a thrown lightweight fuzzy ball or other toy," he wrote in an email. "If you want a loving playmate, the Aby is definitely the cat for you."

Evans said matching the cats with applicants will depend on a number of factors. The animal's health and behavior, and the lifestyle of the applicant will be taken into consideration. The fees will range depending on the cat's age. Kittens will be $400 and senior cats will be $100. Those fees include all the diagnostic testing done on the, vaccinations, microchipping, neutering and spaying, Evans said.

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"So many wonderful people will miss out because we only have so many," she said. "Kittens and cats tend to go quickly."

The shelter gets in about 20 cats weekly from partners in South Carolina. The Abyssinians were surrendered by the breeder, a service Evans said the shelter offers to owners. Other animals, from a Nigerian Dwarf goat to a parakeet, are also available. And the shelter could use volunteers to clean animals and kennels, do laundry and wash dishes, and a variety of other chores. More information can be found at https://www.mspca.org/adoption-centers/cape-cod-adoption-center/.

Denise Coffey writes about business and tourism. Contact her at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Eight Abyssinian cats draw hundreds of applicants to MSPCA Cape Cod