HOW IT ALL BEGAN…
“Once you have an Aby, you will never want anything else!” she promised.
I’ve always been a huge animal lover. Growing up, our house was full of pets—dogs, cats, rodents, reptiles, and of course, horses. That love for animals followed me into adulthood, and today, our little farm includes dogs, horses, chickens… and cats.
For most of my life, my cats were strays or barn cats. It was my sister who was the true Abyssinian cat woman—constantly raving about how amazing they were. Every visit, she’d nudge me:
“You need an Abyssinian!”
Cue the eye roll. I was happy with my scrappy strays, thank you very much.
At the time, I was completely devoted to my beloved stray cat, Wally. Sadly, he developed kidney disease. I cared for him tirelessly—giving him subcutaneous fluids twice a day, every day, in hopes of buying him more time and keeping him comfortable. That routine continued for nearly two years, until he finally succumbed to the disease. It was heartbreaking. For the first time in a very long time, I found myself cat-less—and honestly, a house without a cat just doesn’t feel like a home.
Staying true to my usual pattern, I began casually looking for a rescue or stray in need. Getting a purebred Aby was still not on my radar (to my sister’s ongoing dismay). Then one day, while picking up horse feed at the local feed store, I saw her—a tiny kitten walking across the counter, clearly on display and ready to win hearts. It worked. After some gentle nudging from the staff, I took her home. We named her Lilith (Lily)—our proud “Purebred Caledon Barn Cat.”
Around the same time, my sister was getting a second Abyssinian kitten from her breeder, Glendoveer Abyssinians. I think this was when she decided to go “in for the kill.” She called me and asked if I’d come with her to pick up the kitten. Being a good sister, I complied. We picked up the kitten together, and as we were leaving, she turned to me and said,
“Well… do you want him?”
I hesitated. Even then, I wasn’t sure I was ready for a purebred cat. But something about that little Abyssinian caught my heart, and I said yes. That kitten, Smooch, came into our home at 4 months old and changed everything! He joined Lilith (then 3 months old), and the two became best friends. Smooch was stunning—intelligent, elegant, and overflowing with personality.
I was completely hooked. The Aby magic had worked!
ONCE YOU GO ABY, YOU NEVER GO BACK!
“I would not be doing what I am doing now without my mentors’ continued wisdom, advice, and support.”
The next step I took was to find someone who would be willing to mentor me. In the world of breeding, it is best to have a mentor or three who can guide you through the process. I contacted the CCA Abyssinian Breed Secretary, Fran Merlo, searching for a kitten and a mentor. She put me in touch with Meg Lambert of Anubis Abyssinians located in Attleborough, MA. At that time, Meg also happened to be the CFA breed Secretary for Abyssinians in the U.S. I got my very first breeding female kitten from Meg – Anubis Memoire de Romeow – a.k.a. Zoey. She came from a very long and successful line of Abyssinians. My initial contact with Deborah Feltham of Glendoveer Abyssinians has also resulted in Deborah providing ongoing advice in many different areas, including health, understanding pedigrees, etc. Meg, Fran, and Deborah have been my amazing mentors on this journey. I would not be doing what I am doing now without their continued wisdom, advice, and support.
PUREABBY IS A CCA, TICA AND CFA REGISTERED ABYSSINIAN CAT BREEDER.
PureAbby is a current CFA Abyssinian Breed Council member and the Abyssinian Breed Secretary for CCA.
Located in the scenic Caledon Hills just north of Toronto, PureAbby is a small, home-based Abyssinian cattery dedicated to raising healthy, well-socialized kittens with loving temperaments. We specialize in Ruddy and Cinnamon (Red) Abyssinians and raise all our cats cage-free, as cherished members of our family.
Our breeding program prioritizes health and genetics—all of our breeding cats are DNA-tested for breed-specific conditions such as PRA and PK-Def. Kittens are raised in a stimulating environment alongside our dogs, horses, and chickens, and are thoroughly socialized from birth. We keep our kittens until 4 months of age to ensure they are confident, well-adjusted, and ready for their forever homes.
While our kittens have found homes across Canada, the USA, Europe, and Asia, we do not ship unaccompanied kittens—all travel is arranged with care to ensure their comfort and safety.
Due to the small size of typical Abyssinian litters, we maintain a waiting list. We’d love to hear from you if you want to welcome a PureAbby kitten into your home.