Abyssinian cats 40 years in Finland

The first Abyssinians registered in England already in 1896 and the first Abyssinian Breed Club established just in England 1929. The first Abyssinian came to Scandinavia 1930’s and our naughbour country Sweden imported the first cats from England in 1953. The history of the Abyssinian cat in Finland begans still a little bit later.

The first Abyssinians in Finland imported from Germany. These two ruddy littersisters Gri-Gri and Gongora von Memphis were bred by Mrs. Helga Dietze. Females were born in February 1961 out of Snorrehus Juanita sired by International Champion Snorrehus James. By the way, the first Finnish cat show was in 1961! Gongora got Finnish registernumber 41 and was owned by Mrs. Aino Tellervo Karjalainen in Helsinki. Gri-Gri got registernumber 70 and was owned by Mrs. Lea Wainio in Helsinki. Gri-Gri became also Champion. Pity, but both females were only examples as an Abyssinian cat and weren’t use for breeding. Later import cats started the history of Finnish Abyssinians.

Tejada van Mariëndaal. (Katten 1968)

Unfortunately the began of Finnish Abyssinians was not written to the stars. The dam of Gri-Gri, Gongora and Ganymed called Snorrehus Juanita, was carrying Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). Also Tejada was at least PRA carrier and the owners of her offsprings wondered to Mrs. Stierncreutz, why their cats become blind. Also Emir van Mariëndaal was a carrier. And Scarabeés Akhi became blind, too. PRA was found finally as a resessively hederitary eye disease and Finland was the only country (from Nordic European Countries) who prohibited to use any ill cat for breeding.

Scarabees Akhi. Photo (Katten 1968)

The next imported cats to Finland were ruddy male Ormkärrs Amigo (b. 1962 out of Tranby Neith sired by Ganymed von Memphis) from Sweden, sorrel female Tejada van Mariëndaal (b. 1965 out of Anouschka van Mariëndaal sired by Tranby Red Sothis) and ruddy female Jasmin van Mariëndaal (b. 1965 out of Iris van Mariëndaal sired by Emir van Mariëndaal) from the Netherlands, ruddy male Scarabees Akhi (b. 1965 out of Grazia el Memphis sired by Novicio van Mariëndaal) from Sweden and (the litterbrother of Gri-Gri and Gongora) Ganymed von Memphis.

Mrs Kate Stierncreutz and her Love: Tejada. (Katten 1968)

The first Abyssinians born in Finland saw the day light on Spring 1966, when Mount Badger cattery (International FIFe judge Mrs. Kate Stierncreutz) and Av Firousi cattery (Mrs. Aira Kronqvist) bred the first litters. The sire of the both litters were Scarabees Akhi. And already during the same autumn the same females Tejada and Jasmin got their second litters, this time sired by Ganymed von Memphis.

One of the first Finnish Abylitters, possibly out of Tejada. (Katten 1968)

All photos are scanned from the book Katten (1968) written by Mrs. Kate Stierncreutz. Photos are taken by Photostudio Kienanen.