Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 27, 2008

Candy is an exceptionally nice example of a chocolate Aby. Her coat is clear of extra marks and has nice resilience, length and ticking with rich, warm color. Candy has a sweet expression, nicely cupped ears, nice ear set, beautiful dark golden eyes, and a well shaped head. She is extremely intelligent, as well as active, playful, affectionate and friendly to everyone she meets.

RW QGC Alexy Braeside Candytuft of Aksum

Candy is a chocolate Abyssinian, born 10/24/07. Chocolate is one of the newer colors, and is still gaining acceptance by Aby breeders and judges. It is much harder for an Abyssinian who is not a ruddy to place in the top ten finals as Candy has done many times now for a total of 24 Top Ten final ribbons! Many judges prefer the traditional look of the ruddy, and chocolate and lilac Abys are so rare that some of the judges have never seen a chocolate before in person.

As a kitten, Candy won a Regional award for the Southeast Region's 18th Best Kitten & 2nd Best Abyssinian Kitten as well as TICA's International 16th Best Abyssinian Kitten, even though she had been shown only three times in the two months left in the show season. (Kittens can be shown from four months old to one day before they turn eight months old.)

At barely eight months old, Candy became a Grand Champion with seven ribbons in just one show! She is now a year old and a Quad Grand Champion with enough points for a Supreme Grand Championship (lacking only the Best Cat ribbon) and is TICA's International 17th Best Abyssinian Cat, 14th Best Allbreed Cat in the Southeast Region, 9th Best Shorthair Cat in the Southeast Region and Best Abyssinian in the Southeast Region. She is TICA's International Best Chocolate Abyssinian! Candy is the second chocolate Aby ever to become a Quad Grand Champion!

She has reached the end of her show season and has been retired from being a show cat to become Aksum Abyssinians' second foundation queen. Candy was bred by Bruce Alexy of Alexy Abyssinians.

Candy's kittens can be many different colors depending on the color of the sire. She is chocolate carrying cinnamon and dilute. Candy's kittens from her first litter (1 chocolate, 3 blues, 1 ruddy) were born February 24, 2009. Her second litter with Linc as the sire this time hopefully will be born in April 2010.

We are mentoring a new breeder in Atlanta who has Candy in her home while we co-own and help with her.

Photography By Gerald - December 23, 2009

Dancer is a Chocolate Aby. She has nice color, type, personality and lovely ear tufts. Who could ask for more? We love her! She is our furrever girl.

Here is Dancer dancing for Helmi, who is an amazingly talented cat photographer!

Photos taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Photos taken by Helmi Flick on September 6, 2009

Dancer at the New Years Show in Raleigh, NC
Photo by Patricia Ridenour

Aksum Tiny Dancer

Aksum Tiny Dancer, born February 24, 2009, is the second generation queen in our TICA chocolate breeding program. Her beautiful mother, Candy, is the second chocolate Abyssinian to become a Quad Grand Champion and Regional Winner.

We hoped for a chocolate female in Candy's first litter of kittens who would have an exceptional personality and nice color and type, and we have it with this beautiful girl!

Photography By Gerald - December 23, 2009

Dancer is outgoing and affectionate and purrs a lot. She is unafraid and curious about her world like an Aby is supposed to be. Dancer also travels very well in cars even for long distances, which is quite helpful for a show cat and Forever Buddy. She especially enjoys visiting the pet shop, saying hello to everybody, investigating all the new places and smells, and getting treats there. And of course, she loves to play!

Dancer had her show debut as a kitten in Raleigh, NC at the Southeast Regional show July 11-12, 2009. She did very well on Saturday, July 11th, receiving ribbons in two finals!

At the same show, her beautiful mother Candy received her second Regional Award plaque and ribbon as 14th Best Allbreed Cat in the Southeast Region, 9th Best Shorthair Cat in the SE Region, Best Chocolate Abyssinian in the SE Region, and Best Abyssinian in the SE Region. Candy is also TICA's International Best Chocolate Abyssinian!

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

We plan to breed Dancer with our newest addition to Aksum Abyssinians, Alexy Temur Khan of Aksum.

Temur is a male chocolate Aby and has recently joined us. He made his show debut at the Southeast Regional show in July with Dancer and her littermate Smoky. Temur is Linc's half brother (same sire). We are quite delighted with him!

Dancer received two ribbons in the finals on Saturday, July 11th -- 5th Best Shorthair Kitten and 9th Best Allbreed Kitten. Dancer is a worthy successor to her beautiful mother Candy!

Candy's Regional Awards ribbons on the left and right, and
Dancer's top ten final ribbons in the middle, at the Raleigh show

At left is Dancer in the Kitten Class Labor Day weekend at the TICA Annual show in Orlando, FL. Photos from the show are on the TICA International Show Aksum Picasa Album here.

Dancer received a Best Kitten ribbon at her last show in the Kitten Class in the Hickory, NC show October 10-11, 2009, as well as five other Top Ten ribbon finals.

Her debut in the Championship class was in Greensboro, NC December 12-13, 2009 where she was shown as an adult for the first time. Dancer won four finals ribbons including 2nd Best Allbreed Cat and 4th Best Allbreed Cat and is now a Champion.

Thank you for coming by to say hello and celebrating the New Year with us in Raleigh, NC. Dancer made Best of Breed a few times but the competition was VERY TOUGH for this "campaign show" where the Best of the Best cats come from all over the world. No ribbons this time around, but enjoyable times seeing and talking to friends. She got more points toward her Grand Champion, though! :-)

Thank you for coming by to say hello in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida to Dancer, our new kitten Dreamer, and Second Chance Charlie! Dancer got a 10th Best Shorthair Cat finals ribbon and Dreamer was 2nd Best of Breed three times despite competing against two older top show quality kittens.

With Dancer at the Raleigh, NC show February 21, 2010
I love Dancer so much! She is my furever girl! :-)
Photography by Pam Sosa - All rights reserved.

Dancer was at the Field of Dreams "Purrfect Love" Valentine's show. She and Second Chance Charlie said hello in person to many people who came by in Raleigh, NC. It was another tough campaign show, so we had fun seeing friends and making some new ones and no ribbons just points. :-)

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Alexy Hot Rod Lincoln of Aksum is a red male Aby. He is an excellent example of this new sex-linked red color. Linc is one of those "perfect Abys" with a totally fearless, extremely friendly personality and very nice conformation.

Linc is judged here January 11, 2009 by Robin Sessler, an expert on rare Abyssinian colors.

Linc is being judged by Elektra Hammond January 11, 2009. She preferred Sky over Linc but said he has nice body type and earset.

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on April 5, 2009

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Alexy Hot Rod Lincoln of Aksum

Linc is Aksum's first in-house stud and also the first foundation stud in our sex-linked red breeding program. He was born on May 31, 2008.

We asked Bruce Alexy for a stud and queen pair that would produce the very rare cream females, and Linc is the stud boy we took home at four months old on October 2, 2008. He will pair up with our new blue torbie female Alexy Blue Cream Sky of Aksum aka "Sky" (who we also took home on October 2nd) to produce several different possible colors, including the extremely rare and beautiful creams.

DNA testing from UC Davis confirmed December 5, 2008 that Linc is chocolate carrying cinnamon and dilute under his beautiful red color -- exactly what we had hoped for! UC Davis also confirmed Linc is PK Def and PRA negative.

Linc is one of the first ambassadors to the TICA Aby world of the sex-linked red colors. Even though he is a mature stud cat, he is very sweet, likes people and attention, and enjoys being held and loved on.

Aksum Abyssinians is actively looking for other TICA cat breeders to help show the new sex-linked red colors for Championship status.

Photography By Gerald - December 30, 2009

Alexy Temur Khan of Aksum is a gorgeous chocolate male. His sweet, beautiful face, nicely balanced head and body, and big well-placed ears are all excellent Abyssinian traits that we look forward to seeing in future generations here at Aksum.

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on September 6, 2009

We expect the first litter from Temur and Dancer in Spring 2010. The colors of their kittens can be chocolate or cinnamon, and possibly the dilutes of those, lilac and fawn, if they both carry the dilute gene.

Alexy Temur Khan of Aksum

Temur is Aksum's second in-house stud and also the first foundation stud in our chocolate breeding program. He was born on March 2, 2009. He is a beautiful chocolate male.

Temur's handsome sire, Alexy Kubla Khan, is also the father of our red and chocolate stud Alexy Hot Rod Lincoln of Aksum. Temur's mother, Alexy Pretty Woman, is one of the larger Alexy Abyssinians queens and one of the most beautiful.

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Temur is already a lot larger than any of Candy's babies (just look at the size of those paws!), so we expect him to be a big, sweet boy like his half brother Linc. His big well-placed ears are one of his best features!

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on September 6, 2009

Temur made his show debut at the Southeast Regional show July 11-12, 2009 with Dancer and her littermate Smoky. He was Best Abyssinian Kitten in one ring, 2nd Best Aby Kitten in one ring, and 3rd Best Aby Kitten in three rings.

Temur Khan with TICA Judge Barbara Ray on February 28, 2010
2010 Florida Sun Cats show

Temur's third show and his first show as a Championship class adult cat was the 2010 Florida Sun Cats show. He got points toward his title and a finals ribbon, making him a Champion.

Temur Khan with TICA Judge Francine Hicks on February 28, 2010
2010 Florida Sun Cats show

Photo taken on January 11, 2010

Dreamer is a ruddy Abyssinian female. She is double registered in CFA & TICA and is the first of our double-registered line.

Alexy Dream On of Aksum

Dreamer is the first of our double registered CFA/TICA line. Her gorgeous sire RW SGC Alexy Texas Pete is a double Regional Winner and a Supreme Grand Champion. Her mother Alexy Perfidia is a beautiful ruddy female with an impressive pedigree. Both are the result of 20 years of careful breeding by Alexy Abyssinians.

First show -- TICA -- 2010 Destiny Cat Fanciers

Dreamer was #51 and just barely 4 months old. The Abyssinians at this show were top show quality from some of the best Abyssinian breeders in the world, but despite this she held her own, winning three Second Best of Breed Abyssinian Kitten.

She took it all in stride, not bothered at all by the new place, new people and new situations.

CFA -- Phoenix Cat Society
Roswell/Atlanta, GA - March 13-14, 2010
Dreamer debuted in CFA & this was my first CFA show since 1985!

Next shows for Dreamer:

CFA -- Tennessee Valley Cat Fanciers
Knoxville, TN - March 27, 2010

TICA -- Southern SophisTICAts
Atlanta, GA - April 10-11, 2010

CFA -- Rebel Rousers Cat Club
Lawrenceville, GA - May 1, 2010

Photo taken by Genevieve on January 26, 2008

Rose is a Cinnamon Torbie Aby. Her coat is very clear and has nice resilience, length and ticking. She has a very typical Aby personality and is quite active, playful, friendly and affectionate. She purrs a lot and is always happy!

Alexy Gypsy Rose of Aksum

Rose is a Cinnamon Torbie Abyssinian carrying dilute, born 6/29/07. Cinnamon is the new TICA name for Sorrel, and is known as Red in CFA. It is one of the four generally accepted colors for Abys.

Cinnamon Torbie is also one of the sex-linked red colors. It is the hardest to distinguish from the original Cinnamon color because the Cinnamon and Red colors are nearly the same shade of red and are mixed together in a random pattern, which is why we thought she was a Cinnamon until very recently. The DNA test for the sex-linked red gene is still being developed.

Rose was the third best Aby kitten in the SE region for the 2007-2008 season with several ribbons as a kitten. Her nicely cupped ears, good coat length and ticking, clear coat, athletic body, playful nature, ability to get along easily with other cats, and typical friendly Aby personality (especially her wonderful purr) are all excellent traits that she passes down to her kittens.

Rose is shown occasionally as an "example cat" (meaning she isn't actually entered in the show, but is kept handy if it turns out to be helpful to see her for color comparison when showing the sex-linked red colors in New Traits). It can be helpful for a judge to see the difference between a red (Linc) and a cinnamon (Rose) side by side.

She was in a show in January 2009 to help a judge distinguish between cinnamon and cinnamon torbie. TICA Judge Robin Sessler, an expert on rare Aby colors, found very faint rings on the underside of Rose's tail tip recently (photo at left taken January 11, 2009) which may very well be the answer. There certainly isn't any other way to see the red on Rose! Aby breeders of sex-linked reds are doing a photo survey to see whether this holds true. So far, it does seem that the sex-linked red cats have a much whiter tail tip on the underside than the 'black' colors such as ruddy, chocolate, and cinnamon, and that the torbies have a multi-colored tail tip underneath much like Rose does.

Rose is a foundation queen for Aksum Abyssinians and was bred by Bruce Alexy of Alexy Abyssinians.

Rose's kittens can be many different colors, depending on which colors and characteristics the father carries. Rose is red and cinnamon carrying dilute.

Both Traveler and Linc carry cinnamon and dilute, but Traveler is a ruddy (with no red or chocolate) and Linc is red and chocolate (with no ruddy).

We are mentoring a new breeder in Atlanta who has Rose in her home while we co-own and help with her.

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on April 5, 2009

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on April 5, 2009

Sky is a Blue Torbie Aby. She is a beautiful example of this new sex-linked red color. Sky has a sweet personality and is very playful and affectionate.

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on April 5, 2009

Sky was chosen by Helmi to be the example of the Abyssinian breed in the 2010 Cats USA Magazine, which will be published in early 2010.

Alexy Blue Cream Sky of Aksum

Alexy Blue Cream Sky of Aksum is the second foundation queen in our sex-linked red breeding program, born June 25, 2008. As a blue torbie (also called blue cream tortie) with both blue and cream coat colors blended together, Sky's coat color is a dilute of the ruddy torbie. Rose, our cinnamon torbie, was the first Aksum sex-linked red queen.

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First in Flight - Raleigh, NC - December 13, 2008

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on April 5, 2009

Fire is a Ruddy Torbie Aby. She is a beautiful example of this new sex-linked red color. She has been fearless and affectionate and playful since she was a very young kitten.

Fire in a judging cage, showing her unique ruddy torbie pattern on her back. Fire even has a red tip on her tail! (Pigeon Forge, TN - 1/11/09)

Fire climbing the judge's sisal rope pole for fun. TICA Judge Marylou Anderson thought it was fun, too! (Ft. Walton Beach, FL - 1/31/09)

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on April 5, 2009

Aksum Light My Fire

Fire is our beautiful, sweet ruddy torbie queen born August 31, 2008.

As a ruddy torbie (tortoiseshell tabby) with both ruddy and red coat colors blended together, Fire's coat color is a combination of the most common and least common colors.

Fire is very special in another way. She is the first of our second-generation Abyssinians and was hand-raised from birth at Aksum Abyssinians. She is the daughter of Rose and Traveler.

* * *

Aksum Abyssinians is actively looking for other TICA cat breeders to help show the new sex-linked red colors for Championship status.

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Aksum Smoke on the Water

Smoky was a special little boy from Candy's first litter who we felt deserved to contribute his sweet calm personality and exceptional color genetics to the breed.

He was ruddy carrying chocolate and dilute, the only one we knew of in the world!

Smoky was born on February 24, 2009 and was Dancer's littermate.

Smoky made his show debut at the Southeast Regional show July 11-12, 2009 with Dancer and Temur.

Photo taken by Helmi Flick on July 11, 2009

Sunday was Smoky's day in the sun. Here he is wowing the judges and getting his second final on Sunday, July 12, 2009, 5th Best Allbreed Kitten.

Judge trainee Toni Scarboro was having a lot of fun watching Smoky climb up the scratching pole at the judge's table!

After she got him down, she put the 5th Best Allbreed Kitten ribbon on his cage on behalf of TICA judge Barbara Ray, in whose ring she was training.

I am very sad to say that Smoky died December 8, 2009 of neurological dry FIP, a notoriously difficult disease to diagnose, after a month of vet visits, testing, and round-the-clock loving, supportive care by my bedside with a warming lamp or in my bed with me.

Unfortunately, FIP does not have a diagnostic test or a cure. Please support SOCKFIP in helping researchers find a diagnostic test, and hopefully also a genetic test and/or a cure for FIP.