Breed: Abyssinian Cat
Date of birth: 16/11/2025
Gender: Male
NECK CIRCUMFERENCE: 16.5.cm
BASE OF NECK TO BASE OF TAIL: 42cm
HEIGHT TO SHOULDERS: 25cm
CHEST CIRCUMFERENCE: 26cm
Weight: 3.3kg

General Description

Bright-eyed, busy and interested in absolutely everything, Nico turns a quiet corner into an expedition. His coat is the classic ruddy Abyssinian: a warm coppery base where every hair is banded and tipped with black, so the whole cat seems to glow like something half-wild that wandered in from the desert. He is outgoing to the core, unbothered by new faces and quick to introduce himself, forever trotting after his people to see what they are up to.

Abyssinians are among the oldest cats in the fancy and one of the brainiest, famous for their acrobatic curiosity and that ticked, cougar-like coat. Legend ties the breed to Abyssinia, from which a cat named Zula was said to have sailed home with a British soldier in the 1860s, though modern genetics point instead to the coast of the Indian Ocean. Their resemblance to the sacred cats of Egyptian art only deepens the mystique. The breed has had its screen moment too, headlining Walt Disney’s 1978 comedy The Cat from Outer Space as a clever extraterrestrial. Nico carries all that heritage in miniature: alert, athletic and endlessly game.

He works keenly to a treat, which is the swiftest route to a clean take. He is confident in being lifted and handled by people he has only just met. A few honest notes for the diary. Nico would rather skip a grooming session, though he will co-operate through one. Loud noise makes him wary even as his curiosity keeps him watching, so a calmer set suits him best.

Nico is a live wire whose restless energy is his currency on screen. He comes when called, follows a lure through a scene and circles a person or a prop on request, which lends itself to lively adverts and light comedy built around a mischievous, into-everything cat. He will duck out of sight and hide on cue for a game of hide-and-seek, spring up on the spot when startled action is wanted and settle onto a marked platform between beats.

His wildcat looks widen the brief in another direction entirely. That exotic, ancient-Egyptian aura suits fantasy, adventure and historical storytelling, the temple cat slinking through a ruin or the sharp-eyed companion shadowing an explorer. Happy on a lead and unfazed by water, he can film comfortably on location as well as in the studio. His ease with motion capture opens the door to animated and effects-led productions where a nimble feline reference is needed.

With a lean, finely coloured frame long likened to that of a fashion model, Nico was practically built for the camera. He holds his handler’s gaze, settles where he is placed and perches neatly on a platform. His burnished ticking catches the light against earthy, sunlit and mineral palettes. That striking coat makes him a memorable choice for premium cat-food, toy and enrichment brands keen to signal intelligence and vitality.

He also takes to dressing up with surprising grace, relaxed in outfits, hats and accessories in his small-to-medium fit, so playful apparel lines and seasonal ranges have an eye-catching muse. Composed alongside props during product placement and a steady enough traveller to reach new locations, he suits adventurous lifestyle and outdoor campaigns that want a cat with a bit of a wild streak. Add a growing Instagram following to the mix and Nico brings both looks and reach to a shoot.