Cute Pets

American Wirehair

The American Wirehair unusual coarse, prickly coat was caused by the spontaneous mutation of a gene. In 1966 on a farm in Verona, New York, the American Wirehair made its debut in a litter of American Shorthairs. Its crimped, coarse coat was the result of the spontaneous mutation of a dominant gene. The first-ever Wirehair was a red-and-white kitten named Adam. Breeder Joan O'Shea began a selective breeding program, crossing the Wirehairs with American Shorthairs to avoid excessive inbreeding and to develop the breed. The American Wirehair was officially recognized in the United States in 1978. Wirehairs were first imported to France in 1972. Still rather uncommon in the United States, this breed is extremely rare in Europe.

Description

Body : Medium to large. Broad chest. Medium in bone. Powerfully muscled.

Paw : Medium in length and bone. Well muscled. Round, medium-sized (n) paws; small and oval (u).

Tail : Length in proportion to body. Heavy from the base to the rounded tip. Carried nearly in line with the back

Coat : Springy, tight, medium in length. Individual hairs are crimped, hooked, or bent, including hair within the ears. The overall appearance of wiring and the coarseness and resilience of the coat is more important than the crimping of each hair. The density of the wired coat leads to ringlet formation rather than waves. That coat, which is very dense, resilient, crimped, and coarse, is most desirable, as are curly whiskers

Head : Medium in size. Broad and fairly round. Rounded skull. Prominent cheekbones. Definite jowls in mature males. Square, well-developed muzzle. Slight whisker break (u). Moderately short nose shows a gentle, concave curve. Square, well-developed chin.

Eyes : Large, round, expressive, and wide set. Color in harmony with coat color is preferred.

Ears : Medium, slightly rounded at tips, set wide and not unduly open at the base.

Nose : A gentle concave curve.

Neck : Moderately short, well-muscled.

Fault : Deep nose break. Long, pointed, or close-set ears. Color of eyes not entirely green in Silver Wirehairs, color other than yellow in Brown Wirehairs. Overly short or long neck. Overly thin or short tail. Tail carried over the back. Fine, long, silky coat. Disqualify: White lockets or buttons.

Character : This solidly built, highly active, agile, and playful cat needs exercise to burn off its abundant energy. The American Wirehair is social, affectionate, and gentle, demonstrating the same excellent character as its American Shorthair relative. Care is simple. The coat should be brushed and combed weekly.

Personality : Quiet, reserved, and somewhat less receptive to strangers than the American Shorthair. Not especially vocal , although it will trill enthusiastically at feeding time. Playful kittens become affectionate, undemanding adults.

American Curls

1981 in Lakewood, California on a sunny day in June, a longhair silky black female kitten with unusual ears wandered up to the doorstep of Joe and Grace Ruga. Joe scrutinized the situation and determined that the most effective solution to this stray kitten problem was to ask Grace not to feed the kitten. Grace, not abiding by her husband's wishes but listening to her heart instead, left a bowl of food on the porch. The affectionate black kitten quickly worked her way into the Ruga's hearts (especially Joe's) and they named her Shulamith, which means "black but comely". Such are the beginnings of the American Curl as it is known today. True American Curls must trace their pedigree back to Shulamith, the foundation female. In December 1981, Shulamith delivered her first litter of kittens. Out of four kittens, two had the same curly ears as Shulamith. A geneticist was contacted to study this phenomenon and he confirmed that this unusual ear was a genetic trait and was inherited in every case, causing it to be labeled a dominant gene, with no deformities attached to it. Referred to as a spontaneous mutation, the gene that causes the ear tocurl appeared to be following a single dominant pattern.

The types its covers :

American Curl Longhair

American Curl Short

Seal Tabby Point

Description

Body : Semi-foreign, length one and one-half times height at shoulder (n). Boning and musculature neither heavy nor fine.
Paw : Moderate length, in proportion to body. Forelegs slightly shorter than hind legs. Straight with good muscle tone. Paws are medium in size and rounded.

Tail : Length equal to body length. Broad at the base and tapering to a rounded tip.

Coat : Two varieties: Semi-long (currently the most common) - fine, silky; sparse undercoat; no ruff, full plume on tail. Shorthair - fine, silky, laying flat; minimal undercoat. All colors are permissible.

Fault : Deep nose break. Heavy, coarse coat with thick undercoat, ruff. Ears set low; extreme curl (tip of ear must not touch back of ear or back of head) (u).

Head : Medium in size, moderately longer than wide, without flat planes. The straight nose gives way to a slight rise from the bottom of the eyes to the forehead. Muzzle is neither pointed nor square. No whisker pinch. Firm chin.

Eyes : Moderately large, walnut shape, and wide set. Color, which must be clear, brilliant, and uniform, has no relation to coat color.
Neck : Medium.

Character : This breed is comfortable with other cats, dogs, and enjoys children. The American Curl is active and requires exercise, and therefore, will enjoy an enclosed yard. The American Curl reaches full maturity around two or three years of age. The cartilage in the ears begins to curl and harden four days after birth, but the definitive curl is not set until three or four months of age. Weekly brushing and combing is sufficient. The ears must be cleaned with a quality ear-cleaning product. A Curl should be bathed several days prior to a show. The gene responsible for the ear curl does not carry any associated diseases. Unlike the Scottish Fold, two Curls may be mated without endangering the offspring. Curls are very rare; in order to avoid excessive inbreeding, experts recommend that they be crossed with normal-eared cats.

Personality: The American Curl has a well-balanced personality and an even disposition. Mischievous, playful, and a comfortable companion, this breed talks only rarely. The friendly, affectionate, and loving, American Curl is very attached to his owner.

American Bobtail Cat

The American Bobtail is an american cat rare outside of the United States. Around 1964, an American couple named Sanders was vacationing near an Indian reservation in Arizona when they noticed a wild-looking kitten with a short, upright tail. They adopted the kitten and named him Yodie. He was crossed with Michi, a Siamese. A kitten from this litter, crossed with a cream-colored cat, was the origin of the breed. The Bobtail's distinguishing feature, its short tail, was the result of a mutation caused by a dominant gene. Initially, the Bobtail's coat was short. However, Himalayans (Colorpoint Persians in Britain) were introduced and resulted in a medium-length coat. The breed was recognized by T.I.C.A. in 1989. The semi longhair American Bobtail, the longhaired version of the American Bobtail, has the same characteristics as its cousin.

Descriptions:

Body : Moderately long and substantial with a rectangular stance. Chest full and broad. Slightly higher in hips with prominent shoulder blades. Hips substantial almost as wide as chest. Deep flank. Muscular and athletic in appearance. Allowance should be made for slow maturation.

Ears : Medium. Wide at base with slightly rounded tips, as much on the top of the head as on the side. Ear tipping and furnishings highly desirable. Lighter colored thumbprints on the back of the ears desirable on all tabbies including lynx points.

Tail : Short, may be straight, slightly curved or slightly kinked or have bumps along the length of the tail. Tail set in line with the top line of the hip. Tail to be broad at base, strong and substantial to the touch, never fragile. Must be flexible, expressive and not kinked to the point it impairs the natural movement of the tail. Straighter tails being preferred over kinked tails. Straight tails should exhibit a fat pad at the end of the tail.

Coat : LENGTH: Medium-longhair, slightly shaggy. Tapering to slightly longer hair on ruff, britches, belly and tail. RUFF: Slight, mutton chops desirable. TEXTURE: Non-matting, resilient. DENSITY: Double coat. Undercoat present, not extremely dense. MISCELLANEOUS: Seasonal variations of coat should be recognized. Coat may be softer in texture in dilute colors, lynx points and silvers. Undercoat may be mouse gray in tabbies.

Fault : Tail too long or too short affecting the balance and appearance of the cat. Tail kinked or knotted out of shape. Tail rigid, fragile or set low. Straight tail not exhibiting a fat pad. Round eyes. Weak chin. Extremely short muzzle or nose break. Cottony coat. Disqualify: Total lack of tail or full-length tail. Odd eyes. Delicate bone structure. Incorrect number of toes.

Head : Broad modified wedge without noticeable flat planes or doming, in proportion to the body. Observable muzzle break above a well-defined broad medium length muzzle. Fleshy whisker pads. Cheekbones are apparent. Slightly concave curve between nose and brow with good length between brow & ears. Distinctive brow is evident by a slightly rounded forehead to eye ridge; brow border is fleshy creating an almost hooded appearance to the eye. Nose wide, nose leather large. Chin strong and wide in line with the nose. Widening of the head and stud jowls apparent in adult males.

Eyes : Large. Almost almond in shape. Deep set. Outside corner angled slightly upward towards the ears. Medium-wide apart. Distinctive brow above the eye gives the cat a natural hunting gaze

Neck : Medium in length may appear short due to musculature.

Character : The American Bobtail is a medium to large, naturally occurring, bobtailed cat. It is a noticeably athletic animal, well muscled, with the appearance of power. The body is moderately long and substantial with a rectangular stance and prominent shoulder blades. The tail is short and is to be clearly visible above the back when the cat is alert, not to exceed the hock in length. It possesses a strong, broad modified wedge shaped head, with a distinctive brow above large almost almond shaped eyes. Females are generally proportionately smaller than males with type a more important aspect of the breed than size. The American Bobtail with all of its combined characteristics possesses a distinctive wild appearance and an exceptionally amiable disposition.

Personality : The expression is one of intelligence and alertness

American Shorthair Cat

This American Shorthair Cat, he is European immigrant is an excellent hunter The American Shorthair's counterpart is the British Shorthair Cat and the European Shorthair Cat. Early immigrants arrived in the United States with cats that adapted well to the harsh climate of the northern states. This breed is the result of selectively breeding common "alley cats" with other imported breeds, such as the British Shorthair, Burmese, and Persian. In 1904, the C.F.A. registered the first American Shorthair - Buster Brown, a male smoke descended from a British Shorthair. This breed was called Domestic Shorthair until the 1960s, when the breed was officially recognized as the American Shorthair in 1966. The F.I.Fe. does not recognize the breed. The American Shorthair is rare in Europe. The breed is highly prized in Japan and very popular in the United States.

American Shorthair Cat look based on the color of his fur :

American Shorthair Cat

American Shorthair Cat Blue

American Shorthair Cat White

American Shorthair Cat Brown

Peersonality: Gentle and compliant. Smart, agile athlete. Loud purrs, but tiny meows. Extremely quiet. Natural hunter. Has a dignity all its own. Independent.

Description:

Body : Medium to large in size. Slightly longer than tall, not elongated. Broad chest, particularly in mature males. Well-developed shoulders. Medium boned and powerfully built.

Paw : Medium in length and heavily muscled. Paws are medium in size and rounded.
Tail : medium long, heavy at base, tapering to abrupt blunt end in appearance but with normal tapering final vertebrae.

Coat : short, thick, even and hard in texture. Regional and seasonal variation in coat thickness allowed. Coat dense enough to protect from moisture, cold, and superficial skin injuries.

Fault : Long, pointed, or close-set ears. Eye color not solid green in Silver Tabbies, eye color other than yellow in Brown Tabbies. Overly short, thick, long, or thin neck. Excessive cobbiness or ranginess. Overly thin or short tail. Tail carried over the back. Fine, long, silky coat. Disqualify: White lockets or buttons.

Head : Broad and rounded; medium in size. Moderately convex rise from the bridge of the nose to the forehead. Definite jowls in mature males. Square, not overly short muzzle. Medium length nose. Square, firm chin. Strong jaws.
Eyes : Large and wide with upper lid shaped like half an almond (cut lengthwise) and lower lid shaped in a fully rounded curve. At least width of one eye between eyes. Outer corners set very slightly higher than inner corners. Bright, clear and alert.
Neck : Medium in length, muscular and strong.

Character : This calm, easygoing cat adores its owner. The American Tabby is playful, athletic, and very social. This breed is made for the great outdoors, particularly since the American Tabby is an excellent hunter. However, the American Tabby can adapt to indoor living. This hardy, solidly built cat reaches puberty early (around seven or eight months of age). Care is simple. Weekly brushing is sufficient, but should increase to daily during shedding season. An American Shorthair should be bathed three to seven days prior to a show.

Abyssinian Cat

The Abyssinian Cat is one of the oldest cat known breeds, but it's true history has been surrounded by much speculation. The Abyssinian appears to resemble the paintings and sculptures of the ancient Egyptian cat, however there is no proof of this. Some believe the Aby was bought from Ethiopia, formerly Abyssinia, back to Great Britain in the 1860's. Others feel the origin of the Abyssinian breed to be at the coast of the Indian Ocean and parts of Southeast Asia. The first Abyssinian imported to North America from England arrived in the early 1900s. However, it was not until the late 1930s that several top quality Abys were exported from Britain to form the foundation of today's American breeding programs. In the 1950's, the Abyssinian began to gain popularity and today it is the most popular short hair breed.

Description

Body : Medium in length and build, lithe, strong, and muscular. Rounded rib cage. Slightly arched back.

Paw : Long, straight, fine-boned. Small, oval, compact paws. The cat gives the impression of being on tiptoe.

Tail : Fairly long, thick at the base and tapering to the tip.

Head : Wedge shaped , with slightly rounded contours, without flat planes . Arched brow. The moderately long nose bridge must never be straight; no break. The profile lines of the head show a gentle contour. Jowls are allowed in mature males. . Muzzle not sharply pointed; no whisker pinch. Strong, well-developed, rounded chin, neither receding nor protruding.

Eyes : Large, almond-shaped, wide-set. Accentuated by a fine dark line of the base color and encircled by a light-colored area . Brilliant, expressive, of one intense color. Yellow (gold), green, and amber.

Neck : Rather long and gracefully arched.

Coat : Thick, dense, and resilient to the touch, lying close against the skin. Short in length or medium particularly along the spine. Ticking (two or three bands of alternating dark or light color on each hair shaft) similar to the coat of a rabbit. Ticking is not present on the throat, underside, or inside of legs.

Fault : Long (like that of a Siamese) or round head. Small or pointed ears. Round eyes. Overly massive body. Dull, fluffy coat.

Disqualify: White locket or white anywhere on the body, other than the nostrils, chin and throat.

Character : The Abbyssinian is a very active, extroverted, playful cat that is curious about its surroundings and has a well-balanced temperament. This cat has a strong, independent personality, but is social and affectionate. Very gentle and loving, the Aby requires considerable attention, despises solitude, and is devoted exclusively to its owner. The Aby is talkative, but its voice is very quiet. The exuberance seen in young kittens mellows with age. This athlete and hunter requires exercise, and therefore space. An enclosed yard is highly desirable. Grooming is simple. The Aby requires only weekly brushing and combing. When shedding, dead, loose hairs must be removed regularly. For a shiny coat, rub the coat with a chamois cloth. If the cat will tolerate it, bathe him with an appropriate shampoo two days prior to a show