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.