At first glance, it seems that the wire-haired cat breed got its name because of the coarse and tough-looking hairs, but this is not quite so. Their tips bend and connect, somewhat resembling a wire. As a result, the coat of the animal is more like a valuable plush or astrakhan. On the other features of the "American" - in the article.
Breed origin
The story of the appearance of this animal is very fascinating. By name it becomes clear that the animal is from North America (USA). So, in the 60s, an ordinary short-haired kitty swept over one of the New York farms. Among the litter the owner found an unusual kitten with a common coat color - white with red. However, it was the wool that distinguished it from all, and more precisely, the non-intrinsic curliness. According to scientists, this feature is due to the natural and spontaneous mutation of genes, the result of which is a complete change in the structure of wool.
Of course, the farmer could not wait to share such a find, so first of all he showed the beast to his colleague Joan Oshia. She decided to buy two kittens for further breeding work on the breeding of unusual specimens: one - hard-haired, the other - the usual. However, it was precisely such kittens that appeared by chance — as a result of crossing with a neighbor's cat — some of the offspring had a wire structure of wool.
Then Joan came to the conclusion: the gene responsible for this feature should be dominant.
The American felinological organizations CFA and TICA were the first to register the standard of the new feline breed. By 1978, “American” was allowed to participate in various exhibitions and receive prizes. Soon, a purebred cat received worldwide recognition in all associations and felinological communities.
Today the hairless cat is the real national property of the United States in the so-called feline world. Americans are truly in love with this breed.. To plant such a teddy pet is not afraid of urban residents, as well as the owners of farms, ranches.
Recently, the “American” has become in demand in Canada and some European countries.
Appearance description
Cats with hard hair cannot be called very large animals: the weight of males reaches 6 kg, females - 3-4 kg. Appearance is not too different from the American Shorthair. The main feature is the unusual structure of the wool, similar to the wire. It is possible to compare it only with a terrier breed dog.
The average life span of an American cat is 12–15 years. This factor is affected by the conditions of detention and food.
The felinological organization has established standards for the American breed with a list of criteria that all applicants for championship and exhibition awards in a particular category must meet.
- The head is rounded, massive. In terms of biology, the skull is slightly elongated. Chin, cheeks are well developed, have barely noticeable hollows. When viewed from the side, a rounded forehead is clearly visible, a smooth transition to the nose. The cheekbones are rather high, the nose is wide, even, the eyebrows and antennae resemble curved villi.
- The ears are medium in size, slightly rounded, with thin wool tassels at the ends. The height of the ears is equal to the size of the base.
- The eyes are rather large, the cut is wide, the slight diagonalism is noticeable. The eyeballs are mostly golden in color, however, the representatives of the white color are amber or blue.
- Neck - muscular, very strong, with moderate length.
- Torso - can be both medium and large (depending on the sex of the animal), developed muscles.
- Limbs not too long, fit body size. The paws are strong, provide the cat with good stability.
- Tail - medium in length, wide at the base, tapering towards the end, rounded tip.
- Wool - looks like a curved wire, but to the touch it is very soft, almost silky. A similar effect is due to the dense plexus of small villi. That is why the hair-dried cat after bathing looks like an ordinary one.
It is interesting that not all representatives of this breed have such a pronounced effect with a coat of wool. Nevertheless, each animal has a thick fur coat, soft, literally plush. Particularly popular are individuals with wool that resembles a valuable astrakhan.
As for the color, there are representatives of different colors among American Wire-haired, combining several shades at once. Particularly unusual, but very rare are the individuals of red color with a pattern on the back.
Thus, according to the WCF standard, chocolate and lilac cats, as well as having defects in the form of hanging cheeks and long, winding hair are not allowed at the exhibitions.
Animal character
American-haired cat is a truly friendly animal towards both humans and other inhabitants of the house. Is a loyal pet, which binds to the owner literally in a matter of days. No less well build relationships with other family members.
Kitty prefers to sit down on the knees of a person and doze. It gets along well with children, so do not be afraid to leave the animal alone with the kids, on the contrary, the "American" will be a great friend in games.
Scientists claim that at the genetic level, this breed has a love for hunting. The object of catching can be any bird or a rodent running near. This point should be taken into account for owners who already have pets in the house.
Although the cat gets along with the dogs.
In addition to the love of care, affection, affection, the cat needs freedom, to some extent independence. If the pet has set a goal for itself - he will achieve it, interfere or try to stop it - it is not worth it. This also includes the desire of a person to make a cat do something against his will. In this situation, the risk of ruining the relationship with the animal is likely.
As for domestic "duties" (tray, bed, feeding), then American wire-haired cats get used to them rather quickly, without much effort. The main thing in relations with pets is not to show rudeness to him.
Feeling the danger from the man, the cat becomes aggressive, completely unfriendly.
In addition, pedigreed cat is quite curious. She likes to explore new places, nooks or objects in the house, as well as people who came to visit. However, they do not like to walk on their faces for too long, by nature they are still couch potatoes.
In the warm season it is recommended to let the cats warm up on the balcony.
The American Wire-haired is a truly unusual feline. Soft, almost plush wool fell in love with many residents of America, Europe, and received little popularity in Russia.
Such a pet will be a great friend to all households. Freedom-loving, but such affectionate cat requires understanding and goodwill on the part of man.
In addition to feeding and walking, do not forget about the safety of the animal, especially when he stays alone in the apartment. Proper care is the key to your pet's health and vitality.
More information about this breed of cats can be found in the video below.
