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American Wirehair |
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TranslationFrancis Vandersteen |
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OriginThe American Wirehair is a breed of cat native to the United States. |
| This cat is characterized by its curly coat. |
A brief historical overview |
| This breed is descended from the American shorthair. It appeared in a litter of American shorthairs in 1966 in New York State. One of the males in the litter, the only redhead, had this coat. The kitten's owner contacted a breeder of Rex variety cats, who bought him and one of the kitten's sisters, who had normal hair. The two were crossed and a litter of curly-haired cats was born. Thus began the breed's breeding program. The curly, frizzy coat is the result of a spontaneous genetic mutation. The gene is dominant, which is why it is still crossed with American shorthairs today. The breed was recognized in 1987 by the CFA in the United States and by the LOOF in France. Introduced to France in 1972, this cat remains little-known outside its country of origin. |
Behavior / characteristics |
| The American Wirehair is a sociable, affectionate cat with a well-balanced character. Skilful and robust, they love to roam outdoors, and are sociable with other cats and animals they come into contact with. Its temperament is close to that of the American Shorthair. |
Head |
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Cranial region |
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Head |
Medium-sized in relation to the body, the head is square when viewed from the front. | |
Skull |
Viewed from the side, the skull is rounded and the bridge of the nose marks a softened stop. | |
Facial region |
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Nose |
The nose is moderately short and of equal width along its entire length. | |
Muzzle |
Characteristic of the breed, the muzzle, while not extremely short, is well defined and square. | |
Jaws and teeth |
The jaw is strong and powerful. | |
Cheeks |
Full cheeks give a soft, open expression. | |
Eyes |
Medium to large in size, rounded and set at a slight angle. Bright, luminous color should be uniform. | |
Ears |
Medium-sized, not too open at the base. Slightly rounded at the tip, they are set wide apart. | |
Neck |
| An important element in the cat's overall balance, the neck is of medium length and muscular. |
Body |
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Generality |
Semi-cobby in shape, the body is rectangular and powerfully built. Strong bones. | |
Back |
Straight, broad back. | |
Chest |
Open chest. | |
Tail |
| Thick at the base and of medium length, tapering slightly to a rounded tip. |
Limbs |
| Strongly boned and muscular, the legs are of medium length and run parallel to each other. | ||
Forequarters |
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Shoulders |
Shoulders and hips of equal width, slightly rounded. | |
Hindquarters |
Feet |
| The feet are round, with consistent pads. |
Coat |
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Coat and texture |
In English, the word wirehair literally means "wire-haired", which is easy to understand when you observe this cat's distinctive "wire" coat. The American Wirehair's coat is made up of frizzy hairs, folded or crinkled hairs and hairs with a hook at the end. The combination of all these hairs results in a texture with a unique feel, at once elastic, dense and rough. The overall effect is more important than the modification of individual hairs. The quality of an American Wirehair coat is therefore judged by stroking the cat, not by examining the individual hairs. Hair on ears and whiskers is curly. The coat should show no signs of notching that might suggest a Rex coat. | |
Size and weight |
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Height at withers |
Male height at withers: between 22 and 24 cm. Female height at withers: between 20 and 22 cm. |
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Weight |
Average adult male weight: between 5 and 8 kg. Average adult female weight: between 3 and 4 kg. |
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Penalties |
 Ears long, pointed or too close together. Thick neck. Tail too thin, too short or whip-like. Long or fluffy coat. Poor crimping, crimping not sufficiently evenly over the body. Any imbalance between one part of the body and the others. |
Refusal of any title |
| White patches in non-particolored cats. Appearance too close to Exotic Shorthair (eg long, frothy coat, pronounced stop, bulging eyes, etc). Pinched nostrils. Straight profile. Too elegant. General faults and defects eliminatory in show. |
Authorized marriages |
| American Wirehair x American Wirehair American Wirehair x American Shorthair |
English (United Kingdom)