American Curl Cat Origins
American Curls are a native cat breed of America and have originated in California. This is a medium sized cat with a uniquely shaped ear that curls backwards in an arc at the tip. This type of ear gives this cat an alert look. This strange set of ears also gives the cat a happy and an energetic expression, which can make anybody seeing them smile.
The graceful body and stylish head of this cat makes it look very dynamic. The strikingly attractive cat has a very sweet appearance and has the distinction of being one of the youngest cat breeds born due to a natural genetic mutation.
A pure breed American curl will cost approximately $500 to $2000 or even more.
American Curl Cat History
American Curl has had it easy with regards to gaining popularity and attaining success so quickly. This youngest cat breed has impressed millions of people including judges at various cat registries rather quickly. Originated in the year 1981 this cat breed was created due to a natural genetic mutation in cats.
Two cat registries have already given their acceptance to this breed by the year 1986. In 1981 two cats with curled ears were found at the premises of Miss Grace of Lakewood in California. One of these cats disappeared while other longhaired black feline was named by this cat lover as Shulamith. Shulamith stayed with her new owner and gave birth to few kittens out of which two of them had the same curled ears.
Grace gave two kittens from the litter her sister Esther. A former Australian breeder Nancy saw these kittens and was thoroughly impressed by their unique ears and sweet temperament that she took those curled kittens from Esther. Nancy had read about the Scottish Fold and their strange looking ears that she thought of introducing a completely new cat breed. Nancy along with Grace together displayed Shulamith and the curled kittens at a show in California in the year 1983.
The judge at the show had already bred the Scottish Folds and confirmed that these curly eared cats were new to the cat world. A renowned English geneticist studied the kittens after a few years and came to a conclusion that the curling gene that was responsible for the curls were unique and was a dominant gene.
TICA accepted the registration of the American Curl in 1987, and later on in the same year TICA granted the championship status to this breed. Even CFA gave a provisional status to this cat in 1986, later on in 1993 the Curls advanced to the CFA’s championship status. Today the curls are accepted by various cat registries around the world due to their personality and looks. Due to the very small genetic pool, the breeders have clubbed together to create and protect the curl and its bloodline.
American Curl Traits
American Curl is a medium sized cat with a slender body that is proportionate to their overall structure. The coat of this cat is silky, soft and light with no undercoat. Due to crossbreeding and various factors that influence the genetics, the American curls can come in a variety of colors and with both longhaired and shorthaired versions.
The ears are sufficiently wide and large with an open base that curls up at the tip. The ears curl back and face towards each other in a shape that is similar to a crescent moon. When the kittens are born they do not have any curled ears and it is difficult to identify the Curled cats. It is only after a week that the ears start curling back and this process goes on until the cat reaches five months old. After this minimum time period, the ears attain the permanent curl shape.
This is one of the prime reasons why you should buy these cats after five months of age. They have an expressive walnut shaped eye that is another feature that attracts about this cat. These cats can weigh in the range of 7 to 14 pounds. The life expectancy of this breed is 14 to 16 years.
American Curl Personality
The ears of this cat make them very attractive and loving. They are completely people oriented cats and hates being alone. These cats will not harass people for attention like other cat breeds and enjoy sitting on shoulders and love being petted.
They can be easily trained to fetch and will enjoy a game of fetch. The Curls are very friendly with children and show their playful and energetic side with them. Like any other cat they display a lot of curiosity and will follow you around the house as if they are investigating.
American Curl Health and Care
Due to the large gene pool the American Curls are usually a healthy breed. The ears will require frequent cleaning to prevent infections. Their strong immune system responds well to any vaccination shots. Their silky soft hair requires grooming once in a while to prevent tangling. In the summers the longhaired cats may shed a little more and hence need extra grooming and care during these months. These cats have no special dietary requirements and can eat whatever cats generally love to eat.
American Curl Behavior
This is a very social cat and befriends people, children, pets like dogs and other cats. They are an excellent family cat and display their extra affection towards children. These cats are very intelligent, caring and display their loyalty and affection towards their owners. Since these breeds are playful it is necessary to provide them with scratching posts and toys. Though moderately active they do not require a large space to play and are easily adaptable. They are good apartment cats.
American Curl with Children and Pets
These family oriented cat breeds are very fond of children. They especially love the company of older children who will not constantly pester them and will treat them with respect. They are equally capable of getting along well with other pets in the house like dogs, and cats.
These cats have a well-balanced personality with a round head, good muzzle and a different whisker pad. Their beautiful and plum tail along with unique ears and elegant appearance makes this cat an overall attractive package.
