Like many breeds, the American Wirehair is the result of what is assumed to be a spontaneous mutation. In the state of New York a litter of 6 kittens were born, one of which had a short, wiry coat and crimped whiskers. This kitten was purchased by a local breeder and bred to 2 different females with normal coats. When the kittens from these crossings all had wiry coats, it was determined that the gene was dominate. Genetic testing confirmed that the hair was unique and unrelated to the stiff coats of either the Devon or the Cornish Rex. And so the American Wirehair was born.
The American Wirehair is very like the American Shorthair in term of conformation, size, and body type. Its body is muscular and firm and its head is longer than it is wide. The eyes are full and round and the ears are slightly rounded at the tip. They are, all in all, a fairly standard cat.
Except for the little thing that makes them unique. The wiry coat is distinctive, but it's not identical on all cats. It can range from spiked (where your cat looks like you've applied gel to spike his fur) to curly, and the individual hairs might be anything from slightly hooked or bent to truly crimped. Regardless of these variations, all American Wirehairs should have a dense and coarse coat, one that is preferably crimped, over the entire body. The whiskers are always crimped. The coat, which comes in virtually all colors and patterns, should spring back into place when disturbed by petting or otherwise being ruffled.
The only real problem with this type of coat is that the cat will be prone to skin ailments. These could include allergies or simply sensitive skin. To reduce these problems, bath the cat at least once a month and groom him daily. These cats also suffer from excess earwax, so clean their ears on a weekly basis.
The American Wirehair is similar in temperament and personality to the American Shorthair. They are friendly with people and like attention, but they are rarely demanding. They are also independent and like to have time alone. They are quick and intelligent and get along well with most people. They are playful and enjoy older children, though they merely tolerate younger children.
This breed of cat makes a loyal and fun companion for many families and individuals. They are also a great conversation starter whenever friends and family meet your feline companion for the first time.
The American Shorthair is often confused with the domestic shorthair, but the two are not the same. The American Shorthair is a recognized breed of cat while the domestic shorthair is the term used to describe a cat with short hair of indeterminate breed. The domestic shorthair is not a breed, but rather a type. The American Shorthair is a distinct breed in its own right.
As a breed, the American Shorthair is a social and amiable creature. They are quiet and affectionate and just generally easygoing. They are suitable for most living situations and thrive both in apartments and out on the farm. These cats purr a lot and they purr loudly, so expect to hear them purring from another room. American Shorthair cats do tend to scratch, so provide a scratching post. These cats like to hunt, so if you have a rodent problem, an American Shorthair can probably help.
This cat breed comes in a variety of colors and patterns. There are currently over eighty recognized designs and colors allowable for the American Shorthair. Color is not as important as conformation and appearance. The ideal cat is entirely symmetrical in both body and coat pattern. Females should be smaller than males and the tail should be slightly shorter than the cat. The tail itself is thick and tapers slowly. The face of an American Shorthair should have an open expression and the eyes should be large, almost round, and of almost any color. Gold or green eyes are preferred, but other colors are also allowed.
The coat of an American Shorthair is, of course, fairly short. It is therefore quite low maintenance, though they do tend to shed. The undercoat is thick, however, so you can keep your cat comfortable by brushing him out twice a week. You can bathe your cat if he gets dirty, but don't do this more than every six weeks or so. More frequent bathing could dry out the skin and cause discomfort and flaking.
All in all, these cats make wonderful friends and companions. They are suitable for just about anyone and are affecte enough to live with children and most other pets.
When choosing a cat breed, especially as a companion animal, you need to consider coat type. The type of coat your coat has will determine how much it sheds and how often you will have to groom your coat.
The hairs on a cat grow from tiny pits in the skin called follicles. Primary hairs, also called guard hairs, are the longest ones in a cat's coat. These grow from individual follicles. These are the hairs that lie on top of the coat and may be either soft of bristly, depending on the breed. These hairs are found on most cats (with the exception of the 'hairless' variety).
Secondary hairs come in two types. Awn hairs are bristly tipped and about medium in length. Down hairs are fine, crinkled, and short in length. All secondary hairs grow in groups from single follicles, making them more likely to tangle and mat.
Grooming needs and shedding are primarily determined by coat type. Cats with a thick undercoats (which consist of secondary hairs) shed more and require more grooming. This is because secondary hair tend to mat and require more attention. So fluffy breeds with a soft undercoat such as the Persian, Himalayan, Balinese, or Birman will require more grooming. These cats have longer hair, but fluffy shorthaired cats shed just as much and need grooming as well.
Cats without the thick undercoat, including the Abyssinian, Siamese, and Oriental Shorthair, will still shed. You really can't avoid it. But they'll drop single hairs instead of large clumps of fuzz. These single hairs are easier to sweep off the couch and don't tend to embed themselves in carpets. These cats don't necessarily require regular grooming, but a quick brush once a week will at least cut down on those pesky hairballs.
Whatever cat you eventually choose, make sure you're aware of their grooming needs. You don't want a cat who's uncomfortable or unhealthy simply because you neglected to do your research.
Just taking a look at the various cat breeds quickly reveals one key difference between many breeds: the length of the coat. Most breeds are shorthaired, such as the American Shorthair, Bombay, Abyssinian, Manx, and so many more. Some are longhaired, such as the Cymric, Persian, and the Ragdoll. Then there are a few of the hairless variety, such as the Cornish Rex and the Sphynx. Coat length is a defining characteristic of many breeds.
In fact, for some breeds coat length is the defining characteristic. The Somali is the Abyssinian with longer hair, but they're not the only breeds separated only by the gene for coat length. In fact, there are six others. These breeds are: the Manx and the Cymric, the Oriental Shorthair and the Oriental Longhair, the Colorpoint Shorthair and the Javanese, the Exotic Shorthair and the Persian, the Scottish Fold and the Scottish Fold Longhair, and the Siamese and the Balinese. Take a look at pictures of the breeds and you'll just how similar they are. If a Somali was born with shorthair, it would pass for an Abyssinian. They're the same cats, just with a different coat length.
Coat length also relegates cats into shorthair or longhair speciality rings at shows, except in the Cat Fanciers' Association where speciality rings are determined by facial type and body conformation. On a practical level, coat length usually determines how much maintence and grooming is required. The Exotic Shorthair will require less grooming than the Persian. It's just a fact. And the hairless breeds require even less.
I talk about hairless breeds now and then, but the term 'hairless' is a bit of a misnomer. Most of the hairless cats are actually covered by a faint peach fuzz, making them shorthaired cats. Still, their hair is so short that if you're classifying cats by coat length, you really should have three categories. I know most associations don't (though there are some that do), but they should. Just my opinion.
So why is coat length important if you're not breeding or showing your cat? Gromming is an issue surely, but so is shedding. Both longhaired and shorthaired cats shed. Only a couple of breeds shed less, but all of them will drop some hair.
When choosing a cat breed as a companion animals, you'll have to consider how much grooming you want to do and how much hair you're willing to put up with. Choose your breed accordingly and save yourself some frustration. There's nothing like the sight of a beautifully-groomed Somali (or insert any longhaired breed here) walking across a sun-lit window sill, but if you're not going to do the grooming, or you're going to hate all the hair, you might want a shorthaired breed.
