American wire-haired cat: breed features

At first glance, it seems that the wire-haired cat breed got its name precisely because of the coarse and hard-to-touch hair, but this is not entirely true. Their tips are bent and connected, somewhat resembling a wire. As a result, the fur coat of the animal looks more like a valuable plush or astrakhan fur. The rest of the features of the "American" - in the article.

The history of the appearance of this animal is very fascinating. From the name it becomes clear that the animal comes from North America (USA). So, in the 60s on one of the New York farms, an ordinary short-haired kitty turned up. Among the litter, the owner found an unusual kitten with a widespread coat color - white and red. However, it was his wool that distinguished him from everyone else, or rather, his inherent curliness. According to scientists, this feature is due to a natural and spontaneous gene mutation, the result of which is a complete change in the structure of the coat.

Of course, the farmer was eager to share such a find, so first of all he showed the animal to his colleague Joan Osia. She decided to buy out two kittens for further breeding work to breed unusual specimens: one - wire-haired, the other - ordinary. However, it was these kittens that appeared by chance - as a result of crossing with a neighbor's cat - part of the offspring had a wire structure of wool.

The American feline organizations CFA and TICA were the first to register a standard for a new breed of feline. By 1978, the "American" was allowed to participate in various exhibitions and receive prizes. Soon, the thoroughbred cat received worldwide recognition in all associations and felinological communities.

Today, the wire-haired cat is a true national treasure of the United States in the so-called feline world. Americans are truly in love with this breed.... City dwellers, as well as owners of farms and ranches, are not afraid to have such a plush pet.

Cats with coarse hair cannot be called very large animals: the weight of males reaches 6 kg, females - 3-4 kg. The appearance is not too different from the American Shorthair. The main feature is the unusual wire-like structure of the coat. It can only be compared with a terrier dog.

The felinological organization has set the standards for the American breed with a list of criteria that all applicants for champion and show awards in a particular category must meet.

• The head is round, massive. Biologically, the skull is slightly elongated. The chin and cheeks are well developed and have barely noticeable depressions. When viewed from the side, a rounded forehead is clearly visible, a smooth transition to the nose. The cheekbones are quite high, the nose is wide, even, the eyebrows and antennae resemble curved villi.

• The ears are medium in size, slightly rounded, with thin tassels of wool visible 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, and slight slanting is noticeable. The eyeballs are generally golden in color, but amber or blue are found in white.

• The neck is well muscled, very strong and of moderate length.

• Torso - can be both medium and large (depending on the sex of the animal), the muscles are developed.

• The limbs are not too long, in line with the size of the body... Feet are strong, provide the cat with good stability.

• Tail - medium in length, wide at the base, tapering towards the end, rounded tip.

• Wool - outwardly similar to a curved wire, but very soft to the touch, almost silky. This effect is due to the dense interlacing of small villi. That is why a hair-dried cat looks like an ordinary cat after bathing.

Interestingly, this effect with wool is not so pronounced in all representatives of this breed. Nevertheless, each animal has a thick, soft fur coat, literally plush. Particularly popular are individuals with wool that resembles a valuable astrakhan fur.

As for the color, among the American wire-haired there are representatives of various colors, combining several shades at once. Individuals of a red color with a pattern on the back are considered especially unusual, but very rare.

The American Wirehaired Cat is a truly friendly animal in relation to both humans and the rest of the inhabitants of the house. It is a loyal pet that becomes attached to its owner in just a matter of days. Builds relationships with other family members just as well.

The cat prefers to sit on a person's lap and doze. She gets along well with children, so do not be afraid to leave the animal alone with the kids, on the contrary, the "American" will become a great friend in games.

Scientists claim that this breed has a love for hunting at the genetic level.... Any bird or a rodent running nearby can become the object of catching.This point should be taken into account by owners who already have pets in the house.

In addition to love for care, affection, affection, a cat needs freedom, to some extent independence. If the pet has set a goal for itself - he will achieve it, it is not worth interfering or trying to stop it. This also includes the desire of a person to force a cat to 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 pretty quickly, without much effort. The main thing in dealing with pets is not to be rude to him.

In addition, the purebred cat is quite curious. She enjoys exploring new places, nooks or objects in the house, and people who come to visit. However, they do not like to walk on their faces for too long, they are still couch potatoes by nature.

The American Wirehaired is a truly unusual feline. Soft, almost plush wool fell in love with many residents of America and Europe, and received a slight popularity in Russia.

Such a pet will become an excellent friend to all household members. Freedom-loving, but such an affectionate cat requires understanding and goodwill on the part of a person.

More information about this cat breed can be found in the video below.