From Pet Encyclopedia
| American Curl
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American Curl Shorthair, red spotted with white male
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| Origin of Breed
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| South California, US
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| Breed Nick Names
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| Curl
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[edit] Introduction
American Curls are svelte and medium sized, longhaired and shorthaired. Their main characteristic are the backwards curled ears.
[edit] Origin and History
American Curls originate from South California and exist since 1981. The breed is the result of a spontaneous mutation, a freak of nature.
The founders of this amazing breed are Grace & Joe Ruga (Curlniques cattery). The first American Curl, named Shulamith, was a black longhair cat, which had been found in front of their parking lot by Grace and Joe Ruga, and on which the family based its breeding program. Thus all American Curls can trace back their pedigrees to Shulamith.
The first American Curl was shown 1983 in a show in Palm Springs. In 1987 the American Curl Longhair was recognized by TICA. Family Ruga had been also the first breeders to breed American Curl Shorthair, using domestic cats in their breeding program.
In 1991 American Curl Longhair and Shorthair were recognized by CFA, in 2002 both were recognized in FIFe.
[edit] Appearance
The American Curl is medium in size, the body is elongated and slender. The legs are slender and medium high. The bone structure is not very heavy. The breed is one of the lighter cat breeds.
The head is medium long with soft lines and transitions. The nose is medium long, straight and shows a gentle concave curve in the upper third.
The eyes are slightly oval (in some organizations called walnut-shaped) and can have any colour. Eye colour has no relation to coat colour, except in pointed colours (Himalayan pointed have deep blue eyes, Burmese pointed have golden to yellow eye colour, Tonkinese pointed have aquamarine eye colour).
The ears are medium in size, open and wide at their base. They are set rather erect on the skull. The ears are curled backwards, the arch shall not exceed 180° and must be symmetrical in both ears. When drawing a line along the outer edge of each ear, through the ear tips, those 2 lines will meet in the centre of the back of the skull. The lower part of the edges of the ears is rather rigid, the curled tips are flexible, and it must be possible to erect them so that the ears become straight. The furnishing, out of the ears, and on the rounded ear tips, is very characteristic for this breed.
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Schematic drawing,
how the ears shall be arched backwards,
and how the degree of arching is measured.
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The coat is extremely fine and shows very little undercoat, the coat is very silky.
The tail is long and slightly tapering.
In principle American Curls are domestic cats, nothing is extreme, nothing is very short or very long.
American Curl Longhair
The coat is not very long, it can be compared in length to that of Balinese. In winter cats develop a little short ruff.
The tail is furnished with flowing longer hairs.
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Silver tabby females, longhaired
left: blue silver tabby blotched (classic tabby)
right: tortie silver mackerel |
American Curl Shorthair
The coat is not as short as usually in shorthaired cats. The coat is lying close to the body.
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From left to right:
left: chocolate spotted with white male and black spotted male
middle: tortie spotted female
right: chocolate tortie spotted female |
[edit] Temperament
American Curls have an extremely gentle and friendly temperament, they are not interested in any quarrels and go very well with other cats and pets. American Curls are good mothers who educate their kittens very tenderly. They are affectionate and enjoy to cuddle. They are very intelligent and fast learning. They climb and jump very well, they are agile and always find something to play.
[edit] Health
In general American Curls can be bred without any problems. Quite often the queens are very fertile and may have quite large litters. There are no problems giving birth.
Some very few cases of PKD had been reported, which might be caused by the fact that still domestic cats are used for outcross.
[edit] Genetics
The gene Cu (Curled ears) is autosomal dominant inherited, but dominance is incomplete. The degree of arching of the ears may vary between the cats.
[edit] Grooming
Grooming is easy and does not require much time, because they do not have so much coat. When changing coat they do not shed hairs so much. Regular brushing will enhance their silky and glistening coat.
As the ears are open and curled backwards, regular cleaning of the ears is recommended.
[edit] External Links
Standard ACFA
Standard CCA
Standard CFA
Standard FIFe
Standard TICA
Standard WCF
Messybeast Many articles about history, genetics of cat breeds
Lorraine Shelton's page about Cat Genetics
[edit] References
Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders & Veterinarians, 4th edition
Carolyn M. Vella, Lorraine M. Shelton, John J. McHonagle, Terry W. Stanglein
Butterworth-Heinemann, 1999, ISBN 0-7506-4069-3
Autosomal dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease
