American Wirehair

American Wirehair
American Wirehair at a cat show
Origin:	North America
Fur length:	Shorthair cat
Weight:	Male: 4 kg female: 2 kg
generally recognized colors:	all but points
not generally recognized colors:	points
permitted coat pattern:	all
not allowed coat drawing:	no
Breeding standards:	Standard of the CFA no standard at FIFé Standard of the TICA Standard of the WCF not a standard at the GCCF not a standard at WACC
List of cat breeds

The American wirehair or American wire- haired cat is a breed of domestic cats that originated in New York . Since there are very few breeders of this breed, it is very rare even in America, rarely found in Europe.

history

The first American Wirehair was discovered in a litter of a farm cat in Verona, New York, in 1966. The tomcat was red with white and had a strange, wiry coat, which was caused by a genetic defect. A local Rex cat breeder took over him, gave him the name Council Rock Farm Adam of Hi-Fi and started a breeding program with a litter sister ( Tip-Toe of Hi-Fi ).

This repeated mating resulted in wire-haired offspring, many of which were sold to interested breeders. The population grew and cats were also exported to Canada and Germany. The cats of this breed have been registered since 1967, i.e. included in the stud book, but it was not until 1978 that the American Wirehair received its recognition. Even today, the American Wirehair is crossed with the American Shorthair , among others , in order to preserve the breed.

properties

genetics

Wirehaired hair is genetically dominant over normal hair. It is unusual for this type of fur not to have formed with other mutations. Wirehaired cats can all be traced back to Council Rock Farm Adam. They are said to be very adaptable and disease resistant. Many cats of this breed are placed in households with allergies, because they produce little (if not at all) the enzyme that triggers the " cat hair allergy", which gets outside the body by licking the fur.

Appearance

The fur is springy, dense and rough, the whiskers are often curly. Many people find it pleasant. The cats are powerful and muscular and of the same standard as the American Shorthair . They can also be bred in all colors (except points) like this one. When the American Wirehair is born, they look like the American Shorthair for the first three to five months. From the 4th month onwards, the wirehair fur comes to the fore, this is usually more pronounced in the female cats than in the male cats. The typical coat pattern is a bit blurred and can no longer be seen so clearly.

temperament

The American Wirehair is intelligent, affectionate, calm, reserved, loyal, playful and curious. In the case of cat owners who work during the day, the cats sleep a lot compared to outdoor cats.

literature

• Desmond Morris : Cat World. A Feline Encyclopaedia. Ebury Press, London 1996, ISBN 0-09-182030-8 .

Web links

Commons : American Wirehair  - Collection of Images

• FBRL breed page: American Wirehair
• Cat Fanciers' Association: Breed Profile: American Wirehair

Individual evidence

1. ^ Cat Fanciers' Association: Breed Profile: American Wirehair