     |
American Wirehair
IntroductionThe American Wirehair was first developed in the United States in the 1960's. This is a very rare breed of cat if registrations with the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) is anything to go by. They had (perhaps still have) the smallest number of registrations with the CFA; 22 cats were registered in 2003. There are 41 CFA breeds registered.
Origin and HistoryThe story of the origin of this breed varies slightly. This is not uncommon. However, the breed's origins are similar to that of a number of breeds of cat; a spontaneous mutation of a gene in the birth of a litter of 6 kittens.One of the kittens, a male, had a curly and dense coat unlike any other. The parent cats were both American Shorthair barn cats (this resembles the origins of the Laperm cat which also has a Rex [curly] type coat) living in New York state. The person who took charge of the litter, who I will presume was the owner of the barn where the cats lived, contacted a local breeder, of Rex cats, Mrs. William O'Shea. Mrs O'Shea bought the curly haired male together with a female from the same litter who had normal hair. She called the male Council Rock Farm Adam of Hi-Fi, and the female Tip-Toe of Hi-Fi. She developed the breed from these two cats. The breed was then further developed by mating the wirehaired cats with American Shorthair cats amongst (other breeds). All cats of this breed have Adam as a distant relative. This all started in 1966. The breed was first registered by the CFA in 1967 and Championship statues was granted in 1978. A relatively smooth passage to full status. The American Wirehair is unique to America. What is also unique is the coat, which is different to all other breeds. As is the case for the Persian cat, there is a wide variation in coat texture. The genetic mutation is dominant meaning that approximately half the litter will have wirehair if an American Wirehair is outcrossed. A hard dense, springy coat texture is the most desirable (I guess wiry or coarse as the breed name suggests).
Appearance and CharacterThe American Wirehair is medium to large in size. The fur coat is thick and tightly crimped. The fur is also springy, dense and coarse, and even the whiskers are often curled. They take a great deal of interest in their surroundings and are for the most part quite affectionate and intelligent. Conformation (the look/shape of the body) is similar to the American Shorthair, muscular and strong. This is because the breed is outcrossed to the Amerian Shorthair. The cat is therefore athletic. I won't go into the character of this breed because in my research I have found that all cat breeds have similar personalities born out of their domestication; that is affectionate and people orientated. This is to be expected. There will be differences between cats of the same breed due to environmental influences and these differences are in my opinion greater than the inherent differences found between the various breeds. The CFA recommend the cat be kept indoors as it is so rare (shame really). Clearly, if kept indoors she should have adequate means to exercise and entertain herself. She has a quiet voice and is not very vocal. The American Wirehair is accepted in ACFA, CCA, CFA, TICA, and WCF.
BreedersIf you'd like to be a listed breeder, either on this page (free) or a full custom designed sponsored page, please contact me. Sources:
 From American Wirehair to Home Page
|
