The American Shorthair is a breed of cat native to the United States. Derived from crosses between gutter cats and other breeds such as the British Shorthair or the Persian, it was once used to hunt rodents on boats.
Find out everything you need to know about the American Shorthair: its origins, appearance, character, and possible diseases.
American Shorthair: its origins and history
The American Shorthair has its origins on the boats of European settlers who moved to America and loaded cats on their boats with great hunting skills.
Based in the United States, this cat was the preferred companion of farmers since it protected their crops from rodents such as rats or mice. It was called 'Domestic Shorthair' at the time. It was renamed 'American Shorthair' to emphasize its American origin.
In the early nineteenth century, American Shorthair almost disappeared, as they were extensively crossed with other cat breeds imported into the United States. In order not to let the breed go extinct, a group of breeders began a targeted breeding program.
The American Shorthair struggled to distinguish itself in feline exhibitions and to be recognized as a breed as such, despite the establishment of a standard, because of its 'banal' appearance, common to that of gutter cats for neophyte eyes.
American cat: its physical characteristics
The American Shorthair is a medium-sized cat, with powerful and compact musculature. It can weigh up to 7 kg.
His chest is wide and strong. The neckline is muscular and of medium length, without thickness or heaviness.
The shoulders and hips are the same widths, with rounded shapes. The back is straight and wide.
The legs are well parallel and of medium length. The feet are well-rounded.
Its head is wide and rounded. It has a square muzzle, well pronounced, rather short, with a powerful jaw and a strong chin.
The stop is not very marked. His cheeks are full.
The ears are of medium size. Too long, sharp, or close together, they are penalized in an exposure.
Its eyes are large and spaced, they should never be globular. Their color is in harmony with her dress.
The tail is rather long, and thick at the base. It is refined gradually to finish on a rounded tip.
The dress of the American shorthair can have many colors. The most common dress is the Silver classic tabby, that is, a bright silver dress with contrasting black traces. Other colors are allowed: blue, white, black, red, cream, shaded, smoke, bicolor, or tricolor.
Colors not allowed are chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, and fawn. The hair must be short and lustrous and not reminiscent of that of the Exotic Shorthair, which is an eliminatory defect in the exhibition. The Colorpoint pattern is prohibited. White spots are only allowed for particular cats. All other grounds are allowed.
Character and behavior of the American Shorthair
The American Shorthair is an affectionate cat. He likes contact and hugs even if he values his independence.
Playful at heart, he appreciates children, provided they respect him, but also the company of his peers, or even other species such as dogs.
Because of his hunting background, he enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring new spaces. It is therefore not very suitable for apartment living.
Despite his marked hunting instinct, he knows how to be calm and he is also not very talkative. These character traits are often reported on American Shorthair but each individual is different depending on their history and genetics.
Maintenance and care of this breed of cat
The American Shorthair is a short-haired cat that requires little maintenance. Weekly brushing is sufficient, the frequency will be increased during molting.
Its dense coat protects it from the cold.
Being an explorer at heart and an adventurer, he will have to be treated against parasites and be up to date with his vaccines.
The oral sphere should be monitored, as it may also have gingival stomatitis (inflammation of the gums).
On the food side, it is necessary to monitor his weight gain, especially if he is sterilized, because he is very greedy as well as possible digestive disorders to which he is subject.
Is the American Shorthair predisposed to certain health problems?
The American Shorthair is a robust cat, but it can suffer from certain diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, also known as feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
This disease is due to a thickening of the myocardium that prevents the heart from pumping blood properly and can lead to respiratory distress.
He may also suffer from polycystic kidney disease, a serious and fatal disease caused by the formation of cysts on the kidneys, and diabetes, most often linked to obesity, pancreatic problems, or metabolic diseases.
His diet
An American Shorthair tends to be overweight, especially if it is castrated or if it leads a rather sedentary lifestyle. To mitigate this risk, he needs a healthy diet and quality food.
The diet of an American Shorthair should contain meat, few plant products, and no sugar. It consumes raw meat, but also cat food, dry or wet, containing a high proportion of animal protein.
His daily ratio of kibble is 80 g to 180 g. It also needs fresh, clean, and regularly renewed water.
His health
The American Shorthair is a robust cat but is nevertheless prone to certain diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, also known as feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This pathology is characterized by a thickening of the myocardium (the heart muscle), preventing the heart from pumping blood properly. This heart dysfunction can cause respiratory distress.
American Shorthair is also predisposed to polycystic kidney disease caused by the formation of cysts on the kidneys. Some American Shorthair sometimes have hip dysplasia that is recognized by signs of lameness and difficulty jumping or running. In the most advanced stage, surgery can solve this problem.
As mentioned above, this cat may suffer from obesity if it eats too much, poorly, and does not spend enough. Being overweight often leads to other diseases such as diabetes or pancreatic problems. Like many of its congeners, the American Shorthair does not escape feline diseases that affect their urinary system (urea) or osteoarthritis, common in the elderly.
A healthy diet and exercise usually mitigate these pathological risks. The life expectancy of this cat is about 13-15 years. The maintenance and hygiene of this rustic cat resemble those of other cats, namely regular parasitic treatment and monitoring of its vaccines.
It is also necessary to make sure to brush its thick hair every week, especially during the molting period in autumn (it then replaces the summer coat with a more abundant winter coat) and especially in spring when the cat loses its winter hair. During these periods, which correspond to the renewal of its coat, the cat by grooming tends to swallow a lot of hair.
The reproduction of the American Shorthair
For an American Shorthair female, the ideal breeding age is 15 months when she has reached sexual maturity. The male is earlier and can reproduce as early as 8 months.
The gestation period of a cat is 65 days on average (between 56 and 71 days). She will give birth to 3 to 6 kittens at a rate of 2 liters per year. The cat breastfeeds her young for about six weeks. The American Shorthair, apart from fertilization with its own breed, can reproduce with the American Wirehair, which is none other than a coarse-haired American Shorthair.
In brief! Are you looking for an affectionate and easy-going cat? The American Shorthair is for you! This beautiful and gentle feline with a robust constitution, become American by its history, will quickly find its place in your home.
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