American Curl Long Hair
American Curl Long Hair
American Curl Shorthair
Rating of Characteristics
- Activity level : 7
- Playfulness : 8
- Need for attention : 8
- Affection toward its owners : 8
- Vocality : 2
- Docility : 5
- Intelligence : 7
- Independence : 6
- Healthiness and hardiness : 7
- Need for grooming : 5
- Compatibility with children : 8
- compatibility with other pets : 8
The American Curl is a breed of cat characterized by its unusual ears, which curl back from the face toward the center of the back of the skull. An American Curl’s ears should be handled carefully because rough handling may damage the cartilage in the ear. The breed originated in Lakewood, California, as the result of a spontaneous mutation.
In June 1981, two stray kittens were found and taken in by the Ruga family. The kittens were both longhaired, one black and the other black and white. The family named them Shulamith and Panda respectively, but Panda disappeared several weeks later, making Shulamith the foundation female of the American Curl breed.
History
In 1983, an American Curl was exhibited at a cat show for the first time, and in 1987, the longhaired American Curl was given championship status by The International Cat Association (TICA). In 1993, the American Curl became the first breed admitted to the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) Championship Class with both longhair and shorthair divisions.
The American Curl is a medium sized cat (5–10 lbs), and does not reach maturity until 2–3 years of age. They are strong and healthy, remarkably free of the genetic defects that affect many purebred cats.
American Curl kittens are born with straight ears, which begin to curl within ten days. After four months, their ears will not curl any longer, and should be hard and stiff to the touch. A pet quality American Curl may have almost straight ears, but showcats must have ears that curl in an arc between 90 and 180 degrees. A greater angle is preferable, but cats will be disqualified if their ears touch the back of their skulls.
Both longhaired and shorthaired American Curls have soft, silky coats which lie flat against their bodies. They require little grooming, but enjoy spending time with their owners.
The American Curl, while still an uncommon breed, is found across the world in the United States, Spain, France, Japan, Russia, and many other countries.
Health
Due to its large genetic pool with non-pedigree cats, the American Curl is generally a healthy breed and is not known to suffer from any genetic defects.
These cats’ ears however require frequent cleaning to prevent infections, and needs gentle handling to prevent damage.
See also
- Cat body type genetic mutations
- Scottish Fold, a breed with ears folding down and forward
Felinology
- Cats in ancient Egypt
- Anatomy
- Cat genetics
- Dwarf cat
- Kitten
- Odd-eyed cat
- Squitten
- Bicolor cat
- Black cat
- Calico cat
- Deaf white cat
- Tabby cat
- Tortoiseshell cat
- Anesthesia
- Cat skin disorders
- Declawing
- Diet
- Feline acne
- Feline asthma
- Feline calicivirus
- Feline hepatic lipidosis
- Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
- Feline immunodeficiency virus
- Feline infectious peritonitis
- Feline leukemia virus
- Feline lower urinary tract disease
- Feline panleukopenia
- Feline viral rhinotracheitis
- Flea
- Heartworm
- Neutering
- Polydactyl cat
- Rabies
- Ringworm
- Spaying
- Roundworm
- Tick
- Toxoplasmosis
- Vaccination
- Body language
- Catfight
- Catnip
- Communication
- Kneading
- Intelligence
- Play and toys
- Purr
- Righting reflex
- Senses
- Animal-assisted therapy
- As pets
- Cat massage
- Cat show
- Cultural depictions of cats
- Farm cat
- Feral cat
- Ship’s cat
- Cat meat
- American Cat Fanciers Association
- Cat Aficionado Association
- Cat Fanciers’ Association
- Fédération Internationale Féline
- Governing Council of the Cat Fancy
- The International Cat Association
- Canadian Cat Association
Domestic
- Abyssinian
- American Curl
- American Shorthair
- Balinese
- British Shorthair
- Birman
- Bombay
- Burmese
- California Spangled
- Chartreux
- Colorpoint Shorthair
- Cornish Rex
- Cymric
- Devon Rex
- Donskoy
- Egyptian Mau
- European Shorthair
- Exotic Shorthair
- German Rex
- Himalayan
- Japanese Bobtail
- Javanese
- Khao Manee
- Korat
- Kurilian Bobtail
- Maine Coon
- Manx
- Munchkin
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Ocicat
- Oriental Shorthair
- Persian
- Peterbald
- Ragdoll
- Ragamuffin
- Russian Blue
- Scottish Fold
- Selkirk Rex
- Siamese
- Siberian
- Singapura
- Sokoke
- Snowshoe
- Somali
- Sphynx
- Thai
- Traditional Persian
- Tonkinese
- Turkish Angora
- Turkish Van
- Bengal
- Chausie
- Cheetoh
- Savannah
- Serengeti cat
- Toyger
History
While some new cat breeds have had to bang their fuzzy little heads against the cat fancy walls to gain acceptance, the American Curl has purred its way into the hearts of judges and cat lovers in an amazingly short time. The breed originated in June 1981 as a spontaneous genetic mutation in the domestic cat population. By 1986 it was recognized by two of the largest cat registries.In 1981 two cats with curled ears arrived on the doorstep of cat lover Grace Ruga in Lakewood, California. One disappeared soon after arriving. The other, a longhaired black cat that Ruga named Shulamith (a Hebrew word meaning ?black but comely?) stayed on and in December 1981 gave birth to a litter. Two of the kittens had the same curled-back ears.
Ruga gave two of Shulamith?s kittens to her sister, Esther Brimlow. Nancy Kiester, a former breeder of Australian Shepherds, saw the cats while making a delivery to Brimlow?s house and fell in love with their unique ears and gentle temperament. She obtained the two Curl kittens from Brimlow. After reading an article on Scottish Fold cats?a breed also noted for its distinctive ears?it occurred to her that this might be an entirely new breed.
Kiester contacted the Rugas and together they exhibited Shulamith and Kiester?s two kittens at a show in Palm Springs, California, in October 1983. Later they met with a cat judge who bred Scottish Folds, who confirmed that the Curls were unknown in the cat fancy.
In 1986 TICA granted the Curl Championship status. Later the same year, CFF accepted the breed for experimental status and the CFA accepted the Curl for registration. In February 1991 the CFA granted the breed Provisional status. All of the associations now recognize the Curl.
Since this is a breed with a fairly small gene pool, to insure sufficient genetic diversity, outcrossing to nonpedigreed domestic cats will continue until January 1, 2010. However, this also means that conformation and personality can vary greatly from bloodline to bloodline, depending upon the cats used in the breeding program.
Personality
Curls have qualities other than the whimsical ears to make them attractive pets. They are people cats that do not show any of the stereotypical aloofness, and are affectionate without harassing people for attention the way some breeds can. They delight in perching on shoulders and love to pat and nuzzle their owners? faces. Curls are a ?fetching? breed?easily taught to play fetch?and never lose their love of play. They are also noted for their affinity with children.
While not as active as the Abyssinian, American Curls are playful and energetic. They also display the typical cat curiosity and want to be right there to investigate any changes in their environment.
Conformation
At birth, Curl kittens look like any other kitten, but between one and seven days the ears get firmer and start to plump up and curve back. Since the degree of curl can change dramatically over a short period, kittens should not be purchased until they are between four and four and one-half months, when the curl of the ear settles down into the form it will carry throughout the cat?s life. Curl cats take two to three years to reach maturity.
The degree of ear curl can vary from 90 to 180 degrees, or from first degree to the show-favored third degree curl. The ears should not curl back to touch the back of the head, however; this is cause for disqualification, as is any ear lacking firm cartilage from the base to at least one-third of its height.
 | Well-balanced, moderately muscled, slender rather than massive in build. Proper proportion and balance are more important than size. |
 | Semiforeign; rectangle; length one and one-half times length at shoulder; size intermediate; tail flexible, wide at base, and tapering. |
 | Modified wedge without flat planes, moderately longer than wide; nose moderate in length; straight, slight rise from bottom of eyes to forehead; no break; muzzle rounded with gentle transition, no pronounced whisker break; chin firm. |
 | Moderately large; alert, set equally on top and side of head; furnishings desired; minimum 90 degree arc of curl, not to exceed 180 degrees; wide at base and open, curving back in smooth arc; tips rounded and flexible. |
 | Moderately large, walnut shape, oval on top and round on bottom; set on slight angle between base of ear and tip of nose. Color clear and brilliant; no relation to coat color except blue eyes are required in colorpoint class. |
 | Flexible, wide at base, tapering. |
 | Longhair: fine, silky, lying flat; minimal undercoat; semilong; tail full and plumed. Shorthair: soft, silky, lying flat; resilient without a plush dense feel; undercoat minimal; length short. |
 | All colors and patterns, including Himalayan pattern, shaded, smoke, chinchilla, and bicolors. |
 | Extreme curl in adult where tip of ear touches back of head or ear; straight or severely mismatched ears; thick or calcified ears; lack of firm cartilage in base of ear; tail faults. |
 | Domestic longhair or shorthair for litters born before January 1, 2010. |
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