Cats can constantly fascinate their owners and surprise with unique skills. What catches the eye of cat lovers most in the case of the American curl are the playfully curved ears. American Curl – an intelligent and sociable cat from California – get to know him better!
American curl – crooked ears and almond eyes
Anyone who has watched cats at least once knows how different in appearance and character meowing quadrupeds can be. Cats are divided into those withdrawn and secretive, as well as those that try to talk to humans in a cat’s tongue and boldly pack on human laps. Some of them lie in the sun for hours, others ask for constant attention and accompany us in all our household activities. What individual we encounter can be a great unknown, especially when we decide to have a kitten that is several weeks old and has a still developing character.
If you dream of a fluffy kitten with a cheerful disposition and original appearance, American curl is a breed perfect for you. His short, characteristically curved short ears and large almond-shaped eyes mean that more and more people decide to take this unusual cat from the breeding, whose history began with … a coincidence! American longhair curl – price, appearance and typical character traits – let’s take a closer look at it!
American curl – origin
The story of where and how the first American longhair curl appeared in the world begins relatively recently, because in 1981 in California, United States. The first of this breed lived on the street, and one day he appeared near Joe and Grace Rug’s house. The couple fed the cat several times, then invited him to their home and provided him with a safe haven. The new owners named the cat Shulamith and she became the first mother of all American Curl cats.
A cat with unique crescent-shaped ears gave birth to kittens in the first litter, two of which had similar, unusually bent ears. One of them was officially recognized as the progenitor of the American curl. Soon after, two years later, that is, from 1983, the American longhair curl began to be selectively bred, and its family of cats was gradually growing.
Crooked ears – the dominant gene in a kitten
Over the course of several years, numerous studies have been carried out that have allowed the isolation of a specific dominant gene responsible for the specific shape of the ears of American curls. At the same time, Roy Robinson, a British geneticist, in collaboration with Solveig Pflueger, carefully scrutinized the health of the new breed and found no abnormalities. As part of increasing the American Curls population, cats with normal-shaped ears were also allowed to be bred, as long as they had all the other recognized breed characteristics. Thanks to crossing them with representatives of the breed of European cats, a very strong and disease-resistant breed was created, which every year gains new admirers.
In his home country, the United States, American curl was officially recognized as a breed in 1995. At a similar time, it appeared in Europe, where it was recognized as a separate breed only in 2002. The American short-haired and long-haired curl became popular in Poland thanks to a few small farms. The first independent breeding is Ex Infernulo, established in Piekiełko in 2008. Professional breeding is the best decision if you like American curl – the price of a cat from a reliable source is between two and three thousand zlotys. In this way, you can be sure that your future pet will be raised in safe conditions and free of hidden health problems and dangerous genetic defects.
American curl – appearance
What distinguishes the American Shorthair Curl in the first place? The overriding and indisputable feature are unusual ears – wider at the base and softly rounded at the tips. Moreover, the ears are medium-sized, and it takes about 4-6 days for newborn kittens to curl up. We can know their final shape a few months after their appearance in the world. The degree of curvature of the auricle that the American curl has varies greatly. It is even 180 degrees, which makes each pet a true individual.
It may be fascinating that despite the unusual shape of the ears, These cats can hear as perfectly well as the classic representatives of the European cat breed. Their auricles can twist identically as in popular backyard purrs. The curvature of the ears is – as mentioned above – the dominant gene, but it is not the only characteristic feature of this peculiar breed.
Breeding standards
Since it is the ears of the American curl that make the cat meet the strict requirements of the breed, they must comply with breeding standards. The curvature is assessed on a multi-grade scale – cats with grade 2 and 3 curved ears are shown at exhibitions and bred for breeding. The most exemplary model is when the auricle curls into a crescent, the wide base is 2/3 of its length straight, and the remainder tapers towards the curved end of the ear. The optimal bend angle is between 90 and 180 degrees.
The breed standard accepts animals with different hair types – both short and long hair, and their the outer coat has practically no undercoat. The hair of the American curl is silky smooth and very pleasant to the touch, it lies flat against the body. Why is it worth deciding to have an American curl in your apartment? Character is not the only positive feature of this cat – thanks to the almost complete lack of undercoat, even cats with long hair do not shed it too intensively and are easy to care for.
American curl color
In keeping with the breed’s determinant, curls can be of a wide variety of colors – black, white, and even extremely exotic, such as Smoke or Lynx Point. The eyes of the American curl attract the attention of cat lovers – large, expressive, almond-shaped, wide-open and very friendly, reflecting the positive disposition of the animal. They can come in many colors – blue, green, yellow-gold or have two different shades of irises.
Adult females grow between 30 and 35 centimeters, and males between 30 and 40 cm. An interesting fact is that cats of this breed grow for a very long time, up to the age of two or even three. Mature representatives of American curls can weigh from 2 kg (females) to even 5 kg (males). They have a strong body structure and a tail that is thick at the base and tapers towards the end.
American curl – character
The American Shorthair or Longhair curl loves the company of a human being. It will be an ideal companion for single people as well as families with children and the elderly. When we want to learn about the American curl, the character of this breed turns out to be very gentle and tender. American curls love to play – they need a lot of interest and an appropriate daily dose of exercise. Attractions provided by the guardian should include activities with people, as well as toys for individual use.
American curle they are above average intelligent. They learn new commands quickly and even retrieve small items and react to their name. They can also perform tasks usually directed at dogs. They are not overly talkative, they like the company of other animals, especially cats of different breeds and representatives of their species. They can function very harmoniously with other cats, especially when they grew up with them from their very childhood and were properly trained by their guardian.
Curle appreciate the presence of a guardian. They like to watch their man work, rest together with him or lie on the couch. You can easily find videos on the Internet in which they open doors on their own and perform difficult tasks for intelligence. They are curious and difficult to frighten, so they will become a faithful companion of the youngest members of the household.
American curl – care
Do you like the American Longhair Curl? Price should not be the most important determinant of what kind of cat you will put under your roof. Daily care, proper nutrition and whether your living conditions allow your pet to provide all its basic needs are equally important.
Curla nutrition
American curls are considered exceptionally strong and healthy. To enjoy the perfect condition of your pet for as long as possible, he should be fed a complete feed intended typically for kittens at the stage of childhood. Growing kittens should receive food, rich in protein, healthy fats and the right amount of carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and microelements. They must also have constant access to fresh and clean water.
Health of the American curl
American curls enjoy good condition and longevity. However, their unique ears may turn out to be the cause of more frequent health problems. There can be an excessive build-up of earwax in a narrow ear canal. As a result, there is a greater risk of recurring infections or inflammation of the ears. The safest thing to do is to systematically check the condition of your cat’s ears and gently remove excess earwax using cotton swabs soaked in a special liquid.
Experienced cat keepers should also remember that tartar build up in cats, especially in old age. It can cause gum inflammation and even loss of individual teeth and cause great discomfort. To avoid this, you can use specials toothpastesthat help you deal with the problem quickly.
Cat care
The American curl is a cat easy to care for and does not require complicated hygienic procedures. One thing to keep in mind is the systematic brushing of his coat, especially for cats with longer hair. Claws can be cut from time to time for cats that do not go out and live in the house. Hair care can be easily combined with fun and learning new interesting skills that will surely interest every American curl.
American curl – a cat that can delight
American curle is a fairly young breed of quadrupeds, the popularity of which is increasing every year in our country. How much does an American curl cost? The price of this nice pet ranges from PLN 3,000 to PLN 4,500. Buying a cat from a reliable source allows us to avoid unpleasant surprises that result from incorrectly combining cats with too closely related relatives or hiding diseases that exist among pets. In professional breeding, small kittens receive a complete set of the most important vaccinations and are fed the best quality food from the very beginning.
When you choose an American curl for yourself from a reliable farm, you can also get to know the character of the dream cat in advance, so that sharing the house together will be a pleasure for all family members. The keepers are able to accurately determine the disposition of a cat and list its peculiarities. They also make sure that the cat does not give birth too often. They also try to keep an appropriate interval between individual litters for the female to regenerate.
America curle cats are cheerful, curious and full of energy. They joyfully participate in the everyday life of their human family, they treat other pets with sympathy and share the space with them. They are not overly talkative, and at the same time they easily adapt to new living conditions. They can live with us for many long years. As long as we take care of their health and feed them with a well-balanced food, adjusted to the age, sex and physical activity of the pet. Systematic visits to a veterinarian and quick response to emerging health problems are the key to their longevity and a way to prevent the most common diseases. Take advantage of the wide offer our store and choose products that will allow you to comprehensively care for your beloved cat!