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American Wirehair
American Wirehair The American Wirehair cat resulted as a spontaneous mutation. Their coat, which is not only springy, dense, and resilient, but also coarse and hard to the touch, distinguishes the American Wirehair from all other breeds.  American Wirehair Personality The American WirehairÂ’s hair may be abrasive and unruly, but their personality is anything but. American […]
Description
American Wirehair
The American Wirehair cat resulted as a spontaneous mutation. Their coat, which is not only springy, dense, and resilient, but also coarse and hard to the touch, distinguishes the American Wirehair from all other breeds.
 American Wirehair Personality
The American Wirehair’s hair may be abrasive and unruly, but their personality is anything but. American Wirehair are people cats that enjoy their family’s attention and affection and are loyal and playful. They are active without being hyper, and affectionate without being clingy.
Similar in personality to the American Shorthair, American Wirehairs are mild-mannered, middle-of-the-road cats. Not demanding, they enjoy their familyÂ’s attention but retain their independent spirit. Agile and fun-loving, they often enjoy playing fetch and are a bit more playful and active than the American Shorthair. They enjoy interactive toys in which their family takes an active role but they can also entertain themselves if necessary.
They generally get along well with other pets and children. Some have said that they seem particularly in tune with their personÂ’s feelings and try to offer comfort and companionship when their chosen humans are feeling blue. ThatÂ’s when they turn on the purrs and sit beside them to offer their support.
History of American Wirehair
Like the American Curl, the American Wirehair started as a spontaneous mutation in the domestic cat population; somewhere along the line, an unusual litter was produced with distinctive fur.
In 1966, Fluffy and Bootsie, two barn cats with no apparent unusual qualities from a small farm in upstate New York, parented a litter in which all five kittens had peculiar wiry hair. Sadly, only one kitten ultimately survived. This was particularly unfortunate since subsequent litters between Fluffy and Bootsie did not include any further wiry haired kittens. Whatever created that one unusual litter apparently was a one-time thing. However, the one surviving kitten— a red and white bicolor male—lived and prospered.
Physical Attributes of American Wirehair
Body
Medium to large. Back level, shoulders and hips same width, torso well-rounded and in proportion.
Head
In proportion to the body. Underlying bone structure is round with prominent cheekbones and well-developed muzzle and chin. There is a slight whisker break. In profile, the nose shows a gentle concave curve.
Ears
Medium, slightly rounded at tips, set wide and not unduly open at the base.
Eyes
Large, rounded, bright, and clear. Set well apart. Aperture has slight upward tilt. The color reflects intensity, and complements the color of the cat.
Legs & Paws of American Wirehair
Legs medium in length and bone, well-muscled and proportionate to body. Paws firm, full and rounded, with heavy pads. Toes, five in front and four behind.
Tail
In proportion to body, tapering from the well-rounded rump to a rounded tip, neither blunt nor pointed.
Coat
Springy, tight, medium in length. Individual hairs are crimped, hooked, or bent, including hair within the ears. The coat has an overall appearance of wiring, coarseness and resilience. Density of wired coat can lead to ringlet formation rather than waves. Coats can be very dense, resilient, crimped, and coarse and whiskers can sometimes be curly.
Color
Any color or pattern may be seen.