|
At
a glance...
Body Size... Medium
Coat Length... Short
Life span... 15 yrs |
|
|
American Shorthaired |
Return to
A~ Z index |
|
Description... |
|
 This is the original Native
American shorthaired cat. This breed has a medium to large, muscular
and powerful body. The face is rounded. The coat is short and dense.
Many colours and coat patterns are accepted. The classic coat pattern
is the tabby cat, defined as having an unbroken darker line to the
side of each eye, a "butterfly" shape over the back, an "M" between
the eyes, and a "bullseye" on each side. The mackerel tabby is
similar to the classic tabby but the markings are more broken and
less distinct. Colour variations within the tabby include silver,
red, brown, blue and cream. Calico (white, orange and black) and
tortoiseshell (black and orange) colour patterns also are accepted,
as are solid and bicolour coats.
|
|
History...
|
|
The first American Shorthairs
were bred from cats brought over on the Mayflower and other ships
carrying pilgrims and explorers to the New World. This animal was,
therefore, developed to be a working cat, hunting rodents to protect
grain supplies on ships and farms. The American Shorthair was one of
the first five breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association.
|
|
Traits...
|
|
These cats are good family
companions. They have a gentle disposition yet are good hunters.
American Shorthairs are adaptable to many situations.
|
|
Health...
|
|
No breed specific health
problems are reported.
|
|
Summary...
|
 It is common for people to
confuse any shorthaired cat with an American Shorthair, or to assume
their non-pedigreed shorthaired cat is an American Shorthair. While
it is true that any shorthaired cat can look like a true American
Shorthair, only those animals that can produce kittens that have the
same body conformation, coat quality, and temperament, that is,
those that "breed true" can be considered true American Shorthair
cats. Non-pedigreed shorthaired cats in the United States are most
commonly called Domestic Shorthairs to differentiate them from their
purebred relatives. Calico (orange, black and white) and
tortoiseshell (black and orange) cats are almost always female.
Black and orange coat colours are carried on the same chromosomes
that determine gender, specifically on the X chromosome. Females
have two X chromosomes and so can carry orange on one and black on
the other, and exhibit both colours. Normal male animals have only
one X chromosome and so can carry either orange or black, but not
both. If both colours are present on a male cat, that suggests that
he has an abnormal chromosome complement; male calico and
tortoiseshell cats usually are sterile. The
American Shorthair is a true breed of working cat. The conformation
should be adapted for this with no part of the anatomy so
exaggerated as to foster weakness. The general effect should be that
of a strongly built, well balanced, symmetrical cat with
conformation indicating power, endurance, and agility.
|
|
|
|
