The American Wirehair has been in existence as a pedigreed cat since 1964. 

Appearance:

• The coat is very unconventional.  It looks and feels much different from other felines.
• The coat at first appearance seems coarse, a little like steel wool.  The strange feel of its coat is softer than it looks.  Each hair is hooked or crimped, which gives a wooly appearance.  The coat comes in different degrees of wiriness from soft wooliness to harsh, sparse and spare.
• Optimum coat has all three types of hairs:  awn, awn down, and guard airs bent or kinked and present over the entire body of the cat.
• There is a difference in this cat’s coat even from a distance that is noticeable

Personality:

• Warm happiness
• Calm and alert
• Each usually has a favorite family member, but will make time for all family members
• The wirehair loves to present with its owner, either supervising or observing what is going on
• They like the sun and like to soak up the sunlight coming into a room
• They interact well with children, dogs, other cats, and most other animals
• They are a very clever cat and are masters at opening cabinet doors and full-size doors

Grooming Tips:

• Bath time requires only a shampoo that devoid of conditioner or additives
• Texturizing shampoos or cleaners can add to the overall feel of the finished coats.  They must be rinsed out thoroughly
• Hair spray and moose should not be used and will leave the coat feeling sticky or gummy
• Only occasional baths are required to reduce the effect of shedding
• Blow drying is never necessary
• Place the cat in a draft-free area until dry

Origin:

The first American Wirehairs were born in a barn on the Council Rock Farm in upstate New York as the result of a natural mutation.  The litter’s parents were regular barn cats.  The parents were bred again, but did not produce more wire-hair kittens.  This breed is distinguished by being among the first American spontaneous genetic mutations recognized for registration and championship exhibition in the CFA.  The parent breed from which the American Wire-hair mutated is the American Shorthair.

Source:  The Cat Fanciers’ Association Complete Cat Book, By CFA and Its Associates

Written by:  Connie Limon.  Visit “Adopting Kittens” at http://smalldogs2.com/AdoptingKittens to find a complete online reference for choosing and caring for the perfect kitten, which matches you and your lifestyle.  For information about litter box training visit:  http://smalldogs2.com/LitterBoxTraining

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Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Connie Limon