Story of American Curl Cat Breed
The American Curl cat is a “modern breed”, that is, one that was developed or arose spontaneously in the relatively recent past. These pets appeared as a result of a spontaneous mutation of ordinary stray cats and immediately attracted attention. Interest was caused, first of all, by the ears of an unusual shape, which make them remotely reminiscent of a lynx, especially if the color of the animal also contributes to this.
One fine morning in 1981, a black kitten showed up at the door of Joe and Grace Ruga in Lakewood, California. People took pity on the baby and took him to them. Soon, they noticed the unusual, recurved ears, and decided to find out more about their new furry friend. But neither in libraries nor in bookstores, did they find any mention of such a breed in any of the books they looked through.
They needed a consultation with a geneticist to understand – it’s all about the dominant gene. That is, in other words, it is a mutation. The couple gave their pet a name – Shulamit, Joe, and Grace decided that such a unique cat should give birth. After all, this may mean the beginning of a new breed.
And so it happened. Several breeders became interested in Shulamit kittens and selectively began to breed a new breed starting in 1983. And already in 1986, the American Cat Fanciers Association began to register the breed as the American Curl. The breed was recognized by the International Cat Association in 1987 and received full CFA recognition in 1993.
We can say that the American Curl is one of the youngest breeds of cats, which, moreover, has developed incredibly quickly, and gained popularity and recognition. And the reason for this was not only the unusual appearance but also the excellent qualities of the “cat personality”, which we will discuss below.
Description of American Curl Cat Breed
If you like curiosity, intelligence, kindness, and friendliness in cats, including in relation to children, feel free to choose the American Curl breed. This breed has pronounced personality traits and character, in fact, sometimes it may even seem to you that you are communicating not with a cat, but with a person.
Great ingenuity, intelligence, excellent qualities for playing with children, and a love of hunting and living in a natural environment make the American Curl cat breed ideal for family life.
Resistant genes make it possible to maintain the basic qualities and characteristics of the breed even when crossed with other cats, due to which there is a very large gene pool, a variety of colors, and a low tendency to genetic diseases. The physique is large, proportional, and developed paws and chest. The average life expectancy is up to 20 years.
The personality of the American Curl Cat Breed
With regard to the characteristics of character and behavior, we can say that the American Curl, whose character is quite expressive, is one of the most balanced cats. They are very inquisitive, constantly poking their nose into all the processes that their owner is busy with, and can follow him from room to room.
These cats truly love people, and not only their owners or family members, but they can also show affection towards friends who come to visit. Sometimes the friendliness of these pets can take on somewhat non-standard and bold forms.
For example, he may perceive your leg as a toy, run around the house at great speed, and even in adulthood, or lie down on your lap at the most unexpected moment. A separate feature can be called the love of this breed for children since not all cats generally perceive children well. The American Curl, on the other hand, loves the company of children and may even seek it out.
These cats are quite active, they can find something to do alone, and they are even called feline Peter Pan. Curl is smart and resourceful, he can learn not only to open doors but even to open doorknobs and get into cabinets and seemingly closed rooms.
If you live in the private sector, they will be happy to hunt. At the same time, Curls get along well with other pets.
Common diseases in American Curl Cat Breed
In general, the American Curl breed is not prone to disease and is distinguished by good health and endurance. Perhaps it’s all about the hereditary genes of yard cats, which, as you know, survive in almost any conditions, while eating anything or, from time to time, not eating at all.
At the same time, the special structure of the ears can lead to some problems – for example, excessive accumulation of deposits. This is due to thin ear canals and very fragile ear cartilage, which can be damaged quite easily.
Care of American Curl Cat Breed
The American Curl cat is not very demanding to care for, but, of course, there are a number of “hygienic rituals” that are simply necessary to perform. Also, non-standard ears cannot be discounted – they must be looked after especially carefully, because of the thin and delicate cartilage.
In terms of care, the American Curl breed, although not demanding, due to the great opportunities for crossing with other cats, can have both short and long hair. Accordingly, the approach to care is also changing.
If shorthairs need to be combed out once a week, then with longhaired individuals everything is different – they need to be combed out at least 2 times a week, in order to avoid the formation of hairballs. Bathing should be done at least once a month. Once a week – clip your nails, clean your eyes daily, and be extremely careful when cleaning your ears, which should be done at least once a week, or – as needed.
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