American Shorthair

American Shorthair
American Shorthair
	normal American Shorthair
Other names	none
Origin	North America (formal breed development); Europe (original landrace stock)
Breed standards
CFA	standard
TICA	standard
ACFA/CAA	standard
CCA-AFC	standard
	Domestic cat (Felis catus)

The American Shorthair is a breed of cat. This breed was first used as ship's cats that sailed from Europe to North America with early settlers. They kept the ships free of mice and rats and protected the food and cargo. Even the Mayflower carried several cats to hunt the ship’s rats, in 1620.^[1] The cats who were still alive after landing in the New World had kittens. Over time, the breed changed so the cats could survive better in their new land and climate.

Appearance

The American Shorthair is a working cat. It has a large and strong body. It is usually healthy, calm and loving with its owners. This cat is friendly and not shy with strangers. Males weigh eleven to fifteen pounds. Females weigh eight to twelve pounds. It takes three or four years for them to become adult cats. With a good diet and good care, they can live 15 years or longer.^[1]

The American Shorthair comes in more than eighty different colors and patterns. These include a brown-patched tabby, a blue-eyed white, shaded silvers, smokes and calicos. Some even come in deep shades of black or brown. Only hybrid cats that are chocolate, sable, lavender, lilac, or a Siamese pattern are not allowed in cat shows.^[1]

Behavior

American Shorthairs are intelligent cats who are interested in what is happening around them. They will watch outdoor birds, other animals and other activity from an inside window perch. These cats are calm but playful. Some enjoy sitting in laps. They get along with children, so they make good family pets. American Shorthairs are social cats, but still like to have their own way. They use their hunting skills to catch insects or pests that come into the house.^[2]

History

In the early 20th century, a breeding program was started to develop the best qualities of these cats who came from Europe. Before, there had not been a lot of mixed breeds that had the American Shorthair background.^[3]

The American Shorthair cat now has standards set by cat fanciers of the breed. The breed is accepted by all North American cat registries. In 1966, the breed was given the name "American Shorthair". This was to separate the pure breed cat from the many mixed domestic short-haired cats that live all over North America.^[1] All these short haired cats are called "working cats" because they were used to catch rodents on ships and farms.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 "Breed Profile". Cat Fanciers Association. 1995–2014. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
↑ "American Shorthair". The International Cat Association. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
↑ Stephens, Gloria; Yamazaki, Tetsu (2001). Legacy of the Cat (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 49. ISBN 0-8118-2910-3.

Other websites

Media related to American Shorthair at Wikimedia Commons
American Shorthair at the Open Directory Project

[CFA-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 "Breed Profile". Cat Fanciers Association. 1995–2014. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.

["TICA"-2] "American Shorthair". The International Cat Association. Retrieved 25 September 2014.

[origin-3] Stephens, Gloria; Yamazaki, Tetsu (2001). Legacy of the Cat (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 49. ISBN 0-8118-2910-3.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Domestic cats
Felinology	Anatomy Genetics Dwarf cat Kitten Odd-eyed cat Squitten Coat genetics Bicolor cat Black cat Calico cat Tabby cat Tortoiseshell cat
Health	Aging Declawing Diet dental health senior Neutering Spaying Vaccination
Behavior	Body language Catfight Catnip valerian Communication Meow Purr Kneading Intelligence Play and toys Righting reflex Senses
Human–cat interaction	Ailurophobia Animal-assisted therapy Bodega cat Cat cafés Cat massage Cat meat Cat-scratch disease Cat show Cats in ancient Egypt Cultural depictions Farm cat Feral cat Cats and Islam Puppy cat Ship's cat Zoonosis
Registries	American Cat Fanciers Association Associazione Nazionale Felina Italiana Canadian Cat Association Cat Aficionado Association Cat Fanciers' Association Fédération Internationale Féline Governing Council of the Cat Fancy Southern Africa Cat Council The International Cat Association World Cat Congress World Cat Federation
Breeds (full list) (experimental)	Fully domestic Abyssinian American Curl American Shorthair Balinese Brazilian Shorthair British Shorthair Birman Bombay Burmese Burmilla California Spangled Chartreux Chinese Li Hua Colorpoint Shorthair Cornish Rex Cymric Devon Rex Donskoy Egyptian Mau European Shorthair Exotic Shorthair German Rex Himalayan Japanese Bobtail Javanese Khao Manee Korat Kurilian Bobtail Lykoi Maine Coon Manx Munchkin Norwegian Forest Ocicat Ojos Azules Oriental Shorthair Persian Peterbald Pixie-bob Raas Ragdoll Ragamuffin Russian Blue Scottish Fold Selkirk Rex Siamese Siberian Singapura Snowshoe Somali Sphynx Thai Traditional Persian Tonkinese Toyger Turkish Angora Turkish Van Hybrid Bengal Chausie Highlander Savannah Serengeti
Landraces	Aegean Cyprus Domestic long-haired Domestic short-haired Kellas Sokoke Van
Diseases and disorders	Acne Asthma Calicivirus Congenital sensorineural deafness Feline corneal sequestrum Flea Heartworm Hepatic lipidosis Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy Immunodeficiency virus Infectious peritonitis Leukemia virus Lower urinary tract disease Panleukopenia Polydactyly Rabies Ringworm Roundworm Skin disorders Tick Toxoplasmosis Viral rhinotracheitis
Category