Mary Allen
In 1981, married couple Joe and Grace Ruga found a neglected long-haired black cat with oddly bent ears in their driveway in Lakewood, California. Find out everything about the origin, character, nature, attitude, and care of the American Curl cat breed in the profile.
The Appearance Of The American Curl
The body of the American Curl is square and well-muscled. It stands on medium-length, straight legs that end in rounded paws. The tail is proportionate to the body and has a broad base. The face is wedge-shaped and slightly longer than wide. The chin is pronounced, the nose straight. The eyes are walnut-shaped and medium-sized. They are slightly slanted and are an eye’s width apart. They can be any color, except for cats with point markings and blue eyes. The characteristic ears of the American Curl are strongly curved backward and upwards. They are broad at the base, medium-sized, and rounded at the tips. The ears are hairy on the inside and on the tip. The American Curl is available in short-haired and long-haired versions. In both variants, the fur is very silky and soft. It has hardly any undercoat. All coat colors are allowed.
The Temperament Of The American Curl
Gentle, friendly, sociable, playful, humorous – this is how the American Curl can be described. She usually adapts to her environment without any problems and gets along well with everyone, whether human or animal. It will definitely never be boring with this cat because she loves to play and is not a real little goblin who is always up for a joke. She is intelligent and willing to learn. She really appreciates cuddling hours with her human.
Keeping And Caring For The American Curl
Due to its balanced nature, the American Curl is suitable for both free-range and apartment keeping. Like most cats, she clearly prefers the former. If she does not get the opportunity to do so, she needs a large scratching post and a lot of activity, otherwise, she will quickly get bored. Of course, cuddling and playing with a fellow cat is always twice as much fun. Therefore, keeping multiple cats should be considered, especially if your human is employed. Thanks to the sparse undercoat, the coat of the American Curl is easy to care for, including that of the long-haired variant. Regular brushing still maintains the unique shine.
Disease Susceptibility Of The American Curl
The American Curl is generally a hardy and healthy cat. However, the characteristic backward-curved ears cause problems. Calcium deposits and skin diseases often form on the extremely bent cartilage. This breed, especially the lighter-colored specimens, is also very vulnerable to sunburn and skin cancer. The UV rays can reach the inner auricle of the folded ears unhindered.
Origin And History Of The American Curl
In 1981, married couple Joe and Grace Ruga found a neglected long-haired black cat with oddly bent ears in their driveway in Lakewood, California. They took the homeless animal in and named the cat “Sulamith”. A little later the cat gave birth to four kittens, two of which also had twisted ears. This laid the foundation for breeding the American Curl. A genetic researcher found that a mutation is to blame for the distinctive ears. In 1983 the Ruga couple presented the first American Curl at an exhibition. After that, Joe and Grace expanded the breeding of “their” breed by always crossing into domestic cats. Already in 1987, the American was officially recognized by the TICA. “Sulamith” is the progenitor of this breed and all American curls can be traced back to her.
Did You Know?
A newborn American Curl kitten has ears that are normally shaped. It takes ten days before the breeder can tell if the ears are twisting. After about 4 months, the development of the curved ears is complete.