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The International Cat Association

American Shorthair

At a Glance

Like its counterpart, the American Wirehair, the American Shorthair is a good-natured, easy-going medium-sized cat and is one of the most adaptable breeds for any type of household, including children and seniors. The two breeds are alike in appearance and personality, differing only in coat type. The American Shorthair has a regular, short coat while the American Wirehair has a hard, wiry coat. Find out more about this breed and if the American Shorthair is right for you and your family.

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Temperament

Gentle

Height/Weight Range

Medium-sized cat with an athletic build. Males tend to be larger than females

Adult females

Adult males

Life Expectancy

Colors

The American Shorthair can be found in all traditional colors. The most common are the tabby and tabby with white variations.

Similar Breeds

Opposite Breeds

About The Breed

Loyal and loving by nature, American Shorthairs are very people-oriented and love being with their families. They thrive on human companionship and participating in a busy household. But be advised, they are smart and curious enough to get into something.

The Breed Standard

The American Shorthair and American Wirehair are medium-to-large in size. The body should be well-knit and powerful with well-developed chest and hindquarters, especially in the males. Females are of proportionally smaller size and allowance must be made. The head is broad, with cheeks especially well-developed in studs. The nose and face are medium-short, with eyes and ears set wide apart. The muzzle should present a squarish aspect, but should not be foreshortened.

Activity Level

American Shorthairs are easy to train and like to be active and play fetch, but they are happiest when cuddling with their families. They make great family pets and are good with young children, other pets, people living on their own, the elderly and disabled.

TICA Regions, Clubs & Rescues

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Click here to find a club near you and contact information for your regional director and website.

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Did You Know?

Breed Information & Characteristics

The American Shorthair, our native shorthair breed, is one of the most adaptable breeds for any type of household; for a single person living alone, the American is an excellent companion for a senior citizen; the American is a calm, devoted pet; for a family with children, the good natured, playful American, known to be excellent with children, fits right in; for a busy household, the non-demanding American keeps itself entertained, ready for the time they have for relaxation. Apartment living suits them as well as a house. One of the natural breeds, the American Shorthair is a medium size cat, muscular with a firm, well-balanced body. They have easy care short, lustrous coat in a range of colors and patterns.

Although not listed on ships rosters, the American Shorthair came with early settlers to this country bringing their diverse backgrounds to form an “American” cat. They were “working cats” protecting the ships’ stores on the long journeys. These early American cats were strong, hardy cats that earned their living status here with their hunting skills but were soon noticed for their intelligence and many varied colors and patterns.In early cat exhibitions in the 1900, the shorthair cats then known as Domestic Shorthairs were represented. As more shorthair breeds were imported, dedicated breeders of the domestics began selective breeding to develop a cat of specific type. Although the American Shorthair is a natural breed, it is the process of selective breeding that has developed the American as we know it today. It was not until the early 1960s that the breed was renamed American Shorthair and began its rise in recognition and as a contender on the show circuit.

Americans are good-natured, easy-going cats, popular with families, as they are known to be very tolerant of children. They can be calm but are also playful even into old age. Female cats tend to be busier than the males; males are more easygoing. In general they are intelligent cats and quite interested in everything around them. Many Americans retain their hunting instincts with any insects that should venture into the house. They also like to watch birds and other activity from a windowsill. They enjoy the company of their people but retain their independence. Many are lap cats, while some prefer just to be nearby.

The standard relies heavily on the term medium. It is not a large, heavy boned cat as is the British. It is a very balanced medium size, medium boned cat, with a firm muscular feel to the body, well proportioned in all parts. The head is slightly longer than wide and with an open, sweet expression. Eyes are wide-set, medium to large in size proportionate with the size of head, rounded, which means the upper lid is shaped like half an almond and the lower lid is a fully rounded curve–the eyes should not be round as are the Exotic Shorthairs. The muzzle is medium-short with a full strong chin giving it a squarish appearance; ears are medium in size and slightly rounded at the tip set twice the distance between eyes. There are a number of different looks found in the Americans that are acceptable by the standard. Females are smaller than males with the balance of the cat being of most importance.

The coast is short, hard in texture, lustrous, dense enough to give a natural protective appearance. The color of the cat seems to affect the texture to some degree with the ideal coat most often found in the brown tabbies. Color and pattern are weighed equally with clarity of the marking in the patterns most desirable. Tabby and Tabby with white, usually with the classic pattern, have been the most popular for showing. The coat requires little extra care so unless being shown, a bath is rarely necessary; a weekly combing to remove dead hair will suffice. When bathed for a show care must be taken or the coat ends up too soft or fluffy.

Americans do not really mature until they are around three or four years old. The features of the breed are then at their best.

The American Shorthair is not known to be prone to any genetic or hereditary illnesses, however it is advised to schedule regular visits to the veterinarian.

The American Shorthair’s short coat is easy to care for not really a coat to be brushed. They do shed. It is recommended to run a comb through the coat as needed to help them avoid swallowing excess hair. They tend to keep themselves clean and don’t typically need a bath.

As with all cats, keep their nails trimmed, ears cleaned and teeth brushed regularly with a vet-approved pet toothpaste and provide a nice tall scratching pole to help their natural scratching instinct.

A small portion of wet food is good once daily for American Shorthairs. They like to have a variety of food. A bowl of dry food can be left out as they like to eat a little at a time. Food can depend on their activity level and whether they are fully mature. A few treats can be offered and are preferred over table scraps.

As with all cats, it is important to give your cat fresh, clean water daily. Fresh, clean water is best, so cats don’t hesitate to drink. If you worry about your cat drinking enough water each day, here’s a tip from cat behaviorists – place the water bowl at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less. Filtered drinking fountains can also be used in place of a water bowl.