The history of breeding, the standard of the American wire-haired cat, the character of the pet from the USA, the health of the animal, the rules for the care and maintenance of the cat at home, the purchase and price of a kitten. The American wild-haired cat or, as they are used to calling it, the Wirehaired cat, are representatives of the feline world, which are remarkable not only for their extraordinary appearance, thanks to the extraordinary structure of the fur, but also for their amazing temperament. Seals of this breed usually show their best side as pets. Their inner world is very diverse, but at the same time all character traits are harmoniously balanced.
For these animals, everything that is "too" is not characteristic. They tend to become strongly attached to their master, but due to the notes of pride and independence, they never show obsession. American wild-haired cat are cheerful and playful, but at the same time, no matter how hard they play, they will always react to comments and prohibitions.
These cats are very intelligent, charismatic, loyal and self-sufficient. Bringing such a pet to the house, be sure that you will not be disappointed in your choice, because it is difficult to find a sweeter, complaisant and at the same time "with character" pet.
The history of the emergence of American Wirehaired cats
The origin of these animals with an unusually tough "fur coat" is quite simple and ordinary, but at the same time very fascinating. We can say that the appearance of this type of cats in the world was conceived somewhere from above.
From their name it is already clear where these cute pets come from. Indeed, the first representatives of this breed were born on the territory of an ordinary agricultural farm in a village near New York. The American shorthair cat had babies, they were very similar to their parent, but the owner of the farm drew attention to one very different feature - the kitten's coat, which was very tough, like for small, still unseeing animals. Someone might have just waved his hand, but the owner of the farm was very interested in these unusual kittens and he decided to demonstrate the unusual offspring to the local breeder Joan Osia.
Unfortunately, the breeder of the cats arrived a little late, before her arrival there was only one kitten left from the entire cat family, all the rest died from the attack of a predatory weasel.
An amazing wire-haired baby rhinestone aroused interest in Joan Osia, and she persuaded the farmer to sell her a cat. The surviving kitten was named Adam, the breeder brought him to her house and watched him, and when Adam (the ancestor of American wire-haired cats) reached puberty, it was completely unclear which pair to choose for such an unusual cat. But Adam was an independent and independent cat and decided everything for himself. His chosen one was an ordinary yard cat living in the neighborhood. When the kittens appeared, they were like two peas in a pod similar to the wire-haired Adam, thus, it was he who became the ancestor of such a wonderful breed.
Already in 1962, these animals bathed in the attention of the most famous and titled US breeders at an exhibition in New York. And soon the American Wire-haired cat received recognition from many felinological associations, but as an experimental breed. These cats are still considered as such, since the work on studying them has not yet been completed.
Description of the appearance of the American Wirehaired cat breed
Representatives of the breed are rather large animals, the average body weight of an adult cat can reach 7–8 kg, while cats are slightly less weighty, their weight varies within 4–5 kg.
At first glance, you may not notice the differences between this breed and ordinary short-haired cats, but looking more closely, it immediately becomes clear why these pets are classified as a separate independent breed.
- General proportions. Since the American wild-haired cat is very large, it is important that their height (the distance from the apical part of the shoulder blades to the ground) is slightly less than the length of the body. As for the length of the tail, there is one rule: the length of the tail process should be equal to the distance from the shoulder blades to the base of the tail.
- Head. This is another sign by which you can make sure that you have a purebred cat in front of you. The length and width of the head must be equal.
- Auricles small in size, tapering from base to slightly rounded tip. The length of the line between the ears should be equal to two distances between the eyes.
- Eyes American Wirehaired cats are relatively large, set wide apart. Rounded in configuration, you can see the almond-shaped base. The outer corner of the eye is slightly higher than the inner corner. According to the standard, the distance between the eyes should not be less than the width of the eye itself. The color of the eyes can be different, most often the irises are colored orange, green and blue. There are also individuals with blue eyes. In general, the color of the eyes is in harmony with the tone of the coat.
- Muzzle pretty, shaped more like a square.
- Neck not too long, strong, well muscled.
- Frame American wild-haired cat is proportionally built, with a fairly developed muscle tissue. The shoulder girdle and hips are well visualized. The dorsal surface is wide and straight.
- Limbs medium in length, muscular, straight. They end in paws, rounded in shape, with weighty and stable pads.
- Tail very wide at the base and tapering towards the tip, which is somewhat blunt.
- Wool The American Wirehaired Cat is short but very thick and tough in texture. The undercoat is shorter than the main coat, but no less dense. Hair on the abdomen and in the projection of the chin does not have a characteristic stiffness.
- Color almost any is allowed, with the exception of chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, Burmese, Tonkin and color-point colors.
The personality of American Wirehaired cats
Seals of this breed are calm and pleasant in temperament. They easily find a common language not only with the people living in the house, but also with other animals, only if they are inclined to befriend them. They know how to be loyal and loving, but at the same time they are not intrusive.
If you are looking for a cute, calm kitten who will always be there, check out the American Wirehaired cats. When you disappear at work for a long time, but at the same time want some independent pet to meet you at home, then you also have this breed. These cats, of course, will be very happy if you are constantly at home, but they are not afraid of loneliness either, the main thing is not to be disturbed by hunger, but what to do with yourself is not a problem for an American wild-haired cat. These cats are inherent in a certain arrogance and self-sufficiency, they rarely go to their hands and you can pet them only when they themselves want it.
By their nature, the representatives of this breed are excellent hunters, so when walking along the street you should make sure that your pet does not bring you a mouse, since this "prey" could shortly before that eat rat poison, which can extremely badly affect the health of your American wire-haired cat. …
Also, about these cats, we can safely say that age is not a hindrance to them, with good health, they are usually active and love outdoor games to a ripe old age.
Health American wild-haired cat
In general, these wire-haired seals boast an excellent and robust body. With proper care and feeding, these purrs have an average lifespan of over 15 years. Like all other felines, the American wire-haired cat needs timely vaccinations, preventive visits to the veterinary clinic, periodic courses of antiparasitic therapy, and a balanced diet supplemented with additional sources of vitamins and minerals.
But there is one "but", the representatives of this breed have some hereditary diseases, which must always be remembered.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - this pathology is the leading cause of death in American wild-haired cat under 7 years of age.
Also, these cats have some problems with the musculoskeletal system, often they are diagnosed with dysplasia of the hip joint, which initially manifests itself in pain and lameness of the animal, and in advanced cases leads to disability.
In addition, many cases of polycystic kidney disease have been recorded in these animals, which further leads to chronic renal failure and to such an unpleasant outcome as failure of the renal system. Therefore, regular visits to the doctor are extremely important, even if nothing bothers your pet, but serious problems are never shown in the first days, they are usually clearly visible when it is already too late to do something.
American Wirehaired cat care rules
- Hygiene. Looking at the unusual "fur coat" of the American wild-haired cat, some think that it is very difficult to care for it, but this is not at all the case. As for the washing procedure, we can say that these cats do not really like to take a bath, so you should not test their nervous system and forcibly dip them in water every week. It is best to limit yourself to an "as needed" schedule and before any major events, such as exhibitions. To prevent your pet's fur from losing its original look, do not use a hairdryer. Just after bathing, you need to wipe the cat with a towel and let the wool dry naturally, so all the curls and curls will be in their place, only clean and shiny.
- Hair care. In normal times, it will be quite enough to brush the American wire-haired cat with a medium-hard brush twice a week, but during the molting period this procedure should be increased to daily, and preferably twice a day. And all because the wool cover of the breed is very thick, therefore it sheds very abundantly. At such a time of "makeover", a comb with a frequent arrangement of teeth is better suited so that it can comb out the undercoat well.
- Hygiene of the ears. The ears of the American wild-haired cat should be cleaned regularly, at least once a week, and it is better to examine the ears once every 3 days. In order to painlessly perform this hygienic procedure, you need to take a cotton swab (better for small children), a towel to wrap your furry friend, if such measures are needed, and an ear cleaner. It can be, like folk remedies or pharmacy solutions, or you can use special substances for cats, which are on sale in all veterinary pharmacies and pet stores. They are considered to be better fit and perform better.
- Hygiene of the eyes. The eyes of the American wire-haired cat must be monitored from early childhood, since looking into its eyes, you can notice some changes that are characteristic of a number of diseases. Of course, you cannot diagnose on your own when you see discharge from the eye, but your task is to remember that a healthy animal has transparent discharge from the eyes, which, when dried, form a brown crust in the inner corner. In order to clean the eyes of the American wild-haired cat from dirt, dust and secretions, and just for disinfection, you will need two cotton pads and a solution with which you will moisten them. It can be a decoction of chamomile, a solution of boric acid (2 teaspoons of boric acid and half a glass of warm, but not hot water), not very strong black tea, or just boiled water at room temperature. Some advise using a solution of edible salt, remember, this is not worth doing, since you can prepare a product with a high concentration of salt, which will be very negatively reflected both on the mucous membrane of your pet's eye and on its general condition.
- Claws. Usually, caring for claws involves either the use of a scratching post, which makes life easier for you, but there are times when a cat uses it, but still does not bypass the upholstery of the sofa. In this case, you need to trim your pet's nails. To do this, it is good to use special tweezers for "cat manicure", they are sold in any pet store. The main thing is that the tool is sharp enough, otherwise you risk splitting your cat's claw, which will cause him unbearable pain. The procedure itself can be done as follows. Hold the American Wirehaired cat in your lap with its back to you, and squeeze its paw slightly so that its claws protrude. You can only trim the white tip. It is better to do this with short breaks, since this is stress for the animal; during such pauses, you can distract the pet with a game or a favorite treat.
- Toilet. This cat is quick-witted and quickly understands why you are showing him the tray. The main rule in teaching a kitten of any breed to his toilet is not to raise his voice or use physical force. After successful training, do not forget to regularly change and wash the tray, these cleaners will not go to pee in an unclean place.
- Nutrition. As the main diet for the American wire-haired cat, high quality commercial food is suitable, usually, they have the optimal balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. From home products, preference should be given to low-fat meats (chicken, beef), heat-treated, chicken eggs, offal, fermented milk products, vegetables and cereals. Leaving home for the whole day, you can quite safely leave your pet a full plate of food (provided that it does not spoil), these cats do not have the habit of not leaving the dishes without seeing the bottom, they eat until they quench hunger. Therefore, representatives of this breed are not prone to obesity. Clean drinking water should always be readily available.
- The cat is in the house. American wild-haired cat loves to play, so it would be good to give him such an opportunity. Present your cat with some toys and he will be happy to drive around the house with them. You can also make some kind of tunnel or labyrinth with balls, the pet will be happy to study these designs.
Also, these purrs are very fond of conquering heights, so it will not be particularly difficult for them to climb onto the top shelf of the cabinet or onto the refrigerator, this must be remembered and it is better to remove fragile or just valuable objects from such open places. This also applies to the wires of electrical appliances, the cat can easily get entangled in them or, worse, gnaw through them. If you cannot hide them, then sprinkle them with lemon or orange juice. This scent will discourage this curious animal from playing with wires.
Buying and Price of an American Wirehaired Kitten
These kittens are widespread and in demand in America and most European countries, but in our country, unfortunately, it is quite difficult to find such a pet, which is why the price of such an exotic is very high. The initial cost of a kitten of this breed starts at 60,000 rubles. The price of some individual individuals may be 120,000 rubles.
You will learn more about these cats from the following video:
