The history of the origin of the breed
The American shorthair cat is considered the national breed of the United States of America. The ancestors of this particular breed participated with the Europeans in the colonization of the New World a couple of centuries ago. Further, the American shorthair cat bred without the participation of breeders for several hundred years, but somewhere in the early twentieth century, amateur cat breeders decided to preserve the authenticity of the breed and purposeful breeding of the breed began with the preservation of its characteristic features. This is how the breed appeared, the “new birth” of which began in the 1900s. In 1904, the official ancestor of the breed of American shorthair cats was recorded, his name was Buster Brown. In the 20s of the twentieth century, a breeding program of the American shorthair cat was developed, thanks to which it was possible to preserve the bright, clear colors of this breed and its exterior. The first standard was adopted after a long and painstaking work in 1966 (at that time the breed was still called Domestic Shorthair). The breed is very popular in the USA, as well as Western Europe.
Appearance
This shorthair breed is distinguished by its external “heaviness” and squatness. American shorthair cats are large, stocky, with massive breasts and croup. Their head has the shape of an elongated triangle with rounded corners, longer than wider. The muzzle is elongated, the cheeks are well developed, the jaws are strong, the forehead is slightly slanted. The ears are usually medium-sized, set quite wide and high. The eyes are large, expressive, and have a round shape. The color is preferably green, but it can be basically anything, as long as it harmonizes with the general color of the cat. The body is muscular, massive, which gives a good hunter. The limbs are of medium size, proportional to the body, strong and muscular, with good bone. Paws are rounded, small. The tail of an American shorthair cat of medium size, not long and not short, should be according to the standard without curves and creases, and at the base it is necessarily thicker. The coat of American shorthair cats is short, slightly stiff to the touch, fits snugly to the body, with almost no undercoat. The color can be tabby, darkened or solid, and is represented by all existing wool colors (about 80 colors), but the standard still prohibits purple and chocolate. The color of the pads of the paws and nose lobes should be in tone with the overall color of the cat.
Psychological portrait
The American Shorthair is an affectionate and friendly kitty, a good companion and a very understanding pet. This cat has a lively mind, is very curious and tries to always be aware of all household chores. There is nothing to hide or hide from her – she is very jumpy, loves to study everything and try it “by the tooth”. Their character is calm and balanced. Although cats are energetic, they are still restrained in the manifestation of emotions – they are not aggressive and silent, they will not burden the owner’s hearing with obsessive meowing. Similarly, American shorthair is distinguished by a love of privacy and independence. They live in a private house, they really like to explore the surroundings. They are also very sociable – they are not afraid of the arrival of new people, they easily find contact with all family members and pets. They are tolerant of dogs, but they will not let them down if they suddenly decide to offend them, because these cats do not know fear – they have a strong character and remarkable courage. And it’s also difficult to scare them, representatives of this breed usually do not shy away from loud sounds. Also, American shorthair is very clean and easy to train, that is, it will not be difficult to accustom them to the tray. It is also easy to teach these beauties to walk on a leash or a harness, it will be a joy for them, because the American shorthair must receive a sufficient amount of physical activity for full development. These cats are moderately independent, they love when their owner caresses them, but they are not inclined to impose their society.
Maintenance and care
The American shorthair cat is ideal in terms of maintenance and care. Her short coat does not get tangled, does not fall off and does not shed much. A cat of this breed is enough to comb out with a thick brush once a week-ten days and bathe as it gets dirty. Also, representatives of this breed have excellent health and feel great in a country house, where they are happy to catch mice and live in the open air in the yard. They have excellent health, but with a lack of exercise or over-feeding, they may suffer from obesity.