The most delicate creatures are cats, and all, all of them are certainly adorable, and each or everyone has their own character and temperament, their habits, their talents, their "cockroaches" finally. In a word, everything is there as people.
And as I would say now to Dersu Uzala, "And he is also people, only the shirt is different." And we have no choice but to agree with the famous hunter, cats - they are people too, "just a different shirt."
And some of the most charming representatives of today's domestic "cat-people" are American Curls, and we will see this with you now.
Description of the American Curl breed
To begin with, why, where does this breed have such a name - the American Curl. And it will immediately become clear that with this, everything is just simple and understandable, at least for those of our compatriots who know at least a little English. The name of this breed was given by the incredibly cute, turned "inside out" ears of its representatives, from the English "curl" - that is, "curl" or "curl", which was the result of a genetic mutation, the nature of which seems to have not been specially studied to this day. But more on that below.
Yes, this breed currently exists in two completely independent and equal species - the American Long-haired Curl and the American Short-haired Curl.
Longhaired American curl
Despite the obvious equality of these two species before the International Cat Federation (FIFe), their breeders give more preference to the long-haired species (ACL according to the FIFe classification).
The reasons for the popularity of this particular species are not known for certain.
Shorthaired American curl
The short-haired American Curl in its obvious advantages does not lag behind its long-haired counterpart and has the international FIFe ACX classification, although, as follows from the previous paragraph, it is less popular.
Basic moments
The genetic mutation, which resulted in a change in the position of the ear cartilage and its shape, does not in the least affect the pet's health - there is no pathology in the dominant gene. Moreover, American Curls, having a purebred stray cat in their ancestors, have exceptionally good health.
By the way, about the genetic mutation - the ear cartilages of cats of this breed are easily injured, and therefore American Curls should not be rubbed too hard and persistently on the head.
And American Curl kittens are born with straight ears, which begin to curl only on the third or tenth day of life. Moreover, the degree of twisting of their auricles is always individual - from barely noticeable to the formation of such pretty "rolls".
American Curl breed standard
The main distinguishing feature of the American Curls, these notorious cute ones, are, of course, curly ears, and this is an exceptionally pleasant addition to all the other features and "purring" characteristics of cats of this original breed.
By the way, the rounded ears of American Curls are also specifically described in the breed standard: they should be wide at the base and smoothly curl back, and the ear cartilage should be turned 90 °, and even more degrees, but not more than 180 °.
The head of the American Curl is wedge-shaped and streamlined - without any sharp transitions from the forehead to the nose, which is characterized by connoisseurs of this breed as moderately long; the chin is strong and well defined.
The bite of these cats is described as scissors or straight.
The eyes of American Curls are large, in the shape of an elongated oval, which is sometimes also called "walnut". And their color can be any, with the exception of individuals of the famous color-point color with bright blue eyes.
American Curls are rather well-fed, which does not prevent them from remaining elegant, and the body of such a cat, covered with silky hair with minimal undercoat, as, indeed, any other, is flexible and muscular. By the way, representatives of the long-haired breed are practically completely devoid of a sub-six or, according to science, an osta, but their fur itself is smooth and more elastic.
The legs of this breed are of medium length, straight.
The tail of the American Curl is in direct proportion to its body - its length is the same. A distinctive feature of the breed is the thickened base of the tail, which tapers noticeably towards its pointed tip.
American Curl colors
By the way, about the colors of American Curls. Any color is allowed by the standards of this breed - be it solid or bicolor, Siamese, tabby, tortie, the aforementioned color-point, finally. Either there are gray-brown-crimson speckled or the colors of the notorious frightened nymph - in a word, absolutely no difference.
The character and temperament of the American Curl
Cute creatures with an angelic character - and that says it all!
No, seriously, for all cats of this breed, without exception, human society is much more important than the company of relatives, they are wonderful companions, being always confident in themselves, they are calm, they are unobtrusive and gentle and even diplomatic, and to all their undoubted advantages they have a subtle spiritual organization; And American Curls will certainly never make a scandal in vain because of the lack of food in their favorite bowl or if they disagree with something.
In general, American Curls are real intellectuals, they are smart, they are quick-witted: a typical representative or representative of this breed does not need to open the kitchen cabinet, and if necessary, such a cat or cat will press the door latch until it takes the position they need. ...
American Curls are easy-going and retain a cute childlike spontaneity and playfulness until old age - which is why they are often called cats with the character of Peter Pan.
Breed and children
The attitude of American Curl cats to children can be called supportive.
Breed and other animals
American Curl cats are peaceful and get along well with other cats and even with dogs.
Education and training
Not to say that kitties of this breed are easy to train, but what kind of freedom-loving cat, which, by the way, by definition “walks on its own,” is generally amenable to it? But nevertheless, learn the simplest commands like "Come to me!" or "Sit!" American Curls are quite capable and here, the main thing, is not to overdo it and not to put pressure on the pet morally - after all, this is just a kind act or a kind cat and they have paws.
Maintenance and care
The American Curl is supposed to have exactly the same "dowry" as any other cat or cat: a bed, its own spacious house, toys again, there are different bowls for food and water, that-and-so, a carrier and so on and so forth.
At first, the frequent (and even too much!) Movements of a new family member around the house will have to be constantly monitored - the cat is by nature extremely curious, inquisitive, and kittens, any, are curious and inquisitive a hundredfold, curiosity drives them to the windowsills, makes them look into washing machines, in open ovens and so on and so forth. And therefore, grids on the windows are also mandatory, in order to avoid the worst.
You should start walking American Curl kittens no earlier than 2.5 - 3 months of age, and even then provided that the animal is properly vaccinated and has taken anthelmintic drugs in advance. Adult cats are walked on a harness at least twice a day - this circumstance is due to the properties of the breed: American Curls are playful and, again, extremely curious, and therefore every day they need new experiences outside their home, apartment, and therefore daily walks with a pet better not to be neglected.
Hygiene
Since the texture of American Curls is not susceptible to felting, a simple combing with a fine comb and a light massage with a natural bristle brush is enough. The set of care products for long-haired and short-haired American Curls is, of course, the same. The only difference is in the frequency of processing their wonderful fur coats. Short-haired should be treated once a week - one and a half, while long-haired ones need a little more frequent grooming - twice a week.
American Curls are bathed no more than two - maximum, three times a year with the use of zooshampoos, which are best selected in accordance with the recommendations of experts in cat cosmetics. After bathing, drying is mandatory: short-haired American curls are dried with a short-haired cotton towel, and an ordinary hair dryer is used to dry their long-haired counterparts.
The delicate ears of cats of this breed also need cleaning, which, given the extraordinary fragility of the ear cartilages, should be carried out as carefully as possible - once a month is enough.
The pet's eyes are examined daily, if necessary, their corners are wiped with a soft paper towel or cotton swab, previously soaked in running warm water.
Feeding
It is clear that for kittens and adult cats, regardless of the breed or without it, completely different types of food, wet or dry, are intended, as well as their own special diet. The latter, of course, is much more related to kittens under the age of one year.
Like any other cat, American Curls have an enthusiastic and reverent attitude to food; and without exception, all cat owners, without a doubt, are familiar with the look of their beloved pet "a la Shrek's cat" - deliberately aimed at the most intimate corners of your soul.
So, our good advice to you: if from the very beginning of life your pet is not accustomed to this and eats only dry and/or wet food, in no case get fooled, do not put a piece or two of roast or chicken from your table. Firstly, so your authority in front of him will immediately collapse to the level of the plinth, and secondly, his digestive tract is unlikely to appreciate this generosity of yours, with all the consequences in the literal sense of the word "from here and there" like vomiting or diarrhea.
How to feed an American Curl
Before the onset of the first six months of life, kittens are fed 4 - 5 times a day, from half a year to the first year - 4 times a day, and then - from a year to a year and a half, the pets are fed three times a day, and then two times are enough.
What natural food should be
The basis of the daily diet of cats should be exclusively high-quality premium dry food with meat content or, optionally, a natural diet consisting mainly of lean meat, but in no case fish or, God forbid, chicken bones. Also, rice porridge or even oatmeal (hello to the inhabitants of Baskerville Hall!) Cooked in meat broth, as well as skim milk, is quite suitable.
In general, for a start, it is better to consult with a specialist.
Finished feeds of decent quality
Domestic breeders of American Curls and, again, experts refer to these as premium-class foods "Yams", "Pro Plan" or "Royal Canin", the composition of which more than covers the daily requirement of the body of cats of this breed for nutrients, vitamins and the like.
A few more important points
When compiling the diet of American Curls, it is imperative to follow the recommendations of feed manufacturers and in no case overfeed an adult pet and constantly adhere to the originally established diet - twice a day and no more.
Information about grooming
In addition to bathing two to three times a year, American Curls from time to time undergo a grooming procedure, including the obligatory clipping of the nails, which are recommended to be trimmed by cutting 2-3 mm per week. If such a procedure is carried out from those very young nails (and in our case, claws), then throughout the pet's life there will never be any problems with this.
How are pregnancy and childbirth going?
If a cat has reached puberty, which occurs at one and a half to two years of age, and she is quite healthy, then her pregnancy goes without problems: kittens are born about 65 days after mating.
After the onset of pregnancy, it is recommended that the expectant mother be transferred to kitten food, which contains all the necessary substances and vitamins that are extremely necessary for the future offspring during this special period.
In the second half of pregnancy, it is better to increase the cat's diet by another half.
By the time of childbirth, a small box should be prepared, in which both the mother herself and the newborns can feel quite comfortable, and most importantly, safe.
Curl health
As mentioned above, American Curl cats have excellent health. This is probably due to their origin from a stray mongrel cat, which we also mentioned above. Of course, all cats without exception, alas, at some time get sick (and this, believe me, is not the most pleasant time for us, cat owners!) And our heroes in this sense do not represent an exception.
Vaccinations and antiparasitic treatments
It is also clear that no cat can do without these two positions in its life: here, in particular, vaccinations against all kinds of infectious diseases that the animal's immunity may not cope with on its own, and treatment against fleas and ticks, produced as needed, with a frequency of once every six months, with the help of special drops applied to the very scruff of the neck.
What you need to know about knitting
One should take into account the simple fact that mating two individuals of the same breed in the case of American Curls are not at all necessary - the dominant gene described above will "shoot" in any case: in the first case, if both parents are American Curls, all future litters will have the same curly ears, and when mating individuals of different breeds, only half of the newborns will get such ears.
Sterilization and castration
If the cat owner does not intend to become a breeder, then the pet is strongly recommended to be neutered or sterilized. It is quite obvious that this is done in the veterinary clinic under anesthesia, after which the pet needs careful care for the next few weeks with special food for the rest of its life. The optimal age for this kind of operation is considered to be 5 - 7 months, that is, long before the onset of puberty of the cat.
Life span
American Curls are real long-livers - their average life expectancy is 13-15 years.
Advantages and disadvantages of the American Curl
Without a doubt, the main advantage of American Curl cats is their outstanding intelligence.
And from the shortcomings of the representatives of this breed, some features of their exterior are usually called, such as low-set ears, a nose with a deep stop, squat, and so on.
How to choose a kitten
We note right away that in the litter of show-class champions, no, no, and there will be babies with straight ears. The latter, however, does not at all give grounds for potential or, more precisely, future breeders to suspect the American Curl breeder of untidiness.
It is best to "adopt" or "adopt" American Curl kittens at the age of 2.5-3 months because, until that time, the ear cartilages of babies are still unstable and quite often change the angle of volvulus.
It is clear that the potential human relatives of newborn kittens should be provided by the breeder with the appropriate documents, such as metrics, veterinary passports, and further down the list.
Similar cat breeds
One way or another, according to a number of external signs, first of all, our Siberian cat, the famous Maine Coon, and the Norwegian forest cat are similar to American Curls.
How much is an American curl
American Curls are by no means a cheap pleasure, their price often reaches the price of a decent photo lens or a bottle of French elite cognac - starting from 25,000 rubles and sometimes reaching 40,000 rubles for kittens with high exhibition potential or rare colors.
Allergy to American Curl
Of course, like all other cats, American Curls do not have any hypoallergenic properties, and therefore, again, in order to avoid possible further disappointment, before taking the feline "child" into the house, ideally, the future cat owner and his household should be examined for a predisposition to allergic reactions.
History of the American Curl breed
This breed is relatively young, its history began in 1981, when a certain married couple from California accidentally stumbled on the street on the street on a surprisingly cute creature with twisted ears, later named by them Shulamith.
In the same year, Shulamith became a mother, and it immediately turned out that Shulamith's ears are nothing more than the result of a gene mutation, and the mutated gene was dominant in her case.
And after that, a standard was developed for a new breed, which every year becomes more and more popular on both sides of the Atlantic.
American Curl owners reviews
The responses of the owners and breeders of American Curls, of course, are purely enthusiastic - there is no other way since these cats are truly magnificent, they have outstanding advantages, in everything absolutely, no matter what they say.