American Shorthair: a Description of the Breed and Nutrition
The American Shorthair is a medium sized cat breed from the USA. It probably descends from the British Shorthair and is characterized by its balanced and friendly character.
History of the American Shorthair
The ancestors of the American Shorthair probably arrived in America with settlers from Europe. Their job in former times was mainly to hunt rats and mice. However, the targeted breeding as a pedigree cat was only started at the beginning of the 20th century.
Although the American Shorthair did not receive too much attention at shows until the 1960s, it has long since become a very popular cat breed, especially in its native country.
In 1966 the cat, which was initially known as Domestic Shorthair, finally received its present name American Shorthair. This was done to emphasize its origin and to distinguish it from stray street cats.
Look of the American Shorthair
The American Shorthair is a medium sized cat. Females weigh about 3 to 4.5 kilos and males usually reach a weight of 3.5 to 4.5 kilos. Compared to her British relatives she has a much slimmer and more athletic build.
The chest of the American Shorthair is round and her legs are medium long and strong. The round skull is more long than broad. The muzzle is angular and her medium sized ears are relatively close to each other.
The slightly slanted eyes of the American Shorthair are round and set wide apart. In black four-legged cats the eyes are golden and in silver cats they are green.
The coat of the American Shorthair
The American Shorthair is a shorthair cat. Its coat is dense and firm and has a silky sheen. Concerning the colouring there are no uniform rules. While some organizations allow all colours, others allow only certain colours.
Character of the American Shorthair
The American Shorthair is characterized by an uncomplicated character. She is generally relaxed and people-oriented. She appreciates common games and caresses as well as excursions in the surroundings.
When dealing with dogs living in the household, the American Shorthair normally proves to be peaceful and living together with children is no problem for the rather reserved and hardly dominant four-legged friends.
Keeping and care of the American Shorthair
The American Shorthair is suitable as a free roaming cat as well as a pure indoor cat. However, it feels especially comfortable if it can spend time outdoors regularly and, for example, romp through a cat-safe garden.
If this is not possible due to local conditions, it should be ensured that the American Shorthair has sufficient alternative employment opportunities such as cat toys and a large scratching post.
Furthermore, it is advisable to keep the American Shorthair together with a conspecific. This is especially true if the four-legged friends are very often alone due to the occupation of their owners.
The coat of the American Shorthair normally does not require any significant care. However, if the cat is changing coat, regular brushing can help to remove loose hair and stimulate the growth of new hair.
American Shorthair diseases
The American Shorthair is a robust and healthy cat breed. An excessive tendency to certain hereditary diseases is not recognized in this breed. However, like many other pedigree cats, she may occasionally suffer from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
Apart from that, it’s of course always possible that an American Shorthair suffers from common cat diseases and for example gets infected with feline rhinitis or develops a chronic renal insufficiency in old age like many cats.
Regular preventive medical checkups at the veterinarian as well as the most important vaccinations for cats help to avoid health problems or at least to recognize them in time.
It’s also important to pay sufficient attention to daily dental care, as otherwise the American Shorthair may get problems with their teeth and suffer from gum inflammation and caries.
The life expectancy of the American Shorthair
The American Shorthair’s life expectancy is up to 18 years. However, poor living conditions and poor nutrition can shorten the life expectancy of the American Shorthair significantly.
The right food for the American Shorthair
For a long and healthy cat life it is essential to pay attention to a need-based diet and to supply the American Shorthair with all necessary nutrients in the right amount.
Of course, it is not enough to pay attention to the right amount of food for each cat. Furthermore, it is at least as important to ensure a good quality of food and to avoid using unsuitable ingredients such as wheat.
With the species-appropriate cat food from I love my cat, you can be sure that your American Shorthair will always be optimally provided for.
Our range offers you cereal-free dry and wet food for cats with a high proportion of animal proteins. All recipes have been developed in close cooperation with veterinarians to ensure that our food is optimally digestible.
If required, it can also be useful to supplement the menu of your American Shorthair with the following products:
- Dental powder helps to clean the teeth and prevent dental problems.
- Shiimun Immun strengthens the immune system of your American Shorthair with natural ingredients.
- Kidney Power Powder helps to detoxify the kidneys with a special herbal mixture.
Leave your comment