American Curl: a Description of the Breed
The American Curl is a medium sized cat from the USA. The most conspicuous external feature of the breed are the backward curved ears. Apart from that the American Curl is characterized by its friendly and humane nature.
History of the American Curl
The American Curl is a cat breed whose ears are deformed due to a mutation. It originated in the 1980s, after a couple from California accidentally discovered a semi-longhair cat with curved ears and started to lay the foundation for targeted breeding.
Since 1987 the American Curl has been recognized by TICA as an independent cat breed. It took much longer until the recognition by the FiFé. It was only in 2003 that it received a breed standard.
The breeding of the American Curl is still controversial among animal welfare activists, as it is assumed that the curved ears can lead to problems. However, research has shown that the American Curl's hearing is not affected and her ears are not less mobile than those of other cat breeds.
Appearance of the American Curl
The American Curl is a medium sized cat with a rather slender build. It reaches a weight of three to five kilos. The medium sized head of the American Curl is wedge-shaped. It has a round muzzle and a strong chin as well as a nose of medium length. Her walnut-shaped eyes may have different colours.
The most characteristic external feature of the American Curl are of course her ears. These should be curved backwards by at least 90 degrees. However, according to the FiFé standard a curvature of 180 degrees may not be exceeded.
The coat of the American Curl
There is the American Curl in a short-haired as well as in a long-haired variation. Both versions differ only in the length of their coat. The breed standard of the American Curl does not provide any restrictions regarding colour or pattern of the coat.
Character of the American Curl
The American Curl is characterized by an extremely friendly character. She loves to spend time close to her human roommates and also loves the company of children. They love the company of their owner and can sometimes follow them around.
American Curl is considered to be very intelligent. It’s therefore important to challenge and support the American Curl with appropriate activities.
Attitude and care of the American Curl
The American Curl is considered an undemanding domestic cat. Living together with it is usually uncomplicated. However, in this case the four-legged friend should definitely get enough attention.
Especially for working cat owners it is advisable to keep the American Curl together with another cat as a playmate. This ensures your four-legged friend doesn’t feel alone.
The coat of both short-haired and long-haired American Curls does not require too much grooming. It’s therefore sufficient to brush the coat about once a week. Animals that are outdoors should also be regularly checked for skin parasites such as cat fleas and ticks.
American Curl diseases
In general, the American Curl is considered to be a robust cat that is not at excessive risk for certain diseases. However, its curved ears can sometimes cause problems. Some American Curls suffer from too narrow ear canals, which results in increased lard production and makes the cats susceptible to ear infections.
This may not be the case with all animals. However, to avoid more serious problems, it is very important for American Curls to pay sufficient attention to ear care and to clean their sensitive ears regularly.
The life expectancy of the American Curl
As a rule, the American Curl should reach an age of about 12 to 15 years. However, reliable information about life expectancy is difficult due to the rarity of the breed. To ensure a long cat life, regular visits to the veterinarian and vaccinations important for cats are strongly recommended.
The right type of nutrition for the American Curl
With a balanced diet you make an important contribution to the well-being of your American Curl. The right amount of food for your cat helps to avoid being overweight and a composition that meets the needs of your cat ensures good tolerance.
With I Love My Cat cat food you are exactly right when feeding your American Curl. Our cereal-free dry and wet food for cats contains only high-quality ingredients and is characterised by a particularly high content of animal protein.
You can therefore be sure that your American Curl will tolerate its new food from I love my cat well and that its natural nutritional needs will be optimally met.
In addition, we recommend the following food supplements and care products from our range for your American Curl:
- Ear Care Drops for the gentle cleaning of the sensitive ears of your quadruped
- Dental powder for effective and uncomplicated tooth cleaning for your American Curl
- Shiimun Skin as a supplier of additional nutrients for the coat of your cat
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