If you happen to be an American Wirehair Cat fanatic, then this article guide is going to be an informative read for you. Because we are going to explore this American breed bygetting to know this adorable creature a little better than before. So without any further ado, let’s dive straight into the discussion – shall we?
American Wirehair – Overview
The American Wirehair is a medium-sized cat with a special kind of fur coat, fairly called the domestic felines. Others define this breed’s fur type as steel wool since the fur feels tough and springy at times. Although the American Wire hair resembles a lot with the American Shorthair cats. But their distinct wiry fur gives away their unique identity.
Speaking of identity,Wirehair’s ancestors were insane mousers –and the same can be said for the new generation of this breed.Back in the previous decades, these American cats were particularly used for one of their remarkable traits, fearless hunting. They were bought to get rid of harmful rodents, and any other insects that they found roaming inside the house or barn.
American Wirehair – Breed’s Specifications
Let’s take a quick peek at some of the specifications regarding a rapid preview of this cat’s breed.
Coat
The length of Wirehair’s fur coat is usually short to medium. The coat hairs are of crimpled type, while they vary in coat colors.This variety of colors include blue, cream, white, golden, brown, seal, fawn, red, silver, chestnut, chinchilla, etc.
Color Pattern
The body of a Wirehair cat is designed with multiple color patterns. One might have a different set of pattern styles than the other. Some of the commonly found patterns are solid color, smoke, bicolor, tricolor (also termed as calico), tabby, tortoiseshell, etc.
Breed Type
The Wirehair cats are counted among the rarest breeds.This fact is testified by many authorized associates of renowned organizations.
Eye color
A wirehair cat can be either of unique eye color, such as odd-eye or sometimes exhibit variety which might be of blue,golden, or even green.
Size
On average, these Wirehairs are medium-sized cats. Males are larger than the females.
Life Span
A typical Wirehair is said to have a longevity range of over 7 to 12 years.
Weight
The weight range of a medium-sized Wirehair female cat is around 8 to 12 lbs. Whereas a large male cat can weigh up to 12 lbs.
Association Recognition
The Wirehair breed of cats is widely recognized by many cat club associations. Some of them are CFA, TICA, FIFe, and ACFA.
American Wirehair – Information
Despite being one of the rarest breeds of cats, the Wirehair cats are not rude at all. Thus, if you are thinking of having your first pet that is both energetic, and interactive, then American Wirehair is your best shot. Why? Simply because these American cats are well-behaved, easy to train, and make for a suitable companion.
Other than their friendly nature, one other character to ponder over is their special, one of a kind – fur coat. The American Wirehair cats are delightful creatures with distinct fur coats.To be precise, the Wirehair’s coat is made up of three layers of fur, that is embedded on her skin.This unique, wiry, or even sometimes curly coat is an extraordinary result of a genetic mutation.
The texture of Wirehair’s fur coat is often blamed for causing hypoallergenic conditions in humans. But in reality,its not even close to the truth.According to science, allergic reactions are caused by dander (dead skin cells), rather than any specific fur coats.
Moreover, there is no solid evidence of any fur being more or less hypoallergenic than the other. Allergies vary from person to person, and similarly their reactions. What one reason might be the cause of an allergy outbreak in someone, the other person might not react to the same cause in the same way.
In a nutshell, it’s pointless to spin it on American Wirehair’s fur texture and frame them as the culprit. Instead, you should develop a better sense regarding what triggers your allergic response and try to find the reason behind it.
American Wirehair – Cat’s Personality
American Wirehair cats possess a dominant, and self-sufficient nature, combined with a playful attitude. They can quickly adapt to their owner’s lifestyle routine and learn to adjust along the way. These cat breeds are intelligent enough to engage in talkative conversations, with relaxed and non-aggressive behavior.
As a result, they make for a great addition to a family even if you have other pets around. Unlike other cat breeds, American Wirehair is safe to keep as a “house-cat”, especially if you have children and other senior adults around.
Not only these Wirehairs are recommended for a packed house of people, but also for those who live alone and are seeking good company in a pet.And that’s why these breeds are famous for their attachment to humans. No wonder they are so cute and friendly towards every human, or even other pets they have only met a minute ago. Their calm reactions towards strangers and cooperative body-language attracts people more than their moody expressions. They will freely allow you to pick them up without throwing any tantrums.
On top of that, their needs for social attention is not as high as their bonding tendencies. Honestly, it’s the other way around. These cat breeds are called independent, and self-centered for a reason. You don’t have to spend hours playing with these American Wirehairs if you are leading a busy lifestyle. Instead, you can leave them with their toys, and chances are that they will be playing around the house when you come back home.
However, this original New Yorker has a curious personality. Anything in their surrounding is of high interest to them. Might it be an object or an actual living being, they won’t rest until they have explored the unknown.
American Wirehair – Physical Traits
Talking about American Wirehair cat’s appearance, they are often mistaken for a similar breed, called American Shorthair. The reason for this confusion is the likenesses between the two cat breeds.
Although the features of American Wirehair are regular, similar to that of any other cat without any particular distinctions. (For instance, the male cat is larger and heavier than the female. But once a female starts gaining weight, she can outrun the male Wirehair in no time.) Still, some distinct markers can be identified by closely paying attention to the cat’s body.
Go straight for the ears, and notice their shape and size. If it’s medium in size and round over the pointed tip near the end, know that you are halfway through the process. The last step is to match the crimped hairs of the body of American Wirehair to their inner hairs. If the same type of hairs in the fur coat are present inside the ears of this cat – then congrats because you caught the right breed.
Looking more further into the physical features of American Wirehair, besides the ears – comes the round,prominent head.Over the head, are located two leaned and glossy eyes, that serves with a bright and sharp vision.The head resides on a firmly placed neck with sturdy muscles to keep the lower body intact while running smoothly after their prey.
This medium-sized, rough, and coarse-haired cat has high cheekbones with strong muzzles.The mouth of these cats contain edgy canines with inevitable jaws, having undeniable force to grip and bite.
What’s more interesting is that the Wirehair cat seems like a normal one with a lightweight to carry. But their strong bones and muscular body are extremely powerful, and quite heavy to hold up for long.
The flexible body is favored by their reliably athletic legs, light weight highly padded rounded paws.
American Wirehair – Cat’s Shedding
The Wirehair cats might come out as an expensive pet to maintain but that’s not quite true. Due to them being a low-shedding breed, their needs for overall grooming are relatively moderate.
Additionally, it is suggested that brushing or combing should only be considered in case of sudden heavy shedding. Otherwise, aggressive grooming practices must be avoided, as they can damage the Wirehair’s soft,unique and fragile coat.
However, if you feel that the cat’s skin is oily or slick due to the secretion from the skin pores – you can give her a traditional bath. This bathing technique is also effective to remove the American cat’s weak or detached hairs.
American Wirehair – Health Care
When it comes to taking care, American Wirehair has some basic demands that require your attention. These demands comprise routine checkups regarding dental care, ear cleaning, and proper nail-cutting plans.
Needless to mention the daily workout management that this breed expects to exercise their energy outburst. This could be in the form of an engaging play with a toy or an outside visit to the park. Anything which keeps the Wirehair active and busy will do the trick for you.
Health issues
Another important thing to do while dealing with this breed of cat is to strictly keep an eye on their eating habits.If left unsupervised, American Wirehair can quickly develop an obesity disorder. Getting overweight is among the most common type of health risks for this breed. Therefore, these American cats should only be fed with an adequate amount of nutrition – along with high-quality cat food to keep them healthy and active in the long run.
Other issues that might come up along the way involve threats of some genetic disorders, like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and hip dysplasia. To avoid facing these problems in the fatal stages of life, schedule regular meetings with your Veterans.
Frequently Asked Questions
To dig deeper into this breed, let’s read on to some frequently asked questions clarify your concepts a bit further.
1. How can you tell if a cat is an American Wirehair?
To identify an American Wirehair cat, utilize your sense of touch. If the coat seems to be heavy (in terms of thickness) and dense, along with some crimped and trickled kind of fur texture on the surface. Then be sure to know that you found the right one.
2. How rare is an American Wirehair cat?
In 2017, according to the Complete Cat Book by the Cat Fanciers’ Association, Inc. (also known as CFA), the American Wirehair was crowned as the “most rare cat” in the list of all 41 breeds officially recognized by the organization. Surprising, isn’t it? One of the commonly known cat belongs to the rarest breeds of all.
3. How much do American Wirehair cats cost?
If you are planning to get your hands on this rare breed of cats, be prepared for a premium price tag. These domestic cat breeds are valued by the breeder according to their pedigree. Hence, they are roughly obtainable at a price range of $800 to $1200.
4. What do American wirehair cats eat?
When it comes to their eating habits,American Wirehair gets a bit out of control. Thus, they need to be strictly taken care of and fed appropriately. These cat breeds require a proper nutritious diet plan as they get older. Good quality cat food for an adult is recommended.While in the growing stage (precisely in the first year) of their life span, American Wirehair kittens must be given light meals, such as kitten food.
5. Are American Wirehair cats good pets?
Regardless of having an already crowded family which includes children, adults, or even other pets in the house – American Wirehair is still a great bet. Their friendly response towards every household member encourages cat-parents to vouch for them as a harmless lap-cat.
Other Interesting Facts
- The American Wirehair’s big round head gives you an impression that this cat is going to be a hefty one to pick up.
- Due to the tremendous variety of options, it’s almost impossible to predict a pattern or color of America Wirehair’s body.
- The American Wirehair’s two top favorite things to do are – sleep under the sun, and watch the birds out from the window.
- In 1966, the American Wirehair was firstly discovered inside a barn in Vernon, New York. After which, its frequently cross-bred with American Shorthair.
- The American Wirehair is a clever breed of cats, that enjoys playing puzzles.
