American Wirehair
The American Wirehair is a
breed of domestic
cat that originated in upstate New York.
The first wirehair cat appeared as a random
coat mutation among a litter of six born to
two barn cats. This single red and white
male had odd wiry fur. The owner of the cats
called a local breeder of Rex cats, Mrs.
William O'Shea, to take a look at the
kitten. She bought the kitten for $50, along
with one of his normal coated female
littermates, to start a breeding program.
The wirehaired male was named Council Rock
Farm Adam of Hi-Fi, and the female Tip-Toe
of Hi-Fi.
Breedings between the two produced
wirehaired kittens, many of which were sold
off to other interested breeders. As the
population grew, cats were exported to
Canada and Germany. the breed did well, and
in 1978 they were accepted for Championship
competition.
As of 2003, though the breed is well known,
they are ranked as the most rare of the 41
CFA breeds, with only 22 registered, down
from 39 in 2002.
The unique wirehair coat is genetically
dominant over a normal coat, unlike the gene
that creates rex fur. The fur is springy,
dense and coarse, and even their whiskers
are often curled. Many find it pleasant to
the touch. It is unusual in that this coat
has not appeared among other cats (most
mutations occur in various places), and all
wirehairs can trace their ancestry back to
Adam. Apart from the wiry coat, they are
strong, muscular cats, built similarly to
American Shorthairs. They come in a
variety of colors.
Their personality is described as
intelligent, and affectionate. They are said
to be adaptable cats resistant to disease,
and have been described as both cool and
reserved, and wild, playful and inquisitive
cats.
References
Cat World, a Feline Encyclopaedia, by
Desmond Morris, 1996
http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/american-wh.html
http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/petselection/catstats.asp
