American Shorthair Cat Breed Description

Active: The American Shorthair cat is moderately active. They are playful but not overly demanding of your time. They enjoy lounging as much as the next cat but will not spend the whole day sleeping.

Size: The American Shorthair is a hearty, muscular cat. They are medium in size and weigh anywhere from 6 to 15 pounds.

Characteristics: American Shorthair cats are medium in size, muscular and athletic. They have medium ears and large, rounded and bright eyes that are incredibly endearing. They open expression will make you fall in love instantly.

Temperament: The American Shorthair cat is a wonderful companion and a very easy cat to love. They are playful but not overly so. They enjoy cuddling, but will not expect you to stay snuggled up all day long. They may not be lap cats, per se, but they are very loving and affectionate. They enjoy playing and are wonderful cats for families with children.

Care: American Shorthair cats are very easy to care for, making them all the more lovable. They should be brushed a few times each week to keep their coats looking lovely. Brush their teeth to prevent periodontal disease and also trim their nails and clean their ears regularly to keep them in top form. American Shorthair cats are prone to obesity so their food should be measured instead of allowing free feeding.

Coat: Years of hard work chasing mice and working in the streets and on farms gave the American Shorthair its distinct look. Their coat is no exception. They have short, dense and hard in texture coats to protect them while they work. The most popular coat colors are Tabby and Tabby with White.

Origin: The American Shorthair cat arrived in America in the same way that much of America's ancestors arrived in America, by ship. American Shorthair cats hail from England but traveled to America about 300 years ago. They were well known for their skills at catching mice and other rodents in England and they brought the same skill set to the United States. American Shorthair cats worked hard to rid the streets of rodents and developed their hardy and muscular body type while earning their keep. By 1895, Shorthairs (as they were called at the time) were entered in their first cat show. By A cat imported from England named Belle was the first the be registered under the breed.

In 1904, the first American born American Shorthair was registered and that special first American born cat was named Buster Brown. 1906, the CFA recognized them as a cat breed. As more foreign breeds began to gain popularity and be imported more frequently, a group of fanciers that liked the look of the hearty working-class cat began to selectively breed to preserve the type. The American Shorthair cat breed was selectively bred to fine tune the look and traits of the beloved cat that so many were fond of and by the 1960s, the breed was officially called American Shorthair. The American Shorthair cat breed worked long and hard to garner respect but they are now a respected cat breed among fanciers.

In 1965, an American Shorthair named Shawnee Trademark was even voted Cat of the Year by the CFA. While it may have taken some time for the breed to really take off, they are now a much loved breed and are quite popular among cat fanciers.