American Wirehair Breeder Directory

More Breed Information

Like its counterpart the American Shorthair, the American Wirehair is one of the most adaptable breeds for any type of household-from being the lap cat curled up with the senior citizen to the energetic cat joining in to play with the children. One of the natural breeds, the American Wirehair is a medium size cat, muscular with a firm, well-balanced body. The wirehair gene originated as a spontaneous coat mutation in upstate New York and changes the hard coat of the American Shorthair to the hard, dense, springy coat of the American Wirehair.

Temperament

American Wirehairs are good-natured, easy-going cats, popular with families, as they are known to be very tolerant of children. They are calm but can also be playful even into old age. Female cats tend to be busier than the males; males are more easygoing. In general they are intelligent cats and quite interested in everything around them. Many American Wirehairs retain their hunting instincts with any insects that should venture into the house. They also like to watch birds and other activity from a windowsill. They enjoy the company of their people but retain their independence. Many are lap cats, while some prefer just to be nearby.

Health

As a whole the Traditional American Wirehair is a hardy breed with few major health problems. It requires very little combing. Weather, stress or other various problems can cause a Traditional American Wirehair to drop or shed its coat, ending up looking much like a molting bird. Of concern is the coat makes the skin more sensitive to outside effects. A number of allergies have been found in some cats. To counter this, the skin should be kept thoroughly clean by regular bathing. Proper attention must be paid to the often greasy, oily skin, which some times creates the production of a great deal of dark ear wax that must be cleaned constantly. This factor is found in most of the Rex breeds. A preventative regimen is recommended to prevent the discomfort of a wired hair ball too!