by Jennifer Gray

Created on: April 09, 2009

Every American Wirehair cat can be traced back to one cat, Adam, who was born in 1966 on a farm in Vernon, New York, to Bootie and Fluffy who were normal haired. The single kitten in the litter of six, was born with a unique coat. Each hair was bent or hooked giving the kitten a harsh, dense, springy coat. The owner contacted a woman named Mrs. William O'Shea, who breed Rex cats, who knew about different fur types on cats. She was intrigued with the kitten and bought him from the farmer for $50.00. Mrs. Williams breed Adam with a normal furred cat named Hi-Fi. Early on in 1969, a true American Wirehair cat was developed. Before long, the kittens were being exported to Canada and Germany.

Worldwide, the American Wirehair is still a rare breed though the gene is dominant to a normal coat. The Wirehair is known to be a gentle, friendly, intelligent, adaptable, sweet-tempered and affectionate breed, and some say that their Wirehair is very playful, zany and inquisitive. They are known to be the 'punk of the feline world' because of their hair standing on end and they are also known to 'rule its home and other cats with an iron
paw' as though they aren't overly vocal, they can be demanding. They are good with children and with other pets and the Wirehair can be very intuitive to the humans around them. If someone is upset, they are known to sit with them and purr. As a general rule as well, these cats aren't ones to be picked up and cuddled; they prefer to be on the floor.

Aside from their unique coat, the Wirehair cat will sometimes have curled whiskers as well. They are of medium to large in size, weight 8-15lbs, with a strong, muscular body and rounded head and high cheekbones. They can be of almost any colour and their eyes can sometimes be of two different colours but most commonly they are a medium gold colour. The coat of the Wirehair can become greasy and therefore these cats will need to be bathed more often then most breeds but thankfully most of them like the water and their ears require more cleaning as well. Though their coat doesn't need constant grooming, it does require some attention to keep it in good condition. Take care when brushing to make sure the hairs aren't breaking off as their fur is weaker and thinner then most other breeds and they don't tend to shed much.

Sources
"Cat Breeds of the World" Desmond Morris 1999
http://www.catlvr.com/american-wirehair/so-you-w ant-an-american-wirehair/#more-53
http://www.cca-afc. com/en/showcase/desc/am_wirehair.html

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