American Curl

What sets the American Curl apart is easy to spot: its ears curl backward, away from the face and toward the middle of the back of the skull. This is a medium-sized domestic cat, and its kittens actually start out with straight ears. The curl only takes shape during the first few days up to the first few weeks of life. The breed came from the United States, and it stays devoted to its people for as long as it lives.

Most adults weigh somewhere between 5 and 10 pounds. You will find the breed in two coat types, longhair and shorthair, and either way the coat lies flat and has little undercoat, so grooming does not ask for much. The personality is the other thing people remember. American Curls are affectionate, playful, and easygoing, and instead of keeping to themselves they would rather trail their owners from one room to the next.

Because the curl comes from a single dominant gene, a cat only needs one curled-ear parent to inherit it. Breeders grade how far the ear curls, so a pet-quality cat might show a softer arc than a show cat would. The ear cartilage is firm, but you still have to handle it gently so it does not get hurt.

Who it suits

This breed fits a household that wants an interactive cat and can spend time with it every day. It gets on well with children and other animals, and it settles into a condo unit or a house just as easily. If you travel often or you are out for long hours, plan for company or enrichment first, since this breed really dislikes being left alone for a long time.

It all started with a stray. Back in June 1981, a black longhaired kitten with strange, curled-back ears wandered into the home of Joe and Grace Ruga in Lakewood, California. They named her Shulamith, and she is the foundation cat behind every American Curl alive today.

Some time later Shulamith had a litter, and two of those kittens had the very same curled ears. That told everyone the trait was passed down. Geneticists who looked into the line found that the curl comes from a single autosomal dominant gene, so just one copy is enough to create the ear shape.

All through the 1980s, cat fanciers and breeders worked at putting together a breed standard. The American Curl was accepted for registration, then it climbed through the show classes of the major North American cat registries and reached championship status before the decade ended. Both the longhair and the shorthair varieties were developed along the way.

While the breed was being built up, breeders were allowed to outcross to non-pedigree domestic cats, and this kept the gene pool wide and supported overall hardiness. Compared with older, well-established cats the American Curl is still on the rare side, but these days it is bred in several countries.

Apart from the ears, the American Curl keeps a moderate, balanced build with nothing extreme about it. The body is medium in both length and size, the head shapes into a modified wedge, and the eyes are walnut-shaped. The ear is what gives the breed away: it sits wide and high and sweeps backward in a smooth arc. On a correct ear the base stays firm, and the tip points toward the center of the back of the head.

Coat and colors

Both coat lengths feel silky and sit close to the body, since there is so little undercoat underneath. The longhair variety carries a plumed tail and a soft ruff, while the shorthair comes across as sleeker overall. Registries accept the full range of colors and patterns, solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, bicolor, and pointed among them. The degree of ear curl is graded from a slight arc up to a tighter crescent, and a show cat is expected to have a pronounced but smooth curl that does not crease the cartilage.

The American Curl is an affectionate cat that lives for human company. It looks for its people, often meets them right at the door, and stays close to the family rather than going off on its own. Plenty of them hold on to a playful, kitten-like curiosity even in their senior years, which is why the breed has picked up the nickname of a cat that never really grows up.

Around children the breed is patient and forgiving, as long as it is handled gently and its ears are left alone. It usually gets along with other cats and with cat-friendly dogs, most of all when the introductions are done little by little. With strangers the American Curl leans sociable rather than shy, though of course it depends on the cat.

This is not a noisy breed. American Curls talk through soft trills and chirps much more than through demanding meows. They are smart and they love interactive play, puzzle feeders, and picking up small tricks. Since they attach so strongly to people, they do best with company and can turn unhappy when they are left alone for long stretches.

Caring for the American Curl is pretty simple. The flat-lying coat has little undercoat, so it resists matting and grooming stays light for both coat lengths. The one thing to watch closely is the ears, which hold firm cartilage that can get hurt if it is bent or twisted.

Grooming

• Brush the shorthair once a week and the longhair two to three times a week to take out loose hair.
• Clean the ears gently with a vet-approved solution and check for wax or debris; never force or bend the cartilage.
• Trim the nails every two to three weeks.
• Brush the teeth several times a week to hold back dental disease.
• Bathe only once in a while, when the coat gets dirty.

Exercise

• Set aside 20 to 30 minutes of interactive play each day with wand toys or chase toys.
• Put out climbing trees and perches so the breed can burn off its energy.
• Rotate puzzle feeders and small toys to keep the cat interested.
• Line up attention and play around the hours the cat would otherwise be alone.

Environment

The American Curl settles into a condo or a house without any trouble. It is a companion meant for indoor living that wants to be part of whatever the household is doing. Give it vertical space, a quiet corner to rest, and human or animal company during the day. Keeping a second pet can help a lot when the owners are out for long periods.

Cats are obligate carnivores, so the American Curl needs a complete and balanced diet built around animal protein. Go for a food that meets a recognized nutritional standard for the cat's life stage. Keep fresh water available at all times, and remember that wet food helps with hydration. Portion control really matters, because a medium cat that eats too much can slide toward obesity.

Treats and supplements

Treats should make up no more than around 10 percent of daily calories. A cat already on a complete commercial diet hardly ever needs supplements; add them only when a vet advises it. Check body condition every few weeks and change the portions if the cat gains or loses weight.

People regard the American Curl as a generally healthy and hardy breed, and the outcrossing to domestic cats during its development helped by keeping the gene pool wide. With good care the usual lifespan runs 12 to 16 years. There is no widely documented genetic disease unique to the breed, but the ear shape and the ordinary feline health needs both deserve attention.

Preventive care

• Set an annual veterinary exam, and twice a year for senior cats.
• Keep core vaccinations and parasite prevention up to date.
• Clean and check the ears on a regular schedule.
• Keep up dental care at home and have the teeth looked at during exams.
• Track weight and body condition so you catch gradual changes.

The American Curl is smart and always ready to interact, so it responds well to training that runs on rewards. The breed's attachment to people works to the owner's advantage, because attention motivates the cat just as much as food does. Many learn to come when called, to fetch, to walk on a harness, or to do simple tricks. Keep each session short and stop on a win.

Basics

1. Set up litter habits early with a clean, easy-to-reach box kept in the same place.
2. Point scratching toward posts and pads, and reward the cat for using them.
3. Teach name recognition and recall by pairing the name with a treat.
4. Introduce the harness and leash little by little if outdoor walks are the goal.
5. Add tricks such as sit or high-five once the cat responds reliably to rewards.

Cats reach sexual maturity at around 5 to 10 months, though responsible breeders hold off until a cat is physically mature before breeding it. A single autosomal dominant gene governs the curled-ear trait, so a kitten only needs one curled-ear parent to inherit curled ears. Breeders often match a curled cat with a straight-eared cat or with another Curl, and a single litter can hold both curled and straight-eared kittens.

Gestation runs about 63 to 65 days. Every kitten is born with straight ears. Within the first several days the ears start to curl, and they tighten over the weeks that follow before settling into their adult set by around four months. Breeders grade the final curl to separate show prospects from pet-quality kittens.

Queens raise their litters with normal maternal care. Kittens nurse for several weeks, start weaning at around four weeks, and are usually ready for new homes at 12 weeks or older, after early socialization and first vaccinations. Outcrossing to domestic cats has been allowed over the years to keep genetic diversity wide.

American Curl registration and microchip registration in the Philippines

An American Curl does not carry an ID; her record carries it for her. Set it up free: her name, her markings, a photo, and your mobile number, saved with United Pet Club for life. Register your cat now, while she is asleep on the sofa rather than out the window.

Fifteen digits under her skin mean nothing until a registry says whose American Curl she is. Say it free with United Pet Club: every chip brand accepted, every update free, the record live day and night, here and abroad. Microchip registration plus a free account, and she is covered.