American Shorthair Breed Information
Learn all about American Shorthair cats, read about the American Shorthair breed information,
find out about the American Shorthair Breed Standard, American Shorthair behavior and more.
"If you are looking for a cat that will be a gentle companion, a playmate for
your children, and a full-fledged member of the family, look no further than the
American Shorthair." This breed is known for its longevity, robust health,
amiability with children and dogs, good looks and quiet disposition.
The American Shorthair is America's own breed, whose ancestors are the cats that
came to North America with the early pioneers from Europe. There are records
that indicate several cats arrived on the "Mayflower." These first cats were
brought along to hunt rats that ate the ship's food supplies and spread diseases
to humans. For centuries, these working cats flourished along with their pioneer
owners and eventually established themselves as the native North American
shorthaired cat. Over the years, these cats were further appreciated for their
beauty and loving natures. One brown tabby American Shorthair, in 1896,
commanded the price of $2500 at the Second Annual Cat Show at Madison Square
Garden. Imagine what that sum of money would be in today's dollars!
With the introduction of foreign breeds to the United States during the early
part of the 20th century, the naturally pure bloodlines of these "native"
shorthairs began to be diluted. Longhairs and Siamese were being allowed to run
free, resulting in kittens with a variety of coat lengths, body types, colors
and temperaments. Those who admired the qualities of the native shorthaired cats
and wished to preserve them acquired the finest examples of the American
Shorthair and began to selectively breed them. These pioneer breeders worked to
perfect the patterns and colors, while retaining the strong conformation,
beautiful face and sweet disposition of the breed.
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