American Wirehair Cat Breed

The American Wirehair, is a spontaneous mutation of the American Shorthair. The only difference is the stiff, wiry coat - every hair is crimped and springy, including the whiskers. The rounded head has high cheekbones and medium-sized, round-tipped ears, while the widely-spaced eyes are large and round.

The American Wirehair is a strong, muscular cat that likes active play as well as affection and quiet time and gets along with children and other pets.

The American Wirehair was developed from a farm red and white cat named Adam discovered in 1966 in upstate New York. The male kitten from nonpedigreed parents was the only one of six kittens with dense, wiry fur. Experienced breeders selectively bred from those kittens to consolidate the genetic characteristics of the coat. The curly coat occurs in various colors. All hairs on an American Wirehair is usually crimped, including even the hair inside the ears and whiskers.

The American Wirehair cat was officially recognized in 1977 and can be found all around the world, but is most popular in the USA.

American Wirehair Breed Outline