Breed of the Month - American Wirehair

History
The year is 1966. Our story finds itself in a drafty barn, on a farm in Upstate New York. One morning, as a farmer opens the barn door to begin work for the day, he happens upon a litter of kittens that have been born overnight to the resident farm cat.

Each kitten’s hair appears to be standing on end, and at first, assuming the kittens must be scared out of their wits at the intrusion the famer decides to leave them to their mother’s care for a while until they are more comfortable.

When he returns a while later, the farmer discovers that each kitten’s hair is still in the same, upright position, and realises that it isn’t fright that’s got the babies’ hair on end, but a distinctive type of coat that won’t seem to lie flat!

After calling his next door neighbour to come and see for herself, the farmer brings the neighbour, Joan O’Shea, into the barn. O’Shea, who, according to the Cat Fancier’s Association website was ‘the local ‘‘cat-lady’’’, decided that this unusual coat was worth trying to replicate, and thus the American Wirehair breed began.

A spontaneous mutation (like the one that started this breed) is quite uncommon, and the breed itself has remained a rare breed since its first litter, described as the rarest breed of the 41 breeds in the Cat Fancier’s Association.

Appearance
A medium to larger-sized cat, the American Wirehairs are hardy, resilient creatures with well-muscled bodies and a strong resistance to disease. Of course their most distinguishing feature is their ‘wire’ hair, which in fact derives its name from the fact that each individual hair in the coat is crimped, curled or bent in a different direction, making the coat stand stiffly on end as if made of wire. The coat is course and springy, and comes in a range of different colours.

Temperament
Pet-owners have long delighted in the loving, loyal and affectionate nature of American Wirehairs. Craving human attention, the Wirehair is a very sociable cat and will spend much of its time looking for cuddles. There is no inherited genetic defect found in Wirehairs, and they are an incredibly rewarding as a household pet.

Grooming
In regards to grooming, many people are surprised to discover that their wiry coat does need brushing, and that due to the oiliness of their fur a bath is occasionally necessary. The easy-going nature of the Wirehair makes this an easier task than it may appear though! Another thing to watch out for is waxy build-up in the ears.

Images sourced from Animal Pictures Archive and Arjuna Zbycho