American Shorthair

Personality and Temperament

Friendly, personable, and easy to care for, the American Shorthair cat shares many things in common with the Domestic Shorthair. The main difference is that American Shorthair cats always share common characteristics with one another, while Domestic Shorthair cats display various traits from the breeds in their backgrounds.

This can cause some confusion as the American Shorthair was originally named the Domestic Shorthair. The truth is, American Shorthair cats are a breed of their own!

Care

American Shorthair cats have no special nutritional needs in comparison to most other domestic cats. We recommend feeding your American Shorthair cat a healthy, balanced diet of high-quality cat food.

History

When European colonizers first came to America, they arrived in ships—and they brought cats with them! These hardy mousers were the predecessors to the breed we know and love today as the American Shorthair cat.

As time passed, other cat breeds made their way to America, and the American Shorthair began to stand out as a distinct breed with different characteristics that set it apart from the rest.

The original bloodline was strengthened by an infusion of British Shorthair DNA. Still, American Shorthair cats have rounder, softer body shapes then their cousins from across the pond. You probably won't be surprised to learn that American Shorthairs starred in the first cat show ever held in the United States, in 1895.

Cat fanciers recorded the first-ever breeding between two American Shorthair cats in 1904. Since then, this breed has remained one of the most popular in the United States.

The Breed Standard

Body

The American Shorthair exudes power, confidence, and grace. Their bodies are muscular and compact, with a rounded shape that's as cuddly as it is cute.

Head

It's easy to distinguish an American Shorthair from a domestic shorthair by looking at the head shape. These cats have distinctly rounded heads with prominent cheeks and fleshy whisker pads. Many American Shorthairs have prominent jowls; this feature is particularly noticeable in intact males.

Ears

An American Shorthair cat has medium-sized ears with rounded tips, set wide apart on the head and not overly large at the base.

Coat

This breed has a short but lustrous coat with ample body and an even texture. The coat should appear soft and healthy.

Color

American Shorthair cats come in every color and pattern except for pointed as in Asian breeds such as the Siamese. Tabby, tortoiseshell, smoke, blue, white, and black colors and patterns are all acceptable. In all, the breed standard allows more than 80 acceptable American Shorthair colors and patterns.

Eyes

The American Shorthair has large, rounded eyes with half-almond shaped upper lids and distinctly rounded lower lids. There should be at least one eye width between the eyes, and the upper corners should be set slightly higher than the lower corners. American Shorthair eye colors vary between gold and green. Blue eyes are also acceptable, as are two different colored eyes.

Legs & Paws

The American Shorthair cat has strong, stocky legs that may appear somewhat short and less elegant than the legs of many other cats breeds. This breed's paws are strong, round, and somewhat wide. Paw pad color typically corresponds to nose leather color, with many different variations depending on the cat's color and pattern.

Tail

American Shorthair cats have long, proportional tails that are a little wider at the base with a slight taper toward the end. The tail is often carried level or at a slightly upward angle to the body.