American Curl

About the breed

The American Curl is one of the few cat breeds whose entire history can be traced back to a single individual. It all began in the summer of 1981 in Lakewood, California, when Joe and Grace Ruga found two stray kittens on their doorstep with ears that curled back in an unusual way. They kept one, a black longhaired female named Shulamith; the other, Panda, disappeared two weeks later and was never seen again. When Shulamith gave birth to her first litter that December, some kittens inherited the same curled ears - and the Rugas realized this was more than a coincidence.

From spontaneous mutation to recognized breed

CFA judge and Scottish Fold breeder Jean Grimm examined Shulamith and confirmed the trait had not been documented before. The Rugas began a systematic breeding program, and the breed was first shown publicly at a CFA show in Palm Springs on October 23, 1983. The first curl-to-curl breeding took place in January 1984, producing Playit By Ear that March - the first known homozygous American Curl. The breed was registered by CFA in 1986, granted provisional status in 1991, and achieved championship status in 1993, becoming the first breed admitted to CFA's championship class in both shorthair and longhair divisions at once. Genetic study confirmed the trait to be a dominant mutation with no associated cartilage or skeletal deformities, setting it apart from some other ear-mutation breeds in cats.

The curled ears - development and care

American Curl kittens are born with completely straight ears. The curling begins within three to five days of birth, and the ears gradually curl and uncurl until they set permanently at around four months of age. The CFA standard calls for a curl arc of 90 to 180 degrees with firm cartilage from the base to at least one-third of the ear's height. Because of the shape of the ear canal, regular but very gentle cleaning is recommended, using a cotton swab soaked in ear cleaner and working from the outside in, taking care never to pull on the delicate cartilage. The ears should never be forced straight or reshaped - the cartilage is firm, and doing so would only cause the cat pain for no benefit.

Shorthair and longhair varieties

The American Curl is one of the few breeds recognized in two coat lengths at once - shorthair and longhair. The longhair variety has a silky, semi-long coat with minimal undercoat, while the shorthair variety has a short, soft, silky coat. Because both carry very little undercoat, grooming is fairly undemanding for either variety - a weekly brushing is usually enough to keep the coat free of tangles.

Temperament

The American Curl is considered an exceptionally sociable, people-oriented cat. It is gentle, playful, adaptable and curious, yet relatively quiet. It keeps a kitten-like, playful attitude throughout its life and likes to be involved in household activity, following family members from room to room and perching on shoulders. It adapts well to changes in environment and settles in quickly with new people and other household pets.

Health

The American Curl is considered a relatively healthy breed with no known breed-specific genetic diseases. This is likely helped by the breeding strategy used: to keep the gene pool wide, breeders were permitted to outcross to non-pedigreed domestic shorthair and longhair cats until January 2015, when CFA closed the studbook to outside outcrosses, which helped avoid a narrow genetic bottleneck. Because of the shape of the ear canal, this breed is somewhat more prone to ear wax buildup and ear infections, so gentle regular ear checks are part of basic care. Otherwise, the same preventive care recommended for any cat applies - vaccinations, dental hygiene and weight control, since obesity is a common risk factor for joint and metabolic problems in pet cats.

Suitability for families

Thanks to its adaptability, gentleness and attachment to people, the American Curl is often recommended for families with children and households with other pets, as it typically gets along well with both dogs and other cats. Its medium size and moderate activity level also make it comfortable in smaller apartments, provided it has room to climb and play. Because its delicate ears call for somewhat more specific, gentle care than most breeds, and because verified breeders can be relatively hard to find, it is still worth taking the time to learn about the breed before bringing one home - especially for a first-time cat owner.

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