American Curl


     American Curl was discovered in the USA in 1981. This breed is identified by the shape of its ears, which are curled back on themselves, exposing hairy ear-tufts. The American Curl’s ears curl back, while the Scottish Fold’s ears fold forward.
There are both long-haired and short-haired forms of this breed.
Humans  believe that American Curls are mischievous, curious, placid, playful, even-tempered, amusing, lively, whimsical, adaptable, friendly, sturdy, affectionate, intelligent and thieving. They are said to ‘think like kittens all their lives’.
Colour Forms: Basically all colours are OK if the ears are sufficiently curled. To make it easier to read the colour forms have been broken up into categories.
Solid: White, Black, Blue, Red, Cream, Chocolate, Lilac.
Shaded, Silver and Golden: Chinchilla Silver, Shaded Silver, Chinchilla Golden, Shaded Golden, Shell Cameo, Shaded Cameo, Shell Tortie, Shaded Tortie.
Smoke: Black Smoke, Blue Smoke, Cameo Smoke, Chocolate Smoke, Lavender Smoke, Cream Smoke, Smoke Tortie, Chocolate Tortie Smoke, Blue-Cream Smoke.
Tabby: Brown Patched Tabby, Blue Patched Tabby, Silver Patched Tabby, Silver Tabby, Red Tabby, Brown Tabby, Blue Tabby, Cream Tabby, Blue and Cream Silver Tabbies, Chocolate Silver Tabby, Lavender Silver Tabby, Cameo Tabby.
Parti-Colour: Tortie, Blue-Cream.
Bicolour: Bicolor, Van Bicolor, Calico, Dilute Calico, Van Calico, Van Dilute Calico.
Tabby and White: Seal Point, Chocolate Point, Blue Point, Lilac-Lynx Point, Lilac-Cream Point, Lilac-Cream Lynx Point, Flame (Red, I mean which would you choose "flame point" or "red point") Point, Cream Point, Cream Lynx Point, Tortie Point, Chocolate-Tortie Point, Chocolate-Tortie Lynx Point,
Blue Cream Point, Chocolate Lynx Point (Ow! My paws hurt with all this typing!), Seal Lynx Point, Blue Lynx Point, Tortie-Lynx Point, Blue-Cream Lynx Point.

All American Curls are related to Shulamith, a black, female, curly-eared, supporting staffless kitten who let himself be discovered at the door of Grace and Joe Ruga in Lakewood, California. Later Shulamith gave birth to four kittens, two of whom had curled ears. The Rugas were persuaded to enter the kittens in a cat show and that's how breeders came to know about them.
The standard of the American Curl about fits the standard of the American Shorthair, except of course for the curly ears. An American Curl can be bred with any other cat, at least half of the resulting litter will be curly-eared.
Curl kittens are born with normal ears but they start bending at one week and end at four months. The ideal Curl's ears are bent far back, 90 degrees or more but not all Curls have such ears. "Show-grade" parents don't always produce "Show-grade" litters and a Curl whose ears are barely bent back may create circle-eared kittens.

Breed Clubs:
American Curl Cat Club (ACCC) - address: 100 Westmont Road, Syracuse, NY 13219, USA.
United Society of American Curls - address: 11691 Kagel Canyon, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342-7422, USA.
For further reading:
American Curl Cat by Stuart A.Kallen

  Back Home
 Back