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The American
Shorthair is recognized in more than eighty different colors
and patterns ranging from the striking brown patched tabby to
the glistening blue-eyed white, the beautiful shaded silvers,
smokes and cameos to the flashy calico van, and many colors in
between. The most well-known American Shorthair color today is
the silver tabby, with dense black markings set on a sterling
silver background. You probably have seen an example of this
striking variety in television and magazine advertising or in
recent movie roles. It's no wonder that the American Shorthair
consistently ranks as one of the ten most popular breeds of
cat -- truly a star in the feline world. |
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About
American Shorthair Cats
 American Shorthair cats accompanied some of America’s
first settlers on ships such as the historic Mayflower! Today, our brave
group of four– pawed pilgrims is a true representative of the spirit of
the American pioneers! It is a strong breed and has been developed to be
such. The American Shorthair cat settled North America right along with
our pioneers. They were excellent rodent controllers on ships and land.
They were allowed to breed freely among themselves. The resulting
kittens grew up to be strong, healthy cats who easily adapted to
extremes of weather and knew how to survive in the wilderness.
In the early 1900’s a group of breeders began selectively breeding them
in a program so that they could preserve their natural beauty, mild
temperament, and hardiness. It took a long time for the American
Shorthair to be accepted in the show ring. For many years these
magnificent cats were treated like strays by the cat fancy.
The first American Shorthair to be registered in this country was an
orange tabby male named Belle. Belle was, ironically, imported into this
country from England in the early 1900’s. It wasn’t until 1904 that the
first American-born American Shorthair named Buster Brown was registered
under the breed name of Shorthair. Later in history, the breed was
renamed Domestic Shorthair, and in 1965 the breeders voted to change the
name again to the American Shorthair.
Also, in 1965 CFA named a silver tabby male (Shawnee Trademark) Best
Cat, and the breed finally began to receive some respect in the cat
fancy! Today, American Shorthairs are accepted by all major cat
associations such as CFA and TICA and earn their due share of admiration
and rosettes!
People often describe the American Shorthair as a “happy medium” because
it is indeed that! These cats are medium in size, build, type, and
temperament. They are not too big or small, not too cuddly or aloof-justa
happy medium! American Shorthairs are known for having a quite voice and
personalities that blend and adapt. They are friendly, easily trained,
and adapt well to families that have children and other animals. They
are a very healthy and strong cat. They can, if properly cared for, live
to ripe old ages of 15 to 20 years. None beats an American Shorthair as
a truly American cat!
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