American Shorthair Cat to Safeguard Valuable Cargo from Mice and Rats

American Shorthair is a domestic cat breed which is thought to be derived from ‘European’ cats transported to ‘North America’ by the initial migrants to safeguard valuable cargo from mice and rats. It was the 7^th very famous pedigreed cat breed in 2012, in the United States.

Description

Though American Shorthair is not a very athletic cat it has a large, strongly assembled body. As per the breed standard of “Cat Fanciers' Association”, it is a real breed of working cat. American Shorthair has a round face along with short ears.

American Shorthairs are very low-maintenance cats because they usually are healthy, tolerant, friendly with owners, and social with the strangers.

Weight and Size

The males are considerably bigger than the females, weighing about 11 pounds to 15 pounds when mature. The mature females are weighing about 6 pounds to 12 pounds when fully grown at 3 to 4 years of age.

Lifespan

With a portion of good food and adequate care, affection, and maintenance, American Shorthairs can live up to 15 years or longer.

American Shorthairs Appearance

American Shorthairs cats have sturdily built, strong, and brawny bodies with muscular shoulders, chests, and rear legs.

Colors and Coat

American Shorthair is documented in more than 80 diverse colors and designs ranging from ‘brown-patched tabby’ to ‘blue-eyed white’. The covered silvers smolder and appearances to the calico van, and several colors in between. Usually, the cats indicating hybridizing come in the colors chocolate, sable, lavender, and lilac; or point-restricted design of Siamese family are ineligible from being shown.

History

When colonizers travel by water from Europe to North America, they took cats onboard called “Ships' cats” to safeguard the stores from mice. Various cats of this breed landed in the ‘New World’, reproduced, and developed distinct features to help them manage their new life and environment. Early in the 20^th century, a selective breeding program was introduced to produce the premium qualities of these cats.

American Shorthair is a pedigreed breed of cat with a strict conformation standard, as established by the breed fanciers and the North American cat fancier associations, for instance, “The International Cat Association” and “Cat Fanciers' Association”. The breed is recognized by all North American cat records offices. 

First recognized as the “Domestic Shorthair”, the breed was retitled in 1966 as "American Shorthair" to better characterize its ‘all-American’ ancestries and to distinguish it from other shorthaired breeds. The title "American Shorthair" also strengthens the fact that this breed is a pedigreed different from casual bred non-pedigreed home short-haired cats in North America, which may look like the American Shorthaired. Both the “American Shorthaired” and “Random-Bred” cats from which the breed is consequent are occasionally called ‘working cats’ as they were used for controlling rodent populaces, on ships and at farms.