American Shorthair Cat

The American Shorthair cat dates back to at least the 10^th century. Originally, the Romans brought this cat with them to England. Later British settlers brought them along with them to America. They were traditionally known as domestic shorthair but were later defined as American Shorthair to distinguish them from free bred cats.

This cat is one of the best mousers out there which made them very popular both on land and at sea. Humans started keeping them to keep rats and mice populations down, therefore protecting their food. In fact, they are so good at hunting that 1 out of 3 pounces results in a catch. Today, most American Shorthair cats have given up a life of hunting for a life of leisure as house cats.

This is a great breed for new cat owners. As they are very low maintenance, not super needy cats. Of course, America Shorthair cats like to play but they won’t demand your attention like other cats can. They are a friendly, social cat, great with other pets, even smaller ones when introduced at a young age. They are good amongst children and have the right temperament for busy families.

This intelligent and healthy cat breed, is solid, hardy working stock. Their hair doesn’t mat so very little grooming is needed. Since their short dense fur does shed, regular brushing can keep the shedding to a minimum. As with any other house cat, they need to have their nails trimmed regularly and their ears should be wiped too. They can get pretty chunky when free fed so it is better to measure out their meals to keep them at a healthy weight.

The American Shorthair cats have short pointy ears, a round head and a muscular body. They come in about 80 different color combinations and they can be one solid color, tabby, calico (almost always female) or tortoiseshell. They are a medium sized cat between 7 and 12 lbs. Their life expectancy is 15 to 20 years.