Features and care of the American Curl

American Curls are easily distinguished from other breeds by their fluffy and upturned ears. The most distinguishing feature of these cats, which can be short or long, with coats of various colors and patterns, are their ears.

What makes American Curls unique is not only their curved ears, but also their playful nature. These cats, while retaining the playful nature they had when they were puppies, continue to be playful and active throughout their lives. Loving other people and pets, American Curls are ideal cats to keep in the house.

If you are curious about the American Curl and want to know more about it, you can read all about the American Curl in this article.

Features of the American Curl Cat

American Curls are small to medium sized cats. You can find American Curls, which can be either long-haired or short-haired, in a variety of colors and patterns.

The features of the American Curl in general are as follows:

Length: 30-40cm

Weight: females 2.5-3.5 kg; men 3-4.5 kg

Lifespan: 11-15 years and more

Fur length: short or long

Color: can be any color

Friendliness: The breed of cats is not directly related to their character. However, American Curls are generally known for being intelligent, outgoing and playful cats.

You may be interested in: Features of the Scottish Fold cat and care for her

History of the American Curl

Although the American Curl is a popular cat breed, its history does not go back to ancient times. In fact, the first American Curl puppy was born in Southern California, USA, about 40 years ago.

American Curl breeders Joe and Grace Ruga adopted a longhaired black kitten unique to the breed in 1981 and named him Shulamith. A few months later, Shulamith gave birth to kittens with folded ears, like hers. Subsequently, the Ruga couple attempted to protect and spread these characteristics of their cats. Then it became clear that the gene that makes the ears of the American Curl twisted is dominant and the continuity of the breed was ensured.

American Curl puppies are born with straight ears. However, within a few days, severe frizzing develops in his ears. This curl continues to slowly unfold until the puppies are 6 and up to 4 months old.

Personality of the American Curl Cat

American Curls tend to be friendly, affectionate and active cats with a canine affection for their owners. These cats tend to poke people with their paws and follow their loved one around the house from room to room. Smart and friendly, some American Curls can even learn to turn lights and cabinets on and off.

American Curls usually remain playful as kittens all their lives and love to play with toys at home, climb furniture and cat houses and discover new items that appear in the house. These cats, which have strong play aspects, love to cuddle and love themselves when their games are over.

Since American Curls do not like being alone, they should not be left alone for long periods of time. If you want to take care of these attention-loving cats, you need to consider that you will have to spend a certain part of the day playing and petting them.

American Curls, which usually reach maturity at the age of 1-2 years, are not very talkative cats. For this reason, they prefer to make quiet sounds rather than loud meows. These cats with strong social aspects tend to get along well with children and other pets in the house, especially when they are in a home where they can play and have fun.

Caring for the American Curl

How often you should brush your American Curl depends on the length of his coat. If your cat has a short coat, brushing it a few times a week may be enough. However, if it is a long-haired dog, it may be best to brush it 2-3 times a week to prevent knots in its coat. If your cat has long hair, you can choose combs and brushes designed for long haired cats to prevent damage.

American Curls, like many other cats, are prone to ear problems, as are ear mites. So be sure to check your cat’s ears once a week and gently clean them with a damp cloth or cotton if there is dirt. Avoid using ear sticks as they can damage the delicate structure of your cat’s inner ear.

American Curls are smart. These cats need both mental and physical exercise. For this reason, you can try playing cat-specific games with your cat. Since American Curls require several hours of attention every day, if you want to take care of an American Curl cat, you must make sure that you can make time for this in your daily schedule.

American Curl Lifespan and Health Issues

American Curls are generally healthy and do not have a specific genetic disorder that they are predisposed to. However, like all cats, these cats may encounter an illness or other problem in their lives.

It is generally believed that health problems that American Curls may face include:

ear infections

The unique ear structure of the American Curl may make it more susceptible to ear infections. Keeping your cat’s ears clean can help prevent infection.

Ear infections are rare, but you can tell if your cat has an infection by scratching their ears. If the infection is severe, there may be discharge, swelling, and redness in the ear.

Ear infections can usually be treated with medication. As an adjunct to medical therapy, you may need to trim excess ear hair and clean your ears more often.

Diseases of the teeth and gums

More than half of adult cats have problems with their teeth or gums. However, most dental diseases can be prevented and treated.

You can tell if your cat has dental and gum problems when she stops eating. Most dental diseases begin with gingivitis and progress to gum recession.

If you think your cat has dental and gum disease, it is important to consult with your veterinarian and begin the necessary treatment for your cat.

Even though American Curls are known for being affectionate and intelligent, as well as getting along well with other pets and children, you need to make sure you have a schedule that you can devote a few hours to each day so that your cat is healthy both physically and mentally.

It may interest you: common misconceptions about cat allergies and relatively more suitable cat breeds for allergy sufferers.