American Curl (Longhair) Cats

A red and white american curl with chestnut eyes

Two young american curl cats looking very cute

A fluffy american curl with distinctive ears

A fluffy american curl cat with its ears curled back

An American Curl Cat with a fantastic coat

History

The American Curl breed was born in California, America in 1981. A random mutation caused one particular stray kitten to have ears that curled backwards. This stray cat was adopted by a couple who named her ‘Shulamith’ and decided they would breed from her. All American Curl cats can be traced back to ‘Shulamith’.

By 1986 the first American Curl was shown, and gained a lot of interest from cat fanciers. Many breeding programmes were set up and the english feline geneticist Roy Robinson helped in the development of the breed. His study on American Curls found that the gene that caused the iconic ear curl was dominant. Further studies on the health of the breed showed that it is a very healthy breed with no genetic defects.

Behaviour

Not only is this breed particularly unique looking, but they also have a fantastic personality. This breed is extremely active and playful, but very loyal. They love to explore up high in every corner of the house and garden. They are extremely fond of their owners and love to be involved in all household activities, often following you around the house. They are fairly quiet cats, but when they want something they will gently chirp or trill to grab your attention. American Curls are suitable for families with children and other pets as their laidback nature means they are fairly adaptable.