"The American Curl is different from any other breed, with it's innocent look and sophisticated curled-back ears..."
There are any number of great sites that describe this incredible little creature... one of our favorites is the CFA website. American Curl cats are more than just a cute cat with curled ears. There is a distinct personality that Curl owners fall in love with.
"The Perpetual Kitten", "The Peter Pan of Cats", or the "Dog in Cat Fur" are just a few of the unique phrases used to describe this breed. The first 2 phrases refer to their trait to stay playful and kitten-like throughout their adult years. The last phrase of being "a dog in cat fur" is one of the most accurate and true to life descriptions for the American Curl. If you're really "a dog person and don't much care for cats".... that's because you haven't been owned by your first American Curl yet. (and yes, I did say "OWNED BY" because like it or not... plan on it or not... your American Curl will end of owning you and your entire family... maybe even your friends, without you even realizing it. We hear this ALL THE TIME, so be forewarned!)
Just to illustrate this... we had an 18 year old half-curl who would challenged the younger cats in playing with the household cat toys. If you read our About Us page, this is the kitty from one of the cats we were asked to 'cat sit' for. Jetster (we named her because she seemed to "fly" everywhere rather than run.) was always more of an outdoor cat that an indoor cat. She was born when we lived in the country on 10 acres and before we started breeding pedigreed cats. Jet got claustrophobic when she was kept indoors too long. She decided to become friends with the neighbors. They loved her! so we decided it was only fair to share her with them. She was happy and they were happy... so we were happy with our "shared arrangement" too. You would never know that, in cat-terms, she was a geriatric, yet she would play as a kitten. They knew she was an older cat. They couldn't believe how old she was when we told them.
A dominant characteristic of this breed is their attachment to their people. It is unusual to find a Curl who doesn't want to be near, or on top of, their people much of the time. Our cats will lay next to us when we watch TV, curled next to us and almost ALWAYS with a paw draped over an arm or a leg. It's not enough to just lay next to their people - they want to have that personal attachment.
"The Perpetual Kitten", "The Peter Pan of Cats", or the "Dog in Cat Fur" are just a few of the unique phrases used to describe this breed. The first 2 phrases refer to their trait to stay playful and kitten-like throughout their adult years. The last phrase of being "a dog in cat fur" is one of the most accurate and true to life descriptions for the American Curl. If you're really "a dog person and don't much care for cats".... that's because you haven't been owned by your first American Curl yet. (and yes, I did say "OWNED BY" because like it or not... plan on it or not... your American Curl will end of owning you and your entire family... maybe even your friends, without you even realizing it. We hear this ALL THE TIME, so be forewarned!)
Just to illustrate this... we had an 18 year old half-curl who would challenged the younger cats in playing with the household cat toys. If you read our About Us page, this is the kitty from one of the cats we were asked to 'cat sit' for. Jetster (we named her because she seemed to "fly" everywhere rather than run.) was always more of an outdoor cat that an indoor cat. She was born when we lived in the country on 10 acres and before we started breeding pedigreed cats. Jet got claustrophobic when she was kept indoors too long. She decided to become friends with the neighbors. They loved her! so we decided it was only fair to share her with them. She was happy and they were happy... so we were happy with our "shared arrangement" too. You would never know that, in cat-terms, she was a geriatric, yet she would play as a kitten. They knew she was an older cat. They couldn't believe how old she was when we told them.
A dominant characteristic of this breed is their attachment to their people. It is unusual to find a Curl who doesn't want to be near, or on top of, their people much of the time. Our cats will lay next to us when we watch TV, curled next to us and almost ALWAYS with a paw draped over an arm or a leg. It's not enough to just lay next to their people - they want to have that personal attachment.
Their Origin
This breed is from a natural spontaneous mutation from the domestic cat population. The story of the first American Curl is on almost every website about the breed so I'm not going to go into great depth on it. But the short version is that a female showed up on the doorstep of Joe and Grace Ruge in 1981 when they lived in Lakewood, California. This female's ears were not straight, like other cats' ears, but were slightly curled back. They named this girl Shulamith. When they bred her to another domestic cat, some of the kittens also had curled ears. Grace and Joe Ruga worked consulted with geneticists who told them that the cats had a dominate gene that produced the curled ears and the best and healtiest way to preserve this new find. Shulamith was a long haired, black, medium sized female. She was carefully nurtured and bred with several specific goals in mind. One, obviously was retaining her uniquely curled ears. The American Curl was first exhibited in 1983 and given championship recognition in 1987 by The International Cat Association (TICA). The American Curl was accepted to CFA in 1991.
The American Curl took the cat fancier world by storm...
Cat breeders had never seen anything like this cat before. Even now we still get comments at shows, "I have never seen a cat like this before." Many veterinarians have not ever seen the curl as well.
American Curls will typically have litters from 3-5 kittens. If two cats with curled ears are bred together, typically most, if not all the kittens will have curled ears. However, when an American Curl is bred to a cat with straight ears, some of the kittens may have curled ears and some will have straight ears.
When American Curl kittens are about 36-72 hours old, their ears curl up into a tight "rosebud". At about six weeks, the kittens enter into a transitional stage and the ear gradually uncurls. By the age of 4 months, you should have a pretty good idea of what kind of curl this kitten will have as an adult, but the ears can continue to change for as much as 2 more months. The term used by breeders is that the ears will be "set"... meaning, they aren't expected to change much, if at all as the cat continues to mature. For a show cat, the shape and placement of the ear accounts for 30% of the overall points on the cat in the show hall.
American Curls will typically have litters from 3-5 kittens. If two cats with curled ears are bred together, typically most, if not all the kittens will have curled ears. However, when an American Curl is bred to a cat with straight ears, some of the kittens may have curled ears and some will have straight ears.
When American Curl kittens are about 36-72 hours old, their ears curl up into a tight "rosebud". At about six weeks, the kittens enter into a transitional stage and the ear gradually uncurls. By the age of 4 months, you should have a pretty good idea of what kind of curl this kitten will have as an adult, but the ears can continue to change for as much as 2 more months. The term used by breeders is that the ears will be "set"... meaning, they aren't expected to change much, if at all as the cat continues to mature. For a show cat, the shape and placement of the ear accounts for 30% of the overall points on the cat in the show hall.
Curl Character
Most people are attracted to this unique breed because of their looks. We love to go to cat shows and educate visitors about the breed. But it's their great personalities and character that turns owners into fans.
At cat shows, I describe Curls "as the ultimate pet". When the originators of the breed finally determined that the "looks" could be reproduced with confidence, they then decided to look for personalities and character that would make this breed the most popular cat you could find.
When Curls are talking to their humans, they "coo". They have a unique and sweet little "coo" rather than a meow. Many of our 'kids' talk and will carry on a little conversation with us from time to time. Curls like to be talked to. And frequently, they will talk back. American Curls are very social little creatures!
We have all LONG HAIR cats, but my house is not covered with cat hair like you would expect. The American Curl has a long, sleek, silky coat with very little undercoat and full or fluffy tail.
The American Curl is also known to be ""dog-like" in personality, and they are also known as the "Peter Pan" of cats. They retain their kitten-like playfulness into adulthood and seem to really never grow up (in attitude.)
They make loving family pets and they are always interested in what you are doing. If you are on the computer, they often want to participate, or watch TV with you. My cats pace back and forth outside the shower when I'm in the shower. When I'm putting on my makeup, I will usually have at least 1, if not more, pacing around me for my attention. They love their people and if you introduce them to your friends at a young age, they will love your friends too. I tell all my new Curl families to have their friends, and their kids' friends handle the kittens a lot while they are little. Don't protect them from loud music or your loud kids... get them used to this while they are little. Curls love to play with toys, especially those with bells and feathers... but their absolute favorite is the laser light. The Curl is very attached to the entire family. They will miss you when you are gone for awhile and welcome you home when you return... just like a dog. After all, they consider themselves family.
At cat shows, I describe Curls "as the ultimate pet". When the originators of the breed finally determined that the "looks" could be reproduced with confidence, they then decided to look for personalities and character that would make this breed the most popular cat you could find.
When Curls are talking to their humans, they "coo". They have a unique and sweet little "coo" rather than a meow. Many of our 'kids' talk and will carry on a little conversation with us from time to time. Curls like to be talked to. And frequently, they will talk back. American Curls are very social little creatures!
We have all LONG HAIR cats, but my house is not covered with cat hair like you would expect. The American Curl has a long, sleek, silky coat with very little undercoat and full or fluffy tail.
The American Curl is also known to be ""dog-like" in personality, and they are also known as the "Peter Pan" of cats. They retain their kitten-like playfulness into adulthood and seem to really never grow up (in attitude.)
They make loving family pets and they are always interested in what you are doing. If you are on the computer, they often want to participate, or watch TV with you. My cats pace back and forth outside the shower when I'm in the shower. When I'm putting on my makeup, I will usually have at least 1, if not more, pacing around me for my attention. They love their people and if you introduce them to your friends at a young age, they will love your friends too. I tell all my new Curl families to have their friends, and their kids' friends handle the kittens a lot while they are little. Don't protect them from loud music or your loud kids... get them used to this while they are little. Curls love to play with toys, especially those with bells and feathers... but their absolute favorite is the laser light. The Curl is very attached to the entire family. They will miss you when you are gone for awhile and welcome you home when you return... just like a dog. After all, they consider themselves family.
|
|
Unlike many newer minority breeds, the American Curl is a natural spontaneous mutation. Because the American Curl is not a "designer cat", i.e., a breed that was genetically engineered by man, they don't have the genetic problems you will see in breeds where the breeders decided it would be cute to cross two established breeds without much genetic consideration of possible outcomes. They have no known genetic defects as many of these newer "man-made" breeds do because of the domestic outcross bloodlines.
These are photos we took of Curl Essence Hope during the Superbowl a couple years ago. She was fascinated with the polar bears in the Coke commercial and the motion on the screen. In one photo, she's pawing at the referee on the screen... we thought he made a bad call... she must have thought so too.
We get a kick out of watching the cats watch TV. They particularly like animal shows. |
Curl Smarts |
American Curls are a VERY intelligent breed. You see that demonstrated in their active minds when they are playing or watching out the window. My cats will sit for hours and watch the activity out the windows. We have window perches or condos in front of a number of our windows for the cats to entertain themselves.
|
One of the reasons that American Curls stay as playful as they do is because they have such active minds. Those 'smarts' also make them trainable.Their intelligence combined with their desire for your affection and approval makes these little guys trainable. A sharp "No!" or clap of the hands with 'no!" and they will quickly learn what is acceptable and what isn't acceptable in your home. And, yes, you will have to teach them some of your family rules... just like your kids. However, a word to the wise... your Curl's sensitivity can work two ways. Yes, you can teach them what not to do, but you may find they can get their feelings hurt too. For instance, when I scold Storm for misbehaving, I may have to go find him a few minutes later and pick him up and love on him so he knows I'm not still mad at him. He actually sulks sometimes. My love and approval is everything to him.
The unique, cuteness of the American Curl may be what first got your attention, but their indescribably unique personalities is what will make you a fan.
This isn't just our opinion. It's a proven fact from the comments and testimonials of people over the years who have had an American Curl in their homes. Because of the extra time and attention we are able to give our kittens, we are convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have the very best American Curl kittens. Mike and I are both retired. Over the years, we have discovered a process for training our kittens so that when they go to their new homes, they will be everything we say they will be. I talk about it a little on our Kittens for Sale page but I'm more than happy to talk with you in person about everything we do and the individual personalities of our kittens if you want to call or email me. Curls are by nature a sweet, affectionate breed but we have the testimonials to support our claims for having exceptional kittens. The time and attention we give them makes all the difference in the world. The babies need that personal interaction that we give them from birth to when they leave our home and go to yours that ingrains that love for their humans that our kittens have. It's important.
Considering adding an American Curl to your family? I found this website about American Curls. You might find it interesting. I thought it was as accurate as any of the websites about our breed. http://www.metaphoricalplatypus.com/articles/animals/cats/cat-breeds/american-curl-cat-breed-profile. (This is not a link to the page. You will have to copy/paste the URL into your web browser.)
Contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at 951 743 8230
Curl Essence... An American Curl Breeder of excellence since 2004
Curl Essence... An American Curl Breeder of excellence since 2004