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American Shorthair

Country of Origin: Emigrated from Europe to the United States

Breed Profile

Coat Length: Shorthair

Temperament: Friendly, intelligent, independent, inquisitive

Coat: Short thick dense fur, but not as plush as the British Shorthair

Head: Oval shaped head, large round eyes, well developed muzzle, medium sized ears rounded at the tips and lightly tufted

Body: Larger and more muscular than the British Shorthair, medium to large sized strong athletic body, sturdy well muscled medium length legs, large round paws

Grooming: Regular combing to remove dead hair, wiping the coat with a damp chamois will make it shine

Common Faults: Long or fluffy coat, deep break in nose profile

Disease Predispositions

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy [1]
- heart disease caused by thickening of the heart muscle

Web Links

Breed Standards:
CFA American Shorthair Standard
TICA American Shorthair Standard

References

1. Nelson RW & Couto CG, Small Animal Internal Medicine, St Louis: Mosby, 2003

Page S, The Complete Cat Owners Manual, Australia: Readers Digest, 1997

Taylor D, The Ultimate Cat Book, Great Britain: Dorling Kindersley, 1989

Tilley LP & Smith FWK, The Five Minute Veterinary Consult - Canine and Feline (2nd Edition), Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2000

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