American Shorthair breed guide

Affectionate and tolerant, the American Shorthair appreciates company and gets along with other animals and small children. It is independent enough to amuse itself while owners are at work.

CFA calls it easygoing and relatively sedate.

Hunting games with feathers or wand toys are its favorite and a cat played with at the same time each day will dance in anticipation. It learns to stay off counters, use scratching posts and retrieve toys. It can work out how to open cupboard drawers.

Its greeting is the silent meow: an open mouth with no sound.

It sheds its undercoat in spring and a lighter guard hair shed follows in fall. CFA recommends daily brushing with a wire-toothed slicker brush or a grooming mitt.

Bathing removes excess oil and cuts shedding but is usually unnecessary unless the cat is shown.

CFA lists no breed-specific health problems. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was noted in some cats in the 1980s and 90s but has largely disappeared thanks to preventive testing and selective breeding.

American Shorthairs went west with the pioneers and earned their keep protecting farms and homes from vermin. More than 50 were shown at the first US cat show in 1895.

The breed was among the first five CFA recognized at its 1906 founding. It was shown as the Domestic Shorthair until the name changed in 1965.