American Wirehair
The American Wirehair is a breed of domestic cat that
originated in upstate New York. As of 2003, though the breed is
well known, they are ranked as the most rare of the 41 CFA
breeds, with only 22 registered, down from 39 in 2002.
History
The first wirehair cat appeared as a random cat mutation among
a litter of six born to two barn cats. This single red and
white male had odd wiry fur. The owner of the cats called a
local breeder of Rex cats, Mrs. William O'Shea, to take a look
at the kitten. She bought the kitten for $50, along with one of
his normal coated female littermates, to start a breeding
program. The wirehaired male was named Council Rock Farm Adam
of Hi-Fi, and the female Tip-Toe of Hi-Fi.
Breeding between the two produced wirehaired kittens, many of
which were sold off to other interested breeders. As the
population grew, cats were exported to Canada and Germany. The
breed did well, and in 1978 they were accepted for Championship
competition.
Genetics
The unique wirehair coat is genetically dominant over a normal
coat, unlike the gene that creates rex fur. The fur is springy,
dense and coarse, and even their whiskers are often curled.
Many find it pleasant to the touch. It is unusual in that this
coat has not appeared among other cats (most mutations occur in
various places), and all wirehairs can trace their ancestry
back to Adam. Apart from the wiry coat, they are strong,
muscular cats, built similarly to American Shorthairs. They
come in a variety of colors.
They are said to be adaptable cats resistant to disease.
Temperament
They are described to be intelligent, affectionate, calm,
reserved, wild, playful, and inquisitive cats.
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