A purebred cat with ear flaps that curl backwards due to a genetic mutation that occured naturally in a random bred cat and from which the breed commenced and was developed.
Popularity: mid-range in popularity – 36th out of 66 breeds on PoC poll.
Place of origin: USA
Date of origin: 1981
Ancestry: American stray, household cat.
Weight: 3-5 kilograms or 7-11 pounds (lbs).
Temperament: Likes to be with human companion, intelligent and even tempered. Not that talkative. Adaptable.
Body type: Semi-foreign (moderate body conformation).
Registration: With TICA, CFA, AACE and AFCA (mainstream USA cat associations).
Colors and types: Any color that TICA recognises as acceptable. All colors, divisions and categoiries.
Outcrosses that are acceptable: Domestic longhair and shorthair that are not members of recognised TICA breed.
Ears: The American Curl is born with straight ears. At 2-10 weeks of age the ears begin to curl. This transitional phase lasts until about 16 weeks of age until complete. The ears curl to varying degrees, which are scaled by the associations. First degree is a slight curl and these cats will be classified as “pet quality”. Cats with maximum curl (3rd degree) are show cat quality provided other elements are correct. The ears curl 90-180 degrees while not touching the head. The gene that causes this is dominant. Update: please see Connie’s comment below. She disagrees with this section.
Coat: The shorthaired coat is easy to maintain as there is not much undercoat. The cat may also be longhaired under breed standard.
American Curl facts.
Your comment on ears starting to curl at 2 weeks is incorrect. The ears become bright pink and swell like a bee has stung them, then by the next day already curling back. The ears fold themselves back and tight against the head, although that degree varies as well. by 2 weeks ears are already folded back and some are already unfolding again. Connie from Whsprnwhskrs American Curl 5/7/14
Thanks Connie. Thanks for visiting and sharing your knowledge. I’ll update the page right away.