Fun Facts about the American Shorthair Cat

We often discuss very exotic and exciting breeds around here, but we like to mix it up a bit and throw in a few everyday cat breeds as well. We don’t view any breed as more “special” or “exciting” than others, but we do understand that when you see an American shorthair, you might not automatically think you’re looking at anything other than the typical house cat. It’s true; they’re everywhere. Most people have had one or have one of these cats at home, and they’re so easy to find being given away, up for adoption or in shelters looking for a home. That does not, however, make them any less special or wonderful than other cats.

If you have an American shorthair or you just like cats, you might be interested in learning a few fun facts about these common kitties. These cats don’t often carry big, exciting secrets, but that doesn’t make them boring. In fact, these are some of the most fun cats around. You can, if you’ve ever been around this breed, understand easily why it’s such a popular breed and why people love it so much, and these fun facts will help you understand if you don’t. Read on to find out a few things you might already know, and a few you definitely did not already know about this breed.

It’s Popular

But wait; not just in that it’s everywhere. The American shorthair is frequently named one of the nation’s top 10 cats to have at home, and for good reason. They’re friendly, fun, playful and intelligent, and they make great pets. What’s not to love about all of that? The reason it’s considered such a great family pet is the fact that this breed is very gentle and calm around kids. They’re good on their own, which means they don’t freak out or go nuts when they’re left alone during the day while you’re at work, and they’re very friendly.

They’re Hunters

These cats were not always used as pets. In fact, when the British were coming to America, they often brought the shorthair aboard their boats (what did they call them back then, do you think?) and used them as hunters. They’re fast and agile, and they were very good at capturing and killing rats aboard ships. But what’s even cooler about this fact is that they weren’t just killing rodents, they were saving lives. The rats aboard these ships were often carrying diseases that would spread to people and kill them in masses, and these cats would kill the rats first, stop the spread of disease and enable ships filled with families to get to America in search of a better life.

They’re Diverse

Unlike a cat such as a Sphynx, for instance, which is pretty much just hairless and hairless and hairless all around, the American shorthair comes in more than 80 different colors (not so easy to do when you have no hair, is it?). This means you can have a cat that looks like anything you want. Want an orange one, you got it. Want a black on, it’s yours. They are so diverse and so easy to find that they’ve become one of the most popular breeds in the country. In fact, this is not official or anything, but we bet this cat could be the official cat of the country if there was such thing.

They’re Pedigreed

Yes, it’s true. The regular old house cat is actually a pedigreed cat. Domestic shorthair is the real name of these animals, but those with a pedigree are referred to as an American shorthair, and that makes them just a little bit more special, and cooler, in the eyes of many.

They Love Heights

If you aren’t entirely sure what kind of cat you have at home, check out where your cat likes to hang out. This is a breed that loves to find a place that’s situated up high and out of the way of everything and everyone else in the family. For example, you might have a cat that likes to jump up on your kitchen counters, hop over to the island, pounce happily onto the top of your fridge and then give a little jump to make it up to the top of the cabinets in your kitchen. It’s annoying; that’s what that is. It’s also an American shorthair. And apparently, this is the kind of cat I have at home since he’s spent the past three years ignoring all warnings, sprays of water and every scold he’s been issued to make his way up to the top of the cabinets in the kitchen. We call him our guard cat.

He’s Low Maintenance

If you want a cat that doesn’t really need much from you, this is the cat to get. It’s fine being alone all day while you’re at work. It’s fine being ignored when you’re busy with yard work or the kids. This is a cat that’s going to spend most of the day off on its own before cuddling up with you late at night and first thing in the morning. We often say our cat wishes we weren’t around all day because he only loves us at 5 am and 10 pm when we’re comfortable and content on the couch or drinking our coffee. Our kids, however, he loves endlessly and all day long – even when they love him a bit too much.

It’s One of the First Breeds

The Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) began recognizing cat breeds well over 100 years ago, but did you know that the American shorthair was one of the first five breeds that was officially recognized by the organization? It was 1906 when it was one of the first five breeds to be registered as official breeds by the CFA. It’s remained a very popular and desirable breed ever since. That makes it a pretty cool cat in the opinion of many, and that’s just another reason pet owners love this breed.

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