American Curl

The American Curl is most noted for its unusual ears. The ears curl back from the face in a smooth arc toward the center of the back of the skull; they are otherwise perfectly normal cats. The breed is the result of a spontaneous mutation which occurred in a cat in California in 1981. The first cat, a black female domestic cat, was found and taken in by the Ruga family who named her Shulamith. All American Curls descend from her, the foundation female. In 1983, the first American Curl was exhibited at a cat show, and in 1987, the longhair American Curl was given championship status by The International Cat Association (TICA).

In 1993, the American Curl set a precedent in the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) by being the first breed to be admitted to the Championship Class as one breed with two coat lengths. The American Curl is a medium size cat with no health handicaps associated with the curled ears. They are strong, healthy cats remarkably free of genetic defects that affect many purebred cats. The American Curl may have either curled ears or straight ears.

The American Curl may have three degrees of curl - first degree, second degree, or third degree. The third degree is the preferred one. The straight ear American Curl has all of the loving personality of the curled ear American Curl but may not be shown. The American Curl comes in two coat lengths - either long haired or short haired. The American Curl comes in all colors.

The American Curl, while still an uncommon breed, is found across the world from the United States to Spain, France, Japan, Russia, and many other countries.

The character "Ray" from the comic strip Achewood is an American Curl.