American Longhair Cat- Know This Long Hair Cat Specie

There are so many longhair cats that might confuse you into believing that all of them are different and typical species. However, that stands untrue for most of them but the American longhair cat is the exceptional one here as they have the true and unique genes. We write this article to bring more knowledge to you about this particular specie of long hair cat as you might be interested in getting one for your family.

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Some popular long-haired species of cats

A lot many species were bred in the U.S lands with different unique pairings and this gave rise to a huge group of Domestic long hair cat species. Let us begin with listing some of the popular names for you:

Maine Coon
Balinese
Cymric
Colorpoint or Himalayan longhair
Somali
Ragdoll

All of these species have plenty of individualistic features that make them unique in the crowd. The domestic long hairs are the second top choice of kitten lovers in the U.S.A. However, many of them have to get the authentic genetic certification yet.

The lineage of the American long hair cats

Unlike the common longhair cat species with shrouded origin history, the American breed of longhair cats is known to have a unique family tree or origin that is easily traceable. Some sources also suggest that the birth of this species was the result of a failed genetic experiment. The expected species was supposed to be an American shorthair cat with green eyes and a shiny coat but the results had a Persian cat with a lean body and a short coat.

Thus the pedigree of the American longhair breed has the major Persian and American shorthair components necessarily. The Persian genes are always there for the coat length. The earliest American longhair specie of cat that was bred in the Maine Coon cat and you may find references to this name often when it comes to discussing the American longhair cat.

Primary physical features of the American bred longhair cats

You may find the snub nose as the varying body feature between most of the American long-haired cats but certain body characteristics are the standard ones. They include:

Strong muscled body
Big and round head
Athletic and lean built
Dense and double coat
High shedding
Short faces
Proportionate ears
Bright and large eyes
Little fatty abdomen
The average weight of 9-12 lbs

The coat is the main catchy thing about this specie and it is extremely soft and plushy. However, it is still shorter than most of the other domestic long hair cat species.

The overall appearance of the American species makes it similar to the domestic long hair ones but they still stand out due to their lineage. They have a refined look that is extremely attractive and can easily lure one into petting them.

Personality traits of the American long-haired cat specie

It won’t be completely wrong to say that American longhair cats have got the best of its two parent species and this is evident in their personality too that makes them one of the top choices for so many pet lovers around the world. Let us give you a peep into their deeper being:

This American longhair cat species is more active than their Persian genetic counterparts.
Their voices are very soft and they remain quietly mellow most of the time.
These cats are also mostly self-involved that reeks an air of independence from them. They like to play around alone too.
Their level of friendly bonding is much more than their American shorthair genetic counterparts. They love to share spaces with other barn animals like dogs, goats, cows, etc.
They have a decent adaptability response to the environment and temperament changes due to mixed breeding.
They are the type of pets that remain good with easy maintenance and care. This makes them a good choice for pet lovers that have busy schedules or less patience.
They don’t prefer lapping but still can be great buddies for snuggle lovers as long as they are kept well-groomed.
It’s not very hard to train these cats as they enjoy outdoors and playing.
Although quiet and friendly, this cat specie is a crafty hunter and has a taste for smaller animals and fishes.

Basic care tips for the American breed of longhair cats

As already stated, this particular specie can do well even with low maintenance but this is not to mean that you don’t have to take care of anything at all. Certain things need to be taken care of when petting American longhair cat and here are the tips for it:

The coat of these cats is the most important and it needs to be groomed properly. You must brush the coat thoroughly for one or two times every week. Their coat is usually trouble-free but mats can still develop in absence of regular combing.
Give around 20 minutes every week for proper grooming of the cats with cleaning tools to keep away the hairballs and mats.
Always trust the professional unless you are one yourself for the removal of mats to keep the cat along with you safe from injuries.
Regular feeding is important for these cats to prevent them from overeating at once.
Too high furniture is not good for these cats, so be careful.
The tear-duct issue is the most common with them in which the lubricating tears overflow on the face. Get them for a checkup immediately if that happens.
Some other common medical conditions common to this breed are breathing issues and kidney polycystic disease.
Get kitten-proofing done before the purchase or adoption.
Adopting the cat has to be followed by a visit to the Vet soon. Get all the details regarding the health and nutritional needs of the cat.

Conclusion

This was all about the American longhair cat species that can make a great pet to you if you give them the basic care. The plenty of colors that their fur exhibit makes them extremely attractive and their friendliness is a bonus point. We hope to have cleared all the doubts so that you can go ahead with bringing this long hair cat home.

Luna Tran

My name is Luna and I am a great cat lover and a cat owner of three lovely cats. I have owned many cats till now and have dedicated many years to nurturing and caring cats. Through this blog, I am here to share my knowledge and experience about cats.