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CFA Breed Standards
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Breed Standard: American Wirehair
POINT SCORE25 .. HEAD (including size and shape of eyes, ear shape and set) 20 .. TYPE (including shape, size, bone and length of tail) 45 .. COAT 10 .. COLOR and EYE GENERAL: the American Wirehair is a spontaneous mutation. The coat, which is not only springy, dense, and resilient, but also coarse and hard to the touch, distinguishes the American Wirehair from all other breeds. Characteristic is activity, agility, and keen interest in its surroundings. HEAD: in proportion to the body. Underlying bone structure is round with prominent cheekbones and well-developed muzzle and chin. There is a slight whisker break. NOSE: in profile the nose shows a gentle concave curve. MUZZLE: well-developed. Allowance for jowls in adult males. CHIN: firm and well-developed with no malocclusion. EARS: medium, slightly rounded at tips, set wide and not unduly open at the base. EYES: large, round, bright, and clear. Set well apart. Aperture has slight upward tilt. BODY: medium to large. Back level, shoulders and hips same width, torso well-rounded and in proportion. Males larger than females. LEGS: medium in length and bone, well-muscled and proportionate to body. PAWS: firm, full and rounded, with heavy pads. Toes, five in front and four behind. TAIL: in proportion to body, tapering from the well-rounded rump to a rounded tip, neither blunt nor pointed. COAT: springy, tight, medium in length. Individual hairs are crimped, hooked, or bent, including hair within the ears. The overall appearance of wiring and the coarseness and resilience of the coat is more important than the crimping of each hair. The density of the wired coat leads to ringlet formation rather than waves. That coat, which is very dense, resilient, crimped, and coarse, is most desirable, as are curly whiskers. PENALIZE: deep nose break. DISQUALIFY: incorrect coat. Kinked or abnormal tail. Long or fluffy fur. Incorrect number of toes. Evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or these combinations with white. AMERICAN WIREHAIR COLORSWHITE: pure glistening white. Nose leather and Paw pads: pink. Eye color: deep blue or brilliant gold. Odd-eyed whites shall have one blue and one gold eye with equal color depth. BLACK: dense coal black, sound from roots to tip of fur. Free from any tinge of rust on tips or smoke undercoat. Nose leather: black. Paw Pads: black or brown. Eye color: brilliant gold. BLUE: blue, lighter shade preferred, one level tone from nose to tip of tail. Sound to the roots. A sound darker shade is more acceptable than an unsound lighter shade. Nose leather and Paw pads: blue. Eye color: brilliant gold. RED: deep, rich, clear, brilliant red, without shading, markings or ticking. Lips and chin the same color as coat. Nose leather and Paw pads: brick red. Eye color: brilliant gold. CREAM: one level shade of buff cream, without markings. Sound to the roots. Lighter shades preferred. Nose leather and Paw pads: pink. Eye color: brilliant gold. CHINCHILLA SILVER: undercoat pure white. Coat on back, flanks, head, and tail sufficiently tipped with black to give the characteristic sparkling silver appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin and ear tufts, stomach and chest, pure white. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black. Eye color: green or blue-green. SHADED SILVER: undercoat white with a mantle of black tipping shading down from sides, face and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as the face. The general effect to be much darker than a chinchilla. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black. Eye color: green or blue-green. SHELL CAMEO (Red Chinchilla): undercoat white, the coat on the back, flanks, head, and tail to be sufficiently tipped with red to give the characteristic sparkling appearance. Face and legs may be very slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest white. Nose leather, Rims of eyes, and Paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold. SHADED CAMEO (Red Shaded): undercoat white with a mantle of red tipping shading down the sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as face. The general effect to be much redder than the shell cameo. Nose leather, Rims of eyes, and Paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold. BLACK SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with black. Cat in repose appears black. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask black with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when the fur is parted. Nose leather and Paw pads: black. Eye color: brilliant gold. BLUE SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with blue. Cat in repose appears blue. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask blue, with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and Paw pads: blue. Eye color: brilliant gold. CAMEO SMOKE (Red Smoke): white undercoat, deeply tipped with red. Cat in repose appears red. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask red with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather, Rims of eyes, and Paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold. CLASSIC TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail evenly ringed. Several unbroken necklaces on neck and upper chest, the more the better. Frown marks on forehead form an intricate letter "M." Unbroken line runs back from outer corner of eye. Swirls on cheeks. Vertical lines over back of head extend to shoulder markings which are in the shape of a butterfly with both upper and lower wings distinctly outlined and marked with dots inside outline. Back markings consist of a vertical line down the spine from butterfly to tail with a vertical stripe paralleling it on each side, the three stripes well separated by stripes of the ground color. Large solid blotch on each side to be encircled by one or more unbroken rings. Side markings should be the same on both sides. Double vertical rows of buttons on chest and stomach. MACKEREL TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and all narrow pencillings. Legs evenly barred with narrow bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail barred. Necklaces on neck and chest distinct, like so many chains. Head barred with an "M" on the forehead. Unbroken lines running back from the eyes. Lines running down the head to meet the shoulders. Spine lines run together to form a narrow saddle. Narrow pencillings run around body.
SILVER TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color, including lips and chin, pale, clear silver. Markings dense black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black. Eye color: green or hazel. RED TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color red. Markings deep, rich red. Lips and chin red. Nose leather and Paw pads: brick red. Eye color: brilliant gold. BROWN TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color brilliant coppery brown. Markings dense black. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Back of leg black from paw to heel. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black or brown. Eye color: brilliant gold. BLUE TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color, including lips and chin, pale bluish ivory. Markings a very deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole. Nose leather: old rose. Paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold. CREAM TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color, including lips and chin, very pale cream. Markings of buff or cream sufficiently darker than the ground color to afford good contrast, but remaining within the dilute color range. Nose leather and Paw pads: pink. Eye color: brilliant gold. CAMEO TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color off-white. Markings red. Nose leather and Paw pads: rose. Eye color: brilliant gold. TORTOISESHELL: black with unbrindled patches of red and cream. Patches clearly defined and well-broken on both body and extremities. Blaze of red or cream on face is desirable. Eye color: brilliant gold. CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of black and red. White predominant on underparts. Eye color: brilliant gold. DILUTE CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of blue and cream. White predominant on underparts. Eye color: brilliant gold. BLUE-CREAM: blue with patches of solid cream. Patches clearly defined and well-broken on both body and extremities. Eye color: brilliant gold. BI-COLOR: white with unbrindled patches of black, white with unbrindled patches of blue. White with unbrindled patches of red, or white with unbrindled patches of cream. Eye color: gold, the more brilliant the better. OWC (Other Wirehair Colors): any other color or pattern with the exception of those showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or these combinations with white. Eye color: appropriate to the color of the cat. The following information is for reference purposes only and not an official part of the CFA Show Standard. American Wirehair Color Class Numbers All Championship Colors 9900 9901 (All accepted colors as defined in the Show Standards and Other Wirehair Colors and patterns with the exception of those showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the himalayan pattern or these combinations with white, etc.) AOV 9998 9999 American Wirehair allowable outcross breeds: American Shorthair. |
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