American Curl

stikmatix

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Hello to all,

Could anyone please share their experiences and wisdom on American Curls? We have done a lot of research on them and firmly believe that this would be a great breed for us. Are there any breed specific questions apart from the general questions that one should ask a breeder?

And please don't say that we should adopt from a shelter - I had a lovely moggie as a kid who "adopted" us by coming into our garden, and have since had my fair share of looking after cats that various neighbours basically neglected (ugh some people). We just fancy something different now.

I'm looking forward to hearing any info you may have, thanks!
 

pat

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I have found them to be a wonderful breed. I used to breed (on a limited basis) and show them back in the mid 80's through late 1990's, so know a fair amount about the breed history, early and some of the current breeders.

I strongly advise that you do your research re the breeder you acquire your Curl from, be sure to get a health guarantee in your contract, and if they, as part of the contract, require a vet check within 48 hours of the kitten/adult coming to live with you be sure to fulfill that requirement.

Key thing to look for (besides general health and personality questions) is if the inner ear seems narrow - ask what they recommend for routine ear care and if there have been any issues with the parents. The degree of curl with the ear tip, the shape of the curl, the openness or narrowness of the inner ear (and what is visible inside the ear) can vary tremendously, and you do not want an narrow inner ear.

I'd be glad to privately recommend some breeders, if you wish. Alix is one of my Curls (she's a retired show kitty who earned her TGC as an alter in TICA)
 

abymummy

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I've never met a curl I didn't like
However, I agree that the degree of curl and narrowness or width of inner ears are important. Depending on whether you are showing or not I think they would make wonderful pets. I frankly prefer SH AC's to the LH but each to his/her own
 

pat

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Originally Posted by Abymummy

I frankly prefer SH AC's to the LH but each to his/her own
Yah...about those SHC...that's what I meant to be breeding and thought I would get when Bookie was my foundation queen (long story as to why and how this came about, will spare you)...my first lesson in how shorthairs can be carrying the recessive for LH gene if they are not homozgous for SH


Bred a shorthair mixed breed to a shorthair Curl (out of one sh and one lh parent) and got lh kittens
 
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stikmatix

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Thanks to you both for the helpful reponses!

We are in Europe, and unfortunately utterly deprived of American Curl breeders! There are only two anywhere close to us, but luckily there is one who has a litter of kittens, so I have had some contact with the breeder and we are going to make a visit.

I am interested to know how to make the check on whether the ear canal is narrow (apart from asking!) - would it be obvious if one kitten had a narrower ear canal than another? I know that narrow ear canals can give problems in children so can't be a good thing for a cat either!

Also, would we be mad to want to get 2 litter mates? We certainly have the love and capacity for 2 and having seen friends who have 2 litter mates the bond they have is lovely even when they get old.
 

abymummy

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Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Yah...about those SHC...that's what I meant to be breeding and thought I would get when Bookie was my foundation queen (long story as to why and how this came about, will spare you)...my first lesson in how shorthairs can be carrying the recessive for LH gene if they are not homozgous for SH


Bred a shorthair mixed breed to a shorthair Curl (out of one sh and one lh parent) and got lh kittens
Oh those recessive genes...
But in your case, way dominant!
That is the "problem" when you breed a domestic to peds (as is required anyway) you never quite know what you get! Did you get good curls out of it though would be the better question....
 

abymummy

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Originally Posted by stikmatix

I am interested to know how to make the check on whether the ear canal is narrow (apart from asking!) - would it be obvious if one kitten had a narrower ear canal than another? I know that narrow ear canals can give problems in children so can't be a good thing for a cat either!

Also, would we be mad to want to get 2 litter mates? We certainly have the love and capacity for 2 and having seen friends who have 2 litter mates the bond they have is lovely even when they get old.
Can't answer the 1st question - sorry!


But the 2nd: no problems with getting litter mates provided you neuter them both at the same time
 

goldenkitty45

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I like them a lot - but for the Curls, like longhair over the shorthair
I know a GREAT AC breeder who lives in Virginia. She has award winning cats, is very nice to work with too. Not sure if she's willing to ship overseas, but if you want the name/cattery I'll find it for you to contact.
 

pat

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I like them a lot - but for the Curls, like longhair over the shorthair
I know a GREAT AC breeder who lives in Virginia. She has award winning cats, is very nice to work with too. Not sure if she's willing to ship overseas, but if you want the name/cattery I'll find it for you to contact.
There is only 1 Curl breeder in Virginia
and her first name is Mary
 

pat

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Originally Posted by stikmatix

Thanks to you both for the helpful reponses!

We are in Europe, and unfortunately utterly deprived of American Curl breeders! There are only two anywhere close to us, but luckily there is one who has a litter of kittens, so I have had some contact with the breeder and we are going to make a visit.

I am interested to know how to make the check on whether the ear canal is narrow (apart from asking!) - would it be obvious if one kitten had a narrower ear canal than another? I know that narrow ear canals can give problems in children so can't be a good thing for a cat either!

Also, would we be mad to want to get 2 litter mates? We certainly have the love and capacity for 2 and having seen friends who have 2 litter mates the bond they have is lovely even when they get old.
Ah, but there are many Curl breeders now outside the US. At least 1 in Sweden, 1 or more now in Finland, at least 1 in Germany still, Poland, and several in Russia, then there's Japan, and more


I would ask, let them know you want a nice wide open ear.
I don't think it would be mad at all (I have Alix's littermate Ophelia...can't imagine not having both of these girls
Life would be so much more boring
)
 

abymummy

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There are Curl breeders in Malaysia and Singapore too where there would be no quarantine issues for export to Europe
 

pat

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Originally Posted by Abymummy

Oh those recessive genes...
But in your case, way dominant!
That is the "problem" when you breed a domestic to peds (as is required anyway) you never quite know what you get! Did you get good curls out of it though would be the better question....
Surprisingly I did in the sense that I got a nice longhair lilac point -my princess - Mervat (RB) -in the first litter (one of the few Curls in that color at the time) and in a second litter a year later that was a repeat breeding, a gorgeous longhair cream point (my beloved Patrick(RB)) who threw kitties that produced well, Patrick is on the pedigrees of many curls worldwide. His grandson, Christopher(RB), was homozygous for the Curl gene and had a number of titled offspring and grand-offspring...he was very special.
 
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stikmatix

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Thank you so much for the fast, helpful and insightful replies. These forums are great, so active and friendly! I shall have to post my introduction in the "new cats" sections.

I have been speaking and e-mailing to the breeder who is close to us. We seem to have hit it off well. The kittens will be old enough to safely have a visit in a couple of weeks time. So we will go there and chat to the breeder in person, see the cats and kittens. There are 4 in the litter, and 2 are pending evaluation for breeding which of course, with ACs will take time! In order to expand breeding in this part of the world though, it is obvious that quite a few will go to breeding. However, all being well, if we like what we see with the breeder and the way she brings up her cats and kittens, then the other two will be for us. she said she has had a lot of enquiries as AC is so rare in this area, but she wants to give us top priority on these two, so we are chuffed!

So, that's our update- we are really excited, the next two weeks will go by too slowly but the breeder had promised to send photos!
 

pat

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Originally Posted by stikmatix

Thank you so much for the fast, helpful and insightful replies. These forums are great, so active and friendly! I shall have to post my introduction in the "new cats" sections.

I have been speaking and e-mailing to the breeder who is close to us. We seem to have hit it off well. The kittens will be old enough to safely have a visit in a couple of weeks time. So we will go there and chat to the breeder in person, see the cats and kittens. There are 4 in the litter, and 2 are pending evaluation for breeding which of course, with ACs will take time! In order to expand breeding in this part of the world though, it is obvious that quite a few will go to breeding. However, all being well, if we like what we see with the breeder and the way she brings up her cats and kittens, then the other two will be for us. she said she has had a lot of enquiries as AC is so rare in this area, but she wants to give us top priority on these two, so we are chuffed!

So, that's our update- we are really excited, the next two weeks will go by too slowly but the breeder had promised to send photos!
I'd love to know the breeder, I still know or know of (I'm on a curl list so "meet" newer breeders that way) most of the breeders out there, and where they have gotten their foundation Curls from etc.
If you feel like it, pm me the name?
In any case, best wishes...it will be nice to have someone on TCS to chat Curls with (I love watching how Curls mature...their ears can change right up to 4 months of age, and even a bit beyond).
 

mount ophir

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Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

I'd love to know the breeder, I still know or know of (I'm on a curl list so "meet" newer breeders that way) most of the breeders out there, and where they have gotten their foundation Curls from etc.
If you feel like it, pm me the name?
In any case, best wishes...it will be nice to have someone on TCS to chat Curls with (I love watching how Curls mature...their ears can change right up to 4 months of age, and even a bit beyond).
I just wondering how could I ever get into the curl list? Is it the one started by Lisa Aring.
 

pat

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Originally Posted by Mount Ophir

I just wondering how could I ever get into the curl list? Is it the one started by Lisa Aring.
Lisa's list is one you have to apply for membership.
 

mount ophir

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OIC.. did contact her sometime ago but she's on kitten watch.
knowing you do breed AC b4, which association they are registered to?
 

pat

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Originally Posted by Mount Ophir

OIC.. did contact her sometime ago but she's on kitten watch.
knowing you do breed AC b4, which association they are registered to?
Sorry, not sure I understand...you mean the breed or Lisa's?? Curls are accepted for championship registration in FiFe, CFA, TICA, ACFA, CFF to name the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Btw, the cat in my avatar - Bookie? Is behind several cats in the pedigree of your Russicurl male. She was my foundation queen (no, if I'd been choosing a domestic to start with, I would not have chosen her...long story)...anyhoo, here is where I got the lovely colors of my first two litters - cream and lilac, and her descendents produced chocolate. You'd have to go back a few more generations
but her registered name, in part, was Serra Linde.
 

mount ophir

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Originally Posted by Pat & Alix

Sorry, not sure I understand...you mean the breed or Lisa's?? Curls are accepted for championship registration in FiFe, CFA, TICA, ACFA, CFF to name the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

Btw, the cat in my avatar - Bookie? Is behind several cats in the pedigree of your Russicurl male. She was my foundation queen (no, if I'd been choosing a domestic to start with, I would not have chosen her...long story)...anyhoo, here is where I got the lovely colors of my first two litters - cream and lilac, and her descendents produced chocolate. You'd have to go back a few more generations
but her registered name, in part, was Serra Linde.
No, I mean your ACs.
I do know there was lilac & chocolate in my line, but not sure whether the gene still around. Believe from Balinese line.

Is Bookie an AC? Love to see more photos of your ACs.
 
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