the ACFA American Wirehair Standard General: The American Wirehair is a breed resulting from a spontaneous mutation in the 1960s. The coat, which is not only springy, dense and resilient, but has a coarseness to it, distinguishes the Wirehair from all other breeds. The American Wirehair is characteristically a people oriented cat with an interest in its surroundings and is always looking for a way to amuse itself and its owner. NOTE: For general information only. Approved Standard appears below.
Head:
Shape:
Broad,
with cheeks developed in males, set on a well-muscled neck.
Underlying bone structure is round with prominent cheekbones.
Strong, well developed chin.
Nose in profile shows a gentle concave curve.
Muzzle well developed with a slight whisker break.
Allowance for jowls in adult males.
Ears:
Medium, slightly rounded at tips.
Set wide apart and slightly off the top of the head.
Not unduly open at the base.
Eyes:
Large, almost round, bright and clear.
Set well apart, aperture has a slight upward tilt.
Eye color should conform to the requirements listed in coat
colors.
Body and Tail:
Shape/Size:
Medium to large. The
females are usually smaller than males, and should not appear frail or
dainty. Females should not
be penalized because of size difference.
The body should be slightly longer than it is tall and well knit
and powerful, showing good depth of chest.
Neck is medium short and denoting strength, but in proportion to
the body.
Legs:
Medium in length and boning in proportion to the body.
Feet: Rounded and
compact with five toes in front and four in back.
Tail:
In proportion to the body, tapering from rump to a rounded tip,
neither blunt nor pointed.
Springy, tight,
medium shorthair in length.
Individual hairs are crimped, hooked or bent, including hair within the
ears. The overall appearance
or wiring of each hair and the density and resilience of the coat are
more important than the coarseness, though the coat must feel at least
slightly rough when brushed with the hand against the lay of the coat.
The density of the wired coat leads to ringlet formation rather
than waves. Wavy or kinky
whiskers are desired.
Color / Pattern:
ACCEPTED COLORS:
Pattern/Color Descriptions
SOLIDS:
White:
Pure clear white.
Eyes deep blue, brilliant gold or odd eyed (one blue and one gold) with
equal color depth. Nose
leather and paw pads pink.
Blue:
Even blue, lighter shades preferred: one level tone without shading or
markings from nose to tip of tail, and sound to the roots.
Eye color gold. Nose
leather and paw pads blue.
Black:
Lustrous jet black, with sound color from roots to tip of fur.
Eye color gold. Nose
leather and paw pads black or charcoal.
Cream:
One level shade of cream, lighter shades preferred; free from
shading, markings or ticking, and sound to the roots.
Lips and chin same color as the coat.
Eye color gold. Nose
leather and paw pads pink.
Red:
Deep, rich red, free from shadings, markings or ticking, and
sound to the roots. Eye
color gold. Nose leather and
paw pads brick red.
Tabbies:
Classic Tabby Pattern Description:
Markings dense, clearly defined and broad showing good contrast
between the pale ground color and the deep, heavy markings.
Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body
markings. Tail evenly
ringed. At least one
unbroken necklace on neck or upper chest.
Frown marks on the forehead extending between the ears and down
the neck to meet the “butterfly”, single or double, on the shoulders.
An unbroken line runs back from the outer corner of the eye to
the ear. Swirls on cheeks.
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.
The dark swirls on the sides of the body shall be centered by a
dark blotch surrounded by the ground color.
The underside of the body should have a double vertical row of
buttons in the color of the dense markings.
Mc Tabby Pattern Description:
Markings dense, clearly defined and all narrow penciling, showing good
contrast between the pale ground color and the dense markings.
Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body
markings. Tail evenly
ringed. At least one
unbroken necklace on neck or upper chest.
Frown marks on the forehead extending between the ears and down
the neck to meet the shoulders.
An unbroken line runs back from the outer corner of the eye to
the ear. There are three
distinct spine lines but they are very narrow and often meld into what
looks like one wide stripe without fault.
Narrow penciling lines in the dense marking color run around the
body in vertical fashion in the unbroken lines.
The underside of the body should have a double row of vertical
buttons in the color of the dense markings.
Blue Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, should be pale bluish
Ivory. Markings are very
deep blue affording a good contrast with the pale ground color.
Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads rose.
Cream Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, of very pale cream.
Markings of buff or cream sufficiently darker than ground color
to afford good contrast, but remaining in the dilute color range.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads pink.
Red Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, should be red.
Markings a dense dark red affording a good contrast with the
lighter red ground color.
Eyes gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads brick red.
Brown Tabby:
The ground color should be a rich, tawny brown.
Lips and chin should be the same color.
Markings dense black.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red, paw pads black or brown.
Silver Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, pale pure silver.
Markings dense black.
Rims of eyes, nose and lips outlined in black.
Eye color green preferred, gold or hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red, paw pads black or charcoal.
Blue Silver Tabby:
The ground color should be pure, clear silver.
Markings are deep blue, affording good contrast to the light
ground color. Eye color
green preferred, gold or hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads rose.
Golden Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, rich warm cream to
apricot, apricot preferred.
Markings dark brown to black.
Rims of eyes, nose and lips outlined with dark brown or black.
Eye color green preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red, paw pads dark brown or black.
Cameo Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, of pale Ivory white.
Markings of a rich red; affording a cool contrast with the pale ground
color. Eye color gold
preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads rose.
Patched Tabby Pattern:
Markings to conform to either the Classic Tabby pattern or the
Mackerel Tabby pattern. The
Patched Tabby is an established Brown, Blue, Silver, Blue Silver or
Golden Tabby with patches of red and/or cream.
Blue Patched Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, should be pale bluish
Ivory. Markings a very deep
blue affording a good contrast with the pale ground color.
Patches of cream clearly defined on both body and extremities.
Marking of cream on the face is desirable.
Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements of coat
colors.
Brown Patched Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, should be a rich tawny
brown. Markings of dense
black with patches of red and/or cream clearly defined on both body and
extremities. Markings of red
and/or cream on the face are desirable.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements for coat
colors.
Silver Patched Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, are pure pale silver.
Markings dense black.
Patches of red and/or cream clearly defined on both body and
extremities. Markings of red
and/or cream on the face are desirable.
Rims of eyes, nose, lips outlined in black.
Eye color green preferred, gold or hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red.
Paw pads black.
Blue Silver Patched Tabby:
The ground color should be pure, clear silver.
Markings deep blue, providing good contrast with the pale ground
color. Patches of red and/or
cream clearly defined on both body and extremities.
Red and/or cream markings on the face are desirable.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements or coat
colors. Eyes shades of
green, gold or copper. White
lip/chin trim allowed.
Golden Patched Tabby:
The ground color, including lips and chin, a rich warm cream to
apricot, apricot preferred.
Marking dark brown to black with patches of red and/or light red (the
light red may appear cream) on both body and extremities.
Markings of red and/or light red on the face are desirable.
Rims of eyes, nose and lips outlines in dark brown or black.
Eye color green preferred, gold or hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements for coat
colors. (This may take the
form of mottling of brown or black and brick red.)
Tortoiseshells:
Blue Cream:
Blue and cream, lighter shades preferred, in vivid distribution.
Cream to be clearly obvious and visible on body and extremities
in a pattern pleasing to the eye.
Tabby pattern, either mackerel or classic, in cream acceptable.
Patching or brindling equally acceptable.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements for coat
color. (This may take the
form of mottling of blue and pink.)
Tortoiseshell:
Black, red and/or light red (the light red may appear cream) in
vivid distribution. Red
and/or light red to be clearly obvious and visible on body and
extremities in a pattern pleasing to the eye.
Patching or brindling equally acceptable.
Tabby pattern, either mackerel or classic, in red and/or light
red acceptable. Eye color
gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements for coat
colors. (This may take the
form of mottling of black and red.)
Smokes:
Blue Smoke:
White undercoat deeply tipped with blue.
Cat in repose appears blue.
In motion, the white undercoat is clearly apparent.
Extremities and face blue with narrow band of white at base of
hairs next to skin, which may be seen only when fur is parted.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads blue.
Black Smoke:
White undercoat deeply tipped with black.
Cat in repose appears to be black.
In motion the white undercoat is apparent.
Extremities and face black with narrow band of white at base of
hair next to skin, which may be seen only when fur is parted.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads black.
Blue Cream Smoke:
White undercoat deeply tipped with blue and cream in a pattern
pleasing to the eye on body and extremities.
Patching or brindling equally acceptable.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements for coat
color. (This may take the
form of mottling of blue and pink.)
Black Smoke Tortoiseshell:
White undercoat deeply tipped with black, red and/or cream in
vivid distribution. Red
and/or cream to be clearly obvious and visible on body and extremities
in a pattern pleasing to the eye.
Patching or brindling equally acceptable.
Tabby pattern, either classic or mackerel, in red and/or light
red (the light red may appear cream) acceptable.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather and paw pads to conform to requirements of coat
color. (This may take the
form of mottling of black and red.)
Shadeds:
Chinchilla:
The undercoat should be a pale silver or silvery white. The coat
on back, flanks, head and tail should be sufficiently tipped with jet
black to give the characteristic sparkling silver appearance.
The legs and face may be very slightly shaded with tipping, but
the chin, stomach and chest should be silvery white without tipping.
Rims of eyes, lips and nose to be outlined in black. Eye color
green preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red; paw pads black or dark charcoal.
Golden Chinchilla:
The undercoat should be a rich, warm cream to apricot, apricot
preferred. The coat on back,
flanks, head and tail should be sufficiently tipped with dark brown to
black to give the characteristic sparkling golden appearance.
The legs and face may be very lightly shaded with tipping, but
the chin, stomach and chest should be a rich warm cream to apricot,
apricot preferred, without tipping.
Rims of eyes, lips and nose outlined in dark brown to black.
Eye color green preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red, paw pads dark brown or black.
Shaded Silver:
The undercoat should be a pale silver or silvery white.
A mantle of black tipping shading gradually down the sides, face
and tail, from dark on the ridge to silver white on the chin, chest,
belly and under the tail, the legs to be the same as the face.
The general effect to be much darker than a Chinchilla.
Rims of eyes, lips and nose to be outlined in black.
Eye color green preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red; paw pads black or dark charcoal.
Shaded Bluecream:
Undercoat is silvery white with blue and cream tipping well
distributed and clearly visible on both body and extremities.
The depth of tipping may range from shell to shaded with evenness
of tipping taking precedence over depth.
Cream markings on the face are desirable.
Patching or brindling equally acceptable.
Eyes shades of green, gold or copper.
Golden Shaded:
The undercoat should be a rich, warm cream to apricot, apricot
preferred. A mantle of dark
brown to black tipping shading gradually down the sides, face and tail,
from dark on the ridge to cream to apricot, apricot preferred on the
chin, chest, belly and under the tail, the 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 in dark brown to black.
Eye color green preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather brick red, paw pads dark brown or black.
Blue Cream Shaded:
No description available.
Silver Tortoiseshell Shaded:
The undercoat to be silvery white.
Black, red and cream tipping in vivid distribution.
Red and/or cream to be clearly obvious and visible on body and
extremities in a pattern pleasing to the eye.
Patching or brindling equally acceptable.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Cameos:
Shell Cameo:
The undercoat should be ivory white.
The coat on the back, flanks, head and tail should be
sufficiently tipped with red/cream to give the characteristic sparkling
appearance. The legs and
face may be very slightly shaded with tipping.
The chin, stomach and chest to be pale ivory white.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads rose.
Shaded Cameo:
The undercoat should be ivory white.
A mantle of red/cream tipping shading gradually down the sides,
face and tail, from dark on the ridge to ivory white on the chin, chest,
belly and under the tail.
The legs to be the same tone as the face.
The general effect to be much redder than a Shell.
Eye color gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads rose.
Smoke Cameo:
The undercoat should be ivory white.
The overall cat should be deeply tipped with red/cream.
Cat in repose appears to be a red cat.
The ivory undercoat is apparent when the cat is in motion or the
hair is parted. Eye color
gold preferred, hazel accepted.
Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads rose.
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