HEAD 30 Points      
   Shape/Size (10)
   Ears (size/placement) (5)
   Eyes (shape/color) (5)
   Chin/Muzzle (5)
  Cheekbones/Profile (5)
BODY/TAIL      20 Points
  Shape/Size (10)
  Legs/Feet (5)
  Tail (5)
COAT 40 Points
Crimping of each hair   (15)
Texture (15)
Density (10)
COLOR/MARKINGS   10 Points

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.

 Coat:

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:

Blue Eyed White

Copper Eyed White

Odd Eyed White

Blue

Black

Cream

Red

 

Blue Tabby

Cream Tabby

Red Tabby

Brown Tabby

Silver Tabby

Blue Silver Tabby

Golden Tabby

Cameo Tabby

 

Blue McTabby

Cream McTabby

Red McTabby

Brown McTabby

Silver McTabby

Blue Silver McTabby

Golden McTabby

Cameo McTabby

 

Blue Patched Tabby

Brown Patched Tabby

Silver Patched Tabby

Blue Silver Patched Tabby

Golden Patched Tabby

 

Blue Patched McTabby

Brown Patched McTabby

Silver Patched McTabby

Blue Silver Patched McTabby

Golden Patched McTabby

 

Blue Cream

Tortoiseshell

Chinchilla

Golden Chinchilla

Shaded Silver

Golden Shaded

Blue Cream Shaded

Shaded Silver Tortoiseshell

Blue Smoke

Black Smoke

Blue Cream Smoke

Black Smoke Tortoiseshell

Shell Cameo

Shaded Cameo

Smoke Cameo

 

Blue & White

Black & White

Cream & White

Red & White

 

Blue Tabby & White

Cream Tabby & White

Red Tabby & White

Brown Tabby & White

Silver Tabby & White

Blue Silver Tabby & White

Cameo Tabby & White

 

Blue Cream & White

Tortoiseshell & White

 

Blue McTabby & White

Cream McTabby & White

Red McTabby & White

Brown McTabby & White

Silver McTabby & White

Blue Silver McTabby & White

Cameo McTabby & White

 

Blue Patched Tabby & White

Brown Patched Tabby & White

Silver Patched Tabby & White

Blue Silver Patch Tabby & White

Golden Patched Tabby & White

 

Blue Patched McTabby & White

Brown Patched McTabby & White

Silver Patched McTabby & White

Blue Silver Ptchd McTab & White

Golden Patched McTabby & White

 

Van pattern accepted in all

          & White combinations

         

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.

 And Whites:

A random combination of indicative color and white in a pattern that is pleasing to the eye.  Having at least one half white is desirable, but not mandatory.  In patterns where the white covers the majority of the body area, spots should be patched rather than brindled.  Eyes, nose leather and paw pads to conform to the indicative coat color.

 

 
PENALIZE: Head:   Ears long and pointed, set too close together or too high on head.  Chin weak or receding.  Eyes narrow or slanting, giving an oriental look.
Body: Too foreshortened or stocky, or long, sleek oriental appearance.  Tail whip-like; too short and thick; or carried over the back in squirrel fashion.
Coat: Sparse or thin coat.

DISQUALIFY: Straight coat.  Long or fluffy fur.  Kinked or abnormal tail.  Incorrect number of toes.  Nose break.  Evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, seal, or color points or these combinations with white.


 


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