How Do You Select An American Wirehair?
The American wirehair’s curly, dense, hard coat is the result of a spontaneous gene mutation found in farm cats in upstate New York in 1966. Find a responsible breeder who will guarantee that your American wirehair is in good health and doesn’t have feline leukemia virus (FeLV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Expect to pay $200 to $500 for your American wirehair. Pick up and hold the cat or kitten to check for good muscle tone. Make sure that the cat isn’t sneezing or sniffling, that the eyes have no discharge and that the ears are clean and pink inside. Examine the cat’s fur, which should be dense, coarse and hard and have no bald patches or signs of dry or flaky skin. Check for fleas behind the ears and at the base of the tail – flea dirt, which looks like black sand, is a sure sign. Get a written sales agreement from the breeder that provides the breeder’s health guarantee. Take your American wirehair to your veterinarian as soon as possible to confirm that the cat is health
