Asian Semi-Longhair vs American Curl - Breed Comparison

The American Curl is well known for its unusual shaped ears and for being one of the youngest cat breeds.

It developed in California. The first of these cats appeared to have been strays that arrived in California in 1981. The black female’s name was Shulamith, and she gave birth to a litter with the same curled ears, and was the ancestor of the American Curls of today.

Appearing in a cat show in 1992 for the first time, the longhaired American Curl was then given championship status by TICA and it was also admitted to the Cat Fanciers Association’s championship class in the long- and shorthaired divisions.

Similar to the Asian Shorthair, the Asian Semi-Longhair with its semi-long fur was developed in the UK in the 1980s and isn’t recognized by any U.S. registries.

It is believed that the cat breed goes back to matings between the Chinchilla and Burmilla cats. This cat may not be recognized by any of the U.S. registries but it has recognition in the GCCF.

The American Curl is a medium-sized cat weighing roughly 2.3–4.5kg. Its a cat that stands between 21 and 27cm in height.

It’s also a cat that takes a fairly long time to mature, reaching maturity about 2 or 3 years of age. The most distinctive feature of this cat is its unusual ears that curl backward as opposed to standing up like most other cats. At birth the ears are straight but they gradually start curling back, staying in a tight bud position.

The American Curl's coat is soft and silky and doesn’t require too much grooming. The fur comes in colors such as grey, white, apricot, black, and the coat can be a solid color or in a host of different patterns such as bi-color, triple-color, tabby, ticking and others.

The head is round, the eyes of the cat are large, giving the cat an alert, friendly look. The eyes can be many different colors from blue to green, amber, copper, hazel, and yellow.

Temperament:

The American Curl Cat loves his human family and gets on well with children too. He is an adaptable cat, settling into different lifestyles. You’ve got to watch him around small children who might manhandle him and pull his sensitive ears.

Nonetheless, he is sociable and loving. He is an intelligent cat, being active and alert and will even follow you around to see what you’re doing that he can be involved in too. He isn’t a particularly talkative breed but he loves to play and can even learn to fetch a smallish ball.

This beautiful cat is medium to large in size and can weigh up to 6 or 7kg. The body is compact, the face and eyes round with a slightly blunt snout. The ears are fairly small and pointed.

The luxurious silky coat comes in different colors and patterns such as black, brown, chocolate, blue and lilac, which happen to be the five main colors of this beautiful cat with his shiny green eyes.

Temperament:

The Asia Semi-Longhair is a gentle cat but curious and active. These are cats that become attached to their human owers and don’t like to share their humans with other cats.

They’re very talkative and they are therefore not the best breed to keep in an apartment. It’s also a cat that doesn’t like to be left on its own for long periods of time and will make a friend of children and other pets such as dogs if it means some companionship.

You’ll find your American Curl to be a friendly, loving cat that will easily bond with his human family. They’re adaptable cats and will happily adjust to your lifestyle.

Despite their affection, however, American Curls aren't the type of cats to want to be pampered and petted - they are quite happy just to sit next to their owner and relax, or play with their toys.

Because American Curls are highly adaptable, they're suitable for a number of different home types, and homes with other pets or children, making you a splendid feline pet and companion.

The Asian Semi-longhair is such a sociable, friendly cat and he loves his human family so much that he can’t bear to be separated from them. It is often referred to as being a dependent cat, as it absolutely hates being alone and does not want to be separated from the people he loves.

It’s not the type of cat to get if you work long hours and there is nobody else at home. It's the kind of cat that also gets on well with kids and dogs.

He is such a playful cat that even a yarn of wool will keep him amused for ages and he loves toys. For so much friendship coming from your feline friend, he deserves plenty of love and attention - after all, he is prepared to give you that.

This is a healthy breed of cat that with good care can reach 9 – 15 years of age.

You need to be careful with their ears – perhaps damaging the cartilage if you brush him too hard.

Like many cats, the Curl is susceptible to ear issues so always be sure to check and clean your cat’s ears weekly.

The Asian Semi-longhair is a robust cat, not prone to lots of health issues and he can reach up to 15 years of age.

It doesn’t have any particular breed-specific diseases, but as with any cat, you want to be looking out for heart and periodontal diseases.

Also, hypokalaemic polymyopathy is a condition that results in muscle weakness and pain in your cat. The cause is low potassium and your pet's entire body can have muscle weakness.

Some other symptoms include being stiff, slow walking and an actual reluctance to walk. Some of the common causes of this illness include chronic kidney disease and poor diet.

The Curl’s coat can be either short or long, but with a gentle brushing, the coat can be well maintained. The shorthaired variety sheds a bit more during the year than the longhaired variety and this is why grooming and brushing becomes necessary.

You can brush your cat’s teeth to avoid periodontal disease.

Trim your cat’s nails every other week if they don’t wear down naturally.

Check inside- and outside the cat’s ears for parasites and dirt. The cat’s ears have a unique shape and they may well be born with narrowed ear canals that can trap dirt and wax and this results in ear infections.

Like all cats breeds, your lean, muscular American Curl can be susceptible to obesity and heart disease. Speak to your vet about a special cat food for your feline friend as cat food is specially formulated to deliver the exact level of natural vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants needed. Understand the amount of food your Curl requires by checking out the feeding instructions on the food labels. Always talk to your vet if you're not sure how much and what you should feed your cat.

Remember, that if you don’t want to do these grooming routines for your cat for fear of hurting him or not doing it properly, the vet or your local pet groomer will do it for you.

Make sure to provide your intelligent American Curl with toys and exercise. You can buy toys and games that will challenge his mental and physical abilities.

Your Asian Semi-Longhair will require regular deworming.

Keep your cat’s vaccines up to date.

The Asian Semi-longhair has moderate to long hair, and it’s a cat that sheds quite a bit so use a soft brush to brush the coat gently twice a week.

Have your cat spayed or neutered as this can prevent unwanted kittens. Not only this, doing this for your cat can be beneficial for your cat and bring out better characteristics in them. They no longer want to roam and mark territory. In the female cat it's the removal of the cat’s ovaries and uterus, and with the male cat, neutering is the removal of the cat’s testicles.

After this op, your vet will explain to you how to look after your recovering pet.