American Curl care: ear cleaning, health and feeding

An American Curl's ears need more careful handling than an ordinary cat's, and that is the main thing that sets its care apart. The rest of the breed's needs are those of any healthy, active cat. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), the breed began with a longhaired black stray named Shulamith, noticed in Southern California in 1981. Her kittens showed that the curl is inherited as a dominant trait, so a single copy of the gene produces the curled ear. A 1989 report on the breed's genetics confirmed the pattern from breeding records and named the gene Cu.

How the ears develop

Curl kittens are born with straight ears. The CFA describes the ears starting to curl back at three to five days old and setting permanently at around 16 weeks. The final degree of curl varies a lot. Some cats have ears that are almost straight, which makes them pet quality; show cats need an arc of 90 to 180 degrees. Nothing an owner does will change how the ears set, so leave them alone while they develop.

The breed standard describes firm cartilage from the base of the ear to at least a third of its height, with rounded, flexible tips. That firm base is why the ears should never be bent, flattened or pulled straight. Rough handling can hurt the cat and may damage the cartilage. Children and visitors should be shown how to stroke the head without handling the ears.

Cleaning and checking the ears

Keep the ears clean, but handle them with extreme care. The CFA's advice is to use a cotton swab soaked in ear cleaner, working up and away from the ear canal opening, never down into it, and without pulling on the cartilage. A cotton pad does the same job on the visible part of the ear.

• Look inside the ears once a week. Clean only when there is visible wax or dirt.
• Use a cleaner made for cats, not alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
• Support the ear gently at the base and wipe outwards along its natural curve.
• See a vet for redness, swelling, a bad smell, dark or gritty discharge, head shaking, scratching at the ears or a head tilt. Ear mites and infections are common in cats of all breeds.

A curled ear leaves more of the pale inner surface open to light. There is no study of sunburn in the breed, but thinly haired, light-colored ear skin is where sun damage shows up in cats generally, so a cat that spends hours in strong window sun is worth watching. Have any crusting or reddened patch on the ear tips checked.

Health and the Scottish Fold question

Outcrossing to non-pedigree domestic cats was allowed until 2015, which the CFA says gives the breed one of the most diverse gene pools of any breed. The CFA reports no breed-linked health problems so far, although many breeders still test for conditions found in the wider cat population.

American Curls are often confused with Scottish Folds, whose folded ears come from a different gene that also causes osteochondrodysplasia, a painful disorder of cartilage and bone. No such joint disease has been linked to the curl gene. Mixing the two breeds is a different matter. A Japanese case report described a Scottish Fold and American Curl cross with curled ears that carried two copies of the Fold's TRPV4 variant and developed severe bony growths on a hind leg by about a year old. The authors advise against cross-breeding with Scottish Folds. A curl-eared kitten from a mixed or unknown background, especially one with a stiff gait or reluctance to jump, should be examined by a vet.

Beyond that, Curls get the same illnesses as other cats. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a thickening of the heart muscle, is the most common heart disease of cats, according to the Cornell Feline Health Center. The American Curl is not among the breeds Cornell lists as predisposed. Many affected cats show no signs; others breathe fast or with effort, become lethargic, or suddenly lose the use of their hind legs because of a blood clot, which is an emergency. A murmur or a raised resting breathing rate should lead to an echocardiogram.

Dental disease is common in cats as a whole, and there is no published evidence that Curls are more prone to it than other breeds. Home care still pays off. Tooth brushing with a cat toothpaste, started in kittenhood, is the most useful habit, and dental treats or diets can help alongside it. Drooling, dropping food, chewing on one side or bad breath need a veterinary check.

Feeding an adult Curl

The CFA standard gives weights of 2.3 to 3.6 kg (5 to 8 lb) for females and 3.2 to 4.5 kg (7 to 10 lb) for males, with a slender, moderately muscled build. A complete and balanced cat food suits the breed; no special nutrient targets apply. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that cats need taurine, vitamin A and arachidonic acid from their diet, which is one reason dog food or a homemade diet without veterinary input is not suitable.

For calories, Merck starts from the resting energy requirement (70 × body weight in kg to the power 0.75) and multiplies by about 1.2 for a neutered adult cat, 1.4 for an intact adult, and 1.0 for a cat that gains weight easily.

The gap between the intact and neutered columns shows why weight often creeps up after neutering. Reduce portions from the time of surgery and weigh the cat monthly for the next six months. Kittens need more energy per kilogram than adults and do better on three or four meals a day; adults can move to two measured meals.

Coat, play and daily routine

Curls come in longhaired and shorthaired versions. Both coats are silky and lie flat with little undercoat, so the CFA suggests combing only two or three times a month to keep shedding down. Longhaired cats may need more during a seasonal shed, and any cat that grooms heavily can bring up hairballs; frequent vomiting of hair, or hairballs with a poor appetite, needs a vet visit.

The CFA describes the breed as keeping a kitten-like personality well into adulthood and looking forward to regular play. Short wand-toy sessions, climbing space and food puzzles use that energy and help keep weight steady. Measure any food used in puzzles as part of the day's ration.

Sources

1. American Curl breed profile and standard. The Cat Fanciers' Association.
2. The American curl cat. Journal of Heredity, 1989.
3. Osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Fold cross-breed cats. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, 2020.
4. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Cornell Feline Health Center.
5. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.