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Photo by AmyWorks
Photo by Chanan
American Curl
Breed Standard
Point Score
HEAD (20)
Shape & Size 8
Profile 6
Muzzle 4
Chin 2
EARS (30)
Degree of Curl 10
Shape & Size 10
Placement 8
Furnishings 2
EYES(10)
Shape & Size 6
Placement 3
Color 1
BODY (25)
Torso & Neck 9
Size & Boning 6
Legs & Feet 5
Tail Length 5
COAT AND COLOR (15)
Silky Texture 6
Minimal Undercoat 4
Body Coat Length 2
Tail Coat Length 2
Color 1
Standard

GENERAL: the distinctive feature of the American Curl is their attractive, uniquely curled-back ears. The original American Curl, a longhaired female named Shulamith, was first noted in Southern California in 1981. Selective breeding began in 1983. Curls are elegant, well balanced, moderately muscled, slender rather than massive in build. Females weigh 5 to 8 pounds, males weigh 7 to 10 pounds. They are alert, active, with gentle, even dispositions.

HEAD: Shape: modified wedge without flat planes, moderately longer than wide, smooth transitions. Profile: nose moderate in length and straight, slight rise from bottom of eyes to forehead, gentle curve to top of head, flowing into neck, without a break. Size: medium in proportion to body. Muzzle: rounded with gentle transition, no pronounced whisker break. Chin: firm, in line with nose and upper lip.

EARS: Degree: minimum 90 degree arc of curl, not to exceed 180 degrees. Firm cartilage from ear base to at least 1/3 of height. Shape: wide at base and open, curving back in smooth arc when viewed from front and rear. Tips rounded and flexible. Size: moderately large. Placement: erect, set equally on top and side of head. Furnishings: desirable. Note: when Curls are alert with ears swiveled toward front, lines following curve of ear through tips should point to center of base of skull. (Lines following curve of ear through tips beyond 90 and up to 180 degrees may intersect at a point farther up on skull, but not beyond top of skull.

EYES: Shape: walnut, oval on top and round on bottom. Placement: set on slight angle between base of ear and tip of nose one eye width apart. Size: moderately large. Color: clear, brilliant, no relation to coat color except blue eyes required in colorpoint class.

BODY: Torso Shape: semi-foreign rectangle, length one and one-half times height at shoulder, medium depth of chest and flank. Size: intermediate, females weigh 5 to 8 pounds, males weigh 7 to 10 pounds. Musculature: moderate strength and tone, flexible. Tail: flexible, wide at base, tapering; equal to body length. Legs: length medium in proportion to body, set straight when viewed from front or rear. Medium boning, neither fine nor heavy. Neck: medium. Feet: medium and rounded.

COAT & COLOR: Longhair Division: Texture: fine, silky, laying flat. Undercoat: minimal. Coat length: semi-long. Tail coat: full and plumed. Color: all colors and patterns accepted. Shorthair Division: Texture: soft, silky, laying flat, resilient without a plush dense feel. Undercoat: minimal. Coat length: short. Tail coat: same length as body coat. Color: all colors and patterns accepted.

PENALIZE: Ears: low set; abrupt change of direction without smooth curve; pinch, horizontal or vertical crimp; interior surface which appears corrugated. Body: tubular or cobby. Excessive size. Nose: deep nose break. Coat: Longhair Division: heavy undercoat; heavy ruff; coarse or cottony texture. Shorthair Division: heavy undercoat, coarse texture; dense or plush coats.

DISQUALIFY: extreme curl in adult where tip of ear touches back of ear or head. Ears that are straight, severely mismatched, thick or having inflexible tips. Lack of firm cartilage in base of ear. Tail faults.

American Curl Colors

WHITE: pure glistening white. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

BLACK: dense coal black, sound from roots to tip of fur. Free from any tinge of rust on tips or smoke undercoat. Nose leather: black. Paw pads: black or brown.

BLUE: blue, lighter shade preferred, one level tone from nose to tip of tail. Sound to the roots. A sound darker shade is more acceptable than an unsound lighter shade. Nose leather and paw pads: blue.

RED: deep, rich, clear, brilliant red; without shading, markings, or ticking. Lips and chin the same color as coat. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red.

CREAM: one level shade of buff cream, without markings. Sound to the roots. Lighter shades preferred. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

CHOCOLATE: rich, warm chocolate-brown, sound from roots to tip of fur. Nose leather and paw pads: brown.

LILAC: rich, warm lavender with a pinkish tone, sound and even throughout. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

CHINCHILLA SILVER: undercoat pure white. Coat on back, flanks, head, and tail sufficiently tipped with black to give the characteristic sparkling silver appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, pure white. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black.

SHADED SILVER: undercoat white with a mantle of black tipping shading down from sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. 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 with black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black.

CHINCHILLA GOLDEN: undercoat rich warm cream. Coat on back, flanks, head, and tail sufficiently tipped with black to give golden appearance. Legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, cream. Rims of eyes, lips, and nose outlined with black. Nose leather: deep rose. Paw pads: black.

SHADED GOLDEN: undercoat rich warm cream with a mantle of black tipping shading down from the sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to cream on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. 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 with black. Nose leather: deep rose. Paw pads: black.

SHELL CAMEO (Red Chinchilla): undercoat white, the coat on the back, flanks, head, and tail to be sufficiently tipped with red to give the characteristic sparkling appearance. Face and legs may be very slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, white. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose.

SHADED CAMEO (Red Shaded): undercoat white with a mantle of red tipping shading down the sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to white on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Legs to be the same tone as face. The general effect to be much redder than the shell cameo. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose.

SHELL TORTOISESHELL: undercoat white. Coat on the back, flanks head, and tail to be delicately tipped in black with well-defined patches of red and cream tipped hairs as in the pattern of the tortoiseshell. Face and legs may be slightly shaded with tipping. Chin, ear tufts, stomach, and chest, white to very slightly tipped. Blaze of red or cream tipping on face is desirable.

SHADED TORTOISESHELL: undercoat white. Mantle of black tipping and clearly defined patches of red and cream tipped hairs as in the pattern of the tortoiseshell. Shading down the sides, face, and tail from dark on the ridge to slightly tipped or white on the chin, chest, stomach, legs, and under the tail. The general effect is to be much darker than the shell tortoiseshell. Blaze of red or cream tipping on the face is desirable.

BLACK SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with black. Cat in repose appears black. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask black with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: black.

BLUE SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with blue. Cat in repose appears blue. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask blue, with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: blue.

CAMEO SMOKE (Red Smoke): white undercoat, deeply tipped with red. Cat in repose appears red. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask red, with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads: rose.

CHOCOLATE SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with chocolate. Cat in repose appears chocolate. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask chocolate with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: chocolate.

LAVENDER SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with lavender. Cat in repose appears lavender. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask lavender, with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: lavender.

CREAM SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with cream. Cat in repose appears cream. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask cream, with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads: pink.

SMOKE TORTOISESHELL: white undercoat, deeply tipped with black with clearly defined unbrindled patches of red and cream tipped hairs as in the pattern of the tortoiseshell. Cat in repose appears tortoiseshell. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face and ears tortoiseshell pattern with narrow band of white at the base of the hairs next to the skin that may be seen only when fur is parted. Blaze of red or cream tipping on face is desirable.

CHOCOLATE TORTOISESHELL SMOKE: white undercoat, deeply tipped with chocolate tortoiseshell. Cat in repose appears chocolate tortoiseshell. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask chocolate tortoiseshell with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: mottled with pink on nose and paws.

BLUE-CREAM SMOKE: white undercoat deeply tipped with blue, with clearly defined patches of cream as in the pattern of the blue-cream. Cat in repose appears blue-cream. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face and ears blue-cream pattern with narrow band of white at the base of the hair next to the skin that may be seen only when fur is parted. Blaze of cream tipping on face is desirable.

CLASSIC TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail evenly ringed. Several unbroken necklaces on neck and upper chest, the more the better. Frown marks on forehead form an intricate letter “M.” Unbroken line runs back from outer corner of eye. Swirls on cheeks. Vertical lines over back of head extend to shoulder markings which are in the shape of a butterfly with both upper and lower wings distinctly outlined and marked with dots inside outline. 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. Large solid blotch on each side to be encircled by one or more unbroken rings. Side markings should be the same on both sides. Double vertical rows of buttons on chest and stomach.

MACKEREL TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and all narrow pencillings. Legs evenly barred with narrow bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail barred. Necklaces on neck and chest distinct, like so many chains. Head barred with an “M” on the forehead. Unbroken lines running back from the eyes. Lines running down the head to meet the shoulders. Spine lines run together to form a narrow saddle. Narrow pencillings run around body.

PATCHED TABBY: a patched tabby (torbie) is an established silver, brown, or blue tabby with patches of red and/or cream.

SPOTTED TABBY PATTERN: markings on the body to be spotted. May vary in size and shape with preference given to round, evenly distributed spots. Spots should not run together in a broken mackerel pattern. A dorsal stripe runs the length of the body to the tip of the tail. The stripe is ideally composed of spots. The markings on the face and forehead shall be typically tabby markings. Underside of the body to have “vest buttons.” Legs and tail are barred.

TICKED TABBY PATTERN: body hairs to be ticked with various shades of marking color and ground color. Body when viewed from top to be free from noticeable spots, stripes, or blotches, except for darker dorsal shading. Lighter underside may show tabby markings. Face, legs, and tail must show distinct tabby striping. Cat must have at least one distinct necklace.

BROWN PATCHED TABBY: ground color brilliant coppery brown with classic or mackerel tabby markings of dense black with patches of red and/or cream clearly defined on both body and extremities; a blaze of red and/or cream on the face is desirable. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes.

BLUE PATCHED TABBY: ground color, including lips and chin, pale bluish ivory with classic or mackerel tabby markings of very deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. Patches of cream clearly defined on both body and extremities; a blaze of cream on the face is desirable. Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole.

SILVER PATCHED TABBY: ground color, including lips and chin, pale silver with classic or mackerel tabby markings of dense black with patches of red and/or cream clearly defined on both body and extremities. A blaze of red and/or cream on the face is desirable.

SILVER TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color, including lips and chin, pale, clear silver. Markings dense black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black.

RED TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color red. Markings deep, rich red. Lips and chin red. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red.

BROWN TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color brilliant coppery brown. Markings dense black. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Back of leg black from paw to heel. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black or brown.

BLUE TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color, including lips and chin, pale bluish ivory. Markings a very deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole. Nose leather: old rose. Paw pads: rose.

CREAM TABBY (classic, mackerel): ground color, including lips and chin, very pale cream. Markings of buff or cream sufficiently darker than the ground color to afford good contrast, but remaining within the dilute color range. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

BLUE SILVER and CREAM SILVER TABBIES: tabby pattern with colors and leathers same as for corresponding shaded colors.

CHOCOLATE SILVER TABBY: ground color, including lips and chin, is silver. Markings rich chestnut. Nose leather: chestnut or pink rimmed with chestnut. Paw pads: cinnamon.

LAVENDER SILVER TABBY: ground color, including lips and chin, a cold clear silver. Markings sound lavender. Nose leather: lavender or pink rimmed with lavender. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

CAMEO TABBY(classic, mackerel): ground color off-white. Markings red. Nose leather and paw pads: rose.

TORTOISESHELL: black with unbrindled patches of red and cream. Patches clearly defined and well broken on both body and extremities. Blaze of red or cream on face is desirable.

CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of black and red. As a preferred minimum, the cat should have white feet, legs, undersides, chest, and muzzle. Less white than this minimum should be penalized proportionately. Inverted “V” blaze on face desirable.

DILUTE CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of blue and cream. As a preferred minimum the cat should have white feet, legs, undersides, chest, and muzzle. Less white than this minimum should be penalized proportionately. Inverted “V” blaze on face desirable.

BLUE-CREAM: blue with patches of solid cream. Patches clearly defined and well broken on both body and extremities.

BI-COLOR: black and white, blue and white, red and white, or cream and white. As a preferred minimum, the cat should have white feet, legs, undersides, chest, and muzzle. Less white than this minimum should be penalized proportionately. Inverted “V” blaze on face desirable. Cats with no more than a locket and/or button do not qualify for this color class. Such cats shall be judged in the color class of their basic body color with no penalty for such locket or button.

VAN BI-COLOR: Black and white, red and white, blue and white, or cream and white. White cat with color confined to the extremities; head, tail, and legs. One or two small colored patches on body allowable.

VAN CALICO: white cat with unbrindled patches of black and red confined to the extremities; head, tail, and legs. One or two small colored patches on body allowable.

VAN DILUTE CALICO: white cat with unbrindled patches of blue and cream confined to the extremities; head, tail, and legs. One or two small colored patches on body allowable. (NOTE: cats having more than two small body spots should be shown in the regular bi-color class.)

TABBY AND WHITE: white with colored portions, the colored portions of the cat to conform to the currently established classic, mackerel, patched, ticked and spotted tabby color standards. As a preferred minimum, the cat should have white feet, legs, undersides, chest, and muzzle. Less white than this minimum should be penalized proportionately. Inverted “V” blaze on face desirable.

SEAL POINT: body even pale fawn to cream, warm in tone, shading gradually into lighter color on the stomach and chest. Points deep seal brown. Nose leather and paw pads: same color as points. Eye color: blue.

SEAL LYNX POINT: points beige-brown ticked with darker brown tabby markings. Body color pale cream to fawn, warm in tone. Mask must be clearly lined with dark stripes vertical on forehead with classic “M” on forehead, horizontal on cheeks and dark spots on whisker pads clearly outlined in dark color edges. Inner ear light with thumbprint on outer ear. Markings dense, clearly defined and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets. Tail barred. No striping or mottling on body, but consideration to be given to shading in older cats. Nose leather: seal or brick red. Paw pads: seal. Eye color: blue.

CHOCOLATE POINT: body ivory with no shading. Points milk-chocolate color, warm in tone. Nose leather and paw pads: cinnamon pink. Eye color: blue.

CHOCOLATE LYNX POINT: body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: warm milk-chocolate bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears warm milk-chocolate with paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: cinnamon permitted, pink edged in cinnamon preferred. Paw pads: cinnamon. Eye color: blue.

BLUE POINT: body bluish white, cold in tone, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest. Points blue. Nose leather and paw pads: slate blue. Eye color: blue.

BLUE LYNX POINT: points light, silvery blue, ticked with darker blue tabby markings. Body color bluish white, cold in tone. Mask must be clearly lined with dark stripes vertical on forehead with classic “M” on forehead, horizontal on cheeks and dark spots on whisker pads clearly outlined in dark color edges. Inner ear light with thumbprint on outer ear. Markings dense, clearly defined and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets. Tail barred. No striping or mottling on body, but consideration to be given to shading in older cats. Nose leather: blue or brick red. Paw pads: blue. Eye color: blue.

BLUE-CREAM POINT: body bluish white or creamy white, shading gradually to white on the stomach and chest. Points blue with patches of cream. Nose leather and paw pads: slate blue, pink, or a combination of slate blue and pink. Eye color: blue.

BLUE-CREAM LYNX POINT: points blue with darker blue tabby markings and patches of cream. Body color bluish white, cold in tone. Mask must be clearly lined with dark stripes vertical on forehead with classic “M” on forehead, horizontal on cheeks and dark spots on whisker pads clearly outlined in dark color edges. Inner ear light with thumbprint on outer ear. Markings dense, clearly defined and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets. Tail barred. Nose leather and paw pads: slate blue and/or pink. Eye color: blue.

LILAC POINT: body glacial white with no shading. Points frosty grey with pinkish tone. Nose leather and paw pads: lavender pink. Eye color: blue.

LILAC-LYNX POINT: body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears frosty grey with pinkish tone, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather: lavender-pink permitted, pink edged in lavender-pink preferred. Paw pads: lavender-pink. Eye color: blue.

LILAC-CREAM POINT: body glacial white; mottling, if any, in the shade of the points. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone, uniformly mottled with pale cream; a blaze is desirable. Nose leather and paw pads: lavender-pink; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable. Eye color: blue.

LILAC-CREAM LYNX POINT: body glacial white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears frosty grey with pinkish tone, paler thumbprint in center. Uniform mottling of cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: lavender-pink permitted, pink edged in lavender-pink preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: lavender-pink, or lavender-pink mottled with flesh or coral pink. Eye color: deep vivid blue. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

FLAME (RED) POINT: body creamy white. Points deep orange flame to deep red. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh or coral pink. Eye color: blue.

CREAM POINT: body creamy white with no shading. Points buff cream with no apricot. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh pink or salmon coral. Eye color: blue.

CREAM LYNX POINT: body clear white. Body shading may take form of ghost striping. Points: bars of pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears pale buff cream to light pinkish cream, paler thumbprint in center. Nose leather and paw pads: flesh to coral pink. Eye color: blue.

TORTIE POINT: body creamy white or pale fawn. Points seal with unbrindled patches of red and/or cream. Blaze of red or cream on face is desirable. Nose leather and paw pads: seal brown with flesh and/or coral pink mottling to conform with colors of points. Eye color: blue.

TORTIE-LYNX POINT: points beige-brown with dark brown tabby markings and patches of red. Body color creamy white or pale fawn. Mask must be clearly lined with dark stripes vertical on forehead with classic “M” on forehead, horizontal on cheeks and dark spots on whisker pads clearly outlined in dark color edges. Inner ear light with thumbprint on outer ear. Markings dense, clearly defined and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets. Tail barred. Nose leather and paw pads: seal brown and/or flesh or coral pink. Eye color: blue.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE POINT: body ivory, may be mottled in older cats. Points: warm milk-chocolate uniformly mottled with red and/or cream; a blaze is desirable. Nose leather and paw pads: cinnamon; flesh or coral pink mottling desirable. Eye color: blue.

CHOCOLATE-TORTIE LYNX POINT: body ivory. Body shading may take form of ghost striping and/or cream mottling. Points: warm milk-chocolate bars, distinct and separated by lighter background color; ears warm milk- chocolate with paler thumbprint in center. Uniform mottling of red and/or cream overlays the markings of the points. Nose leather: cinnamon permitted, pink edged in cinnamon preferred, flesh or coral pink mottling may be present. Paw pads: cinnamon, or cinnamon mottled with flesh or coral pink. Eye color: blue. NOTE: these cats resemble lynx points more than tortie points.

OACC (Other American Curl Colors): Any other genetically possible color or pattern.

American Curl Color Class Numbers

The following information is for reference purposes only and not an official part of the CFA Show Standard.

American Curl allowable outcross breeds: domestic longhair or shorthair for litters born before 1/1/2015.

LONGHAIR DIVISION
All Championship Colors
(All accepted colors as defined in the Show Standards and Other American Curl Colors and patterns.)
8000 8001
AOV 8198 8199
SHORTHAIR DIVISION
All Championship Colors
(All accepted colors as defined in the Show Standards and Other American Curl Colors and patterns.)
8050 8051
AOV 8298 8299