| It is not just towns and businesses that change | | | | of course, the American shorthair is a pet you can |
| names. In 1966, cat fanciers witnessed a different | | | | incorporate into your family life when the kids are |
| type of name change: in a breed of cats. What was | | | | born, and have them know it as their family cat for |
| then known as the domestic shorthair breed of cats | | | | all their childhood lives. |
| had its name changed to American shorthair; a name | | | | The origins of the cat breed that came to be known |
| which has since stuck, so that if you talked about | | | | as the American shorthair can be traced to the days |
| the 'domestic shorthair' in cat fanciers' circles, then | | | | immediately after the 'discovery' of the United States |
| nobody might understand what you are actually | | | | by Christopher Columbus. This was to be followed by |
| talking about. | | | | a rush by settlers, looking to try the chances of |
| The cat breed in question is one of the most | | | | making a better life for themselves in the 'new world' |
| remarkable breeds of cats, and it is no wonder that | | | | as the United States was referred to as. |
| the Americans would want it to be associated with | | | | There were, of course, no planes in those days - and |
| them. | | | | the only way the settlers could cross from Europe to |
| Rated by the American Catfanciers Association as | | | | the United States was by sea, using ships. These |
| the eighth most popular cat breed in the world, the | | | | ships were often quite huge, and loaded with lots of |
| American Shorthair is arguably one of the friendliest | | | | wares -as would be expected of vessels used to |
| cat breeds; one which harbors the least traces of the | | | | ferry people looking to start a new life in a |
| 'bossy' behavior associated with cats. It is also a low | | | | completely different (and uninhabited) part of the |
| maintenance cat, one that is not really too fussy, and | | | | world. But a problem emerged, when it was |
| one that is one whole healthy. This is a cat that can | | | | discovered that rats were messing with this cargo - |
| tolerate strangers. It is quite a huge cat, really, with | | | | so that some poor folks were landing in the states |
| its adults -both males and females, typically weighing | | | | without important wares. To combat this problem, it |
| an upwards of ten pounds (more than five | | | | became necessary to bring cats on board - and the |
| kilograms). It does take a bit of time to grow, | | | | English cats were the chosen breed for this purpose, |
| generally an average of four years to attain full adult | | | | as most of the settlers at this stage were coming |
| size - meaning that you have a long period of time in | | | | from England. It is these English cats then, that |
| which to handle it and have it admired by your | | | | became the ancestors to the domestic shorthair |
| friends as a 'cuddly kitten.' With a lifespan of | | | | cats, that went on to be renamed American |
| between 15 to 20 years, barring complications in life | | | | Shorthair in 1966. |