The standards for the American Wirehair and American Shorthair are the same, with the distinguishingfeature being the unique coarse crimped coat of the Wirehair. The American Wirehair is medium-to-large in size with the female smaller than the male.. The body should be well-knit and powerful with well developed chest and hindquarters, especially in the males. The head is broad, with cheeks especially well developed in studs. The nose and face are medium short, with eyes and ears set wide apart. The muzzle should present a squarish aspect, but should not be foreshortened.
HEAD Medium size, broad and rounded. Rounded skull. Cheeks especially well developed in studs. Muzzle squarish and medium-short.
EARS Medium, not too large at base. Wide set. Rounded at tips. Not unduly open at base. External ear with short hair. Medium furnishings.
EYES Rounded and medium to large in size. Wide set, at a slight angle. Rounded aperture. Colour to conform with coat colour.
NOSE Medium short. Profile with a modified stop.
CHIN Strong, firm, deep and squared. .
NECK Medium short. In proportion to body, neither too short and thick nor too long and thin.
BODY Medium to large. Medium length. Medium boning. Rectangular shape, rather than slender, with broad chest, especially in males. Well rounded and in proportion; males larger than females. Well knit and powerful musculature.
LEGS Medium length with medium boning. Sturdy musculature.
PAWS Medium size and rounded.
TAIL Thick at base, tapering from a well-rounded rump to a rounded tip. The taper is slight, neither blunt nor pointed. Carried almost level with back. Medium size and length.
COAT Very dense, resilient, coarse, with crimped hair. The overall springy appearance is of more importance than the crimping of each hair. The points are weighted in this section for the appropriate coat.
American Wirehairs do best with little grooming. Combing or brushing of the hair is not recommended. The hardest coats seem to break easiest. As they age, the coat can become brittle and break off or thin in some parts. Straight-haired American Wirehairs have coats similar to the American Shorthair, and can be treated as such. The skin of an American Wirehair is sensitive, so it should be kept thoroughly clean through regular bathing. The coat is often greasy due to it’s oily skin.
The American Wirehair has prominent cheekbones with a strong, well developed chin. The nose seen in profile shows a gentle concave curve. The muzzle is well developed with a slight whisker break. Allowance for jowls in adult males. The American Wirehair’s ears are medium in size and, slightly rounded at tips. Set wide apart and slightly off the top of the head. Not unduly open at the base. Thier eyes are large, almost round, bright and clear. Set well apart, aperture has a slight upward tilt.
