American Curl

According to the CFA, the American Curl is affectionate, people-oriented and energetic without being annoying. It adapts easily to new surroundings and generally gets along with children, dogs, cats and other pets. It stays playful like a kitten into adulthood and enjoys regular play with its people.

It suits families who enjoy time with their cat and want a playful but not noisy, easygoing companion.

Teach children not to pull the ears, bend the curl or pick the cat up by the ears.

According to the CFA the breed began in 1981 with a stray kitten named Shulamith who appeared on a doorstep in California. Her curled ears and alert expression caught the eye of founders Joe and Grace Ruga, who worked with CFA judges to write a standard and bred curl-eared cats to domestic longhairs and shorthairs. The ear curl is passed on by a dominant gene: a single copy is enough to produce a curled ear.

Both coat lengths are common. In FIFe they're registered as ACL (longhair) and ACS (shorthair) and count as sister breeds. According to FIFe, straight-eared Curls are registered separately as an unrecognized variety but can be used in the breed's breeding program.

A medium-sized, gracefully built cat. According to the CFA females run 5 to 8 pounds (2.3 to 3.6 kg) and males 7 to 10 pounds (3.2 to 4.5 kg).

• Ears: Kittens are born with straight ears. According to the CFA the ears start curling back around days 3 to 5 and take their permanent shape at about 16 weeks; that's when breeders can judge whether a kitten is show or pet quality. The curl ranges from almost straight to an arc of 90 to 180 degrees; a 90 to 180 degree curl is the show standard, less curl is pet quality.
• Coat (long): Semi-long, fine, silky and lying flat, with a plumed tail.
• Coat (short): Short, soft and silky; resilient rather than plush.
• Colors: The CFA accepts all colors and patterns in both coat lengths: solids, smokes, tabbies, tortoiseshells, bi-colors and pointed patterns.

According to the CFA the minimal undercoat makes grooming easy; combing two or three times a month keeps shedding down.

• Ear care: The CFA recommends cleaning the ears carefully with a cotton swab, working outward from the ear canal, and not pulling the delicate cartilage. International Cat Care says redness, itching, head shaking, discharge or odor means the ear should be seen by a vet; ask your vet for advice on cleaning as well.
• Nails: A scratching post is a must; trim nails the way your vet shows you.
• Play: Adult Curls stay playful; give daily hunting games and safe high places.

More in our posts on cat grooming and play for indoor cats.

We found no special diet recommendation for the American Curl. A balanced, complete cat food suited to its age and lifestyle is enough. Measure the food rather than eyeballing it, subtract treats from the daily amount, work out the daily amount with your vet and weigh your cat once a month.

The information below is for general awareness; for diagnosis and treatment, talk to your veterinarian.

The CFA writes that no breed-specific health problems have been identified; many breeders still test for recessive conditions common in cats generally. But the curled ear is a cartilage trait, and there are two things worth knowing.

Curled ears and bone health

A 2025 review in the journal Animal Welfare says skeletal problems related to the ears haven't yet been reported in American Curls, but that this needs further investigation; the same review recommends avoiding breeding for folded or curled ears because of broader welfare concerns. So what we know today points to no bone problems in Curls, but there's no large study either.

The link to the Scottish Fold gene

In a 2026 study in Japan that tested 8,610 cats from 14 breeds, the TRPV4 gene change that causes osteochondrodysplasia in Scottish Folds turned up in 2 of 115 American Curls (1.7%). According to the researchers this points to past crosses with Scottish Folds; an earlier report described Curls with two copies of the gene showing osteochondrodysplasia. So most Curls don't carry the gene, but some lines may. Ask the breeder about the TRPV4 test and whether there's a Scottish Fold in the cat's pedigree. For details on osteochondrodysplasia, see our Scottish Fold page.

Ear health

International Cat Care lists wounds, blood-filled swellings and mites on the outer ear; ear mites, infections and foreign bodies in the ear canal; and infections and polyps in the middle and inner ear. Signs include swelling, redness, pain, itching, head shaking, a head tilt, discharge or odor. If you notice any of them, show your vet.

We found no breed-specific lifespan study for the American Curl, so we're not giving a number. Ideal weight, regular vet checkups, neutering and a safe home affect lifespan the most. Having no number doesn't mean a cat will live a short or long life; there is simply no reliable figure for the breed. Asking about the parents' ages and health history when you get a kitten fills that gap to some degree. Regular checkups, vaccinations, parasite prevention, dental health and a calm, safe home are the foundation of care; ask your vet which checkups they recommend as your cat ages.

• Consider a shelter too: Mixes that resemble curled-ear cats, and purebreds, end up in shelters.
• If you buy from a breeder: Since ears set at 16 weeks, it's hard to pick a very young kitten by ear shape; see the parents, ask for the TRPV4 test result and whether there's a Scottish Fold in the pedigree. FIFe registers straight-eared Curls as a separate variety but allows them in breeding, so a kitten whose ears stay straight can also be a healthy cat from the breed's line.
• Red flags: Sellers who won't show the mother, always have kittens, offer no paperwork or rush you to buy now.
• Legal registration: In Türkiye, microchipping and PETVET registration are mandatory for cats. Details in our PETVET registration and microchip post.
• First days: International Cat Care advises starting a new cat in a single room, leaving a hiding place it can retreat to and letting it come to you rather than forcing contact. Our first week with a new cat post walks you through it.