The American Shorthair goes back to the Mayflower. English colonists brought cats with them from England to keep rats and mice on the ship under control. When settlers came to New England coast, the cats were with them in their new home.
In the early 1900's, the cats imported into the United States from different countries and mixed with the first American cats. In an attempt to rescue the original American cat, a group of farmers selected a handful of cats that show properties of "native" cat and began breeding them selectively.
In 1906, Cat Lovers Association (CFA) recognized the American Shorthair, which was called the Domestic Shorthair at the time. In 1966, the named was changed to American Shorthair, and represents a pure breed rather than a mixed breed cat
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