American Shorthair Cats & Kittens for Sale

Meet the American Shorthair

American Shorthairs certainly have the structure of a working cat with a stocky, muscular body, broad chest, strong jaw, and thick neck. Their robust figure gives them an impressive amount of agility and endurance. They are medium to large-sized cats that reach a weight of 10 to 15 pounds and a height of 8-10 inches.

These short-haired kitties have a thick, dense coat with minimal grooming needs. Their fur thickened to adapt to their working lifestyles. As a result, it can protect them from the cold, rain, and even superficial skin injuries.

American Shorthairs come in various colours, including white, blue, black, red, cream, or silver. They can have a solid colouring or calico, bicolour, tabby, smoke or tortoiseshell patterns. Brown tabby and silver tabby American Shorthairs are by far the most common, though.

They have large heads with round, full-checked faces and slightly short ears. Their eye colours depend on their coat but will usually be green, blue, copper, gold or hazel. These gorgeous felines are a hardy breed that can live between 15 to 20 years as they have very few breed-specific health issues.

The temperament of an American Shorthair

American Shorthairs have one of the most well-balanced temperaments. They are affectionate but not needy and calm but not lazy. They also have medium energy levels, making them ideal indoor cats as they will not destroy your furniture!

As they are not overly active, they do not require hours of playtime and interaction each day, and they will happily play with their toys on their own. Even so, they maintain a playful nature until old age and are social felines. Therefore, regular play sessions with their owners are what makes them feel most fulfilled.

Domesticated American Shorthairs retain their strong hunting instincts, and these kitties are guaranteed to catch any rodent that enters your home. So, if you live in an area overrun with mice, an American Shorthair makes the best pest control! Unfortunately, they also tend to bring their owners their prey, which is something to keep in mind if your Shorthair has access to the outdoors. If you keep them as an indoor cat they might bring you their toy mice instead!

American Shorthairs are also pretty intelligent and are easy to train. They display good levels of independence, so they don't get stressed if left alone, but like most cats, they still prefer their humans' company. In fact, these felines get along with everyone and adapt well to children and other pets. They don't particularly like to be picked up, though, but will undoubtedly come to you for a cuddle whenever they are in the mood.

10 reasons to add an American Shorthair to your family

They are the best pest control around - American Shorthairs are the best hunters of the feline world and make it their job to keep your home rodent and insect-free!
They are low maintenance - Both their exercise and grooming needs are minimal, so they do not require a ton of looking after. They're also pretty independent, so while they adore attention, they're also happy to be on their own sometimes.
They are adaptable - Their well-balanced personality and adaptability mean they fit into all types of rooms. They get on well with children and other animals and adapt to new household members without feeling distressed.
They are very quiet - American Shorthairs don't have much to say and don't feel the need to vocalise their wants. While this makes them peaceful companions, it can be more challenging to tell if they are unhappy or stressed.
They are confident with strangers - If you regularly have visitors over, an American Shorthair is a good cat to have. They will not run and hide when someone new arrives, but instead, they will carry on with their business and lap up some extra attention.
They are cuddlier than their British cousins - American Shorthairs have a lot of similarities with British Shorthairs. One key difference in their temperament, though, is that American Shorthairs are far cuddlier.
They are a rugged, healthy breed - These felines have been around for a long time, and their immune systems have naturally strengthened to survive in cold winters. Plus, they are not prone to any significant genetic diseases.
They come in all colours - Whether you have a soft spot for tabbies, calicos or black cats, you'll find an American Shorthair in your favourite shade.
They are suitable for tiny homes - These cats used to live on ships, travelling with European settlers to the USA. Therefore, they have adapted to live in small spaces, such as flats and studio apartments.
They have super sweet faces - Their full-checked faces and big eyes give them a very adorable expression.

Best homes for an American Shorthair

As social, low-maintenance and adaptable cats, they are an ideal pet for all types of families and homes. Depending on your preference, you can keep an American Shorthair as an indoor-only pet or allow them access to the outdoors. However, one thing they need in their environment is plenty of toys.

American Shorthairs will accept anyone in the home, including young children. However, as these kitties do not like being picked up, ensure your kids do not do so. They also get on with other cats and dogs, so they make a fabulous addition to multi-pet homes. And don't worry if you work full time, as they are fine to stay alone. However, if that's the case, a furry friend will be extra welcome!

Frequently Asked Questions About American Shorthair Kittens

Why should I choose an American Shorthair from The Pedigree Paws rather than elsewhere?

We are aware that not every breeder raises animals in the most ethical way. However, as The Pedigree Paws prioritises kitten health and wellbeing, we have introduced extensive procedures to ensure we only partner with the best, licensed breeders around. Moreover, we do not work with breeding facilities. Our private breeders raise their kittens in their family homes, treating them as their own pets. Therefore, we pride ourselves in being a trustworthy matchmaking agency and a go-to company for cat lovers in Britain and Europe.

Is an American Shorthair the right kitten for me?

American Shorthairs are fantastic companions as they have a well-balanced temperament. They have medium levels of energy, so they are playful but not destructive. They are affectionate and cuddly but also relatively independent, so they do not act needy at all. Moreover, they are quiet and can stay at home on their own during the day, so they are generally easy to care for. They are also super social and adapt well to new environments. Therefore, whether you have small children, other pets, or you live alone in a small apartment, an American Shorthair is an excellent choice.

Is The Pedigree Paws trustworthy?

Whether you’re a first-time kitten parent, or a seasoned cat owner, getting a new furry friend should be an enjoyable experience. However, with unethical breeders still around today, this is sadly not always the case. We feel strongly about animal welfare and fighting illegal pet farms. Thus, we created The Pedigree Paws to be a trustworthy platform for cat lovers to come to when looking for a new feline. With The Pedigree Paws, getting a new American Shorthair kitten is always a joyful and stress-free experience. You don’t have to take our word for it, though, as our excellent testimonials speak for themselves. Check out our success stories to hear about some of the happy human and feline friendships we have facilitated.

Are the American Shorthairs from The Pedigree Paws healthy?

At The Pedigree Paws, kitten health and wellbeing is our top priority. Therefore, we do not allow the sale of any kitten that is not 100% healthy. Moreover, our partner breeders follow comprehensive health protocols before selling their animals. For example, they must take the kittens to a licensed vet for a full health check beforehand. Another procedure our breeders have to follow is to organise DNA tests for both parents of their American Shorthair kittens to prove their heritage. What’s more, despite being a generally healthy breed, this ensures you and us that all the kittens are free from genetic mutations. Plus, our breeders will deworm, vaccinate and microchip your American Shorthair kitten to give you one less thing to deal with.

When can I receive my new American Shorthair?

At the very minimum, a kitten should stay with its mother until they are eight weeks old. However, when they are ready to leave depends on each individual kitten. In many cases, keeping them together until they are 10-13 weeks old is much more beneficial to their development and wellbeing. So in all cases, we liaise with the breeder, and they will decide when their American Shorthair kittens are ready.

Can I see the parents of an American Shorthair kitten before purchase?

Yes, sure. We will arrange for you to see one or both parents of your American Shorthair kitten via video call before making any payment. We understand the genuine concern you can have when getting a pedigree kitten. Moreover, we know seeing that your new friend has healthy parents can give you greater peace of mind that your Shorthair will be fine, too.

Will I receive the pedigree documents of my American Shorthair?

Yes, every kitten sold on our platform comes with internationally recognised pedigree documents. These will be from one of the top breeding organisations, such as GCCF, TICA and FIFe. Regardless of which organisation they come from, the papers will be valid globally.

Do your American Shorthair kittens come from good breeders?

Our American Shorthair kittens come from the very best cat breeders in Britain and Europe. They are all registered, licenced, experienced and highly passionate about what they do. Most importantly, though, they all treat their American Shorthair kittens like family pets. Of course, as well as meeting our specific requirements, we ensure they follow the regulations set out by international breeding organisations, too. Therefore, you can rest assured that your new American Shorthair kitten has had an excellent start to its life.

Are your American Shorthair kittens raised in a family home or a breeding facility?

We do not work with any commercial breeding facility as these organisations do not operate with the kittens’ best interests at heart. In fact, the kittens are often kept separate from their mothers. As you can imagine, depriving a kitten of their mum at such an early age can negatively affect their health, development and wellbeing. So, to ensure The Pedigree Paws is 100% ethical, we only partner with breeders who raise their kittens in a family home where they stay with their mother and siblings. This way, they receive sufficient development and grow into healthy, happy, and well-socialised pets. It also reduces the chance of any behavioural problems occurring after they leave their mother.

How can I help my American Shorthair settle into my home?

American Shorthair kittens adapt well to new people and environments and do not act fearful towards strangers. This means they usually settle quickly into their forever home and become confident of their new surroundings in no time. However, despite being a social breed, how quickly they adjust will depend on their specific temperament. You can help ease the transition by asking the breeder to send a blanket or towel that the mother cat has used. This will contain feline pheromones that will keep your Shorthair kitten relaxed while they travel to you. You can also help to comfort them when they arrive by keeping them in one room initially and staying with them as much as possible during the first 24 hours.