What breeds are American Shorthair cats?

The American Shorthair cat is a breed in its own right. It is a medium-sized cat with a hard coat of any color and almond-shaped eyes.

American Shorthairs are descended from cats brought to the American colonies and allowed to breed unrestricted for centuries, making them a natural breed. Deliberate breeding programs starting in the late 1800s produced the pedigreed American Shorthairs exhibited in cat shows today. The breeding programs were introduced in response to shorthair breeds from other regions being exhibited in American shows. American breeders decided they wanted their own regional breed to represent the American working cat. The American Shorthair is one of five breeds originally recognized by the CFA when the organization began to establish breeding standards in 1906.