Jungle-Bob vs American Wirehair - Breed Comparison

The American Wirehair started as a spontaneous mutation so that somewhere along the line, an unusual litter with this unique wiry type of fur was born.

The cat hails from New York and it was in 1966 that a couple of barn cats had a litter of kittens, some of which were born with this peculiar wiry hair. Only one kitten survived – a male – and later it was discovered that the gene responsible for the wirehair coat was dominant so that only one parent required the gene to produce Wirehair offspring.

Today, all American Wirehairs are descendants of this one surviving male kitten. Today the breed is still fairly rare. It is, however, recognized by the four largest North American cat associations.

This hybrid cat is a cross between a Chausie and a Pixie Bob.

What is notable about this cat is that it can have a Bobcat like tail or it can have a full-length tail. They’re a fairly new breed and have been bred since the early 1990s. The whole purpose of breeding the cat was to develop a jungle cat hybrid with a spotted pattern.

The American Wirehair is a medium-sized cat, strong and powerful, and can weight 5, 6 or 7 kg.

The head is in proportion to the body and the cat has a strong muzzle and chin. The ears are medium-sized and are rounded at the tips while the eyes are large, round, and set well apart.

It’s the coat that draws attention as unlike a regular cat’s silky fur, the fur of this cat is springy, coarse and wiry to the touch. The coat can be any color or pattern. It is the cat’s very coat that distinguishes it from all other breeds.

With this coat, the less grooming the better. Brushing or combing can damage it, so unless he is shedding heavily, leave it alone.

The only other care he needs really is nail trimming, to check inside his mouth for bad teeth and to also check inside his ears for redness. Both the teeth and the ears can be a source of pain for your pet.

Temperament:

The American Wirehair may have a harsh coat but there is nothing harsh about his personality at all. He is amicable and loving, getting on well with all members of his human family.

He is an independent cat and while he loves spending time with his family, he is quite capable of spending time on his own as well.

The American Wirehair is a playful cat so you want to give him some toys to entertain himself for when you’re not around.

These are big cats and can weigh between 6 and 10kg. The leopard-spotted coat comes in all shades – brown, tawny, gold, silver and black with you not likely to see solid shades.

The coat can be short or medium-length. The cats have a thick muzzle and he has hooded eyes. The ears are fairly large and placed high o the head. They’re well muscled with long legs with the hind legs being fairly longer than the front legs

Temperament:

The Jungle-Bob loves his food. He loves interactive toys that hold the food and encourage him to think about how to get the food out.

He loves his human family and bonds strongly with them, loving to play rough and tumble games with the kids. He gets on well with children as well as other pets in the house.

You may find your Jungle-Bob being shy and not wanting to be friendly with strangers. They’re intelligent cats and have been known to learn how to open certain doors and cupboards. They can also be taught to walk on a leash.

The American Wirehair makes a splendid pet, and while he isn’t the best breed for children, he can make a good pet with those children who have been taught kindness, gentleness and respect for animals.

He is calm, quiet, dependent, and sociable and by providing him with a good home, he’ll prove to be a wonderful pet and companion.

Your Jungle-Bob, just like all cats with a wild side, should have a largish outdoor cage. Keeping a hybrid cat like the Jungle-Bob is far more challenging than keeping a regular domesticated cat.

Hybrid cats like these are always active and they require lots of exercise. They can learn to walk on a leash.

Hybrid cats like this are made up of many species and they come with lots of interesting fur patterns. but that shouldn't be your motivation for buying one.

Think carefully before you own one of these cats as they’re beautiful for sure, but sometimes they become too much for the owners and then they land up in shelters. Be informed before you invest in one of these cats.

The American Wirehair is a healthy type of cat but any cat can develop health issues.

Be aware of Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a common form of heart disease in cats where there is the thickening of the heart muscle.

Be careful of overfeeding your cat as obesity is a major contributory disease to many illnesses that a cat gets. Excess weight can contribute to diabetes and arthritis and put pressure on your cat’s joints. Certainly, carrying extra weight can shorten your cat’s life. Make sure your cat gets smaller, healthier meals and that he is active and exercised.

Even a trip to the vet can be a challenge and it can be a frightening experience for a hybrid cat. They may even need to be sedated before the vet can examine them.

Also, did you know that in terms of rabies, which can be a fatal disease, it is not positive that these vaccines even work with a hybrid cat? So if your pet is exposed to rabies, it could spell great danger for you and your hybrid pet.

General:

Brush the cat gently once a week. Your cat will love the connection you and he has. While you brush him, make a point of checking inside his ears and inside his mouth as well. It is also time to trim his nails. If you are hesitant to do this, ask you vet for suggestions or you can make use of a pet groomer too.

Make sure your pet cat is free from parasites such as fleas, ticks and heartworm. Your vet can recommend a treatment and it is also a good idea to talk to your vet about vaccines for your cat.

No unwanted kittens:

Have your American Wirehair spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted kittens and to promote better health for your cat.

Diet:

Always choose healthy food for your pet, bearing in mind that cats are carnivores, which means that you need to choose cat-food for your pet that has fish and meat in it. It can be difficult making good homemade food for your cat but there are excellent commercially prepared cat foods to ensure your cat gets the correct balance of nutrients and calories. Bear in mind that your cat's nutritional requirements change through their different stages of life.

Before you invest in one of these hybrid exotic cats do research because they’re different from your regular domestic cats.

Because they have a wild side, they’re not suited to small apartments. Apart from being both an indoor and outdoor cat, he will require a fairly large outdoor cage with one part dedicated to shade and shelter for him.

Even though you will buy your Jungle Bob a litter box for indoors, remember that even though you train your cat to use it, the wild part of the cat means that he will spray and do his business on your carpets or against your furniture as well.

This is precisely why so many cat shelters are full of these cats. They become a handful for their owners, and their owners just hand them in as a bad experience.

A hybrid cat like the Jungle-Bob has a digestive system not quite the same as your regular domestic cat. It is absolutely imperative that these cats receive a meat diet as they are carnivores.

Keeping such a cat as a pet means you will need to invest in high-quality protein foods that sit well with this cat’s digestive system. A good guide for the Jungle Bob-cat is to steer clear of carbohydrates and feed your cat a protein-rich diet.

It is also a wise move to feed your new kitten the food that he has been eating at the breeder and then to make a gradual change to the best food protein there is.

Speak to your vet if in any kind of doubt. There are excellent high protein, high-quality commercial cat foods available on the market that make feeding a cat convenient as well.