The 'all-American working cat' story implies a hardy, mixed-heritage constitution, but this is a closed pedigree bred like any other purebred, and Cornell's feline health center lists American Shorthair among the breeds with an elevated rate of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — the same silent heart disease people specifically worry about in Maine Coons.
Health tests to ask the breeder for
There is no CHIC program for cats. These are the DNA and screening tests that the testing laboratories and cat health bodies name for the American Shorthair. A breeder who tests will show the certificates; a DNA result of "clear" for one variant is not a guarantee against the disease.
- PRA-rdAc (CEP290) DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford Vets) screens for late-onset progressive retinal atrophy / blindness (UC Davis VGL lists the American Shorthair among rdAc-affected breeds)
- Echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) by a veterinary cardiologist, repeated regularly for breeding cats screens for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM); no DNA test covers this breed (Cornell Feline Health Center lists the American Shorthair among HCM-predisposed breeds)
When to spay or neuter: by five months, whatever the breed. That is the one answer the AVMA, the feline practitioners and AAHA all give, and the spay and neuter page has why, and the two weeks after.
Sources: vgl.ucdavis.edu · vet.cornell.edu. Checked September 2026. Check a breeder has the questions.
Adopt a American Shorthair near you
Shelters and rescues list American Shorthairs and American Shorthair mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
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Living with a American Shorthair
American Shorthairs are about as close to a 'default' healthy, adaptable house cat as a purebred gets — even-tempered with kids, other pets, and changes in routine, and genuinely low-maintenance to groom. The main day-to-day job for an owner is portion control, since this breed will happily overeat, and it's worth remembering that 'generic-looking' doesn't mean risk-free when it comes to heart screening in breeding lines.
Health you should know about
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) — thickening of the heart muscle that can progress to heart failure; Cornell's feline health center lists this breed among those with increased prevalence, and it can be present from birth.
- Obesity — a food-motivated, moderate-energy breed genuinely prone to weight gain, which compounds joint and cardiac risk over a long lifespan.
- Dental disease — like the large majority of domestic cats generally, at real lifetime risk of periodontal disease without preventive dental care.
Read the full Cat Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a cat needs before you choose a breed.
Sources — 4 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 4 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.