American Ringtail
Felis catus
Also called Ringtailed Sing-a-Ling, Ringtail cat
From Northern California, United States, starting with a cat named Solomon in 19981
At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
curled tail
The breed's calling card is a muscular, fully mobile tail that curls up over the back like a husky's or loops to one side. The body is described as muscular and fairly slender, with hind legs a little longer than the front, which helps make these cats agile climbers with good balance.21
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Enjoys climbing, so cat trees and shelves suit it well.2
The story where it all began
The breed began in 1998 with Solomon, a Californian cat whose tail curled over his back. Breeder Susan Manley noticed the same trait among free-roaming cats in northern California and began a breeding programme, crossing curled-tail cats with Ragdolls and American Shorthairs. It remains a small, experimental breed.1
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its original registration name was the rather musical Ringtailed Sing-a-Ling.2
- 2
Unlike some kinked-tail cats, the Ringtail's tail bones are not fused, so the tail keeps its full range of movement.2
- 3
Pig, the cat in the DreamWorks film Home, has a curly tail that has led people to link her to this breed, though that is unconfirmed.1
Recognised by the official bits
- Major registries
- An experimental breed not listed by the major cat registries1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a American Ringtail. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Nail trimevery 3 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- Litter scoopevery day
- Litter changeevery week
- PlayDaily playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 11every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- American Ringtail - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, recognition, history, fun facts
- Cat Breeds A - Messybeast messybeast.comused for tail and body description, other name, fun facts
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.