Would the passenger who lost a cat please come get it? the flight attendant asked on a red-eye flight traveling from the East Coast to the West. American Shorthair breeder Carolyn Lyons, returning to California from a cat show with Junior, as he was called, thought, Someone elses cat got out of its carrier. Like so many others on the light-night flight, Lyons drifted off to sleep. The announcement was made again later. No one claimed the cat. Finally, as the plane landed, the attendant said, Will the passenger who lost a cat please come get it.

At this point, Lyons checked Juniors carrier. It was unzipped and empty, she says. I went to the rear of the plane to retrieve my cat and was told by the flight attendant that Junior had moseyed down the aisle, stopping frequently for a pet or a scratch, and made his way to the bathroom, jumped up into the sink and went to sleep for the duration of the flight. Ever the ham, Junior always enjoyed his fans!

ONE COOL CAT
Juniors unflustered adaptability and suave ease with people are signatures of this even-tempered breed. American Shorthairs, sometimes called ASHs for short, enjoy love and attention from their families, without demanding it. Their willingness to leave you alone, however, doesn't mean they're aloof. Far from it. If they know you're busy, they'll wait until you're curled up with a book or stretched out on the couch to slip into your lap. They'll probably snuggle up to you as you sleep, too.

The Americans are basically loving but not clingy, says Wisconsin-based Mary McIntyre, who began breeding American Shorthairs in 1965. ASHs make lovely pets in nearly any home, says McIntyre, who especially likes to place kittens in active, family-oriented homes that encourage their personalities to flourish.

They are a wonderful family cat, agrees Lyons, an ASH breeder for 13 years. Their personalities are moderate neither couch potatoes nor curtain-climbers. They love to be with their people and will follow them from room to room. Some may be lap sitters, but most like to be near their people either sitting next to them or near them, under the chair or close-by.

**For the full article, pick up the June issue of CAT FANCY**

**For a brief description of the American Shorthair cat, click here: https://center.atomz.com/center/publish/edit/content.tk/sp_id=0012e854-pb00002d3b/cat/breeds/profiles/american_shorthair.aspx