The British Shorthair is a domesticated cat. Its features make it a popular breed in cat shows. The British Shorthair is a stocky, sturdy cat resembling a plush teddy bear. It has been the most popular breed of cat registered by the UK's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) since 1999 when it overtook the Siamese breed.

Like the Abyssinian, the British Shorthair breed suffered dramatic losses during World War II in England, and other breeds were brought in to bolster the gene pool and restore the old type.

British Shorthair Cat Origin

The British Shorthair is the descendant of cats brought to Britain by the Romans which then interbred with wild native cats. Later they were crossbred with Persian Cats to improve the thickness of their coat.

The breed was defined in the nineteenth century. Harrison Weir, father of all cat shows, was a great admirer of these cats. "The ordinary garden cat," he wrote, "has survived every kind of hardship. That he exists at all, is a tribute to his strength of character and endurance." Mr. Weir's devotion to the shorthaired British cats was shared by Mr. Jung, who was to become one of the first cat show judges. He believed if these beautiful cats were thoughtfully bred, a race of cats with aristocratic pedigrees and the same inherent goodness and quality would be developed. The breed produced was named the British Shorthair and were the only cats to be shown as pedigreed at the first cat shows. British Shorthairs were shown at the 1871 Crystal Palace cat show.

During World War I many breeds of cat were almost decimated. The British Shorthair was one such breed. After the war breeders attempted to re-establish the breed.

The first British Shorthairs arrived in Australia in 1968. Breeding under the prefix Redwyton, Tops and Trevor Jowett imported a blue breeding pair. One of the largest online resources for British Shorthair pedigree information is Pawpeds. The free database maintained by Hanny Olsen contains records for nearly 39,000 cats dating back to the beginning of the Cat Fancy we know today.

British Shorthair Cat Appearence

The British Shorthair is a well-balanced, medium to large, sturdy cat with a semi-cobby powerful body. Round is the key word for the British Shorthair, accurately describing the head, cheeks, eyes and paws. They have round heads with full, chubby cheeks and a broad skull. The ears are small & set wide apart. The eyes are large and round.

Eyes come in a variety of colours, though the copper or gold eyes of the British blue are the best known. However silver coloured British Shorthairs must have green to hazel eyes. RichSolid whites Brits can have blue, gold or odd eyes with pointed colours having only blue eyes. The shaded silver and shaded golden British Shorthairs are found with green eyes.

The breed has a broad shoulders and hips with short, heavy boned legs, round paws and a plush but not fluffy tail. These are the characteristics listed in most governing bodies breeds standards to which show cats must conform.

The males of this breed are larger than the females, and the size difference between them is more easily noticed compared to other breeds. As with many breeds the adult males may also develop prominent cheek jowls that distinguish them from their female counterparts. The typical lifespan of this breed is 14 to 20 years. The males' average weight is 5-10 kilograms, whereas a female would weigh up to 5-7.

One of the most appealing features of the British Shorthair is their built-in smile caused by their round whisker pads. The smile is like Lewis Carroll's Cheshire cat; originally a tabby British Shorthair.

British Shorthair Cat Colors and Coats

The British Shorthair coat is an outstanding feature of the breed. The coat is like no other; short, dense, firm and well-bodied like a deep pile carpet. The coat requires minimal care as the fur does not tangle yet has a very luxurious feel.

The British Shorthair is found in nearly all colours of the domestic cat world. While solid blue is the color most associated with the breed, so much so that this breed is sometimes known as the British Blue, "Brits" are found in a number of other colours and patterns as well. These include the colours black, blue, white, red, cream, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon and fawn.

All colours and patterns also come in the tortoiseshell pattern. It is a combination of red and cream with other colours. Of these colours chocolate and it's dilute version lilac are relatively new. A lilac British Shorthair is described as having a pink-grey coat. British are also bred in a shadded (tipped) coat pattern, in both the silver and the golden form. Even newer are British Shorthair cats in cinnamon and its dilute form fawn, however, these are very much a work in progress with type and temperament being relatively poor in comparison to the more established varieties.

British Shorthair Cat Temperament

British Shorthairs are an easygoing breed of cats. They are ideal for apartment living. British Shorthairs cats are very affectionate, quietly following you from room to room until they can settle contentedly by your side.

As kittens, they are playful but adult British Shorthairs tend to be less active than other breeds. They are a fairly independent breed of cat & are happy to amuse themselves (often by snoozing). They are not terribly demanding of attention, although they will let you know if they feel like playing and enjoy mouse type or stick style toys. British cats preferring to sit next to you or near you rather than on you. They will tend to supervise household activities either watching from a comfy perch or laying on the floor nearby.

They are not a very vocal breed but will meow to communicate with their owners. For example when they are hungry and you are preparing their food they will meow at you. They may also meow at their favourite toy as they play with it.

Gifted with lasting patience and confidence, Brits are especially good with children and other types of pets. A moderately active cat, they are not destructive as a breed, adapting well to any size household. British are very easy going and are affectionate to numerous people in the circle they consider family.

The breed has become a favourite of animal trainers because of its nature and intelligence, and in recent years these cats have appeared in Hollywood films and television commercials. British Shorthair owners have reported that their cats have spontaneously started to play fetch with toys like dogs do showing how quickly their cats can learn small tricks.