British Shorthair

British Shorthair

At a Glance

Known for their chubby face and easy-going demeanor, the British Shorthair is one of the oldest breeds. They are best known for their “blue” (grey) coats, but come in a variety of colors. British Shorthair’s warm and lovable personality combined with their independent nature makes them a top choice for many families. Find out more about this breed and if the British Shorthair is right for you and your family.

Temperament

Gentle

Height/Weight Range

Medium to large

Adult females

Medium to large, 8-11 pounds

Adult males

Large, 10-16 pounds

Life Expectancy

12-20 years, depending on background and life circumstances.

Colors

British Shorthairs are best known for having blue, commonly known as grey, fur but they come in a variety of colors

About The Breed

In line with their British heritage, the breed is slightly reserved, but once they get to know someone they have no trouble showing affection.

Male and female British Shorthair cats differ a bit in personality. The happy-go-lucky males command respect but welcome attention from everyone, while the more serious females are true British ladies expecting proper form and etiquette from those whose they accept. These loyal and devoted companions cats but want to be where you are, snuggling up beside you on the sofa. Often resembling a sturdy teddy bear, the British Shorthair’s smile and a plush coat combined with their wonderful disposition makes them great family pets.

The British is an imposing breed. Their large, round face should have a sweet open expression, with a smug rounded muzzle. Chubby cheeks and no neck, blend into a stocky, semi-cobby, muscular, wide and firm body. Their coat is dense and rich, plush and thick in both shorthair and longhair varieties. Slightly reserved in temperament, they are a four feet on the floor breed, and like to be handled with gentle firmness and supported when carried.

Originating as a hunter and protector of food supplies for Roman soldiers when they invaded Great Britain, the British Shorthair now prefers cuddling with their families and occasionally playing with toy mice.

British Shorthairs are known to be loyal and devoted companions. They are not lap cats, however and prefer quietly snuggling beside you on the sofa. While not very active cats, they do have their occasional “mad” moments where they like to act like kittens. These intelligent cats are quiet and unobtrusive, ruling their indoor kingdoms with a calm demeanor. They definitely look before they leap and do not engage in high-flying acrobatics. They are tolerant with children and dogs, but do not like to be carried around. Exerting their independence, they are content with their own company and have no problem quietly amusing themselves in your absence and waiting patiently for your return.

TICA Regions, Clubs & Rescues

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One of the oldest breeds, a descendent from the cats of ancient Rome. The British Shorthair bears the proud distinction of being one of the world’s oldest cat breeds. Experts think that the breed is a descendent from cats imported to Rome from ancient Egypt. It is believed that when the Romans invaded Great Britain in 43 CE, they brought the cats with them.

Blue is the most popular color for British Shorthairs. 

The British Shorthair may have inspired Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat. Historians think that Lewis Carroll may have based his Cheshire Cat illustrations in Alice in Wonderland off the British Shorthair.

A British Shorthair once had the world’s loudest purr. In 2011 Smokey, a 12-year-old British Shorthair, was given the title of loudest purr by the Guinness World Records. His vocal rumblings measured 67.7 decibels, and were reportedly as noisy as a lawn mower. He held the title for four years until another cat broke his record with a 67.8 decibel purr.

Breed Information & Characteristics

The chubby-faced British Shorthair with its chipmunk cheeks and happy smile is famous as the Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. This sturdy teddy bear has a smile and a plush coat combined with a wonderful disposition that makes them great family pets. It traces its ancestry back to the cats of Rome and is one of the oldest breeds of English cats. Once a hunter and protector of the barns, the British Shorthair now embraces family life, preferring to snooze in comfort by the fire and to exchange hunting for playing with toy mice. It is a dignified, affectionate cat, sometimes referred to as the Winston Churchill of the cat world, roaming its household dominion with all four feet on the floor. The British Longhair takes the recipe for the British Shorthair and adds a longer coat resulting in an imposing longhaired cat with all the same characteristics that have made the British Shorthair such a loyal companion.

The British Shorthair origins begin with cats imported from Egypt that accompanied the Romans when they invaded Great Britain. One of the first breeds of the cat fancy, they have changed little over the centuries. As the breed developed, crosses were made with the Persian between 1914 and 1918 introducing the longhair gene. Cats with short coats were part of the British Shorthair and cats with longhair went into the Persian breeding programs. Early on, the blue shorthair consisted of two distinct types: the sturdy, compact British with its round head and the long, elegant Russian with its triangular head. The two types competed together and were interbred before finally separating into unique breeds.

After WW1, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) declared that only 3rd generation offspring of Persian/British Shorthair crosses could be shown. This reduced the breeding stock and the advent of WW II also affected the breed. After WW II, the British Shorthair lines were all but lost so breeders crossed with domestic shorthairs, Russian Blues, and Persians among others. The British Shorthair has grown in popularity since then and gained championship status in TICA in June 1979. While longhair kittens sometimes appeared in litters, it languished in obscurity as a breed. Today, the imposing British Longhair is a fitting companion breed to the British Shorthair resembling the Persians and Angoras of the early 1900s, obtaining championship status in TICA effective May 2009.

These genial British cats are friendly and affectionate, enjoying attention in an undemanding manner. The happy-go-lucky males command respect but welcome attention from everyone while the more serious females are true British ladies expecting proper form and etiquette from those whose attentions they accept. These loyal and devoted companions are not lap cats but want to be where you are, snuggling up beside you on the sofa. While not very active cats, they do have their mad moments to chase around acting the clown-like kittens. These intelligent cats are quiet and unobtrusive ruling their indoor kingdoms with a calm demeanor. They definitely look before they leap and do not engage in high-flying acrobatics. They are tolerant with children and dogs but do not like to be carried around, preferring to maintain their dignity with their feet firmly on the floor. They are quite content with their own company, quietly amusing themselves in your absence and waiting patiently for your return.

The British Shorthair has a short, extremely dense plush coat with a crisp feel to it making you want to bury your hands in its luxurious pile. The British Longhair adds length to the dense coat so it stands out from the body emphasizing the cat’s imposing lines. In most colors, large, round eyes ranging from deep gold through copper are set into the smiling face. In pointed cats the eyes are blue while deep green eyes shine in the silvers. The classic Blue remains the most popular color however the breed comes in a rainbow of colors.

The British are medium to large, compact, powerfully built cats with a broad, full chest, short strong legs and a short, thick tail tapering slightly to a rounded tip. The British Shorthair has a massiveness that the plush coat emphasizes while the British Longhair cuts an imposing figure as the full coat swirls around the rounded, muscular body. Their round heads have short noses, chubby cheeks and prominent, rounded whisker pads creating an enigmatic smiling look to the face. The round eyes are wide open and, combined with the smile, give the cat an amused air as it watches over its dominion-the look that Lewis Carroll captured so well in the Cheshire Cat!

Maintaining the British Shorthair coat in top condition is easy as the coat does not tangle. A quick comb through easily removes any loose dead hair. A little extra combing in the spring and fall ensures seasonal coat changes do not leave any dead hair to turn into mats. The British Longhair coat takes more work but a daily combing prevents any tangles. It is a good idea to bathe your British Longhair regularly to keep the coat in peak condition. If you plan to bathe your cat, start when the kitten is young and maintain a regular routine so the cat learns to enjoy this extra special time with you.

These cats love food and with their sedentary ways can quickly gain weight so it is important to keep a careful eye on their portions to make sure they do not get fat. They are a heavy, solid cat ranging from 9 to 18 pounds but that weight should come from their massive muscular bodies, not from an excess of food. Encouraging them to play burns calories off while toning muscles: Teaser toys provide lots of gymnastic entertainment; training your cat to fetch adds running to their day; and chasing a laser light pen gives their muscles a real work out.

The British Shorthair breed is known to be very robust however, as with all cats, they are at risk for the most common heart disease, HCM (hypertrophic ). This is a genetic disease that can result in heart failure and death, so it is of paramount importance that breeders diligently screen for this via echocardiogram performed by a Veterinary Cardiologist. Because HCM doesn’t always show up in the first years of life, it is important for pet owners to proactively screen for this disease as well. It is also important to schedule annual with a veterinarian as untreated dental problems can lead to other health issues if gone untreated.

The British Shorthair coat is short but very dense. Combing with a wide-toothed metal comb once a week will help reduce shedding during a change of seasons. Aside from aging cats, most British Shorthairs are capable of bathing themselves unless their coat becomes soiled with something that would be harmful to lick off.

Keep their nails trimmed every two weeks and their ears cleaned and teeth brushed regularly with a vet-approved pet toothpaste. A tall scratching pole is also recommended to help their natural scratching instinct.

Adult British Shorthairs are calm and therefore need less food than most would expect given their size. Feed adults twice daily on a regular schedule (preferably wet food high in meat content) while kittens should be fed more frequently. Free feeding is not recommended to discourage cats from eating when they are bored. Use only treats and food without sugar.

As with all cats, it is important to give them fresh, clean water daily so they don’t hesitate to drink. The water bowl should be placed at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less.

British Shorthair (SH/LH) Breed Committee (7)

Name Email
Chair: Pamela A Barrettpam@excaliburbritish.com
Sue Cumminssue@bedazzle-cats.com
Andreas Kretschmer-Kraiczekerster.vorsitzender@kfg.de
Renae Silversilvercharmbrits@yahoo.com
Shelly Mitchellmcsmittenkittens@gmail.com
Tatiana Perrycontact@britishshorthairblue.com
Marion Collinsmpc31269@gmail.com