History:

Possibly the oldest cat breed in Great Britain, the British Shorthair began as a shorthair street cat, with breeders standardizing and refining the cats, possibly mixing them with Russian Blues and Persians, until they resembled the British Shorthair known today.

In 1871, the breed was exhibited at a cat show in England. At that time, it was known as the British Blue as it was initially a popular color in the breed. In the early 1900s, the breed was first brought to America, and they were popular as domestic shorthairs. Formally authorized by the Cat Fanciers' Association in 1980, today this breed can be easily found all over the world.

Height: 30-35 cm

Weight:  3-7 kg

Size: Medium to large-sized cat 

Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years

Breed Appearance:

The British shorthair is a well-known feline breed, having a well-structured, compact, and strong body. Female felines are comparatively smaller than male ones. These felines are beloved for their dense, thick coats, available in various patterns and colors. Often known as British blues, blue-grey cats are often the leading choice of British shorthair lovers. 

Their broad chest, thick legs, chubby cheeks, and round heads make cats easy to identify. While blue coat variations come with bold orange-amber eyes, other British Shorthairs may have copper, green, blue eyes, or amber coats.

Breed Type - Family/guard: 

The British shorthair is a very joyful feline to have as a pet. She is calm and easy-going. Apart from loving, she is extremely loyal and attached to all her family members. This cat has a lot of playfulness and energy until they are fully mature.

Simply put, the British Shorthair is a well-behaved and calm cat breed. They make excellent companions for gentle and considerate kids and get along well with other friendly household pets. Safeguard of a family, a British feline has been considered to make a noise to aware their family members when a thief tries to enter the house.

Training:

Despite their calm nature, the British shorthair breed has various personality traits; unshakable loyalty and high intelligence are few of them. Because of these character traits, the cat breed has been shown to be proficient in tricks and commands, making them responsive and easy to train.

With consistent practice and the right training approach, it can learn numerous tricks, and behaviors easily. However, like all cats, the British Shorthair has its own distinct personality, affecting its eagerness to learn and its reaction to training.

Health & Care:

Considered a striking healthy feline breed, the British shorthair is most often affected by hereditary disease. They are most susceptible to health issues, particularly hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which may further cause loss of appetite, lethargy, and breathing difficulty. And, like other breeds, these cats can have kidney and urinary tract issues. So, it's essential to book a veterinarian appointment at least twice a year for a complete examination. 

Besides consistent health check-ups, exercise keeps your cat healthy and happy. Since aren’t much active compared to other breeds, they can easily gain excessive weight. For this reason, be sure to increase the movement of the British. Balls, interactive toys, lasers, fishing wands, and climbing outlines like cat shelves and cat trees all help keep your cat trimmed and fit, both mentally and physically.

Living Condition:

British Shorthairs thrive indoors with adequate entertainment or outdoors with a cat-safe yard. These cats prefer small amounts of exercise and taking long naps in between, rather than exercising for long periods of time.

Since the British Shorthair is a large cat breed, be sure to purchase at least two large-sized litter boxes to adequately accommodate your cat when she is fully grown.

Exercise:

In their adulthood, British shorthairs are very playful and neither excessively active nor hyper. Be sure to provide her with enough exercise by letting them play with other house pets or explore the home. Introduce your pet with toy mice, feather wands, and other similar toys. 

Also, make sure your cat has enough objects to sit on and climb on such as pet-friendly bookshelves, cat trees, and kitty condos. These cats can also get adequate stimulation and exercise from scratching. Therefore, it is useful to have various scratching places for the cat, including trees or high poles, sisal, or cardboard scratchers.

Grooming:

As the feline name implies, the British shorthair possesses a short coat requiring only minimal grooming. Brush with a soft slicker brush at least twice a week to eliminate loose hair before it spreads throughout the house, and more often during seasonal shedding periods.

In addition to brushing, cutting your cat's nails and cleaning ears weekly at least every two to three weeks is recommended. Instead of using cotton swabs to clean his ears, use cotton swabs or pet ear cleaner. If your pet's ear is excessively dirty or looks red, book an appointment with a veterinarian to have your cat examined.

Advantages:

• Carless and calm nature
• Loving and friendly but not needy
• Mix well with other pets and children.

Disadvantages:

• Moderate shedding due to shorter coat
• Can't be left alone for long hours
• Does not feel good when picked up or held affectionately.