The British Shorthair, probably the oldest English breed of cat, traces its ancestry back to the domestic cat of Rome. This breed was first prized for its physical strength and hunting ability, but soon became equally recognized and valued for its calm demeanor, endurance and loyalty to man.

The British Shorthair is a comparatively rare cat in the United States. Around 1980 it was recognized for championship competition by CFA stimulating much needed interest in the breed. Recognized world-wide, many fine “Brits” are still imported today from England, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia to help widen the gene pool for breeders in the United States.

Great Britain

Build:  sturdy and muscular
Head:  broad and rounded, apple-shaped  
Face:  full, chubby cheeks
Ears:  small and wide set 
Eyes:  large and round, golden in colour
Tail:  thick with a blunt end 
Legs:  short and cobby
Coat:  thick and plush

 
History

From rags to riches In the late 19th century, the Cheshire Cat of Lewis Carroll's (1865) Alice in Wonderland was depicted as a British Shorthair tabby. Around the same period, English breeders, including Harrison Weir, had begun selectively breeding the most beautiful street cats, which were shown for the first time at London's Crystal Palace in 1871. These cats were called British Shorthairs to distinguish them from foreign and oriental breeds and from longhaired breeds such as the Angora. The British Shorthair is the counterpart of the European Shorthair and the American Shorthair. In 1901, the British Cat Club was formed. The first British Shorthairs (mostly blues) resembled the Chartreux. As a result, the two breeds were crossed, to such an extent that the F.I.Fe decided to combine the two and recognize just one breed. But, in 1977, the F.I.Fe once again separated the two breeds and prohibited crossing of the two breeds. Following World War II, British Shorthairs were crossed with Persians to add mass and to fill out the British Shorthairs silhouette, as well as to increase the range of coat colors. New patterns, such as colorpoint, were recognized. In the United States, where the breed was crossed with American Shorthairs, the British Shorthair was recognized by the C.F.A. in 1980. The most recent standard established by T.I.C.A. was published in 1993. The French F.F.F. recognized the breed in 1979. British Shorthairs are extremely popular.

This calm, good-tempered, easygoing cat looks like a teddy bear. British Shorthairs are excellent, well-balanced companions. The British Shorthair gets along well with other cats and dogs. He is lively, playful, and very affectionate, but not to the point of being bothersome. This hardy breed does not reach full maturity until two or three years of age. Onset of puberty is relatively late. Weekly brushing and combing is sufficient. During shedding season (this cat sheds a lot), daily brushing is required.