This particular breed is a great symbol of a well-balanced cat temperament. If you decide to own such a pet, you will be able to see decent expressions of various personality traits. Our point here is that one British Shorthair feature doesn’t outstand the others. Having a “flexible” personality”, these cats make good companions and family members for all types of people.
You can take a closer look at the British Shorthair cat breed by going through the following sections:
- British Shorthair cat appearance and characteristics
- British Shorthair personality and temperament
- British Shorthair cat intelligence level
- The history of British Shorthairs
- Grooming a British Shorthair
- What can you expect while owning a British Shorthair cat?
- How big do British Shorthair cats get?
- What does a British Shorthair eat?
- How long do British Shorthairs live?
- Can you keep a British Shorthair cat with other house pets?
- How much does a British Shorthair cost?
British Shorthair cat appearance and characteristics
No wonder that there is the word Shorthair in the breed’s name as the length of a British Shorthair’s coating is surely short. Once you touch such fur, you will receive feelings of thickness and smoothness. However, British Shorthairs don’t have an undercoat, just one short and straight layer of hair.
This cat breed includes animals in all types of coating colors, so there is a decent variety to pick from. However, there are some particular fur colors, patterns that are signs of mixed breeding, e.g. lavender, chocolate, the Himalayan pattern, and also all of these coming in a combination with white.
Moving towards the body structure, British Shorthairs have strong and well-developed muscles all over their medium-sized bodies. Continuously, these cats tend to have a wide and round head that is placed on a short neck. The ears are also medium in size and a little bit rounded at the ends.
Further, come the eyes that are rounded a bit and can be in any type of color (depending on the shade of the fur). Going down, we see the legs that are medium-sized and include strong bones. The tail of a British Shorthair is in excellent proportion to the cat’s body and ends with a rounded tip.
British Shorthair personality and temperament
The best thing for people who don’t like clingy creatures is that a British Shorthair is one who will definitely give you some space. They are very independent, don’t beg for attention, and can be fine on their own. Nevertheless, these cats are hardy and can easily adapt to changing circumstances (e.g. weather, temperature, place, etc.)
However, British Shorthairs are not the type of cats that like being held and squished. They rather prefer pets on the head, back, and when they will want some love from you, they will usually end up rubbing against you or curling near your legs. Kisses are also not very liked by British Shorthairs. If you try to kiss one, you might be pushed away by its paws.
Additionally, the British Shorthair cat breed includes generously playful animals that do require playtime from their owners daily. However, these creatures are not overactive pets, so you shouldn’t have any trouble with constant zoomies. Also, British Shorthairs are very docile and should fall for your commands easier than some other cats.
British Shorthair cat intelligence level
While looking at a British Shorthair, you are likely to see a smart cat. These animals definitely aren’t clumsy as they manage to think of useful ways to get out of one situation or another. In this case, there is a high chance that you will find your house less messy than you would while owning some other types of pets.
A decently high intelligence level also signals about the cat’s learning capabilities. Those with higher intelligence tend to learn things faster and are more clever while solving clues. If you own a British Shorthair, you can try teaching it various cat tricks such as fetch, sit, high-five, and you shouldn’t find the learning process very hard to manage.
The history of British Shorthairs
As the breed name already signals, British Shorthairs first emerged in Great Britain. The founder of this breed was a man named Harrison Wier who was called the first professional cat breeder and also the “Father of the Cat Fancy”. Wier also played a big role and created the rules for the first 1871 cat show.
Talking about the British Shorthair cat breed, it was made by the same man who took a simple street cat, included it into a specific breeding program, and the British Shorthair was finely born. Called the British Blue in the past, now the breed refers to British Shorthair or just British as these cats can come in all types of colors, not only bluish.
So, after this cat breed was created, it appeared very charming and lovely to the Britain people. Even though the Persian cats managed to push out the British Shorthairs from the first place sometime later, the British breed still remained a very popular one during the First World War and the Second World War.
Grooming a British Shorthair
Since this particular breed includes cats with short coating, they don’t need as much grooming as a long-haired cat would need. However, this doesn’t mean that you don’t have to take care of your British Shorthair’s fur at all. Brushing the coating thoroughly once a week or two is still required.
However, you shouldn’t overdo it too as excessive grooming can result in spot-based hair loss and skin irritations. Furthermore, if you let your British Shorthair go outside or take walks with it, always check the fur and skin for ticks and fleas after coming inside. Another body part you should check is the ears. Look for excessive dark brown wax build-up. If you see it, your beloved one might be suffering from ear mites.
What can you expect while owning a British Shorthair cat?
As we have already mentioned, a British Shorthair cat is a good combination of the most beneficial features this type of pet can have. Due to its low need for attention, you can expect to not be bothered while working and sleeping. No clinginess will be expressed by this cat.
Furthermore, a British Shorthair will make a good playmate. If you spend some of your time including your cat in interesting activities and games, your pet will be thankful. Also, this should be enough to satisfy your British Shorthair’s energy level that isn’t as high as for some cats.
To continue, British Shorthairs aren’t noisy cats, they rather talk quietly and let out loud purrs. You will supposedly be able to have a good night’s sleep without being interrupted by some cat screams and meows. However, don’t forget to feed your beloved one regularly as hungry cats can end up acting unexpectedly…
Nevertheless, British Shorthairs are highly adaptable pets that can finely live through all different types of situations. They are not that sensitive to place changes, weather conditions, and other circumstances. Nevertheless, they are very independent, and leaving them alone for an entire workday is fine.
Additional relevant facts about the British Shorthair cat breed
Got excited while reading about these powerful British Shorthairs and want to know more? No problem! All you have to do is just keep reading and you will find out answers to the most common questions about this cat breed.
How big do British Shorthair cats get?
British Shorthairs normally are medium-sized cats. According to statistics, an average British Shorthair weighs somewhere 5-6 kgs. It is completely normal for the weight to vary between a kilogram or two because every animal has its own physical differences.
However, if your cat weighs way over the norm, there might be a problem with its health. Such a pet might be too thin or obese. This can happen due to poor dieting, vitamin, and mineral deficiency, also some diseases and health conditions.
What does a British Shorthair eat?
A British Shorthair’s diet isn’t any different from a regular cat’s eating routine. The biggest amount of food should be made from animal protein such as turkey, chicken, beef, fish. Continuously, you should make sure that your cat gets enough vitamins and minerals together with its food or you will need to add some.
Furthermore, around 30-40% of a cat meal can consist of fat as this nutrient is very satisfying and can help hold energy longer. Also, you shouldn’t feed your British Shorthair only dry food, especially if it isn’t a water drinker. Add some wet food into its daily meals to raise the percentage of consumed liquids.
What to avoid?
- Vegetables and grains. (Such carbs shouldn’t be fed to any cat. Overall, they should consist of no more than 2-3% of your pet’s diet).
- Milk. Many cats don’t tolerate lactose and consuming such an ingredient may cause digestive problems, bloating. Always make sure that your British Shorthair has fresh and clean water instead.
- Non-edibles. Perhaps, no need to say that what isn’t meant to be consumed by people and animals (plastic parts, rubber bands, bags, aluminum foil, etc.), shouldn’t be consumed. Be extremely careful with poisonous things such as washing liquids, antifreeze, cleaning creams, etc.
How long do British Shorthairs live?
British Shorthair cats are known to be a particularly healthy and physically strong cat breed that doesn’t inherit some types of serious health conditions or diseases. However, the fact that British Shorthairs were mixed with Persian cats in the past led to a small chance of a specific kidney condition.
- Polycystic kidney disease.
Polycystic kidney disease is a condition that can affect British Shorthairs at different stages of life. The worst part of this disease is that forming holes/cysts mess with the kidney’s natural functions and the organ starts failing. Gladly, there is a specific test for this disease that you should talk to the vet about if you own a British Shorthair.
Keep in mind that the overall health (discluding inherited diseases or conditions that show up at a very old age) of your British Shorthair is in your own hands. You need to ensure that your cat has a healthy diet, is physically fit, gets all required vaccines and procedures, and is taken for a vet check regularly.
Can you keep a British Shorthair cat with other house pets?
British Shorthairs make good friends not only with people (including small children) but also with other pets such as dogs and other cats. However, it is always best to initiate the introduction process of two animals as slowly as possible. The chances for two house pets to become closer faster rise when:
- They are the same pet types (two cats/two dogs).
- They come from the same breed. There is a high chance that they will have similar personality traits.
- The age is similar. It is best to introduce two kittens when they are at their young days (approximately 3 months old).
- Both of them should have space. If your pets don’t feel like becoming friends at the moment, make sure that both of them have places where to escape and avoid unwanted contact.
How much does a British Shorthair cost?
If we are talking about the animal itself, an average British Shorthair costs around £600. However, depending on the breeder, cat appearance, and many other details, the price can vary extremely. You might have to pay for a British Shorthair kitten/cat anywhere from £400 to £2200.
Once you decide to buy such a pet, you should also get all of the equipment ready before its arrival at the new home. Spare some extra money for cat things such as comfortable bedding, litter box and the litter itself, hairbrushes or combs, nail clippers, quality food, food and water bowls, entertaining cat toys.
Also, if your kitten hasn’t been already vaccinated, microchipped, and neutered, you should save another £200-£300 for these procedures. However, most breeders take care of such things (except neutering as it has to be completed when a kitten grows up a little bit), so there is only a little chance that you will have to complete everything on your own.
Wrap up
Nicely-looking, well-built, charming, and strong. This is what type of opinion we have made about British Shorthairs. The well-balanced personality of these cats is what makes them so popular among cat lovers.
Maybe you also own/owned a British Shorthair and can tell some of your experience with this cat breed? We would love to hear it!