British Shorthair Cats – a breed portrait
Gentle being in a robust body.
The breeding of the strong-character animals
The Romans brought cats to Britain between 43 and 440 AD. After leaving the island after the conquest, the cats had plenty of time to adapt to the harsh climate of their new homeland and to develop the breed-typical characteristics. The British Shorthair breed was first shown in several colours at a cat exhibition in London in 1871. Due to the two world wars, the number of breeding populations dropped very sharply and it was started to cross Persian cats. This not only affected the appearance, but also shaped their popular nature.
Physique and colours
Typical for the British Shorthair cat are the round head, the strong, short legs with the round paws and the muscular, penetrated body. In addition to the classic blue, the cats are available in an incredible 300 different colour variations recognised by the Fédération Internationale Féline. The colours range from monochrome fur in black, red, cream or lilac, to white and tortoiseshell, to many colour strokes, such as in gold or silver and the latest drawing Colorprint.
The fur of the cat is very dense and stands away from the body. The undercoat is of fine structure. Often the cats have a short hair dress, but by crossing with the Persian cat there are animals with longer fur.
Characteristic colors of the eyes
The colors of the eyes are either orange or copper. Exceptions are the silver varieties. These animals can also have a green eye color. The eye color of golden varieties is also often green and at the points with their colored spots on the face, legs and tail the eyes are blue.
The character traits
The quiet creature makes the British Shorthair cat an uncomplicated and thoughtful representative of her species. The cat is very compatible with toddlers and with dogs and cats living in the same household. She feels very comfortable as an apartment cat. Despite its calm and adaptable nature, the breed needs variety. As an apartment cat, she still loves hunting and the wild game. She needs climbing opportunities,such as several scratch trees, ladders or play ropes.
Special features of the cat
Compared to other cat breeds, it is noticeable that the cats are not water-shy at all. However, they should only be bathed in exceptional cases. Regular brushing of the low-maintenance breed is perfectly sufficient for fur care.