British Shorthair Cats

History of the British Shorthair Cats

The British Shorthair is native to England. However, they did not originate there. They were brought to the island from somewhere else. It is believed that their ancestors were brought by the Romans during the Roman occupation.

They were a common street cat called the European Shorthair. This breed did not look like the shorthair we know today. They were long with elegant bones and were usually sandy brown or yellow-gray. They may have been closely related to the African wildcat.

The British Shorthair is considered to be one of the most ancient cat breeds in the world. They share a common ancestry with the native wild cats of Britain. They are also thought to have ancestry with Egyptian domestic cats that were brought to Great Britain by the Romans. These Egyptian cats mated with the local cats to eventually creat the cats that started the British Shorthair

During the Victorian era, cat shows became very popular and cat fanciers started to breed the cats to a particular standard. When the earliest cat shows started British Shorthairs were the only pedigreed cats exhibited. Others were just described by a coat type or a color. Eventually, all of that changed and other breeds were recognized.

However, after World War II the British shorthair started to disappear. It is believed that this was due to the chaos of the war. Luckily breeders started crossing it with other breeds to keep them going. Shortly after this, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy decided to only accept third generations of these crossbred shorthairs.

British Shorthair Cats Physical Attributes

Average size of a British Shorthair

	Male	Female
Weight:	12-20 Lbs	8-14 lbs
Height	12″-14″	12″-14″
Length	22″-25″	22″-25″

It can take up to three years for the British Shorthair cat to reach its complete physical development. This means you need to be ready for this cat to grow up slowly.

Coat and Color

British Shorthair cats most commonly have a very short and dense blue-grey coat. However, some breeders have expanded to include a wider range of coat colors and patterns.

Eyes

British Shorthair eye colors range from green, cooper and gold to a blue.

Ears

Their ears are medium sized and rounded at the tips.

British Shorthair Cat Personality

Are British Shorthair Cats Friendly?

The short answer is yes they are, but don’t expect them to snuggle much.

If you are looking for a mellow and easy-going cat you will love the British Shorthair. They enjoy affection but are also okay if you can’t give them attention. They will follow you around, however, just because they do like to be close to you.

They have a moderate activity level, however, they are energetic as kittens. They will start to settle down around one year of age. Adult cats do run around a bit and enjoy playing. Once they mature however they really just enjoy sitting around and lounging close by.

British Shorthair cats are not very vocal however they have a very loud purr so if you are a purring cat lover this may also be a great cat pick for you.

They are also very good with other cats and even get along with dogs. They won’t run over and snuggle with them but they will tolerate them in their home.

They also prefer to stay at ground level, unlike my cat Pumpkin who is a Ragamuffin mix, a British shorthair will not be found on top of your fridge or any other high area.

Caring for your British Shorthair

Caring for your British Shorthair is not difficult, however, you will want to put aside some time a couple of days a week to give them a good brushing to help keep extra fur at bay. You may need to increase brushing in the spring and fall when your British shorthair sheds their coat to get ready for a new one.

The rest is general cat care such as cleaning their ears and clipping their claws.

Cost to adopt a British Shorthair

If you are looking to adopt a British Shorthair you have two very different price options. If you go to a shelter or pet center you can usually get a British Shorthair for around $75 to $100.

However, if you want a purebred kitten from a breeder expect to pay $1,500 to $2,000.