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British Shorthair Breed Profile

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History of the British Shorthair Cat:

It is believed that cats arrived in Britain during the Roman period. These cats were often domesticated & became working cats, catching rodents. 

There are two suggestions as to how the British Shorthair came to be; Some sources say that Harrison Weir himself created the breed, others say that a group of cat lovers selectively bred the best examples of these working cats & they were developed into a pedigree breed. These were exhibited at the first cat show, organised by Harrison Weir at Crystal Palace in 1871.

Originally shorthaired cats dominated the early cat shows but by 1896 the longhaired breeds were favoured & shorthairs had declined in numbers.

In an attempt to rescue the declining short haired cats,  Short-haired Cat Society was formed in 1901 & this club catered for, amongst other breeds the British Shorthair. 

During World War I many breeds of cat were almost decimated. The British Shorthair was one such breed. After the war breeders attempted to re-establish the breed. As numbers were low, British Shorthairs were sometimes mated to Persian cats. The GCCF objected to the use of Persian cats & the offspring were not permitted to be shown or registered as British Shorthairs. The offspring were mated back to British Shorthairs & after three generations they were permitted to be registered as British Shorthairs. 

In the 1930's, Kit Wilson became involved with the breed. After World War II very few British Shorthairs survived. Breeders turned to unregistered domestics, Russian Blue's & Chartreaux to help restore the breed. The offspring off these matings didn't match the British Shorthair type so once again Persians were used to try & re-create the look of the British type. 

Appearance: 

The British Shorthair is a medium to large sized cat. The body is sturdy & muscular, and often described as "cobby".  The coat is short, dense & plush. The legs are heavy boned, short with round paws. Tail is short to medium in length.  

It's head is massive & rounded with a broad skull. The ears are small & set wide apart. The eyes are large & round.

British Shorthair Temperament: 

British Shorthairs are good natured, amiable. As kittens, they are playful but adult British Shorthairs tend to be less active than other breeds. They are a fairly independent breed of cat & are happy to amuse themselves (often by snoozing). They are not a vocal cat.

Words used to describe the British Shorthair include: Calm, affable, intelligent, quiet, independent. 

British Shorthair Colours: 

British Shorthairs are sometimes referred to as "British Blue", but the breed actually comes in many colours, patterns & markings. Blue is the most recognised colour. Below are some examples of British Shorthair colours.

Black & White Cream (left) & Blue, Cream & White (right)

Special requirements: 

British Shorthairs are a very low maintenance breed. A weekly brush will remove any loose hairs from the coat. 

Suitable for: 

Due to their easygoing, laid back nature, British Shorthairs make ideal pets. They get along with children & other pets. 

Special thanks to Pamela of Cuddleton Kitties & Crystal for allowing me to use their beautiful British Shorthair photos. 

 

 

 

 



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