PROFILE
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Origin And Breed History
The British Shorthair brings a long history. It is one of the oldest domestic cats bred for a specific appearance.
Originally, the breed British Shorthair was created by a journey from Rome to London. The Roman conquerors brought cats to Great Britain between 43 and 440 AD. After a few years they left the island again, but their cats remained there. Within the next 1500 years, they adapted to the harsh, cool climate of their new home, Britain. This is how they developed their soft, warming coat and other typical characteristics of the British Shorthair breed.
In the London Crystal Palace, the British Shorthair breed was first presented to the public at a cat show in 1871. Then came the two world wars and the breeding stock of the breed decreased sharply, so it was crossed with the Persian cat.
This crossing went in favor of the British Shorthair. It increased the diversity of the cat breed enormously and made the nature of the British Shorthair what it is today. A lovable, patient character.
Incorrectly, the British Shorthair is sometimes called the Carthusian cat. In the 18th century, this name included all cat breeds with gray-blue fur, which descended from the long-haired Angora cats. In fact, until the 1950s, all cats with long fur were called Angora cats. Today there is only the independent semi-longhair cat breed Turkish Angora. Also the name “Carthusian cat” nowadays designates an independent cat breed. The French breed is also called Chartreux.
Breed Description
They are also better known as “Puss in Boots” or “the Grinse Cat” from Alice in Wonderland. Because of their fluffy fur and teddy bear look, the British Shorthair breed has gained notoriety in the movie world. However, these cute cats are not at all into the big hype about their personality. Instead, they tend to have a British attitude and are very politely reserved at first.
Nevertheless, they can build up a very close bond to their human family. Especially when dealing with children, the British Shorthair cats score with their infinite calmness and composure. If you are looking for a playful bundle of energy, however, the British Shorthair is ill-advised.
Appearance Of The British Shorthair
The British Shorthair looks like a soft, fluffy teddy bear. One immediately gets the urge to stroke the fluffy and dense fur of the medium-sized cat. Their cute appearance is emphasized by their round shaped body parts. Round head, round eyes, round paws and a round tail tip.
In the past, the cat breed was called British Blue, because the kitties were only available in blue-gray. Now there are over 50 different single and multi-colored coat varieties. Black, white, blue, cream, red, chocolate, fawn, lilac and cinnamon are typical colors for the coat of a British Shorthair. Moreover, the cat coat of this breed is mostly patterned. There are spotted, mottled, tabby or bi-colored coats.
The British Shorthair is known for its so-called “Odd Eyes”. Often cats of this breed have different colored eyes. Typical colors are blue, green, orange or copper.
Character And Temperament
Affectionately, the British Shorthair is sometimes called a “couch potato” or a “real Brit”. Stress and nervousness are foreign words for the calm cat. She approaches new situations calmly and cool.
As British cats are said to be, the British Shorthair cat is very polite and slightly reserved at first. This does not mean that she is timid or particularly shy. British Shorthair simply knows how to behave, can respect privacy, and doesn’t charge straight at everyone and everything.
If you get to know the British Shorthair better, she will open her heart and show you a lot of affection and love. She loves to follow you wherever you go. Activity and playfulness are not to be found in this cat breed. The British Shorthair prefers to relax next to you on the couch instead of dashing through the apartment. Instead, it radiates coziness, reliability and calmness.
Attitude And Nutrition
Serene and uncomplicated. The British Shorthair does not make high demands and is therefore very easy to keep. However, it expects attention and affection from you. The calm cat demands petting very consequently. The British Shorthair does not need to be trained. Do not overload your cat with games and exercise, otherwise the calm animal will become an overweight lazy cat.
The British Shorthair is a domestic cat and should therefore be kept in the apartment. However, it likes to take a little hunting trip in the garden, of course with little action and great caution.
Sociable is the British Shorthair but despite its quiet vein. After a short period of acclimatization, the British Shorthair becomes a very pleasant roommate for both humans and other cats. Since she is very sociable, she can also live together with dogs. Of course, cat and dog should be accustomed to each other with a little patience first.
Also in terms of food, the cat breed British Shorthair is not particularly demanding. Of course, the cat food should contain enough nutritious ingredients, such as fats, vitamins and minerals. Compared to other cats, shorthair cats require less carbohydrates and no salt and sugar. Although the British Shorthair meets most of its fluid needs through food, it requires a large amount of fresh water every day.
Care
The British Shorthair does not harrumph, but fusses. Because of this, you need to brush the cat regularly. When the coat change is coming, you can also use the vacuum cleaner. From time to time you should clean teeth and ears of your cat. When cuddling, you can ideally see whether there is dirt. Otherwise, the British Shorthair is quite easy to care for. Although, unlike most cats, it is not afraid of water, it is very difficult to persuade it to take a bath. However, this is not a big deal, because the British Shorthair does all the body cleaning with its industrious cat tongue.
Education
When raising the British Shorthair, you will not encounter any major complications. She is very attentive and easy to train. After a short instruction, the cat is housebroken in a short time and already at the age of two years it reaches adulthood.
Health And Typical Diseases
Unfortunately, some catteries of the British Shorthair suffer from strong inbreeding. Consequences are sickliness, shortened life span or immune deficiency.
Due to the combination of short nose and broad skull, the so-called brachycephalic syndrome may also occur within the cat breed. Affected cats may experience severe respiratory distress. If you notice that your British Shorthair is making conspicuously loud breathing noises, you should definitely consult a veterinarian.
There is also a genetic defect among British Shorthairs that can cause sudden cardiac death even at a young age. Sometimes there is also a hereditary kidney disease.
Life Expectancy Of The British Shorthair
A British Shorthair cat from a healthy breeding can expect a life span of 12 to 15 years. Again, inbreeding plays a role. This can have the consequence that the life of the British Shorthair is shortened enormously.
Buy British Shorthair
Since this cat breed is very popular, you can first look around in the shelter if you want to buy a British Shorthair. So you do with the purchase at the same time still something good for the animal world.
Of course there is also the possibility to buy a British Shorthair from a breeder. Here there are some things to consider: Look closely at the pedigree. If an ancestor appears twice, there is inbreeding and you should rather look for another British Shorthair breeder. In addition, both parents should be tested negative for the described hereditary diseases. Trustworthy breeders will inform you about this by themselves.
A British Shorthair cat from a reputable breeder costs at least 600 Euros. In any case the kitten should be chipped, dewormed and vaccinated.
Decision Support
You are looking for a faithful companion, a cuddly ball of wool and a serene haven of peace? Then the British Shorthair cat is a perfect match for you. The cuddly kitty also fits perfectly into a family.
If you are looking for someone to play with, romp around and be active, you should not buy a British Shorthair. After all, the medium-sized cat is more lazy than energetic and is known for its cozy nature.
Sources
https://www.royalcanin.com/de/about-us/news/british-shorthair-karli
https://www.tierchenwelt.de/haustiere/haustier-katze/2564-britisch-kurzhaar.html
