British Shorthair

The British Shorthair or British Blue cats are recognized as a medium to large-sized cat breed just like Persian Cats, and they are famous because of their cuteness, gentleness, and easy care for them. They have a dense short coat (that is usually gray and blue) and also have a round face (like a teddy bear appearance).

This breed is gentle, calm and friendly. They are not as active as compared to other cat breeds. They love to cuddle and relax. They can live in apartments, or houses with children and with other pets.

This breed of cat came from Britain, and is a very old and famous breed. This cat breed is believed to have started in the first century AD when the Romans came to Britain and brought their cats along over 2000 years ago. Britain has been working to change the way British Shorthair cats appear. The British wanted this breed to look unique and special. They are popular for their calm, gentle and affectionate personality.

British Shorthair cats are super popular around the world, with estimated millions of them. But still they are uncommon due to their huge demand. In the United Kingdom, they’re the number one beloved cat breed, and included in top 5 breeds in the world. They are the favorite breed in the UK for their cuteness, gentleness, calmness, friendly and affectionate personalities.

The price of a British shorthair cat relies on some factors like age, color, physical characteristics and training. This breed of cat might cost you between $800 and $4,500. British Shorthair Kittens will cost you in $1000 to $3500 which depends upon the breeder’s location and pedigree. If you adopt from a shelter home then you can get a short hair cat cheaper, which might be around $50 to $150.

This breed of cat has a history of more than 2000 years old. This is the conceptual breed that originated when the Romans came to Britain with their domestic cats. These cats mixed with other local wildcats and that is how this breed of cat developed. It is the oldest and most identifiable cat in the world. This breed is the first cat breed that works like catching insects, snakes, and mice, and controlling the rodent population. People loved their cuddling and friendly nature and that’s why this is the most beloved breed.

In 1871, they went to a London cat show and became the most favorite and beloved pet breed. This cat breed is a big sized cat with a dense coat and a cute and round face like a teddy bear. These cats are friendly and low-maintenance cats,  they have gentle and affectionate personalities, so they are a good option for the new experienced cat owner. 

A British shorthair cat has played a vital role in stories, like the Cheshire Cat in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. Now they are a popular and favorite breed throughout the world.

These cats are accepted as a breed by American Cat Fanciers Association in 1967, The International Cat Association in 1979 & Cat Fanciers Association in 1980.

The British shorthair cat has a round face and is medium-large with a muscular build. They have short noses, round heads, and large round eyes. Their coats are dense and short and have different colors and patterns. These shorthair cats are good with people of all ages and kids, they are also easy going pets.

They don’t need a lot of exercise, they love cuddling or napping with their humans. They are somewhat low-maintenance and easy to train.

The average lifespan of a British shorthair cat is around 12 to 20 years, but experts say that it is uncommon for British shorthair cats to live longer. A lot of factors affect the lifespan of shorthair cats like genetics, age, overall health, and lifestyle. But with proper care, many cats live longer. Taking them to the vet regularly, giving them good food, and providing them with a safe and loving home make them live longer.

British Shorthair cats are also medium to large size cats, the same as Persian cats. A fully grown British shorthair cat size and weight can be seen in the table below:

Measurements	Male Cat	Female Cat
Weight	9-17 Pounds (4.1-7.7 kg)	7 and 12 pounds (3.2 and 5.4 kg)
Height	10-12 inches (25-30 cm)	9-11 inches (23-28 cm)
Length	18-20 inches (46-51 cm)	16-18 inches (41-46 cm)

This breed is known for its teddy bear appearance, affectionate personality, and gentleness. They are medium-large size with a solid macular build. This breed has a dense, shorthair that lies to the body. The coats come in different patterns and colors like bicolor, tabby, calico, and tortoiseshell, but the most common colors are blue and gray.

This breed has large round eyes with the colors Cooper, orange, and amber, which make them expressive and sweet. They have small and round ears. This breed has a muscular build with a broad chest, rounded tail, thick neck, straight back, and short legs. They have short noses.

This cat is well-behaved, calm, and gentle in nature. They are not aggressive. They are typically calm, enjoy the peaceful environment, and spend their time in the lounge. They love cuddling and napping with their humans on their lap.

They are smart and intelligent, They learn tricks quickly and work on commands given by their humans. This is relatively easygoing. This breed is not as active as some other breeds of cat, they mostly spend their time with their human napping and cuddling.

This British originated cat is the most popular in the world especially in the UK and USA and can be seen in many colors and patterns. Each combination of colors and patterns makes a unique and adorable appearance.

Solid Colors:

A single color on cat’s fur in called solid color. It’s a common variety of color pattern in British shorthairs.

Tabby Colors:

These cats are available in many colors in three different types of tabby pattern, which are spotted tabby, classic tabby and mackerel tabby. Which are as below:

Bi-colors:

A necessary white color with some other color makes them a bi-color cat. Some common bi-colors in this breed are:

Color-point Pattern:

This breed is also available in color-point pattern just like Siamese cats. Following are some color-point pattern colors:

These cats are also found in some other patterns like Smoke shaded and Chinchilla.

This breed of cat loves to play a lot with toys and do those activities that make them entertaining. They are smart intelligent, learn tricks, and act on commands. This breed is not very active like other breeds of cats. They love napping on their human lap and most favorite cuddling with their human. These breeds are known for their gentleness and low-maintenance easygoing. They are the most well-mannered cats and not aggressive.

This breed has a unique personality all over the breeds. British Shorthair cat is independent, they are curious about happenings in their surroundings, and they love to explore things all around them. Some important personality traits are discussed below:

These shorthair cats are recognized for their loving, sweet, and affectionate nature. They are gentle, calm, and polite, and love to do playful activities with their humans. They love to nestle and accompany their humans. Once they know you and become comfortable with you, they will be cuddling warm-heartedly with you.

British shorthair cats are very smart, and quick learners, and they are known as intelligent breeds of cats. They quickly learn the trick of how to open and shut the door and cabinet, and they learn to play puzzle games, such as hide and seek. They love to play with the ball. They are quick problem solvers when they face hurdles. But they always do their problem-solving with calmness.

Their favorite activity is watching the human what they are doing and what is happening in their surroundings with full attention. They love to play in their own way according to their mood. They are smart, and they can adjust to different places, houses, environments, and routines.

A British Shorthair cat is polite with kids and other pets. They are recognized for being gentle, calm, and affectionate. They have a good temperament when they interact with kids and other pets. Their easygoing and gentle nature makes them household cats with kids. They act patiently and are tolerant when the children behave roughly.

They are typically pleasant and friendly and can get along with other pets, including rabbits and dogs. It is really important to make sure first, you introduce your shorthair friend to another pet, and watch them until they feel comfortable together. This is helpful for both to have happy and comfortable friendships.

The short-haired cat is not very noisy and highly vocalized. They are generally not vocal cats and just do sweet soft meow. They just meow and purr to communicate with their humans. They are not as tacky as Siamese cats. British shorthair cats are typically quiet and calm, but some might be talky more than others.

This breed of cat is a good hunter, they can catch rats, mice, snakes, and pests effectively. Remember that British shorthair cats are house cats, they are not allowed to hunt wild animals. Wild animals have illnesses that can be the reason for cat sickness, so the cat must be indoors and not allowed to hunt in the wild. If you have a British shorthair cat then play with toys like leather and feathers, this activity makes them sharp brains.

This cat breed is most independent as compared to other breeds. They are generally known as self-sufficient. They do not want a lot of attention, but they are completely happy and comfortable with their human family. They are easy to leave alone.

These shorthair cats are the most healthy breed as compared to other breeds. But like the other breeds, they can also face some health problems which are narrated below the table.

Diseases	Explanation	Symptoms	Treatment
Obesity	Can get fat easily	1- Difficulty in breathing 2- Difficulty in jumping or climbing 3- Reduced activity level 4- Skin problems 5- Abdominal distension 6- Lethargy	1- Feed them less meal 2- Exercise them more 3- Play with them a lot
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)	Heart ProblemThe heart muscles are too thick.	1- Weakness 2- Sudden death 3- Difficulty breathing 4- Syncope (fainting) 5- Lethargy	There are medications to treat  HMC. So take your pet to the vet for medication for this health issue.
Dental Problem	1- Tooth resorption 2- Gingivitis 3- Periodontitis	1- Loose or missing teeth 2- Bad breath 3- Pawing at the mouth 4- Difficulty eating 5- Red, swollen gums 6- Drooling	1- For the mild cases cleaning and brushing the teeth is the solution. 2- Server cases need antibiotics or dental surgery.
Respiratory Issues	1- Asthma 2- Pneumonia 3- Feline infectious peritonitis 4- Upper respiratory infections 5- Breathing problems and snoring.	1- Runny nose and eye 2- Blue gums 3- Wheezing 4- Sneezing 5- Fever 6- Coughing 7- Loss of appetite	Treatment for respiratory problems usually depends on the cause, and sometimes needs medication, surgery, and environmental changes according to health conditions.
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)	1-A genetic kidney disorder	1- Blood in the urine 2- Pain in the back or side 3- Frequent urination 4- Abdominal swelling 5- Fatigue 6- Blood in the urine 7- Headaches	1- Medication: To Control blood pressure, treat liver cysts, reduce pain 2- Surgery: Remove most painful and large cysts, or to treat damage to the liver or kidney.

These shorthair cats need some care to stay healthy and happy. Their needs depend on their humans. Their essentials, feeding, and grooming all are up to their humans. You have to take full responsibility for her, like a new baby.

It is completely your responsibility to understand their emotion, needs, and behaviors. We are going to discuss some major caring steps to take great care of these shorthair friends.

When you adopt or buy the British Shorthair cat for the first time, you do research about her likes or dislikes, and basic needs, and learn their emotions or behaviors. Try to get some detailed information about them. Firstly you have to bring their basic necessities like a litter box, food bowl, and some toys and then you go to get your cat.

Give your short-haired friend a set amount of food. Do not overfeed them when they want the extra amount of food. Give your cat two or three meals a day. Always use the experts’ recommended feed for your cat. Make sure to add protein to their diet, you get the protein from fish and chicken. They love the fish most.

Make sure to provide them with filtered fresh water because tap water is unhealthy for them. Keep the bowl of water in different places around them so they access it easily. Change the water from their bowls on a daily basis. They love the running water so you can also make a pet fountain for them.

Use a soft brush for brushing their short hair. Trim their nails with sharp clippers after 15 days. Use soft cotton balls to clean their ears. After 1 or 2 weeks give them a bath with a mild liquid soap or shampoo. Groom them in a gentle and polite way and don’t be hard.

On a daily basis remove the poop and pee from the litter box, and scoop the litter box of your shorthaired cat. Use clean water and mild soap for washing their litter box. Keep the litter box in a silent place where they feel comfortable.

They need exercise to keep them fit and healthy, and for this provide them with a lot of toys to make them busy and active, physically and mentally engaged. Play and enjoy with them for a few minutes in a full day, with a ball, feather wand, and laser. Give them puzzles, and give them a cat tree to climb up that’s how their body will move.

So, we came to know that the British Shorthair cat is the most cute, sweet, loving, gentle, and calm cat. They are too noisy and vocalized. They are loved all over the world. This is the most playful, curious, active breed. This is not as common as other breeds. These are independent cats, they do not depend on their humans. They can live alone for a few hours or minutes. They love to cuddle with their humans.