British Shorthair

Profile

OriginGreat Britain
Looksmedium to large-sized cat, muscular, strong build
Weight3,5 – 8 kg
Coatshort, dense, plush, thick undercoat
Patternmono, two- or three coloured in grey, black, cream, beige, red
Colour300 varieties of coat colour
Eyeslarge gold, green or blue eyes
Characterfriendly, well-meaning, very affectionate
Special traitrelatively short, rounded tail
Activity

What is the special trait of this breed?

The British Shorthair – a tall, tender teddy bear
In 1871, the “British Shorthair” was presented to the public for the first time, at the Crystal Palace in London. 

No other Shorthair cat has such a plush coat as the British Shorthair. It is incredibly dense, fluffy and flexible and stands out from the body. 

The thick undercoat protects it from bad weather: This means it is equipped perfectly for life on the British islands, where it often rains – due to air masses of different temperatures colliding with each other on a frequent basis.
A cat living in Great Britain therefore needs to be drizzle-proof so to speak, protected by a thick coat which provides a perfect, water-repellent outfit.

And then those wonderfully expressive eyes – a real beauty!

It does not surprise, that this breed has many fans all over the world. 

What are the unique traits of the British Shorthair?

The fan base does not only love this breed for its appearance but also for the character traits:

The British Shorthair is a relaxed, well-poised cat that will react to changes serenely in most cases. It is therefore also fit to live with other animals – also with other cats.

The easiest way of enabling co-habitation with their own species is to pair them with siblings or cats of their own age and gender –
as they will have matching needs during the same life phases. In the case of stemming from the same family, they simply benefit from the fact that they have known each other since childhood.

The British Shorthair also love cuddling and playing with “their” humans! 

A great family cat – also recommendable for cat “beginners” with little experience.

No need for “terra firma”: As opposed to many other breeds, the British Shorthair loves water!

If there is no paddling pool in sight, the water tap will do.

Interesting facts on keeping and care

As the British Shorthair is such an affable creature, it is classified as “low-maintenance”. 

It likes a cat-friendly flat as well as the hunting grounds outside.

The perfect house cat so to speak, which is nevertheless thankful for a bit of fresh air and exercise in the garden or on the balcony.   

As most other cats, it is very sociable and enjoys a companion by its side.  

While the British Shorthair is not a lap cat that needs constant attention, enough time should be reserved for it, even if there are other cats living on the premises. 

The fluffy bear may have a thick coat but nonetheless the grooming is made easy: once or twice a week with a soft brush is enough. Only during hair changing times, when a lot of undercoat is shed, you should plan in more sessions. 

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