British Shorthair Cat : appearance, character, care, breeding
A docile and adaptable cat, which adapts particularly well to apartment life
The British Shorthair has a proud and elegant bearing, but is a sweet and very loyal cat
The British Shorthair is the most common European cat in Great Britain. It has short hair and a lively and docile character. Of medium size, it has been known since the 19th century, and is also called ‘cobby ‘, meaning compact and robust.
British Shortair: history
Let’s start from the story of this cat. The origins of the British Shorthair are lost in legend, but it is assumed that, as a variant of the European cat, it is the direct descendant of the Egyptian cat .
It was the Romans who brought them to Great Britain. Here, this specimen crossed with the native wild cat, giving life to a real breed with its own standard, codified in 1977.
Subsequently, the breed was selected and crossed with the French Carthusian cats and with the Persians, to make their body softer and rounder .
British Shorthair cat appearance
In addition to a robust and strong body, like that of the European cat, the British Shorthair therefore has a soft and thick coat, which can also be multicolored. The undercoat, on the other hand, is dense and crisp. The color is generally uniform, except for the tabby (brindle) and silver designs.
The ‘blue’ British Shorthair is the most popular, resulting from the cross with the Chartreux. Generally, the coat is one-colored , but it can also be tortoiseshell ( tortoiseshell or tortie ), two-colored, with Siamese-like spots ( colourpoint ) and shaded.
Other shades include: white, brown, cream, red and even lilac.
It has a wide and flattened muzzle, and a large nose, as well as the head, which rests on a sturdy and short neck.
The eyes are also large and round and have a color that coordinates with the coat: blue, orange, gold and copper. The body is muscular, shoulders and chest are particularly developed but it is the female who is larger than the male.
British Shorthair cat character
Like its ‘father cat’, the British Shorthair is affectionate, easily adaptable, independent and playful. He is therefore very proud and likes to be on his own. He has a poised bearing, but is extremely attached to his family, with whom he likes to play.
In fact, he coexists very well with both children and dogs, since if annoyed, he prefers to leave rather than show his nails.
The instinct of hunting remains alive in him, which he expresses by venting on all kinds of insects when in the apartment, or on rodents and lizards if outdoors.
British Shorthair cat breeding and care
The British Shorthair loves to chase balls, and being highly intelligent can also be able to bring back small objects .
It is a type of cat that does not require a lot of care, except in feeding. In fact, he has a good appetite but tends to laziness, so he could be subject to uncontrolled weight gains.
Also remember to brush it, at least 1-2 times a week. Treatments that must be increased during the moulting period, in the specimens crossed with the Persians and in any case to prevent the classic knots, also present at the fingertips.
Although he can live on average 14-20 years, he can suffer from a genetic disease, Pkd , Polycystic Kidney Disease, a renal dysfunction that has a slow and progressive development.
British Shorthair cat prices
Breeding, the price of the British Shorthair cat ranges from 414.31 to 591.87 USD. However, as always, we advise you to adopt it, online or in the cattery. So spend nothing and help save a life.
