British Shorthair | Cat Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

Last Updated on March 19, 2023 by Pets Feed

The British Shorthair is a pretty big cat breed that could be described as thick or chunky, and is considered one of the oldest and most popular breeds in Britain.

The British Shorthair cat will be a great companion for people of all ages and families with children due to its calm, cheerful character and philosophical attitude to the owners’ daily absences.

Breed name	British Shorthair
Country of origin	Britain
Weight	5 – 8 Kg
Size	Medium-large
Life expectancy	12 – 17 years
Hair type	Short

British Shorthair cats are medium to large in size, with a stocky, well-developed body, a broad chest, well-developed muscles, a strong back and shoulders, short but stocky limbs, large round legs and a thick tail, slightly curved. The head is round, massive on a short thick neck. In general, all parts of the body in animals of this breed should look massive and rounded.

British Shorthair males are noticeably larger than females – 5.5-9 kg versus 3.5-6.5 kg, respectively. Growth is fully completed only by 5 years.

• Head: Broad, round, with full cheeks. The forehead is rounded, between the ears goes into a flat area, the “stop” is poorly expressed, but still noticeable.
• Eyes: The eyes of British Shorthair cats are large, round and expressive. Wide and straight set. The look is open and friendly. The color is in harmony with the coat color and can be yellow, copper-orange, blue, green. In white cats, heterochromia is possible – eyes of different colors.
• Nose: Short, broad, straight. The nose and chin are vertical.
• Ears: The British Shorthair’s ears are small, broad at the base, with perfectly rounded tips. On the head put wide and low.
• Neck: Short, muscular.
• Body: Well balanced, powerful and strong. Not loose! The chest is wide and deep. The back is short and muscular.

The British Shorthair range in size from medium to large. These plush creatures also weigh a lot. Their weight is in direct proportion to genetics, care and maintenance. A big role in this is played by the pet sterilized or not.

The height, weight and length of animals depend on sex: females look somewhat smaller than males. To find out how much an adult pet will weigh, you have to wait 3-4 years – it is then that the formation of the body is completed and the final weight is established. It has also been noticed that the weight of a blue-colored cat is greater than that of a chocolate-spotted cat.

Males of this breed weigh 5-8 kg, castrated representatives reach 10-12 kg. The weight of females is about 3-4 kg, and neutered cats can reach 7 kg.

Age	Female	Male
Newborn	65-140 g	70-150 g
1 month	260-610 g	550-750 g
2 months	440-910 g	1-1.65 kg
3 months	1-1.45 kg	1, 45-2.5 kg
4 months	1.65-2.5 kg	2-3.8 kg
5 months	2.15-2.9 kg	2.6-4.2 kg
6 months	2.2-3.55 kg	3-5.5 kg
8 months	2.4-4.15 kg	3.6-6.1 kg
10 months	2.5-4.4 kg	4-6.6 kg
1 year	2.5-4.7 kg	4.4-7 kg
2 years	2.6-5 kg	4.8-8 kg

British shorthair cats are “natural giants” of the feline world. They are kind and loving towards humans and other animals. These cats do not continually seek the attention of humans and are quieter than their eastern counterparts, with whom they also do not share the curious nature that drives many eastern breeds into trouble .

These cats are calm, cute smart and gentle cats. They are much more active than other breeds that are related to the Persian. However, with age, these cats prefer not games but the opportunity to sleep peacefully. British Shorthair cats are balanced, sociable, unobtrusive, independent and loyal to their owner.

Cats of this breed usually give birth to 1-2 kittens in the litter. They usually do not need help with the birth of a baby. These are very loyal and caring mothers who do not shift the care of kittens on the shoulders of the owner.

These are very peaceful cats, so you can safely house a British Shorthair cat in a house where other animals already live. They do not require much attention and are easy to train. By the way, that’s why they like to shoot in movies and commercials.
This is a great breed for modern city dwellers.

The health of the British shorthair cats is not a serious concern for specialists. But breeders who claim that British Shorthairs are generally not prone to disease are shamelessly cunning. Yes, there are no specific British shorthair diseases, but there are some that affect any pedigree cats – including genetically determined ones, therefore, appropriate medical research must be carried out before animals are allowed to breed.

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a thickening of the wall of one of the ventricles (more often the left one), which leads to a violation of the heart rhythm, heart failure and death. When a whole complex of drugs is detected at an early stage and taken for life, the development of the disease can be significantly slowed down. Animals with this diagnosis cannot participate in breeding.
• Hemophilia B – decreased blood clotting, as a result of which any injury is fraught with serious blood loss or extensive internal hemorrhage. The risk of the disease is increased by closely related crossbreeding. There is no full-fledged treatment, sick animals are given blood transfusions, and iron preparations, hepatoprotectors, vitamins B6 and B12 are prescribed to combat anemia and stimulate hematopoiesis. Carriers of genes and individuals suffering from hemophilia are excluded from breeding.
• Polycystic kidney disease is the formation of fluid-filled, hollow tumors that disrupt the normal functioning of the excretory system. A typical disease of Persian cats, from hybridization with which the British shorthair cats suffered. At the initial stages, there are no noticeable changes in the pet’s behavior, therefore it is often diagnosed only at an advanced stage. There is no effective therapy. If the cysts are isolated, they can be removed during surgery, but in case of serious damage, only medical treatment is possible, which will extend the life of the animal for several months or years.
• Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums that affects the ligaments and bones. In the absence of proper treatment, teeth are lost and the infection spreads through the bloodstream.

British shorthair cats are easy to care for, as their short coats are virtually trouble-free. To remove dead hair, simply stroke the animal with a damp glove or comb the coat with a soft brush.

Every week, the owner should inspect the pet’s ears and clean them with cotton swabs soaked in hydrogen peroxide.

It is also important to periodically rinse the eyes of the animal with clean water or tea. With frequent tearing, a decoction of chamomile is used to remove mucus.

The British cat itself is very clean and its tray should be kept clean. Otherwise, the cat will find another place to go to the toilet.

• Recognizable features are a round muzzle, a stocky body and thick fur of a special texture, tactilely reminiscent of plush.
• Long before the appearance of the first “feline” organizations, the British shorthair cat was valued not for its external qualities, but for its unsurpassed skill as a mouse-catcher.
• Animals openly show their affection for their owners, but they do not like to sit on their knees and hang on a person’s arms.
• They treat other pets well (including dogs, rodents and birds), but they feel great as the only animal.
• British shorthair cats do not require complex and specific care.
• After reaching maturity, the level of physical activity decreases significantly.
• The main danger awaiting British apartment maintenance, veterinarians call obesity.

The British Shorthair is by far the most famous cat breed in the UK. Although there are only written records of the existence of British shorthair – since the beginning of the twentieth century, the breed goes back hundreds of years. The first British Shorthair cat has probably arrived in Britain with the invasion of Roman troops and has been present in prints and paintings over the centuries.

It has been exported in large quantities to the New World, where it has become very popular. The variety of colors and fur patterns available today is due to the selective reproduction of the best stray cats in the 19th century and the careful reproduction plans preserved to this day.