Welcome to our British Shorthair Cats page! Here you will find everything you could ever want to know about British Shorthair cats and a complete list of all the British Shorthair catteries we have located in the USA.

You have seen this kitty on the Internet, in children’s storybooks, and as the mascot for a popular brand of cat food.  The British Shorthair is one of the most popular cat breeds in the world, and also one of the oldest.  This round and velvety “teddy-bear” cat comes in many colors, but its most famous color is the British blue (really a lovely shade of dark gray).

British Shorthair Cat Breeders Near You

British Shorthair

• Are you a cat breeder who isn’t listed? Add your information here.

We also highly recommend reading checking out our latest news articles at our blog. Find information on cat health, nutrition, holistic healing, basic care, toys, and much more!

British Shorthair Cat Breed Information

History and Origins:

Romans brought domestic cats with them when they came to Britain in the first century AD.  Some of these cats bred with the European wildcats, and the result was the British Shorthair breed.  It was a working cat for centuries and then became a show cat.  Although it almost disappeared during World War II, the Brit was brought back in the second half of the twentieth century and now is thriving.

Wild and domestic cats in the family tree

The British Shorthair is descended from the wild cats that moved into Europe and the British Isles after the last Ice Age.  These European wildcats have thicker fur than the African wild cats that many other cat breeds are descended from.

During the Roman occupation of Britain, some of the soldiers’ domesticated cats escaped and interbred with local wildcats.  This created a sturdy, muscular short-haired cat with a round face, big eyes, and thick, water-repellent fur.

These new kitties had the best features of both ancestors.  They were good hunters and had thick coats to handle rain, snow, and cold, but they also got along very well with people.  They served as companions and pest controllers on British farms and in towns for centuries.

Purebreds almost disappear during WWII

It wasn’t until the 1800s, when cat fanciers first began to organize into clubs, that the British Shorthair was established as an official cat breed.  Some called it the British Blue, as that was the only color it came in back then.

The first cat show, held in the 1870s, featured Persians, a very new and beautiful breed called the Siamese, and a variety of domestic short-hairs.  The Britsh Blue dominated the event.  Its beauty and dignified presence seemed to symbolize the very essence of the nation.

The Blue became very popular as a pet and consistently won championships year after year.  Then came the world wars of the 20th century.  The Second World War was particularly hard on all purebreds.  Strict rationing meant that breeders couldn’t feed and keep their cats.  British Shorthairs, like other purebreds, did the best they could, but by the war’s end the breed had almost disappeared because of interbreeding with the general cat population.

Cat breeders immediately got to work, outcrossing the few remaining purebreds with other breeds, including Persian cats.  This did temporarily change the British Shorthair’s appearance, but these cat experts knew what they were doing.  They always worked toward rebuilding a population of purebred cats that looked like the British Shorthairs of Queen Victoria’s day.  Today’s Brit is the result of their hard work.

These lovely cats are just as popular as ever, and they now are bigger and come in just about every color and pattern.

Size and Physical Characteristics:

British Shorthairs have bright eyes whose color matches the color of that velvety thick fur. They are round and massive, though not quite as large as those of the cat breed that most resembles them, the Exotic Shorthair. Brits are built for power, but there’s nothing extreme about these symmetrical and well balanced beauties.

Eye color matches fur color

The first things you notice about a British Shorthair are its brilliant eyes and its fur.  Copper or golden eyes are quite common, but these cats also have blue, green, or hazel eyes, depending on their fur color.

The British blue color is famous, but purebred Brits also come in a variety of solid colors, tabbies, bicolors, calicoes, and tortoiseshells.  Basically the only colorings they don’t have are Siamese-like points, chocolate, and lavender, which all come from outcrossing (which is no longer allowed).

Surprisingly, their luxuriously dense fur is a single coat.  There is no layering or undercoat.  The hair doesn’t feel wooly, either, although it is so thick that it breaks apart here and there as Kitty moves.

Round, muscular, and in balance

This breed’s chubby, round face is so adorable!  Its ears are only medium sized and set wide apart, but they fit smoothly into the spherical contours of the Brit’s head.  The nose is broad, and the muzzle stops sharply a little way beyond the cat’s big, curvy whisker pads.  Kitty’s chin is firm and lines up with the nose and upper lip.  Males often have noticeable jowls.

Because of all that fur, the British Shorthair’s round head appears to sit directly on its body.  Believe it or not, there actually is a neck in there, though it is very short.  The body is round and stocky, shaped sort of like a corn cob.  A Brit has lots of muscle, but it is always very well balanced, never muscle-bound.

The chest is very broad.  All four legs are moderately short but in proportion with the body.  A British Shorthair walks very confidently, though it’s hard to see those round paws because of all the fur.  This cat’s round, furry tail is about two-thirds the length of the body, thick at the base and tapering to a rounded tip.

Personality and Temperament:

Their physical beauty isn’t the only reason British Shorthairs are one of the most popular cat breeds in the world.  They are adaptable and very friendly once they trust you.  These laid-back cats also love to be around people, though they do prefer to worship you from afar rather than climb into your lap.

A good family pet

The British Shorthair is always a little cautious around new people, but once it gets to know you, this calm cat is loving and very loyal.  Thanks to its history and natural intelligence, a Brit can adapt to just about any human environment.  It will adopt the whole family instead of bonding with just one or two people.

Kitty doesn’t like to be held or carried, but if it is treated gently and with respect, it makes a great playmate for children aged six or over.  Kids get a laugh out of this massive animal’s little voice and occasional clumsiness, and they adore its deep, comforting purring.

Brits aren’t jealous or aggressive, so they get along well with other pets, including dogs.  They make good pets for apartments because of their relatively low activity level.

Calm and dignified

British Shorthair cats are big, solid, and steady for the most part.  However, they will occasionally counterbalance this almost stodgy behavior by suddenly jumping up and running around in a frenzy.  Then they’ll settle back down and look at you as if to say “What?”

Overall, this isn’t an energetic cat breed.  Brits mostly just like to relax and watch life pass by.  Their favorite lounging spots will be close to the ground, though.  These ponderous kitties aren’t jumpers.

British Shorthairs aren’t lap cats, either, and may take offense if anyone tries to pick them up.  Some say that males are more easy-going and carefree than females.  However, these affectionate, placid cats do want to be near you and will settle down next to you, either near your feet, or alongside you in a chair or on the couch, when it’s time for some cuddling.

While they need some time alone each day, Brits aren’t very demanding.  If your schedule keeps you away from home a lot, these cats will keep themselves occupied and then gladly greet you when you return.

Grooming and Upkeep:

Your British Shorthair will be easy to take care of.  It should be brushed about once a week, more often during shedding season.  The ears, claws, and teeth also need regular care.

Brushing needed, but not a bath

These cats have very thick fur and tend to shed, especially in the spring and fall.  Oil makes their coats water-repellent, but it will cause the hair to mat up if grooming isn’t done regularly.

All that’s needed is to thoroughly comb and brush Kitty’s fur once a week or so.  Spring and fall are the shedding seasons, when you might need to groom the cat daily.  Unless it gets unusually dirty, or if you will be showing your cat, there’s no need to give a British Shorthair a bath.

Routine care

British Shorthairs have medium-sized ears that are big enough to pick up dust and dirt.  When you are brushing Kitty, don’t forget to check hisears.  If they need cleaning, all you’ll need to do is gently wipe them out with a cotton ball that has been soaked in a cleaner that is safe for cats.

Cats groom their own claws by scratching, but this doesn’t remove all the dead outer nail and it doesn’t shorten the claws.  These will need to be trimmed every couple of weeks.  Your veterinarian can show you what tools to use and how to do it.  This dignified giant may act quite offended, and the procedure might take a while at first.  However, with training and a little practice, claw trimming can be done quickly and safely.

Many pet owners are surprised to learn that Kitty’s teeth need brushing.  Cats are prone to gingivitis.  While the vet can provide dental treatment, this procedure requires general anesthesia, with all the risks that come with that.

It’s easier and safer, not to mention less expensive, if you do it instead.  Some cat food companies claim that their dry kibbles clean teeth, but that has never been independently proven.  The best way to clean a cat’s teeth is with a vet-approved toothbrush and cat-safe toothpaste (never use paste designed for people).  If you start the routine when your British Shorthair is young, it will get used to it and have far fewer tooth problems later on in life.

Nutritional and Exercise Needs:

All cats need a lot of protein in their diet, and just the right balance of other nutrients.  However, nutrition and exercise have to be taken together in the British Shorthair, because this is one of the ten cat breeds most prone to obesity.

A strict carnivore

Cats are excellent hunters, and down through the years they have developed a metabolism that gets most of its energy from protein.  This works well for them in the wild, but it can cause problems for domestic cats.

Commercial cat foods that meet guidelines set by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) will give your cat a completely balanced diet with all the protein and other nutrients it needs in each serving.

Kitty can live quite well on either canned food or dried food, but it will get a little dehydrated if it just eats dry kibbles.  Make sure there is plenty of fresh water available all the time, and your cat will drink enough to stay in healthy and in good shape.

Calories and your cat

The British Shorthair is playful and alert, especially as a kitten.  It also sometimes has abrupt bursts of energy as an adult.  However, most of the time the Brit’s overall level of activity is not all that high.  It does love to eat, though, and this will catch up with Kitty by middle age.

These big cats should be all bone and hard muscle, not fat.  The thickness of that velvety fur makes it difficult to tell if a Brit is obese, but there is a very easy way to find out.  Pick up Kitty (who won’t like it but who probably will accept being handled) and step on the scale.  Write down the combined weight and then subtract your own – voila! The result is your cat’s weight.

If the cat’s weight is much over the average, it’s time to watch servings carefully.  Most adult British Shorthairs require about 70 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight daily.  If numbers aren’t your thing, just see if Kitty cleans its plate.  When there are leftovers, serve a little less next time around.  You can also check with the veterinarian about any appropriate low-calorie cat foods.

Increase Kitty’s exercise routine, too.  Bring out the whirling feathers, laser dots, bell balls, catnip, and other toys a couple of extra times each day.  Your British Shorthair will enjoy the extra attention and you will feel proud at having helped your pet stay healthy and happy.

Characteristics Unique to the Breed:

The word “round” appears 15 times in the Cat Fanciers Association breed standard for the British Shorthair.  The British blue color is also very famous and was the breed’s original fur color.

Rounding out the British Shorthair

The European wildcat isn’t particularly round, and neither were the domestic cats that lived with Romans two thousand years ago.  Somehow, though, when those two breeds got together, they created a roly-poly wonder.

The British Shorthair has a round head, big round eyes, a round forehead and face, round paws, and even rounded tips on its ears and tail!  This spherical shapeliness comes from the underlying bones and muscles, but the Brit’s velvety fur makes everything smooth, soft, and even more cuddly.

British blue genes

This well-known fur color comes from a genetic change known as the Maltese dilution.

To a scientist, cats only have four basic colors:  red, black, chocolate, and cinnamon.  All the other fur colors happen from modifications of these basic color genes (not white, though, which is considered a lack of color).

When a black cat has the dilution gene that’s called “dd,” its color is, well, diluted.  The cat is now blue-gray.  This happens as a mutation.  Because British Shorthairs were isolated from the rest of Europe as the breed developed, the mutation became a feature built into the whole breed.

During the 1870s, when cat shows became popular, other imported blue cats were shown in Britain.  These were called “foreign blues” or “Maltese blues,” to distinguish them from the British Blue.  Eventually the gene causing the color became known as the Maltese dilution.

Today’s British Shorthair cats come in many colors because of all the outcrossing that was done to rebuild the breed after it almost disappeared in the twentieth century.

Health and Wellness:

The British Shorthair today is a very healthy, long-lived breed.  However, because of outcrossing with Persian cats, some cats occasionally come down with kidney disease, although this is not common.  Also, some Brits have a special blood type that breeders need to watch out for.  Like all cats, these shorthairs also need core vaccinations and routine updates.

Polycystic kidney disease and blood type B

In the twentieth century, British Shorthair cat breeders used Persian cats in their efforts to build up the line.  Persians are prone to a hereditary disorder of the kidneys called polycystic kidney disease (PKD).  There have been occasional outbreaks of this disease in Brits ever since.  These cases have been rare, though, and a 1999 study at the University of Melbourne on feline PKD found that the disease wasn’t present in any of the British Shorthairs it examined.

A more common problem for Brits involves blood type.  Most cats have type A blood.  British Shorthairs can have either type A or type B.  This isn’t a blood disease and type B cats are just as healthy as the ones with type A.  It is only important if you plan to breed the cat or if it needs a transfusion (type A blood kills a cat with type B blood and vice versa).

British Shorthair cat breeders worry about blood type because of “fading kitten” syndrome.  When the mother cat is type B and the father is type A, their kittens will be either type A or type B.  It’s heartbreaking, but the mother’s milk has antibodies against type A blood that will kill the type A kittens within 72 hours.  Fortunately, there is a DNA test available now to check blood type before a cat mates.

Routine health maintenance

All domestic cats need to be immunized against serious illnesses that threaten cats all around the world.  These are feline distemper and two serious upper respiratory infections caused by the FH-1 and FC viruses.  Sometimes all three are combined in a triple vaccine.

The rabies vaccine is sometimes included with these core vaccinations.  That depends on where you live and what the local regulations are.  Check with your vet about what is needed where you live or where you will be traveling.  Proof of rabies immunization is required for animals living or brought into the United States.

Core vaccinations are given as a series over ten weeks.  After that, your British Shorthair will need updates yearly or every three years, depending on the vaccine.

Not every feline vaccine needs to be given to every kitty.  It depends on lifestyle (is the cat kept indoors or outdoors, for instance, or is it exposed to other cats) and whether the cat will be bred.  Your veterinarian can tell what, if any, non-core vaccinations your cat may need.

Interesting Facts About British Shorthairs:

• Famous British Shorthairs of fiction and fact include the Cheshire cat as drawn by John Tenniel in the original “Alice in Wonderland” book; Happycat, the Internet meme; and Tsim Tung Brother Cream, a convenience store cat in Hong Kong.
• This breed matures slowly, not reaching its peak for three to five years, but if kept indoors and well cared for, it can live into its late teens or early twenties. The average lifespan of a British Shorthair is 15 years.
• According to the American-based Cat Fanciers Association, in 2012 British Shorthairs came in #8 on their list of the top ten most popular cat breeds. By 2013, Brits had moved up to the #5 position.  In the UK, the British Shorthair is second in popularity only to the Bengal cat.