The British Shorthair cat breed originated in England during the late 1800s. Most of the cat shows of the time in England were primarily featuring cats from far off lands such as the Siamese and the Persian. Only very wealthy people could afford these cats and their breeding and showing was something only wealthy people were involved in.

Locals felt their British farm cats were just as beautiful as any of these so called "exotic" cats so they began to breed them. The breed was developed with stocky British house cats that had round heads to give them a more distinctive look. Sometimes they would be crossed with a Persian as this helped the breeders achieve the look they were going for more quickly.

Originally the British Shorthair cat was referred to simply as a "Shorthair," "English," or "British" cat.

British Shorthair cats are extremely adorable (in my professional opinion) and are often said to look like teddy bears. They have short hair (of course) and their coat can be almost any color, pattern, and marking. They have big full cheeks and a round shaped head with large round eyes that are set far apart.

They usually have a quiet and friendly temperament. They get along well with other cats and can also do very well with dogs. They do not demand attention as some other breeds do. While they can be quite playful as kittens, their activity level usually drops a lot after they reach 1 or 2 years old.

British Shorthairs do not take a lot of special care. The one thing you may want to watch out for with your British Shorthair is their diet because they love to eat and they are not as naturally active as some other cat breeds. Because of this they have a tendency to get fat.

Photo of a "blue" British Shorthair cat:


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