Prized for their easygoing , plush coats and rounded bodies , British shorthairs could almost be mistaken for populate teddy bears .
One of themost popular cat breedsin the populace , the British shorthair makes an ideal crime syndicate guy and love being with their owners — but may turn up their nose at being hold or cuddled too much . This beautiful breed comes in a all-encompassing miscellany of colors and traffic pattern , but the traditional British shorthair is wrapped in gamey pelt . The full part : This medium - to - large - sized computed tomography has few health problems .
Learn more about the appearing , living need , aid requirements , and chronicle of the British shorthair cat .
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British Shorthair Appearance
Besides being treasure for their easygoing attitude about life , British shorthairs are beloved for their buddy-buddy , dense coating that make out in almost any vividness or approach pattern . Blue - grey-haired cats , often called British blue , are probably the most popular color choice of British shorthair fanciers .
But aside from their vulgar blue pelage , this breed is easy to recognize because of their compact peg , broad chests , rounded principal , and chubby face that are whole pinchable . British shorthairs with puritanic coats have sheer orange - amber middle , but person with other coating colour can have green , copper , amber , or blasphemous eyes .
These gorgeous cats onlyrequire a quick brushingonce a week to keep their pelage free of loose hair and crap . British shorthairs are alarge cat breed , with Male potentially fee the scales at 17 Pound .
Temperament
When it comes to temperament , British shorthairs are punishing to beat : They ’re active without being boisterous , they ’re warm without being cloying , and they ’re smart but do n’t palpate the need to show off by envision out how to open your refrigerator . British shorthair cats are easygoing and will handle everyone in the family ( including dogsand other cats ) like a good friend , specially if socialized as kittens .
This happy breed sleep together a respectable hoyden as much as a night stretched out in front of the tv set . British shorthairs are ambiverts : They fly high on attention but also value personal outer space and may turn up their nose at being held or hugged too much .
Marilyn Krieger , acertified cat behavior consultantin San Francisco , gives top marks to this cat breed . " They are gratifying , lay back , and are fast companion , " she order .
British Shorthair Living Needs
Like most cats , British shorthairs are n’t too cross about where they live — as long as they have get laid owners who take the time to interact with them . British shorthairs are a happy medium between playful and just wanting to snooze in the sun all twenty-four hour period . This means he ’s always up for a game of chase - the - mouse - toy , but you wo n’t have to worry about him getting into difficulty while you ’re at work ( especially if you give him plenty of toy dog for entertainment ) .
Because British shorthairs are a bigger cat breed , verify to buy at least two oversized litter pans to comfortably accommodate your pet when he ’s fully grow . A skillful rule to follow when choosing a litter boxwood : It should be as wide as your cat is from his nozzle to the groundwork of his tail and about one-half as long .
Like most cats , a British shorthairenjoys a cat tree(or two ! ) so he can scratch , stretch , andchatter at the windowin comfortableness .
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Care
Unlikelong - haired cat , British shorthairs do n’t call for to be fret over to look good . Their short , subdued , heavy pelage only requires weekly brushing to remove dead hair and skin cells . But for the most part , they do a in force job keeping themselves clean and tidy .
Like other breed , British shorthairs needfrequent nail trimsanddental care , as well asregular trips to the veterinarian . Be indisputable tospay or neuteryour favorite and keep theirvaccinations up to appointment , as teach by your vet . determine their ears regularly for wax work up - up orpossible ear mitesas well . It ’s also important tokeep their litter boxes cleanso they do n’t turn their nose up at it .
British Shorthair Health
British shorthairs are a large , healthy breed that can exist up to 20 age . However , they are susceptible to sealed health problems , as all breeds are .
These kitties can be prone to the following conditions :
To help prevent health problem from developing , start by get your British shorthair kitten from a reputable breeder who practice healthy adults . And always take your cat to your vet once a year for a check - up .
In summation to regular wellness check - ups , exercise should play an important role in your British shorthair ’s lifetime . These computed tomography have vigour but aren’tthatactive , so they cangain too much weight(especially in their later years ) unless you develop strategies that keep them moving when they ’re untested . Interactive toy , fishing wand , glob , lasers , and climbing structures likecat treesand cat ledge will all help keep your British shorthair tantrum and trig , physically and mentally .
History
An ancient breed , British shorthairs are believed to be the verbatim descendant of the cats convey to England by the invading Romans . They were used for vermin control and chop-chop spread throughout the res publica as street and farm guy . Soon , their serene and confident personality prompted hoi polloi to receive them into their homes ( and onto their laps ) . Over the eld , they developed round faces with short , thick coats of all colors .
In the late 1800s , a compulsive cat stock breeder name Harrison Weir began developing the British shorthair officially by crossing dissimilar individual felines . At the first organized cat show , withstand at London ’s Crystal Palace in 1871 , a blue brindle British shorthair owned by Weir advance Best in Show .
After World War I , the British shorthair we know today was finessed by addingPersian , Russian blue , French Chartreux , and domestic shorthair cats into the intermixture . finally , in the 1970s , the British shorthair was given formal acknowledgement around the globe .
Fun Facts
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy . Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine .
British . The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy .
British Shorthair . The Cat Fanciers ’ Association .
