The British Shorthair Cat
Everywhere throughout England you will see a squat, friendly type of feline with very short hair wandering the streets or sitting in the windows of British homes. This cat, which is known for always looking a bit like it is smiling is called The British Shorthair Cat. In fact the Cheshire cat featured in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland is a blue British cat.
The British Shorthair is actually the most popular breed of cat in Britain and since 2001 the UK’s Governing Council of the Cat Fancy has noted that it is the most popular type of cat in the United Kingdom. Before that the Persian cat breed was the most popular type.
The British shortbred is a real hybrid. It is a descendant of cats brought to Britain that then bred with wild native cats. They were cross-bread with Persians to improve the thickness of their coat. They were first defined and shown as a breed at the Crystal Palace cat show in 1871.
The cat is known for having a short, dense plush coat that is very smooth in the way it fits over the cat’s body. The eyes are usually very large and round and widely set. The eye color is usually a copper brown although they can be other colors. The heads are round and the cat has chubby cheeks. The head on this cat tends to be flatter broader and their noses are also snubber and perter than in other breeds.
This breed is low set with a large chest, shorter legs and big round paws. The tail tends to be smooth, but plush and ends in a blunted tip. This cat also usually has a square body shape and thicker legs.
The classic version of this cat is known as a Blue Shorthair and refers to the gray color of the coat. A true British Blue Shorthair cat will also have copper colored eyes. However, this cat is also bred in all kinds of different patterns and colors including black, white, red, cream, chocolate, likac, cinnamon and fawn. These cats come in tortoiseshell, bi-colour, shaded and feral striped patterns.
This type of cat is also very well known for its easy-going temperament. They do well as indoor cats and love interaction with humans. They are also supervisors who prefer sitting close to their owners to keep an eye on what they are doing.