The British Shorthair

The Breed
The British Shorthair is one of the largest breeds of domestic cat. It is chunky and substantial. The male is much larger than the female. The face is round with full cheeks and the nose is short and broad. The chin is deep and strong.  The ears are small and rounded and set so as to blend with the round contour of the head. The eyes are large and round. The head is set on a short thick neck. The body is cobby with a short level back. The chest is deep and the shoulders are strong. The legs are short and strong with round paws. The tail is thick and of medium length. British Shorthairs usually live into their early teens. It has been known for them to live much longer but generally 15 years is an average life

Showing
The British Shorthair is an immensely popular show cat and with the huge combination of coat colour and pattern available it is one of the biggest breed sections at major cat shows. They are relatively easy to prepare for shows because their short coat and their easy temperament means that most cats enjoy a trip to a show. The competition is always tough and the standard is high. Prizes are withheld for long or fluffy coats, uneven bite, incorrect coat colour or pattern, incorrect eye colour and other faults as stated in the breed standard.

Feeding
The British Shorthair is a large cat and will eat 300/400 grs.of tinned/pouched cat food each day.  However, many British Shorthairs are prone to obesity, particularly neuters, and some restriction on their diet may be necessary.

Breeding
British Shorthairs usually have between three and five kittens in a litter.  Generally British Shorthair queens make good mothers. Being placid by nature they are content with their brood. Cats being cats, there are occasionally some cats that do not like to be shown or do not take to breeding and this is no reflection on the breeder. It is part of the cats’ charm as they are very much individuals. Cat lovers worldwide accept this.