About The Breed

British shorthairs can trace they ancestry back to the domestic cat of Rome, initially revered for their physical strength and hunting ability, these cats soon became equally recognisable by their calm and loyal manners.

In 1871, at the Crystal Palace cat show British Shorthairs were first shown as a breed, indeed Best in Show was awarded to blue tabby British Shorthair female! By 1910, no cat had done as well as brother and sister British Shorthair silver tabbies, male CH Jimmy, and female CH Laurel Queen.

Thanks to the Brits "teddy bear" look they have become the most popular breed of cat in the UK. There are today many different colours of British shorthairs, from the original and more recognisable British Blues, other include black, red, chocolate, white, tortoiseshell, silver series, bi-colours and colour points.

British Shorthairs are a comparatively large breed of cat but should be compact and well-balanced, of powerful appearance and not rangey.

As with most breeds, the males are larger than the females though both should be of a good size.  They have round faces with comparatively small ears and large round eyes. One of their most characteristic features is their coat which should be thick and up-standing, not flat lying giving rise to the description of "teddy bear" cats.

As the pedigree version of the naturalised British cat, they are ideally suited to the climate and enjoy access to the fresh air if available, though they will also settle to  an indoor life if that is what they have been brought up to. They should receive a varied diet (all cats prefer variety to the sameness) and do not eat larger than normal amounts despite their size which is derived from their basic bone structure. As with all cats "cupboard love" is uppermost, a well-fed and comfortable cat will remain a friend for life. All cats not intended specifically for breeding should be neutered as kittens and will not subsequently roam far from their home.

They are independent by nature, coming for attention when they want it but being contented with their own company at other times. They are not naturally noisy (except when hungry or in a breeding situation). Though lively, they are not normally as destructive as some of the "Foreign" Shorthair breeds (however, there are exceptions to all rules and all kittens can be mischievous !).

Although the grey cat known as the "British Blue" is the most well known colour, the breed comes in many different colours and patterns all with the same essential characteristics. Other single colour breeds are the Cream, White, Black, Chocolate and Lilac breeds. They also produce the Tortoiseshell and the smart Bi-colour and Tortie and White versions with white patches.

Cats with Tabby or Spotted patterns can be silver coloured (such as Jack and Jill, the former Blue Peter cats), or Brown or Red (a more intense version of the traditional "ginger" cat). All of these varieties exist in less striking form in the non-pedigree populations though they lack the stunning orange eye colour which all but the silver cats show in the pedigree version.

Deliberate interbreeding has produced breeds such as the Tipped which looks like a shorthair version of the well known longhair Chinchilla cat and the Colourpointed version which has the conformation of the British cat but with the pattern of the siamese. These patterned cats retain a little of the temprement of the original outcross in addition to their otherwise Britishness.

GCCF Standard of Points for the British Shorthair

The British Shorthair cat is compact, well balanced and powerful, showing good depth of body, a full broad chest, short legs, rounded paws, tail thick at base with rounded tip. The head is round with a good width between small ears, round cheeks, firm chin, large round and well opened eyes and a short broad nose. The coat is short and dense. A muscular cat with an alert appearance and in perfect physical condition.

Head - Round face with full cheeks and good breath of skull with round underlying bone structure. The head should be set on a short thick neck.

Nose - The nose itself should be short, broad and straight. In profile, a rounded forehead should lead to a short straight nose with a nose break that is neither too pronounced nor too shallow.

Chin - A strong, firm and deep chin is essential. Any deviation from this to be considered a fault. The bite MUST be level, the tip of the chin to line up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane.

Ears - Small, rounded at the tips. Set far apart, fitting into (without distorting) the rounded contour of the head. External ear to be well covered with fur, internal furnishings not to be excessive.

Eyes - Large, round and well-opened. Set wide apart with no tendency to Oriental shape. No squint.

Body - Cobby type with short level back. Low on legs with broad deep chest. Equally massive across the shoulders and the rump. Medium to large, but not rangy.

Legs & Paws - Short strong legs. Paws round and firm. Toes carried close, five on each forefoot (including dew-claw) and four on each back foot.

Tail - Should be thick and of medium length, thicker at the base with rounded tip.

Coat - Must be short, dense and crisp. A soft and / or overlong and fluffy coat is incorrect.