British Shorthair: Size, Temperament, Colors & Care

A round head, chubby cheeks, small ears, and large copper eyes—the British Shorthair is often compared to a plush teddy bear. It is one of the most popular breeds in Europe and the most popular in its homeland, where, according to the GCCF, it accounts for roughly half of all pedigreed kittens registered annually. In our cat breeds guide profile, you will find out about this cat's temperament, how much it weighs, what colors it comes in, and how to care for it.

Origin	Great Britain, old domestic cat populations
Recognition	all major organizations (CFA, FIFe, TICA) by the late 1970s
Weight	males 9–18 lbs, females 7–11 lbs
Body	stocky, broad chest, short sturdy legs
Coat	short, very dense, plush
Colors	blue (British Blue) and many other solid, tabby, bicolor, silver, and spotted varieties
Eyes	large, round; blue cats have copper or orange eyes
Activity	low–medium
Grooming	brush once a week

The British Shorthair has the densest coat among cats

The most important feature of this breed is its coat. The CFA notes that it has more hairs per square inch than any other cat breed. The coat is short, straight, even in length, and dense, with a firm texture that "breaks" like plush when the cat moves. In shows, the coat accounts for a full 35 out of 100 judging points.

The best-known variety is the solid blue-gray British Blue with deep copper eyes. This is exactly what most people picture when they hear "British cat." However, all organizations recognize white, black, blue, red, cream, cinnamon, and fawn colors, while FIFe, GCCF, and TICA also accept chocolate and lilac. All of these can be solid, tabby (four patterns), with a silver or golden undercoat, bicolor with white, tortoiseshell, or colorpoint, resulting in over 100 combinations in total. White pedigreed British Shorthairs are tested for hearing, as they can be deaf in one ear.

A stocky, round-headed, and slow-maturing cat

The British Shorthair is a large and powerful-looking cat: a broad chest, muscular body, short thick legs, and round paws. The tail is medium in length, thick at the base, and rounded at the tip. The head is large and round, the muzzle is short, the cheeks are chubby (especially in mature males), and the neck is so short it is almost invisible. The ears are small to medium, set wide apart, and the eyes are large and round.

The breed exhibits strong sexual dimorphism: males weigh 9–18 lbs, while females weigh 7–11 lbs. The British Shorthair matures slowly and only reaches its full size at about three years of age. It is believed that Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat from "Alice in Wonderland" was a tabby British Shorthair.

Temperament: Calm, independent, and loyal, but not a lap cat

The British Shorthair is an ideal choice for those who want a calm companion. They are interested in everything their owners do, follow them from room to room, and learn the daily routine, but they prefer to participate by observing from the sidelines. The CFA notes that a British Shorthair is more likely to wait for an invitation to sit next to you on the sofa than to jump on your lap uninvited, and they share their affection with all family members. They are not very vocal and will show their displeasure with a gentle touch of a paw.

British Shorthairs are patient with children but will retreat in noisy situations. It is worth teaching children early on that these cats do not like being carried. They usually get along easily with dogs and other animals, though they often become the "boss" of the house. Young British Shorthairs are quite playful up to 2–3 years of age, after which they settle down. Because of their heavy bodies, they prefer staying on the floor rather than jumping onto kitchen counters.

History: From Roman times to the Crystal Palace exhibition

Exactly how cats arrived in the British Isles is unknown, but it is believed they lived there even before the Roman invasion. On the isolated island, they developed into large, sturdy cats with a short but very dense coat. In the 19th century, artist and cat show pioneer Harrison Weir began selecting the best domestic cats, and at the first organized cat show at London's Crystal Palace in 1871, British Shorthairs were among the main participants.

In the early 20th century, Persians and other longhaired cats became fashionable, and during World War I, very few pedigreed British Shorthairs remained. Breeders introduced Persian, Russian Blue, Burmese, and Chartreux bloodlines into their breeding programs. The longhair genes inherited from Persians later became the foundation for the British Longhair. In the 1950s, a blue male named Brynbuboo Little Monarch became the first GCCF Grand Champion, and most of today's British Shorthairs are his descendants. In 1982, FIFe separated the Scandinavian-type cats, which had not been crossed with Persians, into a distinct European Shorthair breed.

Health: HCM, PKD, and blood type B

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In a Danish study of over 329 cats, HCM was found in 20.4% of males and 2.1% of females. The Danish FIFe member Felis Danica has made HCM testing mandatory for breeding males.
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Due to the Persian blood in the breed, this is considered a risk, so breeding cats undergo a PKD1 genetic test.
• Blood type B. The CFA points out that many British Shorthair lines carry the rarer type B blood. Owners should know their cat's blood type in case a transfusion is ever needed, and it is crucial for breeders to prevent neonatal isoerythrolysis in kittens.
• Obesity. A calm and relatively inactive cat can easily gain weight, so it is a good idea to measure their food portions.

Interestingly, in a study conducted in England, British Shorthairs were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus less than half as often as mixed-breed cats (0.24% compared to 0.58%).

Care: Weekly brushing and moderate diet

• Coat. The dense coat sheds, especially in the spring and fall, but because it is short and firm, maintenance is simple: the CFA suggests a quick brushing once a week is enough. Brush more frequently during shedding seasons.
• Nails and ears. Regularly trim their nails and occasionally check and clean their ears.
• Diet. Cat care experts emphasize that a balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is important for the breed's heavy skeleton. High-quality, complete cat food provides this; do not give supplements without a veterinarian's advice.
• Exercise. British Shorthairs are not naturally inclined to work out, so encourage them daily with short hunting games.

The British Shorthair, Scottish Straight, and Chartreux look similar

Feature	British Shorthair	Scottish Straight	Chartreux
Ears	small, straight	straight	medium, set high
Colors	over 100 combinations	various	blue only
Eyes	mostly copper	various	copper to gold
Origin	Great Britain	Scotland, from Fold lines	France

How to choose a British Shorthair kitten

The British Shorthair is highly popular, and classified ads are often full of "British" kittens of unclear origins. Choose a reputable breeder registered with major organizations like the CFA or TICA, who provides pedigree papers, a PKD1 test for both parents, and a recent echocardiogram report (especially for the sire). If blood type is important to you, ask the breeder for this information. A blue kitten's eyes are initially blue or gray, with the copper color developing later. A kitten should be no younger than 14 weeks before going to a new home, as recommended by major cat registries. We explain how to verify a breeder, check for microchipping, and ensure proper registration on our main guide page.

You can find the semi-longhaired variant in the British Longhair profile, and a cat with similar roundness but a flat face in the Exotic Shorthair description.