British Shorthair

Who it suits

A quiet household. The British Shorthair is settled, not very vocal and tolerates being alone better than most breeds — which is not a reason to leave it alone for whole days.

It is a cat that likes being near you, not on your lap. It will come and lie down beside you, but it usually will not put up with being cuddled in your arms for long. Anyone wanting a cat that drapes itself round their neck will be disappointed — and anyone wanting a calm companion could not choose better.

It gets on well with children and with dogs, because it is not easily rattled.

What it looks like

• Weight: males 5–8 kg, females 4–6 kg
• Body: stocky, strong, on short legs — the so-called cobby type
• Head: round, with full cheeks; males develop pronounced jowls
• Coat: short, very dense, standing away from the body — plush to the touch
• Colour: blue (grey) is the best known, but over thirty colours are recognised including silver, cream and tortoiseshell
• Eyes: large and round, copper to orange in the blue variety
• Lifespan: usually 12–17 years

The British Longhair is a separate breed, not a variety. It arises from long-haired ancestry and has its own standard.

Temperament and environment

The British Shorthair is content indoors and does not need to go out. It does need vertical space, though — a scratching post, shelves, a place by a window. A cat with nowhere to climb gets bored and gets fat.

It plays less boisterously than the oriental breeds, and activity settles down in adulthood. That is exactly why weight has to be watched: a calm cat plus food always available is a combination that ends in obesity.

Coat care

Brush once or twice a week, more often when moulting. The dense undercoat comes out in quantity and the cat swallows it while grooming.

Hence the hairballs. Regular brushing is the main prevention in this breed — more effective than a hairball paste.

Feeding

An adult needs roughly 50–70 g of dry food a day, or the equivalent in wet food. The amount follows weight and age, not a bowl filled in the morning.

Obesity is the commonest problem in this breed. The British Shorthair is stocky by nature, so a couple of extra kilos stay hidden for a long time — until they show up in the joints and the liver. The ribs should be possible to feel with your hand.

Free-access dry food with no measuring is the surest route to obesity in this cat. Measured meals and puzzle feeders help.

Common health problems

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) — thickening of the heart muscle. It occurs in the breed and breeding cats should have a heart scan.
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) — inherited, with a DNA test available.
• Obesity and the diabetes that follows it — the commonest problem and the easiest to influence.
• Hairballs during moulting.
• Gum disease, as in most breeds.
• Blood groups — the breed more often carries type B, which matters for breeding and for transfusions. A good breeder has this tested.

This is not a diagnostic guide. A cat losing weight, drinking more or breathing with its mouth open needs a vet straight away.

Anything else to consider

The British Shorthair matures slowly — it reaches full size and head shape only at three years old. A kitten that looks thin means nothing yet.

And expect shedding. The plush coat is dense and moulting shows everywhere; short hair does not mat, though, and brushing is quick.