British shorthair: the cat that listens to you but only if it feels like it
The British Shorthair is the descendant of cats brought to Britain by the Romans who crossed with wild cats from the English countryside.
Legend has it that the British Shorthair is descended from the cat of the Egyptian general Gasthe-Ios.
The soldier, in order to avert Pharaoh’s wrath after the escape of the Hebrews through the Red Sea, decided to gather his soldiers and set out for unknown lands.
During his voyage, the general landed in England, and here the cat showed that he liked his surroundings enough to start a family.
Mated with many females, he generated the ancestors of the British Shorthair breed.
What Shorthair Means
Shorthair literally means “short-haired,” but not everyone knows that there is also the Longhair variant, that is, long-haired.
A British man named Harrison Wier is considered the first breeder of cats of this breed.
In the late 1800s he created, through a breeding program and selective crosses, the cat we know today as British Shorthair.
After the war, however, the remaining specimens were crossed with other breeds, such as the Domestic Shorthair, Russian Blue cat and Persian, to preserve their existence.
Later, the breed was also selected and crossed with French Chartreux cats to make the coat fluffier and the head rounder.
So plump and soft that it looks like a stuffed animal
British cats are medium to large in size: females weigh 3-5 kg, males 4-8 kg.
They are strong and muscular, characterized by a large, round head with chubby cheeks.
The ears are also rounded.
The fur is short, soft and dense enough to make it look like a stuffed animal.
British Blue (gray) is the best known and most common, but this cat’s coat can be:
-monocolor in black, red, white, chocolate, lilac variants
-bicolor (chinchilla, harlequin, van)
-tigrated or Tabbie
-tartarugato or Tortie
The eyes, round and expressive, are usually auburn, orange or golden but also green or blue and depend on coat color.
Character of the British Shorthair cat: a lover of gentle idleness
Balanced and sociable, the British is a lazy, almost loafing cat who loves to snooze.
Although he is very patient, he does not particularly like to be touched or even picked up.
Unlike other more affectionate breeds, it prefers to observe and interact at a distance.
Cuddles and caresses are welcome when requested.
Otherwise, the British prefer to retreat in good order to resume their naps.
No use calling him: he will pretend not to hear you.
The British Shorthair feline breed is characterized by good health
The greatest risk is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and cases of congenital polycystic kidney disease are also found.
British cats often suffer from nasolacrimal duct obstruction due to short snouts: this manifests as excessive tearing from the eyes.
The British tends to be overweight, so you need to pay more attention to your diet than other breeds.
This is also because this cat likes a quiet, sedentary life and is not very dynamic.
To have your Shorthair cat checked, for vaccine prophylaxis and periodic check-ups, contact the veterinary doctors on our staff who are always available to you.
We would also like to remind you that Clinica La Veterinaria is always open h24 every day including holidays and with First Aid service from 8 pm to 8 am.
