History

The British Shorthair is possibly the oldest British breed of cat, with their ancestry dating back to Roman times as domestic cats. They were earlier known for their strength and hunting ability. The British Shorthair started out as a street cat in Britain, but a stable breed was formed through constant preferential selection by breeders.

Physiological characteristics

If there is one word to describe the British Shorthair, it would be "sturdy". Male cats weigh around 4-8kg and female cats weigh around 3-5.5kg. The British Shorthair stops growing at the age of three and lives for around 15 years.

 British Shorthair cats have a short, dense coat with a fuzzy feel. They have a round head, relatively short nose, full cheeks and prominent rounded whisker pads. The eyes are large and round.

 Blue is the most classic colour for the British Shorthair and is also known as the "blue cat" due to its unusual popularity.

Personality traits

The British Shorthair is very common, friendly and affectionate, not particularly clingy but enjoying the attention and affection of people. They are loyal but do not like to be on people's laps, preferring to huddle on the sofa next to you, known as the "cat with all four feet on the floor". They are quiet and do not jump around, and are tolerant of small children and dogs. They do not like to be carried around.