British shorthair cat: photo, breed description, character

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Every person, going to have a pet, studies the characteristics of the breed. Most love cats, and today one of the most popular breeds is the British. This article will provide basic information about the British Shorthair cat. You can get acquainted with the character, habits, colors, body standards and rules for caring for this beautiful animal. We will introduce you to the standards "Styte" (straight ears) and "Scottish Fold" - the British Shorthair Fold cat. Let's start with the standard breed - "Straight".

Origin story

The British Shorthair cat, the photo of which can be found in this article, is one of the oldest breeds. The history of this animal begins in the first century AD, but it began to enjoy popularity from the end of the nineteenth century, when it appeared before the whole world in all its glory. The British Shorthair cat breed is loved not only in its homeland - Great Britain, but throughout the world. Bestindividuals of this breed are registered and continue to be registered to this day in a special studbook.

The history of the British shorthair cat did not begin in the UK, but in ancient Egypt and Rome. There are many historical documents that describe people who were accompanied by huge stocky cats with blue-gray hair and very sharp fangs. That is why scientists believe that this breed came to us from those countries.

Roman legionnaires were accompanied by these beautiful cats and, visiting the British Isles, they left the animals behind. Those, in turn, began to interbreed with local forest cats, and the British fell in love with their offspring for their aristocratic appearance, excellent he alth, endurance and special dexterity when hunting.

In the 19th century in England, it was decided to breed the true breed of the British Shorthair cat. For these purposes, the most beautiful individuals were selected, and Harrison Weyer created the standards of this breed and soon held the first exhibition of "true British". As an independent breed, this cat was officially registered only a hundred years ago.

Main colors of the British Shorthair cat

From the very beginning, the color was one - blue. This is how we recognized this beautiful cat. Today there are several standard colors, and everyone can choose the one they like:

1. Solid - these are cats that have a uniform color without various spots, even small dots are not allowed. Of course, the favorite of this speciescolor is blue.
2. Tortoiseshells are cats whose fur is dyed in several colors. The most popular combinations are red and black, cream and blue.
3. Smoky is a contrasting color. Such cats have a light undercoat and richly colored tips of the hairs.
4. Tubby is a British shorthair cat, painted with "marble", pronounced wide stripes or spots. The clearer the drawing, the more valuable the breed. Another special distinguishing feature is that the letter "M" must be placed on the forehead.
5. Colorful, or Siamese cat color - one of the rarest today. Owners of this color are interesting in that they can change shade depending on weather conditions. The body of this cat is white, but the muzzle, ears, paws and tail are of a different color.
6. Bicolor is a color consisting of two colors. One of them is white, but it should not be more than half.

The British Shorthair cat is incredibly chic in any of the colors! The photo of this beauty will prove it to you. Why is this animal so attractive to cat lovers? Let's take a look at the external description of the British Shorthair cat.

Breed standards

Like any breed, this cat has certain standards, deviation from which will speak of marriage. If you want to buy a real British Shorthair cat, the cattery will be the only right decision. Professional breeders do not deviate from accepted norms, and put up for saleonly the best examples. So, what should be a "true British"?

1. The head of a British shorthair cat is a regular round shape. You can hear such a legend, which says that the ancestor of this breed is the Cheshire cat. It is the "smile of the Cheshire cat" and the bryly that must be present in the breed. The muzzle of this animal should also be as round as possible.
2. This cat has a wide, straight and short nose, and it always has a slight indentation on the bridge of the nose.
3. Ears are small, set wide and low.
4. The eyes are like round saucers, these cats look like owls! Standard color - gold (orange). But if it is a "chinchilla", then the eyes can be green and lavender, if the color is pointy, then the eyes must be blue without fail. The dull rim around the pupil of the British Shorthair speaks of marriage in the breed.
5. The body of this animal should be muscular, broad-boned and strong. The back of such a cat is wide, massive, the same is the torso. The tail is short and thick, tapering towards the tip. The front paws of the beauties of British cats are always, as it were, clubfoot, widely spaced. Cats are much larger than cats, their weight can reach eight kilograms. Kittens, although in physique and just as massive, weigh mostly 4-6 kilograms. Kittens grow quickly, but we can talk about full maturation only by the age of four, and before that they will be naughty, play and even mischief.
6. There are two branches of the breed - the British Shorthair andbritish longhair. Both types are great! Today we are talking about the first representative. Its coat is short - up to 2.5 mm, reminiscent of plush, very pleasant to the touch, soft and tender.
7. Every Brit must meet color standards. For example, if you chose a solid - solid color, then it should be uniform, without "additives". Only slight haze and overflows are allowed.

Flaws in Breed Standards

It is not uncommon to find purebred British Shorthair cats with obvious defects in appearance. This is not a marriage, this is their feature, which some consider a disadvantage. What might be present?

1. Mustards may be too pronounced.
2. Some individuals have a small hump on the nose, which in a certain way changes the proportions of the muzzle.
3. It happens that kittens are born with a slightly narrowed muzzle.
4. Some Brits have an overbite.

Most often, such special kittens never find their owners, and their sentence is to spend their whole lives in a cattery or shelter.

These are British shorthair cats. The description of the character is the next point of our article.

British character

This breed is endowed with its own, unlike other cats, a special character. No other breed can rival the British in independence. If you like to have an animal purring in your arms, then the British Shorthaira cat is not the right choice. She hates when even the owners pick her up, let alone the guests who strive to cuddle her! It is because of this trait that the breed has not only fans, but also haters.

The British cat does not like excessive petting. She will run away, hide from the caresser, and if he caught her, she will break out, dodge, maybe even bite painfully!

This is a self-sufficient and proud cat. She will never follow her master and raise her voice, asking for a bowl to be filled. She waits for food in silent patience, she can sit for a long time, looking at her breadwinner.

These are rather arrogant representatives of the cat family. They won't even turn their heads to "kiss-kiss", they will only respond to their own name!

The character of this beauty is far from sugar, let's look at its main features.

Features of the character of the British cat

This is a proud and independent breed. She perfectly tolerates loneliness, and even loves it. If you are a busy person, often on the road, then this is your choice. The main thing - do not forget to feed, otherwise the cat may take revenge!

The breed is quite balanced. She will not behave indecently, running around the apartment for a bow! Playing with an adult British cat is almost impossible.

May lose his temper, showing a difficult temper, but in rare cases. For example: she was caught and forcibly stroked. But in general, aggression is not characteristic of her.

The Briton needs personal space, the restriction of which is unforgivable. He also doesn't like it whenscolded and insulted.

The representatives of this breed have an inexorable character. If something does not suit you in your pet, there are unacceptable habits, then it is unlikely that you will be able to correct them. For example, if a cat liked tearing curtains, stealing and hiding things, or even walking past the tray when needed - put up with it!

British cat behavior

It takes up to a year to raise a British Shorthair cat, the main character traits of which are listed above! It is during this period that you can train her, accustom her to order, manners, correct some nuances of behavior that do not suit you. After a year of a cat's life, nothing will change. If there are any behavioral problems, it is a lack of upbringing in childhood.

The British are very lazy cats. They can sleep for a long time, sometimes - the whole day! During rest hours, this animal should not be disturbed, otherwise it may show aggression, and the rest of the day will be irritable.

The British are noble cats. They are very scrupulous about their appearance, devote a lot of time to self-care, licking themselves.

Despite the fact that this breed is good in almost everything, there are also shortcomings in its character, which some owners of such cats and cats are unhappy with. What is most annoying?

1. Very much they like to carry and scatter various objects and things. Of course, in childhood it is quite cute - the kitten is playing. But, having matured, cats begin to drop flower pots, large and fragile things. weanfrom such behavior, a kitten is already needed, processing the items he likes with special mixtures that are sold in the store. As mentioned above, an adult animal cannot be taught and unlearned from anything.
2. Do not teach the kitten to play with your legs, throwing at them, and hands. An adult animal can severely injure your limbs with its sharp teeth.
3. The British are incredibly curious. They climb into closets, bags and various hidden corners of the house.
4. If a Briton doesn't like something about you or you offended him, he can also play dirty tricks in personal things. Change in this case the attitude towards the animal or something in your behavior.

This is such a difficult character for British Shorthair cats. This breed is not suitable for everyone, and not everyone will be able to cope with such a unique animal by nature. We suggest moving on to the closest relative of the British Shorthair "Straight" - "Scottish Fold", the lop-eared representative.

Origin of the breed

As such, there is no British Shorthair Fold cat, many mistakenly call it that. This is a Scottish fold cat whose calling card is an interesting shape of ears.

In 1796, the first almost lop-eared cats were discovered. At this time, specimens with interesting, flattened auricles were recorded in China.

On the farm of William Rosso, who became the founder of the breed, interesting lop-eared kittens appeared in 1961. This has already happened inScotland. Not understanding what was the matter, the farmer sought advice from a veterinarian, who identified a gene mutation in this species - a defect in bone and cartilage tissue. The farmer crossed specimens for many years, achieving different colors, lengths of wool. But the breed was recognized only 15 years later, and this happened already in America.

Features of the breed

The main feature of the breed is the tips of the ears hanging down and forward. They fit snugly to the head, repeating its shape and covering the ear holes.

The eyes are huge, round, can have different colors, but only those that are defined by the standard. These eyes and floppy ears give cats a unique look, some people compare them to owls.

The breed standards are:

1. The body of Scottish Fold cats, like the British, is strong, massive, muscular. An adult can weigh up to ten kilograms.
2. Paws, like the British - strong, thick, rounded. Ideally, the cat has woolen tufts on the heels between the toes.
3. Tail of medium length, thick, tapering at the tip.
4. The head is round, slightly flattened. The pads from which the mustache grows are plump, crisp and round - they add extra charm!
5. Ears, as mentioned earlier, hanging - down and forward, not to the sides.
6. The eyes are expressive, round, deep-set. Their color depends on the color.
7. The nose is short and wide, almost never has a clear transition from the bridge of the nose to the tip.
8. Wool plush, short, soft. Butmay vary depending on the time of year and place of birth. Colors stand out the same as the British Shorthair cat.

Since Scottish Fold cats are the result of a gene mutation, they may have some defects. It is associated with bone and cartilage tissue. Most often there are such shortcomings as:

• wrong number of fingers;
• thickening of the hind legs;
• wrong shape of ears;
• backbone problems;
• tail deformation.

Character of the lop-eared cat

These cats are recognized as one of the best breeds that are suitable for the home. They adapt well to a new place, become attached to their owners, love the house, get along well with other pets and children.

This breed differs from the British one in that it likes to accompany the owner, treats petting well. She is not hyperactive, but not as couch potato as the British. Likes to play - in moderation. If you get tired or just not in the mood, then it's better not to disturb the cat. No, she will not show aggression, as the British do, but she will leave her familiar place in a dark corner so that they will no longer be disturbed, and will come out of there only when she wants to - do not pull it out with any persuasion.

Temper is docile and light, easily comes into contact not only with the owners, but also with strangers. Tolerant of children, will be a great companion for them, so it is an excellent choice for families!

Caring for the British and Scots

As with any animal, a cat needslook after. The care of both the British and the Scot is similar and quite simple. What are the rules to follow?

1. Bathing is recommended once a month. Place a towel on the bottom of the bathtub so that the cat's paws do not slip. The ideal temperature for swimming is 35-37 degrees. Professional shampoo for cats should be used for washing, do not wash with "human"! The auricles must be protected from water, for this purpose, insert cotton balls into them.
2. If the cat does not walk on the street, but only lives in an apartment, then you need to cut her claws once a month. If the cat likes to walk on the street, then its claws grind off by themselves, it is no longer necessary to cut them.
3. Combing a cat must be taught from an early age. For these purposes, a special glove or brush made of natural wool is used. If tangles appear, then you need to cut them.
4. The ears of lop-eared cats are especially in need of care, they need to be cleaned once a month. For Britons with straight ears, ear cleaning is also required, but once every two months. For cleaning, cotton swabs or swabs are used, which must be moistened with soapy water.
5. Eyes also need to be wiped. Use cotton pads soaked in a weak solution of boric acid or strongly brewed tea.
6. Don't forget about the necessary vaccinations for each animal. They must be done every year, the schedule will be issued by the veterinarian after the first vaccination.
7. Even if the cat is domestic, does not visit the street, she needs a collar against parasites. You yourself can bring a tick home,who will yell at an unprotected cat. And fleas, even with proper care, can attack completely unexpectedly!

We talked about the British Shorthair cat breed. A photo of this beauty is in this article. You also learned that there are no lop-eared British cats, these are Scottish cats, which are simply confused with them because of their strong resemblance. A description of the British Shorthair cat breed will help you decide whether to get one.