British Shorthair
| British Shorthair | |
|---|---|
 A blue British Shorthair | |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| Breed standards | |
| CFA | standard |
| FIFe | standard |
| TICA | standard |
| ACF | standard |
| ACFA/CAA | standard |
| CCA-AFC | standard |
| Domestic cat (Felis catus) | |
The British Shorthair is a domesticated cat. Its features make it a popular breed in cat shows[1]. It has been the most popular breed of cat registered by the UK's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) since 1999 when it overtook the Siamese breed [2].
The British Shorthair is the descendant of cats brought to Britain by the Romans which then interbred with wild native cats [3] [4] [5]. Later they were crossbred with Persian Cats to improve the thickness of their coat. The breed was defined in the nineteenth century and British Shorthairs were shown at the 1871 Crystal Palace cat show [3]. The popularity of the breed had declined by the 1940s, but since the end of the Second World War, breeding programs have intensified and the breed's popularity is high once again[3]. The first British Shorthairs arrived in Australia in 1968. Breeding under the prefix Redwyton, Tops and Trevor Jowett imported a blue breeding pair. [6]. One of the largest online resources for British Shorthair pedigree information is Pawpeds. The free database maintained by Hanny Olsen contains records for nearly 39,000 cats dating back to the beginning of the Cat Fancy we know today. [7].
Breed description
British Shorthairs have very dense, plush coats that are often described as crisp or cracking, which refers to the way the coat breaks over the cat's body contours. Eyes are large, round and widely set. They can be a variety of colours, though the copper or gold eyes of the British blue are the best known. They have round heads with full, chubby cheeks and a body that is rounded and sturdy. British Shorthairs are large and muscular, and are described as having a cobby build. The breed has a broad chest, shoulders and hips with short legs, round paws and a plush but not fluffy tail [8]. These are the characteristics listed in most governing bodies breeds standards to which show cats must conform.
The males of this breed are larger than the females, and the size difference between them is more easily noticed compared to other breeds. As with many breeds the adult males may also develop prominent cheek jowls that distinguish them from their female counterparts [9]. The typical lifespan of this breed is 14 to 20 years [8].
The males' average weight is 5-10 kilograms, whereas a female would weigh up to 5-7.
Varieties
British Shorthairs come in many colours. For many years the more popular blue variant was common enough to have a breed name of its own: the 'British Blue'. It remains one of the most popular colours in the breed, but there are now a large variety of other colour and pattern variations accepted by most feline governing bodies and associations. These include the colours black, blue, white, red, cream, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon and fawn. They can be bred in "self" or "solid" which is all the one colour as well as the colourpoint, tabby, shaded and bicolour patterns. All colours and patterns also come in the tortoiseshell pattern which is a combination of red and cream with other colours [10]. Of these colours, chocolate and its dilute version, lilac, are relatively new. A lilac British Shorthair is described as having a pink-grey coat. British are also bred in a shadded (tipped) coat pattern, in both the silver and the golden form. Even newer are British Shorthair cats in cinnamon and its dilute form, fawn.
Temperament
British Shorthairs are an easygoing breed of cat. They have a stable character and take well to being kept as indoor only cats, making them ideal for apartment living. They are not terribly demanding of attention, although they will let you know if they feel like playing and enjoy mouse type or stick style toys. They are not hyperactive or "in your face" cats, preferring to sit next to you or near you rather than on you. They will tend to supervise household activities either watching from a comfy perch or laying on the floor nearby.
British Shorthairs are wonderful cats for people who work, as they are very happy just to laze around the house while you are out. They don't get destructive or need other animals for company, though they do enjoy having another British Shorthair or a cat with similar temperament around.
They like attention and enjoy being petted. They are not a very vocal breed but will meow to communicate with their owners. For example, they might meow when they are hungry and their food is being prepared. They may also meow at their favourite toy as they play with it. British Shorthair cats have a tendency to follow people from room to room, as they may want to be with you and see what is going on. Some do not mind being cuddled, but most prefer to keep four paws on the ground and have you pat them rather than pick them up.
The breed has become a favourite of animal trainers because of its nature and intelligence, and in recent years these cats have appeared in Hollywood films and television commercials [11]. British Shorthair owners have reported that their cats have spontaneously started to play fetch with toys like dogs do, showing how quickly these cats can learn small tricks.
Care
The British Shorthair does not require a lot of grooming because their fur does not tangle or mat easily. However, it is recommended that the coat be brushed occasionally, especially during seasonal shedding, since at this time they may develop hairballs. British Shorthairs are big cats with a heavy bone structure and solid build. They can be prone to obesity when desexed or kept indoors so care should be taken with their diet. They are a heavy cat, so a good rule of thumb is how they look rather than how much they weigh.[12]
Famous British Shorthairs
- Writer Lewis Carroll and illustrator Sir John Tenniel chose the breed as the model for the Cheshire cat in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland [13].
- A British Shorthair silver tabby appears on many packages and adverts of Whiskas brand cat food, and a British Blue is the face of Sheba brand cat food. The Bacardi Breezer cat food commercials also featured a silver tabby British Shorthair.
- In Terry Pratchett's Humour/Fantasy series Discworld, the Lancre Witch Nanny Ogg's cat Greebo (also known as "The Terror of the Ramtops") is often depicted in art as resembling the British Blue.[citation needed]
- Winston Churchill (Church) from Pet Semetary was a British Blue.
- Happy Cat (arguably known as the first "lolcat"), a meme started on the Something Awful forums that has since become popular on many websites, including YTMND. The original picture of a British Shorthair came from the front page of happycat.ru, a Russian cat food company.
- Toby, a fictional cat on the ABC prime time drama Desperate Housewives, is a British Shorthair.
References
- ^ "British Shorthair Breed Profile". TheCatSite. Retrieved 2006-08-31.
- ^ http://www.gccfcats.org/brdsrgd.html"Analysis of Breeds Registered by the GCCF". GCCF. Retrieved 2008-01-01.</
- ^ a b c TheCatSite.com - British Shorthair Cats
- ^ Cat Fanciers' Association: Breed Profile: British Shorthair
- ^ British Shorthair
- ^ New Cats On The Blog :: September :: 2006
- ^ The British Shorthair Database
- ^ a b Cat Fanciers: British Shorthair: Cat Breed FAQ
- ^ "British Shorthair. British Shorthair Cats, British Shorthair Cat Breed Information and Pictures". PussCats.com. Retrieved 2006-09-08.
- ^ http://www.cfa.org/breeds/standards/british.html"Breed Standard: British Shorthair". CFA. Retrieved 2008-01-01.</
- ^ British Shorthair. British Shorthair Cats, British Shorthair Cat Breed Information and Pictures
- ^ "The British Shorthair: Cat Breed FAQ". Cat Fanciers. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
- ^ "Breed Profile - British Shorthair Cat". About. Retrieved 2006-07-28.
External links
- Cat Fanciers Association - Breed Profile
- Southern British Shorthair Cat Club
- Der Katzenklub Österreichs (in English)
- The British Shorthair - Blueprint for Success
