Cats
British shorthair cats
HISTORY
British Shorthair sits at the very beginning of the long tale of the
domestic cats. The original specimens are thought to have been brought
to Britain by the Romans in the 1st century AD. Other breeds have been
included in the Shorthair mix over the centuries, notably crosses with
Persians which created the British Longhair breed during World War
One. Originally, the British Shorthair and Russian Blue were judged to
be the same breed of 'blue cats'. The two have since been
recognized as separate breeds in their own right. The British
Shorthair breed suffered neglect in World War Two, and many breeding
lines were lost. To bolster the numbers post-war, British Shorthairs
were crossed with Russian Blues, Persians and some other breeds, and
most of today's specimens are descended from those crosses. This
modern form of the British Shorthair gained championship status from
The International Cat Association in 1979. It is now one of the most
popular breeds of cat in the United Kingdom, although less common
elsewhere.
BEHAVIOUR
The British Shorthair is both friendly and docile - a combination that
makes it a great family house cat. They love spending as much time as
possible with their owners, and like nothing better than a warm lap.
They welcome everyone home with purrs, fuss and a lots of rubbing
against your ankles. They tolerate other animals, and are very patient
even with small children. One thing they dislike is being left alone
all day.
VARIETIES
Comes in brown tabby, silver tabby and
orange tabby with the range of tabby patterns.