British Shorthair

The British Shorthair is the pedigree version of Britain's native domestic cat — a stocky, round-faced cat with a dense, plush coat, best known in the grey-blue "British Blue".

History

It was developed from the everyday British domestic landrace into a show breed, standardised around a sturdy build and thick coat. Beyond the famous blue, it is bred in a wide range of colours and patterns.

Temperament

The breed is known for being calm, easygoing and undemanding — affectionate on its own terms rather than a lap-cat, and tolerant of being left to itself. It is quiet, steady company.

Care

The dense coat needs regular brushing, more so in moult, and the breed's placid nature can tip into weight gain without play. It is an easy, low-drama cat to live with.

Health

Known tendencies include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and, in some lines, polycystic kidney disease, for which breeders test. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one cat; the measured facts and trait ratings are in the panels.