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British Shorthair

British Shorthair Cat Breed

Size
Medium to large, with males weighing 12 to 18 pounds and females weighing 9 to 15 pounds
Coat
Short, plush, dense
Color
Blue, white, black, red, cream, smoke, silver and golden, plus a variety of patterns and shadings

The British Shorthair is affectionate without being clingy and enjoys curling up beside you rather than being a lap cat. The Brit is a healthy, hardy feline that matures slowly in three to five years. Playful, alert and intelligent, this cat loves children. Though reserved with strangers, this breed quickly warms up when love is given in return. The British Shorthair is compact, well-balanced and powerful, with a short, dense, plush coat.

Did you know?

The oldest English cat breed, the British Shorthair traces its ancestry to the domestic cat of Rome. Originally a working cat used to control rodents, the breed eventually was appreciated for its beauty, strength and loyal companionship.

True Nature of Cats

Interested in learning about your cat's true nature? We studied one of their living ancestors, the African Wild Cat, and turned those insights into an interactive journal.

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