British Shorthair

The British Shorthair is a balanced, calm and quiet cat. According to the CFA's breed profile, it bonds with the whole family rather than a single person, learns household routines quickly and usually gets along with dogs and other cats. It will greet you at the door and follow you from room to room, but it often prefers to stay one step away.

The breed is best known for not liking to be picked up. Many British Shorthairs are happiest beside you, on the same sofa or at your feet, but being lifted and carried around isn't their thing. That isn't coldness; it's a temperament that values its own space. Letting the cat come to you, without forcing contact, builds trust quickly.

Kittens are playful, and adults still enjoy short, lively play sessions followed by long naps. It isn't a chatty cat; you'll rarely hear it.

The British Shorthair suits calm households that want to spend time with their cat but don't expect a lap cat around the clock.

Teach children not to pick the cat up against its will, not to disturb it while it sleeps and to always leave it a way out. Having a high shelf or a quiet room to retreat to during noisy moments makes the home feel safe for it.

The British Shorthair's ancestors are thought to be cats that arrived in Britain with the Romans and spent centuries hunting mice on farms and in the streets. In the late 1800s, cat fanciers began selectively breeding these sturdy, short-coated street cats, and the breed appeared at the first major cat shows at London's Crystal Palace.

According to the CFA, the two World Wars brought the breed close to extinction. Breeders rebuilt the lines with carefully planned crosses to Persians and domestic shorthairs, which partly explains today's round face and dense coat. The breed reached the United States in the early 1900s under the name "British Blue," and blue is still its best-known color.

A medium-to-large, sturdy cat with a broad chest and a muscular build. The head is round with full cheeks, the ears are small and set wide apart, and the nose is short but not as flat as a Persian's. The eyes are large and round.

• Weight: According to the CFA, males can reach 17 pounds (about 7.7 kg); females are noticeably smaller.
• Coat: Short, very dense and plush; the CFA notes the breed is counted among the cats with the most hairs per square inch.
• Colors: Blue is the best known, but black, white, cream, red, chocolate, lilac, tabby patterns, bicolor, smoke, shaded (chinchilla) and tortoiseshell are also in the standard.
• Eye color: Usually gold or copper in solid colors; blue or odd-eyed in whites; green in silver and golden shaded cats.

The breed matures slowly: according to the CFA, it reaches full size at about 3 years and full development between 3 and 5 years. It's normal for a kitten to look "lean" in its first year.

Its short, dense coat makes grooming easy. Combing once a week with a comb or rubber brush is usually enough; doing it more often during spring and fall shedding reduces both the hair around your home and the hair your cat swallows. Grooming time is also a good moment to check the skin, ears and claws.

• Claws: A scratching post is a must; if the claws grow long, they can be trimmed the way your vet shows you.
• Ears and eyes: Check them weekly; show your vet any redness, odor or discharge.
• Play: A few 5 to 10 minute hunting games a day (wand toys, balls) keep both its weight and its mood in good shape.
• Environment: A high window perch, a box to hide in and a quiet resting spot are things this breed loves.

For more ideas, see our articles on cat grooming and playing with an indoor cat.

British Shorthairs don't need a special food; a complete, balanced cat food that suits their age and lifestyle is enough. The real issue is how much: as a calm, large-framed cat that usually lives indoors, it can gain weight easily. In the 2024 study by Teng and colleagues, cats whose weight was further from the median for their breed and sex had shorter lives.

• Measure food instead of eyeballing it; decide the daily amount with your vet based on your cat's ideal weight.
• Count treats as part of the daily food.
• Being able to feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat, and seeing a waist when you look from above, are good signs.
• Needs can change after spaying or neutering; weighing your cat once a month shows changes early.
• Always have fresh water available; some cats drink more from running water.

The British Shorthair is generally considered a robust breed, but some inherited problems have been reported. The information below is for awareness only; ask your vet about diagnosis and treatment.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)

HCM is the most common heart disease in cats: the wall of the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick. According to UFAW's animal welfare resource, the British Shorthair is among the breeds predisposed to it. Many cats show no signs for a long time; in advanced cases there may be trouble breathing or sudden weakness in the hind legs. The Cornell Feline Health Center notes that the disease is detected with an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiography). Asking the breeder for the parents' heart screening results is the best way to help reduce its spread.

Blood type B

Cats have A, B and AB blood types, and they are born with antibodies against the other type. Type B is more common in the British Shorthair than in most breeds, and the CFA also points out that many lines carry it. This matters in two situations: choosing the right donor if a transfusion is ever needed, and breeding (type A kittens born to a type B mother can have a serious reaction while nursing). It's a good idea to ask your vet about your cat's blood type and keep it on record.

Hemophilia B

According to UFAW, this is a rare inherited disorder reported in British Shorthairs that affects blood clotting. Because the gene is on the X chromosome, it is more common in males. If you notice prolonged bleeding after something like teething or a spay/neuter surgery, tell your vet.

A 2024 study using the Royal Veterinary College's VetCompass data found a life expectancy at birth of 9.58 years (confidence interval 8.73–10.43) for 194 British cats (including British Blue and British Longhair) that died in the UK in 2019; the longest-lived cat in that group was over 22. In the same study, mixed-breed cats had a life expectancy of 11.89 years.

This doesn't mean "the average British Shorthair dies at 10": cats lost at a young age pull the average down, and many well-cared-for cats live past 15. The same study shows that neutered cats and cats at their ideal weight live longer. Regular vet checkups, weight tracking and heart screening are the most concrete ways to extend this breed's life.

• Consider a shelter: Purebred cats end up in shelters and rescues too. If you're set on a breed, follow breed groups and adoption listings.
• If you buy from a breeder: Ask to meet the parents, and ask for heart screening (echocardiography) results, blood types and vaccination records. Avoid sellers who separate kittens from their mother too early; ask when they will let the kitten go home.
• Red flags: Steer clear of sellers who won't show you the mother, always have kittens available, can't provide paperwork or rush you to "buy now."
• Registration: Rules vary by country; many places require or recommend microchipping. In Türkiye, owned cats must be microchipped and registered in the PETVET system.
• The first days: Prepare a quiet room with a litter box, water and a place to hide while it settles in. Our guide to the first week with a new cat walks you through it step by step.