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Your Pet, Our Passion.

British Shorthair

One of the oldest recognized cat breeds, the British Shorthair, or the British Blue cat, is generous, dynamic, and as attention-loving as a cat can be. If you’re in the vicinity of a British Blue cat, be sure that they’ll do anything in their power to grab your attention and get some much-appreciated affection from you. 

Lifespan
12 - 17 years
Weight
3 - 7.7kg
Colours
Comes in solid colours, with or without white markings, tabby patterns, and Siamese patterns, but the most recognisable is the blue with striking orange eyes.
The need-to-know
  • Great for first-time cat owners
  • Quiet and sedate cat
  • Highly active and inquisitive cat
  • Sociable and dependent cat
  • Slightly talkative cat
  • Average build cat breed
  • Requires grooming once a week
  • Needs extensive outdoor space
  • Great family cat
  • Can be regularly left for a few hours
  • Great for a relaxed home
Generally healthy breed

The British Shorthair cat breed can be prone to: 
- Polycystic kidney disease which is an inherited condition where cysts form in the kidneys. This affects kidney function and can eventually lead to kidney failure. 
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which is a disease were the heart muscle becomes abnormally thick which means the heart cannot beat effectively. 
- British Shorthair autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome which is a serious condition where an abnormally large amount of immune cells are produced which leads to organ enlargement, anaemia and general illness. 

Testing available:
- DNA testing for British Shorthair autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome which tests whether or not a cat has the potential to be affected by this condition. 

British Blue Cat Appearance 

The British Shorthair is a medium to large sized, compact, chunky cat, known for their attractive features and thick, plush fur.  

Short coupled and robust, the British Shorthair is instantly recognisable by their rounded face and large round eyes, giving this cat an adorable expression and bags of character.  

British Blue Cat Personality 

Affectionate, playful, and loyal, the British Shorthair is a very companionable cat with family and close friends, although like many cats they may take a little time to warm up to strangers. A relatively quiet cat, and surprisingly gregarious, the British Shorthair gets on well in multi-cat households and will befriend other household pets too, particularly cat-friendly dogs.  

British Blue Cat Fun Facts 

  • Famous owners of British Blue cats include fashion designer Stefano Gabbana, actress Sadie Frost, and singer Sam Smith.  
  • They are highly popular in the UK, being the most popular pedigree cat in the country since 2001. 
  • British Shorthairs may have served as inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat in the 1865 ‘Alice in Wonderland’ novel. The way the cat is described in the book as ‘smiling’ best resembles the peculiar shape of a British Shorthair’s mouth. 
  • There’s no saying for sure, but many agree that the cat from ‘Puss in Boots’ is also based on a British Shorthair, given his chubby cheeks and the adorable big eyes that could melt anyone’s heart. The fact that he’s speaking Spanish, though, doesn’t do much to prove this theory. 

FAQs 

Are British Blue cats friendly? 

Yes, they can be very friendly with anyone, however, can sometimes be less forgiving of children, especially those who are not used to cat behaviours. So, best to introduce them slowly, and make sure children respect their space needs. 

Are British Blue cats lazy? 

British Blue cats are known to be very placid and easy going so they prefer spending most of their time lounging around and napping, rather than being highly active. 

Are British Blue cats talkative? 

In general, they can be slightly chatty, especially when they want something and need to get your attention. 

Why do British Blue cats not like being picked up? 

Although they love getting attention, British Blue cats are not big fans of being picked up and mostly prefer a hands-off approach when interacting with humans. Picking them up puts them in a vulnerable and uncomfortable situation, so it’s best to keep pick-ups and hugs to a minimum.