British Shorthair Cat

british shorthair cat 
Earl Grey © Helmi Flick

These are thumbnails. If you click on the image you are taken to a larger image.
British Shorthair
British Shorthair
British Shorthair
british shorthair

  

Photos in the above group of Earl Grey copyright © Helmi Flick

For visitors who live abroad and who are unsure, Earl Grey is a popular English tea. The blue coat is the classic Brit. SH look. See also Grey cat breeds (new window).

Introduction

Unsterilised Blue British Shorthair made in the Philippines showing off his attributes
Unsterilised Blue British Shorthair made in the Philippines showing off his attributes unashamedly. Photo and breeder: Purramore Cattery.

It could be said that the British Shorthair Cat is as natural a breed as is possible today in that all registered breeds are now subject to human intervention. The breed originates from the British Domestic Shorthair or British Moggie, which has an extremely long history. Throughout its early history this was “the working cat of Great Britain”2. The American Shorthair is the USA equivalent and is founded upon the Brit. SH. The founder of the cat fancy, Harrison Weir, bred British Blues3.

Female British Shorthair kitten bred in Russia by the Diabrimaris Cattery
Female British Shorthair kitten bred in Russia by the Diabrimaris Cattery

A number of cat breeds are mutated “British Shorthair cats”; although before the cat fancy started, they were thought of as simply “cats”, on farms and streets. An example is the Selkirk Rex, the mutated gene making the fur curly and crinkly. Through selective breeding from the late 1800s the Moggie was transformed into a recognized breed; the British Shorthair. This is very definitely my kind of cat. Helmi Flick loves ’em too (see Sky and Nox below).

The outstanding features are a quiet voice and a plush dense coat to combat the typical English weather and a semi-cobby body type. This is probably the most pleasurable of all purebred cats to stroke because of the feel of the coat! This breed has been described as the “teddy bear of the cat fancy”2. See also the British Longhair Cat, a stupendous cat that trumps the Persian!

White British Shorthair kitten male from Russia
White British Shorthair kitten male from Russia. Photo: Альбина Шконда
питомник британских кошек Golden Leris
nursery Golden Leris. WCF.

8 thoughts on “British Shorthair Cat”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
  2. Earl Grey’s full name is Laziblues Earl Grey, and he still lives with us as part of our Laziblues Cattery family. He was not named after tea, but after the British Prime Minister who lifted the embargo on tea, and allowed a more cheap tea to enter the UK market.
    Love his pictures as a baby here. Thank you Helmi!

    Reply
  3. This is very interesting, You are an overly professional blogger. I’ve joined your feed and stay up for in the hunt for extra of your great post. Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks

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