Cat Fact Files

Quick Profile Overview

Origin

Black shorthair cats are descendents of British shorthair cats. British short hair cats are the crossbreeds of domestic cats that were brought by Romans to Britain and the native wild cats. Later to improve the quality and thickness of their coat original British shorthair were cross bred with the furry Persian cats. These British shorthair cats were then shipped by merchants to America and that gave birth to modern day American shorthair cats.

Body type
Unlike other domestic cats of Britain, British shorthair cats are large with a powerful muscular body. They have a stout structure with a round body. American short hair cats are even larger than their British counterparts. Male black shorthair cats are even bulkier then their female counterparts.

Coat
British shorthair cats have very thick plush coat which is often defined as crisp as it breaks over the curves of the cat’s body.

Colors
Besides available in color black shorthair cats are available in shades of white, chocolate, blue, lilac, fawn and cinnamon. They are also available as colorpoint, solid shades, tabby or in bicolor patterns.

Size
These domestic cats are larger in size then the average domestic cats and an adult male weighs between 5-10 kgs while the females are a bit lighter and smaller.

Average life span
The average life span of these cats is 15-18 years, although many live past that age.

Details
British shorthair cats are also known as “British Blues” and one of the larger and powerful breeds of domestic cats. These cats have broad chests, strong short legs, rounded paws, tail thick at base with rounded tip.

History
British shorthair cats were produced as a result of crossbreeding of British wild cats with the domestic cats brought to Britain by the Romans. To increase the thickness of their furry coats they were later crossbred with Persians and were first displayed in crystal palace in 1871.

Appearance
These shorthair cats have strong legs with rounded paws, broad chest and a tapered tail. They usually have a round head with a lot of distance between the two ears. They have a sturdy body and beautiful eyes in shades of gold and copper. These cats appear to be ever smiling because of prominent whisker pads.

Traits, personality and behavior
British Shorthairs are laid back cats that love to laze around without causing any destruction and hence are popular housemates of people who are working. They seldom demand attention and are not a much vocal breed, only meowing when they are hungry which is often. These are intelligent creatures that are popular with animal trainers.

Looking after
These are sturdy low maintenance breed which requires only weekly combing to maintain their coat. But sufficient care should be taken about their eating habits as they have the tendency to put on weight which reduces their life span.