History of occurrence
You may not realize it, but you probably grew up with the British Shorthair. He is the clever feline of Puss in Boots and the grinning Cheshire Cat of Alice in Wonderland.
The British Shorthair is native to England. With the rise of cat shows during the Victorian era, cat fanciers began to breed the cats to a particular standard and keep pedigrees for them. At the earliest cat shows, British Shorthairs were the only pedigreed cats exhibited. All others were simply described by coat type or color.
Two world wars devastated the breed, and few British Shorthairs remained after World War II. With the help of other breeds, the Shorthairs, as they are called in Britain, were revitalized.
The American Cat Association recognized the British Shorthair in 1967, but the Cat Fanciers Association did not accept it until 1980. Now, all cat associations recognize the breed.
General form
The British Shorthair is compact, well-balanced and powerful, showing good depth of body, a full broad chest, short to medium strong legs, rounded paws, tail thick at base with a rounded tip. The head is round with good width between the ears, round cheeks, firm chin, medium ears, large round and wellopened eyes, and a medium broad nose. The coat is short and very dense. Females are less massive in all respects with males having larger jowls. This breed takes a full 3-5 years to reach full maturity and development. Individuals should convey an overall impression of balance and proportion in which no feature is exaggerated to foster weakness or extremes.
Отличительная особенность породы British Shorthair
Head: round and massive. Round face with round underlying bone structure well set on a short thick neck. The forehead should be rounded with a slight flat plane on the top of the head. The forehead should not slope.
Nose: medium, broad. In profile there is a gentle dip.
Chin: firm, well-developed in line with the nose and upper lip.
Muzzle: distinctive, well-developed, with a definite stop beyond large, round whisker pads.
Ears: ear set is important. Medium in size, broad at the base, rounded at the tips. Set far apart, fitting into (without distorting) the rounded contour of the head.
Eyes: large, round, well opened. Set wide apart and level.
Body: medium to large, well knit and powerful. Level back and a deep broad chest.
Legs: short to medium, well-boned and strong. In proportion to the body. Forelegs are straight.
Paws: round and firm. Toes: five in front and four behind.
Tail: medium length in proportion to the body, thicker at base, tapering slightly to a rounded tip.
Coat: short, very dense, well bodied and firm to the touch. Not double coated or woolly.
Colour: for cats with special markings: 5 points for coat color and 10 points for markings. Shadow tabby markings in solid color, smoke, shaded, shaded golden, bi-color, or calico kittens are not a fault.
Character
The British Shorthair is mellow and easygoing, making him an excellent family companion. He enjoys affection, but he’s not a “me, me, me” type of cat. Expect him to follow you around the house during the day, settling nearby wherever you stop.
Full of British reserve, the Shorthair has a quiet voice and is an undemanding companion. He doesn’t require a lap, although he loves to sit next to you. Being a big cat, he isn’t fond of being carried around.
This is a cat with a moderate activity level. He’s energetic during kittenhood, but usually starts to settle down by the time he is a year old. More mature British Shorthairs are usually couch potatoes, but adult males occasionally behave like goofballs. When they run through the house, they can sound like a herd of elephants.
British Shorthairs are rarely destructive; their manners are those of a proper governess, not a soccer hooligan. They welcome guests confidently.
Maintenance care
The British Shorthair’s short, smooth coat is simple to groom with weekly brushing or combing to remove dead hairs. A bath is rarely necessary.
Brush the teeth to prevent periodontal disease. Daily dental hygiene is best, but weekly brushing is better than nothing. Trim the nails weekly. Wipe the corners of the eyes with a soft, damp cloth to remove any discharge. Use a separate area of the cloth for each eye so you don’t run the risk of spreading any infection.
Check the ears weekly. If they look dirty, wipe them out with a cotton ball or soft damp cloth moistened with a 50-50 mixture of cider vinegar and warm water. Avoid using cotton swabs, which can damage the interior of the ear.
Keep the litter box spotlessly clean. Cats are very particular about bathroom hygiene.
It’s a good idea to keep a British Shorthair as an indoor-only cat to protect him from diseases spread by other cats, attacks by dogs or coyotes, and the other dangers that face cats who go outdoors, such as being hit by a car. British Shorthairs who go outdoors also run the risk of being stolen by someone who would like to have such a beautiful cat without paying for it.
Lifespan — 13-15 years.
Dignity
Good with children, good with household cats and dogs, medium shedding, medium sociability with strangers.
Difficulty keeping
This is not a very active cat.
Diseases
Both pedigreed cats and mixed-breed cats have varying incidences of health problems that may be genetic in nature. Problems that have been seen in the Shorthair are gingivitis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, both of which can affect any breed.
Интересный кот