British Shorthair Cat Breed Information – A Cute And Easy Going Champion

The British Shorthair is considered as the first cat coming from the cat fancy. Harrison Weir, a professional breeder is regarded as the founder of this breed.

In fact, Weir is called “Father of the Cat Fancy.” He was the first well-known breeder who designed the rules for the cat show, which took place in Great Britain in the year 1871.

Furthermore, Weir took under his care the lovely street cat of London and, through an expansive breeding program, converted it to the beautiful breed that he called British.

The Englishmen was completely sold out to their new pedigreed breed. , when the exotic Persian entered Britain, it overtook the British Shorthair for the most exciting breed temporarily.

After the Second World War, the British Shorthair was wiped out, but it easily reemerged into the list of popular cats. At present, these cats are accepted and recognized in cat registries across the globe.

The British Shorthair was called British Blue. It is also called the British Shorthair or simply, the British.

• British Tabby- There are four different tabby patterns. They are ticked, mackerel, spotted, and classic.
• Bi-Color, British Tortoiseshell, Tortoiseshell, and White- These varieties have different colors without or with any white.
• British Tipped-These is considered as the shorthair patterns of the Golden Persian and Chinchilla.
• White and Colorpoint, British Colorpoint – These varieties have blue eye color and coat type of the Siamese.
• British Self- These cats usually have orange eyes.

British Shorthair Blue

The British Blue represents the ‘main ‘ image of the breed. It is a known fact that almost 50 percent of the breed registrations are “self “ colors.

Height

• Male – 16-20 inches
• Female – 14-18 inches

Weight

• Male – 12 to 18 lbs
• Female – 9 to 12 lbs

British Shorthair Lifespan

The average lifespan of a British Shorthair is between 14 and 20 years. The quality of food, the amount of exercise, and regular attention will decide how long your feline is with you.

Shedding

While these cats do have short, dense fur, it is a double layer. The cat’s undercoat sheds more prominently than the top layer of the coat does.

The best look of this breed is called “feline bulldog” due to their gait, stocky appearance, and plush coat.

This cat looks balanced when well-bred.

Grooming

Grooming supplies are vital. Buy a top quality comb or brush for your cat. Some cat lovers prefer metal shedding comb although they are branded as being for canines.

These combs work excellently on your cat’s thick dense coat.

Things you need for grooming your cat

• You will need toothpaste and a pet toothbrush. Most cats do well with a finger type brush.
• Choose vet approved kitty nail clippers
• Set aside best quality blankets or towels for cleaning your cat if she refuses cooperation
• Top quality cat shampoo; bathe your pet if she gets a nasty flea infestation and dirty

To protect your cats against fleas, you can use a top quality repellant. Kindly avoid choosing a natural or organic product because of the presence of toxic irritant for cats.

Simple Tips To Groom Your Cat

• You should comb or brush your cat’s coat at least once or twice.
• It happens in the early summer and late spring when she is ongoing molting.
• Your cat is susceptible to tooth decay. Tooth-brushing is really important and should be done once a week.
• There is meat-flavored paste available in the market.
• Nail clipping will avert scratching. Cats can have ingrown nails.
• First, press or apply pressure on the toe. This will make the claw pop out. Cut the very tip gently.
• Never cut too far near the pink part of her toes. These areas are filled with blood vessels and nerves.
• Do one toe at a time. Clip the claws every fortnight or so.

These cats are known for slow metabolism. A healthy cat will display a well-balanced and padded muscular body.

We should be alert enough not to permit this convert into excess muscle fat. They are known for their long life expectancy.

Unusual Cat Blood Type

One unusual problem in this breed is the probability of AB or B blood type. It is recorded that around 53 percent will have AB or B blood type.

Ask your vet to determine your cat’s blood type and note it down in their medical health chart.

Some of the common health problems that affect this breed include

• Polycystic Kidney Disease
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Gingivitis (Inflamed gums)
• Diabetes
• Neonatal Isoerythrolysis
• Obesity

Polycystic Kidney Disease In Cats

PKD or Polycystic Kidney Disease occurs when the cat’s kidney tissues are replaced by multiple cysts.

A cyst is defined as a sac filled with semi-solid, fluid, or air based material. Renal cysts develop mainly in pre-existing cells of the cat’s kidney.

The disease damages both of the feline’s kidneys.

Although these conditions are not life-threating, experts suggest early treatment to avoid complications.

Persian, Scottish Folds, and Himalayans are affected.

Signs

• Quite difficult to detect in the first stages
• Most renal cysts cause zero pain
• Lumpy kidneys are detected as the disease progresses
• Secondary infection may result in discomfort

Causes

• A genetic disorder in most cats
• The exact cause is unknown. Endogenous and environmental factors also increase the susceptibility to this disease
• Cyst development happen due to parathyroid hormone
• Vasopressin hormone plays a crucial role

Treatment

• Eliminating the cysts can be hard. The vet will aim to reduce to infection
• Periodic removal of water or fluid can reduce pain
• A list of medicines may be given to battle bacterial infection

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

The heart consists of four chambers. Two chambers are ideally located at the top and two are on the bottom.

The left ventricle plays the main role in receiving oxygenated blood and pumping the same into the aorta.

In this condition, HCM damages the left ventricle and reduces its ability to push blood into the chambers.

Signs

• Sudden heart failure
• Collapse
• Bluish appearance of nailbeds and foot pads
• Inability to handle strenuous activity
• Abnormal heart sounds
• Snapping, rough breathing sounds
• Difficulty in breathing
• Weak pulse
• Lethargy
• Anorexia

Causes

• The main cause of HCM remains a mystery in most cases.
• Genetic predispositions and mutations are known to cause HCM in cats
• Hyperthyroidism and hypertension can increase the risk of this condition

Treatment

The vet will check your cat and then will take a call. Your cat will be hospitalized to reduce stress and oxygen therapy is not ruled out.

There are various possible medications that are used to treat this condition-

• Nitroglycerin ointment
• Spironolactone for cats
• Furosemide
• Warfarin
• Aspirin
• Ace inhibitors
• Beta-blockers
• Diltiazem

Most cast breeders suggest a top-quality dry cat food. Take steps to ensure that your cat does not get obese.

Cats in the age group of 5 and 10 years are likely to have health issues which can be treated by feeding them with low-calorie food.

Talk to your vet and feed only controlled portions not more than once or twice daily.

If your cat is obese, ask your vet to suggest more specific food.

What to feed your cat?

• In the first few months, feed them with a lot of nutritious food.
• Select a top quality food brand that contains meat, grain free, and high in protein. They should be fed not more than a few small portions.
• Keep meals small and clear of any food kept outside for more than sixty minutes.
• Young kittens need to be given food as many as at least five times daily
• After your kitten has reached six months, you can ideally slow things down. Feed her three times on a daily basis.
• Adult cats need a good-protein diet; no empty calories.
• Senior cats need a specialized diet.
• Track your cat’s weight. There are plenty of options when it comes to cat food, select foods that are lower in sodium and calories.
• Portion-controlled feeding is advice and no cat owner should permit free-feeding their cat.

What do British Shorthairs eat?

The best diet plan should –

• Include animal protein
• Avoid vegetable ingredients, dairy, grains
• Have wet food; it is better than dry food
• Provide more water than milk

Selecting a top brand

• Every feline deserves the best quality food
• Select a quality brand low in vegetable contents, lower in fat, and high in protein
• Look for the important nutrients such as
  • Taurine
  • Magnesium and calcium
  • Omega 3 and 6

Foods you should better avoid feeding your cat

• Onions
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Chives
• Tomatoes with green texture
• No citrus fruits
• Unripe fruits
• Dog food
• Dairy products

There are a lot of ways to stimulate your cat both mentally and physically.

Some of the ways include-

1. Teaser Toy

Teaser toys are small fishing poles with a fuzzy ball attached to one end of the string. This string dangles from the other end of a stick.

Cat owners can use these items to engage their cat. Repeat several times.

2. Toss a ball

A British Shorthair prefers to chase moving objects. You can toss a crumpled paper ball for them to simply chase. When your pet recovers, you toss it again.

3. Laser pointer

They will have plenty of fun chasing laser pointers around. Simply point the pointer at a fixed spot. When your pet runs to “find” the laser point, push it to a different spot, and so on.

This game makes your cat healthy. Using a pointer is controversial because your pet does not get real satisfaction of catching prey.

4. Leave a big paper bag

These cats love to explore the empty space present inside a paper bag. It will rip the bag apart playing with it.

• Before leaving the bag open, remove all the handles to avoid choking.
• Never leave the bag without monitoring your cat.

5. Install climbing structures

You can buy a climbable pet house from your pet store. Your pet will love the chance to move all the many levels.

Any type of multilevel climbable structure that allows your cat to play, the climb can get it some exercise.

6. Swimming

Special hydrotherapy centers for dogs and cats could help your cat lose weight. A specialist can guide you to help your cat swim.

• The cat is the oldest cat breed
• These felines were designed as hunting cats
• At one point in time, this cat almost became extinct
• The breed comes in the wide range of colors
• They tend to put on weight quite easily
• In 2011, Smokey’s happy rumblings measured 67.7 decibels for the loudest purr

Not all felines can be called Max or Arthur. Before you name your cat, analyze all the cat names given in the list. Pick a name that reflects your cat’s personality.

Cat person or doggie mate? Why not try both?

How to choose a name for your cat?

• Analyze your cat’s personality
• Your own favorites and interests play a crucial role
• Some feline owners have chosen cute names of popular musicians, colors, book heroes, and foods

It costs close to $75-$100 USD to bring home this cat. Furthermore, if you buy it from a reputable breeder, it could cost close to $1500-$2000 USD.

British Shorthair For Sale

The best way to get this cat is to approach a local rescue shelter.

When contacting a breeder you should verify whether they have done all the mandatory health testing. Enquire with your breeder if they are willing to take back the sold pets due to unforeseen circumstances.

Popular Breeders in the United States

• TICA
  https://tica.org/british-shorthair-breeders

• Fanciers Breeders Referral List
  http://www.breedlist.com/breeders/bri.html

• British Cat USA
  Houston, TX
  http://www.breedlist.com/breeders/bri.html