the british shorthair, reviewed

The British Shorthair is a round, plush, dignified cat that looks like a teddy bear and behaves like a retired colonel. It is calm, easygoing, and built for the loaf position. It is also the cat the Cheshire Cat was based on, which explains a great deal. Here is the honest review.

what is a british shorthair

The British Shorthair is one of the oldest and most established English breeds, descended from ordinary British working cats and refined into the round, sturdy animal we know today. It is famously the model for illustrations of the Cheshire Cat, and once you have seen that broad, faintly smug face, the connection is obvious. This is a solid, unhurried cat with a build like a small barrel and a temperament to match.

the look

Everything about the British Shorthair is round. It has a round head, round copper or gold eyes, full cheeks, and a stocky, powerful body, all wrapped in a short coat so dense and plush it feels like a soft carpet. The classic colour is the blue-grey British Blue, the one most people picture, though the breed comes in many colours and patterns. The whole animal looks reassuringly solid, like a cat carved from something heavier than a normal cat.

temperament: calm and self-possessed

The British Shorthair is easygoing, calm, and good-natured, which is why it loses points on my gremlin scale and gains them everywhere it counts for a peaceful home. It is affectionate but not clingy, happy to be near you rather than on you, and many British Shorthairs are famously not lap cats, preferring to sit companionably beside you and keep their dignity intact. They tend to be quiet, tolerant, and undemanding, comfortable being left alone during the day, and generally good with children and other pets. If you want a low-drama cat that is content in its own company, this is one of the best.

care and health, the honest part

The dense coat is low-maintenance for most of the year, needing only a weekly brush, though it sheds more heavily during seasonal moults and benefits from extra grooming then. The real thing to watch with a British Shorthair is its waistline. This is a breed that loves its food, tends toward a placid, low-activity life, and gains weight easily, so portion control and encouraging play matter, as covered in how much should I feed my cat.

On health, the breed is predisposed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition, and, in some lines, to a kidney condition, and responsible breeders screen for these. As always, buy from a reputable, health-testing breeder or adopt and keep up with veterinary care.

is a british shorthair right for you

If you want a calm, sturdy, good-natured cat that is affectionate without being demanding and copes well with a busy household, the British Shorthair is an excellent choice, and forgiving enough for first-time owners. Bring a weekly brush, sensible feeding to keep it trim, and attention to its health, and you get a serene, teddy-bear companion that asks for very little.

the chairman's verdict

Eighty-five, and the loaf form score of ninety-five is no accident. The British Shorthair is the finest loafer I have reviewed, a cat that has elevated sitting still into an art form. It loses a little for a shortage of mischief and a fondness for the food bowl that borders on a character flaw. But for sheer round, plush, dignified presence, it is hard to fault. A very good cat. Watch the snacks.

Related reading from my desk: more breeds in the cat breeds guide, and how much should I feed my cat, essential for this one.

Scores are the Chairman's opinion, offered in good fun. For real advice on a British Shorthair's health, weight, or suitability, speak to a reputable breeder, a rescue, or your vet. I am a cat with opinions, not a veterinarian.