The British Shorthair is said to have originated from the common domestic cat of
ancient Rome, and is believed to have been brought with the Romans when they invaded
and ruled England two thousand years ago.
Originally, pedigreed British Shorthairs had blue coats - in fact, the breed was
once called the British Blue. Today many colors and patterns are acceptable and there
is even a British Longhair although not all cat associations recognise them.
The British Shorthair has a broad and massive body with strong legs, round paws,
and a thick, round-tipped tail. The head is round with pronounced whisker pads. The
eyes are round and open, and the ears are round and well set apart. The overall look
is a round, massive, smiling, "teddy bear" cat. The coat of the British Shorthair
is short but very dense.
The British Shorthair is an easy-to-maintain breed. The short coats texture needs
only a brushing once or twice a week to remove dead hair.
