The breed of British Shorthair cats is one of the oldest. It is known since the end of the XIX century. Fluffy, intelligent, friendly cat of this breed became the prototype of Cheshire Cat Carol Lewis.
History
For today there are two versions of the history of the appearance of the British Shorthair cat:
- British shorthair originated from domestic cats of Egypt and Rome, and in Britain, it fell with Roman legionaries. Even in the chronicles of Ancient Rome, there is a description of the British shorthair cat, as a large gray cat with large, bright, round eyes. And under the influence of the British wet and cool climate, the cats of this breed formed their own particular type.
- It is believed that the cats came to Britain along with French sailors. On the ship they fished rats, rescuing food. It is assumed that in the conditions of rolling they formed short strong paws and thick wool that poorly passes water to the skin.
The fate of this breed was closely connected with the history and fate of the people. After the Second World War, the number of British Shorthair fell significantly. But in the post-war years, breeding activities were conducted to restore the British breed and, thanks to them, British cats look exactly as we see them today.
Breed description
The character of the British shorthair cat is the same soft and "plush". They allow you to do anything with you. These animals are unobtrusive, independent, fairly balanced. Adult cats do not like to sit on their hands. Staying at home alone, they will not suffer from loneliness, but simply find themselves an interesting occupation or just take a nap. The British get along well with dogs and children.
There is little confusion, an error in the name of the breed. Some call her a British short-haired lop-eared cat. But there are two different breeds: the British Shorthair and the Scottish Fold, having much in common.
Of the physical characteristics of British shorthair cats, we can distinguish the following:
- large size, strong build;
- thorax broad and round;
- the limbs are strong, short in comparison with the body;
- The tail, thick at the base and tapering towards the end, is 2/3 of the length of the body;
- head broad and massive, forehead convex, cheeks full;
- nose is massive and short, ears with rounded tips, eyes large and widely set;
- wool is dense and tough.
Color
At the end of the XIX century, when the British Shorthair participated in the first cat show, only one color was recognized - blue. Now the most common colors of the British shorthair cat:
- blue;
- the black;
- purple;
- chocolate;
- tabby.
The color of the tabby also has varieties: the cat is British short-haired marble, spotted and striped.
Care
In care, British shorthair cats are unpretentious. The wool of them does not get tangled and does not fall down, the problems with the wool
The British themselves are clean, so swimming is only necessary if the animal is dirty in something difficult to remove or if the pet has parasites.
With feeding, too, no special problems arise. Experts advise not to mix ready and natural food, and in any case do not give the cats this breed a lot of fatty foods - they are prone to fatness. The British are more prone to inflammation in the mouth, but the veterinarian will tell you what preventive measures to take to avoid the disease.