The ancestors of the British Shorthair were brought to Northern Europe, and later to Britain, by Roman soldiers almost 2,000 years ago. For a long time, they lived wild and bred without control. In the 19th century, english author and artist Harrison Weir began breeding the most outstanding specimens of these street cats. Originally, the new breed was called British Blue and was often compared to Chartreux. The British Shorthair was not recognized in North America until 1970 and only one color was accepted at first—Blue. Now all colors are accepted, and while blue is still the most popular, white and bicolors are being seen more often at shows.
The British Shorthair is a very sturdy, medium to large cat. Body is very powerful, especially in males. Cheeks are full, giving a chubby chipmunk appearance. Nose is short and snub. The coat is short but slightly longer than other shorthairs. Firm, crisp texture—plush and dense.
Personality Hardy, good-natured, calm, loyal, intelligent, loving, independent and affectionate.
British Shorthair Colors White; Black; Blue; Cream; Black smoke; Classic Tabby Pattern; Mackerel Tabby Pattern; Spotted Tabby; Silver Tabby; Red Tabby; Brown Tabby; Blue Tabby; Cream Tabby; Tortie; Calico; Dilute Calico; Blue-Cream; Bi-color.
Photo Credit: Blue Jeans Cats