History It is believed that domesticated cats were brought to the British Isles by the Roman legions, who took them with them from Gaul to guard food supplies. Here, the newcomers interbred with the local wild variety and adapted well. Breeding work began in the 1871th century, and in <> the blue-grey British cats were shown at a show in London. On the one hand, the selection was aimed at fixing a short and dense "plush" coat and the overall massive body of the animal in the exterior of the breed. At the same time, breeders wanted to achieve a variety of colors, so the British were crossed with Burmese, Persian, Russian Blue and other breeds. Sometimes, as a result of such crosses, kittens with long hair were born, which were excluded from breeding as carriers of an undesirable trait. Only after a long time, the tastes changed and a separate long-haired version was bred. The modern standard of the British Shorthair as an independent breed was officially adopted back in 1950, and the Longhair only in 2009.
Character
British cats are calm, even-tempered animals that thrive both alone and in the company of people (as long as they don't impose their company on them too much). They are intelligent and somewhat arrogant, as they believe that they are the ones who are entitled to the best.
At the same time, British cats appreciate affection and can be excellent companions for people with a calm temperament or just very busy.
Breed Standards
Initially, the breed standard was created for short-haired cats; Long hair was considered a defect among the British, and such kittens were bred from breeding. Over time, the position of experts has softened, and now the breed has two varieties - short-haired and long-haired.
Short-haired British cats should have a very thick "plush" coat with an undercoat that is not very tight to the skin, so that the skin seems to be clumsy at the folds.
The texture of the coat should be slightly coarse.
The same texture, although softer to the touch, but without adhesion, the standard requires from the long-haired variety, but in this case, both the guard coat and the undercoat are much longer. Differences in coat texture for different color options are allowed. A fluffy collar and pants are welcome for these cats.
In both variants of the breed, the physique should be dense, massive, with fairly short powerful limbs, a short neck and a tail of medium length (hairy in the long-haired version). Adult males can weigh up to 12 kg, females are much smaller and lighter.
The head of British cats is short, round, with a short, straight nose and a firm chin. The cheeks and whiskers are well expressed. The ears are medium-sized, spaced quite widely. The eyes are large and round, and their color should match the color of the fur.
Both standards allow for many variations in color, from white to black, although the most common and familiar is bluish-gray with amber eyes.
Care
Even short-haired British cats shed intensively, so you will have to brush your pet daily, give him drugs to prevent the appearance of a hairball in the stomach, and put up with hair throughout the house.
Containment Procedures
British cats are ideal for people with a similar character: calm, somewhat phlegmatic, respecting the independence of others.
Such a pet will not become a toy for the child, but it will not harm him either - it will just look at him reproachfully, leave and hide. And adults will have to wait before the animal gets in the mood to sit on their hands or lap or keep company in front of the TV.
British cats are hostile to unfamiliar people, noisy companies and generally excessively loud noises, preferring just to wait out an unpleasant period in a safe place.
With other animals, the British can get along if they match in character. But many of these cats are jealous and prefer to be the only pets.
Health Weaknesses
The immunity of the breed is quite strong, in particular, malignant tumors are quite rare in these animals. But there are some weaknesses to look out for.
It is better to protect the British from drafts to avoid colds.
You should also take your pet to the veterinarian regularly to check the heart and joints (common risks of large breeds) and make sure the kidneys are working properly.
With good care, British cats live 17-20 years.
Nutrition As a rule, the British do not complain about their appetite and are not particularly capricious in their choice of food. And since they have a large head and a wide muzzle, it is better to have a wider and deeper bowl. However, it is important not to overdo it with portion sizes, as the breed is prone to gaining excess weight. Otherwise, the recommendations are standard: a balanced natural diet or high-quality industrially produced feed.