8 Fascinating Facts about British Shorthair Cats

The British Shorthair, also known as the European Shorthair, is an enormous popularity cat breed. The breed has a thick, rich coat with crisp contours, and comes in a wide variety of colors, that include black, blue, cream, white, pinkish-grey, red, yellowish-brown, deep brown, and fawn. Pattern wise, the cat can either be one single color, tabby, shaded, tortoiseshell, or Shaded, and some of them have gold and silver markings on their coat. These cats have stocky, rounded, physiques, well-built, and well-muscled. The cat resembles a cuddly teddy bear and earned the reputation of being the most famous cat in the UK.

This breed is calm, dignified, and adorable. They make an excellent feline companion. They have a soft and fuzzy coat, charming and loyal personality, and even do well with children. These personalities make them instantly adorable and extremely expressive. Added to all this, the British shorthairs are made even more attractive by their reputation of being a notoriously clumsy cat. And the following are the 8 fascinating facts about British Shorthair Cats that you might want to know.

1. British Shorthairs are the Most Popular Cat Breed in the UK

It’s no surprise that this breed is the most popular breed of cats in Great Britain. British Shorthair has claimed and retained this number one position since 2001 according to the UK‘s Cat Fancy Governing Council. They beat the Persian cats as the most loved cat in the UK. However, in the United States, they rank Number 5. With their beautiful round faces and prying eyes, it’s no wonder that they are massively adored.

2. The Father of Cat Fancy” Loved the Cat Breed

They existed as barn mousers and stray cats until Harrison Weir, a 19th-century animal lover, also referred to as “the father of cats fancy “, started breeding good examples of the country native cats. The breed was showcased at London’s Crystal Palace in 1871, in an event considered by many as the world’s first cat show. The show was packed with exotic imported cats, which include the Persian and Siamese cats. Though, Weir preferred his country native breed. In his book, Weir wrote, “My first love will always be for the short-haired domestic cats.”

3. They were once a Hunting Cats

A long time ago, British Shorthair cats were bred as hunting cats. They helped their families hunt for food. It was a common use of animals, and many people had one of their own. Nowadays, they are mostly used as domestic pets. They are generally known these days as cats that lie around the house peacefully and quietly. Although, they won’t hesitate to get up and hunt down something to eat. Just like their cousin, the American Shorthair, the British Shorthair cats are voracious hunters. They will chase rats, mice, shrews, voles, and any small animal with alacrity. It can be a surprise to see your feline pal transform from a lovable companion into a hungry carnivore.

4. Long Lifespan

The British Shorthair cats are generally considered as a very healthy breed of cat, and many have been reported to have a lifespan of up to 20 years with proper care. Be careful; because these cats love to eat and can easily become obese if their food intake is not properly controlled. With their cool attitude, they may not be active enough to combat all that eating and may easily develop a weight problem if allowed. Millions of people own this cat because they are one of the easiest pets to keep and they provide many years of joy for their owners.

5. They are Calm, Affectionate, and Charming

British Shorthair cats are lovely, affectionate, and friendly by nature. They are suitable for families with kids and other pets. They like to spend time with their family members and follow them around the house. They have broad chest, shoulders, and hips, with short legs, round paws, and a rich, luxurious-looking tail. The male British shorthairs are bigger than the females and weigh an average of 5-10 kilograms. The females can weigh between 5 and 7 kg.

6. They Originated from Rome

British Shorthair lineage can be traced back to Roman times. They were cross-bred with feral cats and were not officially registered as a species until in the 19th century. These cats were also cross-bred with Persians in an effort to improve the quality of their coat. They were brought to Britain to protect the Romans’s food supply from rodents. They are descendants of cats imported to Rome from ancient Egypt. Thanks to their hunting skills, the British Shorthair became famous and widespread in the UK.

7. British Shorthair Cats are Magnet for strange news.

It seems that these cats have a way of appearing in strange international news. In late 2014, government debt collectors in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, Russia, tried to force a man to pay 12,000 rubles in unpaid taxes. Because the debtor did not possess any valuable material property, the collectors threatened to seize his British shorthair cat and the three kittens. The guy ended up paying his debt and keeps his cats.

And in the same country, a British short-haired named Dusya rose to fame by starring in TV productions and photo shoots. Dusya had made about £ 2,000, as of March 2015. Another one was an Eastern European gang that kidnaps Maggie, a one-year-old British short-haired cat that lived with her wealthy owners in a London mansion. The kidnappers demanded a £ 5,000 ransom. The cat owners agreed to pay the ransom and they participated in an exchange in a community park to get their cat back.

8. A British Shorthair once had the Loudest Purr in the world.

In 2011, it was announced that a twelve years old British shorthair cat known as Smokey had the loudest purr in the world. The cat vocal rumbling measured 67.7 decibels and was said to be as loud as a lawnmower. Unfortunately, in 2014 Smokey died of kidney failure. He was immortalized in the Guinness Book of Records until another cat, Merlin, broke his ear-splitting record with a 67.8-decibel purr in 2015.