Harrison Weir, father of all cat shows, was a great admirer of these cats. "The ordinary garden cat," he wrote, "has survived every kind of hardship. That he exists at all, is a tribute to his strength of character and endurance." Mr. Weir's devotion to the shorthaired British cats was shared by Mr. Jung, who was to become one of the first cat show judges. He believed if these beautiful cats were thoughtfully bred, a race of cats with aristocratic pedigrees and the same inherent goodness and quality would be developed. The breed produced was named the British Shorthair and were the only cats to be shown as pedigreed at the first cat shows. All others were simply shown as longhair or shorthair, divided by their various colors.
The British standard calls for the cat to be of compact build, powerful and well-balanced. A full broad chest, short strong legs, rounded paws and a tail that is thick at the base and tapers slightly to a rounded tip show off a "football player" physique. The British Shorthair has a round head with good width between the ears. The eyes are round and wide-open. One of the most appealing features are the "Brit's" built-in smile caused by the round prominent whisker pads. This smile was never displayed better than in Lewis Carroll's Cheshire cat; originally a tabby British Shorthair. The British Shorthair coat is like no other; short, dense, like deep pile carpet. The coat needs minimal care yet has a luxurious feel.
British Shorthairs are very affectionate, quietly following you from room to room until they can settle contentedly by your side. Gifted with lasting patience and confidence, Brits are especially good with children and other types of pets. A moderately active cat, they are not destructive as a breed, adapting well to any size household. British are very easy going and are affectionate to numerous people in the circle they consider family.
Most breeders recommend a high-quality dry food. Care must be taken to not allow your British Shorthair to get fat, or its life span will be shortened. Middle-aged cats (5-10) are most likely to have weight problems which can usually be controlled by switching to a low-calorie food. Feed controlled portions once or twice a day; if your cat seems to be overly heavy, ask your vet for more specific advice.
On the whole, British Shorthairs are very healthy and long lived. You can expect a British to live from 14 to 20 years.
Individuals within any breed are fairly closely related, and have many characteristics in common. This includes genetic strengths and weaknesses. Certain genetic health disorders may be more or less of a problem in a particular breed than in other breeds. For example, a breed may have a slightly higher incidence of gum disease than the cat population as a whole, but have a lower incidence of heart disease or liver disease. Genetic problems generally only affect a tiny minority of the breed as a whole, but since they can be eradicated by careful screening, most reputable breeders try to track such problems, both in their breeding stock and the kittens they produce.
By working with a responsible breeder who will speak openly about health issues, you are encouraging sound breeding practices. In the British Shorthair, the most common inherited health problems are gingivitis (red inflamed gums), which will cause an affected cat to require careful dental care, and cardiomyopathy, which can cause anything from a minor heart murmur to severe heart trouble. Again, neither of these problems is specific to the breed.