British and American Shorthair

The British Shorthair is a comparatively rare cat in the United States. Around 1980 it was recognized for championship competition by CFA stimulating much needed interest in the breed. Recognized world-wide, many fine "Brits" are still imported today from England, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia to help widen the gene pool for breeders in the United States.

The British shorthair, a plush feline with an unflappable, affectionate personality, has survived religious persecution, two world wars, and being voted off the island by British fanciers. Not only have these hardy cats survived, they have won over admirers on both sides of the North Atlantic. Brits, as the plush felines are affectionately called, are the perfect companions with whom to share a spot of afternoon tea. These polite, intelligent felines never slurp or bore you with tedious conversation, although you must excuse them if they drop a hair or two on the davenport.

BREED NAME	STATUS	DESCRIPTION
American Shorthair	Current	America's own Shorthair breed, derived from cats imported by early settlers and less cobby than the British Shorthair.
British Shorthair	Current	Large cobby shorthair originating from cats taken to Britain by Roman settlers. Became rare during the two World Wars and surviving British Shorthairs were bred with American/European Shorthairs and Persians (for the cobby type). Some breeders are breeding the original British Shorthair from cats found in Scotland and Ireland. Four outcomes are possible: the original breed (less plushly furred) will be restored (unlikely, the current British Shorthair is widespread); there will be two British Shorthair breeds (possible, but a new name will be needed e.g. Irish Shorthair); the Scottish and Irish cats will be introduced into British Shorthair bloodlines (unlikely, breeders are too jealous of the purity of their bloodlines); or the breeding of the Scottish/Irish cats will lapse due to lack of interest.

History

The British Shorthair is native to Great Britain in the same way that the American Shorthair is native to America-long ago it was transported there from somewhere else. However, the progenitor of the Brit is probably Great Britain's oldest natural breed of cat, and was roaming around Great Britain for centuries before its cousin journeyed to the New World.
The Brit's progenitor was a common street cat once called the European Shorthair. This breed (whose conformation is much different from the Brits you'll see in show halls today) came to Great Britain some 2,000 years ago, courtesy of the Roman Empire. The Romans, who kept cats as pets and for rodent control, transported this shorthaired breed to northern Europe and eventually to their outlying provinces in the British Isles.

For centuries, this rugged cat hung out in Great Britain's alleys and barns. In the late 1800s cat fancier Harrison Weir, well known for his contributions to the emerging cat fancy, was instrumental in establishing the British Shorthair as an officially recognized breed. Through his efforts, British Shorthairs were featured in England's first cat show at the Crystal Palace of London, and quickly became popular with the British cat fancy.

Just before the turn of the century, longhaired exotics caught the cat fancy's eye and British Shorthairs declined in popularity. Nevertheless, Brits held their own until the chaos of World War II decimated the breed (along with many other European breeds as well).

After the war, breeders dedicated to preserving the British Shorthair gained permission from the British Governing Council of the Cat Fancy to interbreed their Brits with other cat breeds to rebuild the gene pool. Persians were bred into the existing bloodlines, and shorthaired breeds such as the Chartreux were also added. These efforts transformed the Brit into its current form: a large, powerful mini-teddy bear with a full, round face and a placid disposition.

American cat fanciers took little notice of the British Shorthair until the 1960s, and it wasn't until 1970 that ACFA recognized the blue British Shorthair under the now obsolete moniker "British Blue." (Blue was, and still is, the most common color both here and in Great Britain, due to the large number of Chartreuxes and blue Persians bred into the bloodlines after the war.)

The breed slowly earned supporters in the United States, and between 1970 and 1980 the remaining associations accepted the Brit into the North American cat fancy.

Personality

If you're looking for a cat that will loot your refrigerator and swing dizzily from your chandeliers, then the British Shorthair is not for you. Brits are quiet, even-tempered, undemanding cats with a bit of typical British reserve, particularly when they're first introduced. When they get over their initial shyness, however, they become extreme-ly faithful companions. British Shorthairs tend to show their loyalty to the entire family rather than select one person with whom to bond. British Shorthair breeders describe Brits as cats that like to keep a low profile-sweet and affectionate but not clingy "in-your-face" type cats. They tend to be independent and if left on their own can usually adapt quite well.

Brits enjoy following their chosen humans from room to room to keep an eye on all activities. They also enjoy interactive games with their human friends, but they relish their quiet time, too. Unlike some breeds that crave constant attention, Brits enjoy being by themselves on occasion. This makes them good choices for folks who must spend part of the day away from home.

One thing Brits are not, however, is lap cats, or cats that enjoy being picked up. They'd much rather sit beside you, or curl up at your feet, than cuddle on your lap. When picked up they stiffen like fur-covered boards, legs stretched stiffly out and heads turned resolutely away until you give in and put them down.

Appearance

Today's British shorthair is a large, compact, powerful cat with a broad, strong chest and short, strong legs. The massive head is round and set on a short, sturdy neck. The face has round underlying bone structure, and the muzzle and chin are well-developed. Medium-sized ears are set well apart, fitting into the contour of the head. The eyes are large, and the broad nose has a gentle dip in profile. Full cheeks and large, well-rounded whisker pads give the cat a perpetual smile. As you might guess, the overall impression of the cat is one of roundness. Brits mature very slowly, reaching their physical peak at about five years.

Although blue is still the most common color, the Brit comes in myriad hues to suit any decor. All colors and patterns are acceptable except those showing evidence of hybridization, resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Siamese pattern, or these combinations with white.

The Brit's coat is as plush as a deep pile carpet; the thick undercoat makes the fur stand away from the body. The fur feels like firm, warm velvet to the touch, prompting fanciers to dub Brits the teddy bears of the cat kingdom. The coat density changes with the seasons with the greatest density occurring in the winter months.

The British Shorthair is a cat who radiates calmness; whilst some breeds are alert and ready to move at any stimulus the British Shorthair rather absorbs what is going on around him and inwardly digests rather than outwardly reacting. The first impression you get is of a sturdy cat without exaggeration. He is compact with a broad chest on short, strong legs and round is probably the right word for him. Starting at his paws and working up his business-like legs to his cobby body he is quite the antithesis of the long lean Oriental with a close coat and whippy tail.

Think of illustrations of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland and you have the British Shorthair, permanently smiling because of the shape of his face. The orignal British Shorthair was the British Blue but in the 1950s other colours were introduced and now the GCCF Breed Standard has page of colour varieties, from the single or Self colours through Mackerel or Classsic Tabby, Spotted, Torties, Bi-Colour, Van Pattern, Tipped, Self Pointed and Colour Pointed.

Although first known as the British Blue, due to the breed's original color, its native country incorporated a wide variety of colors under the term British Shorthair in the 1950's. CFA also now recognizes the British Shorthair in many different colors and patterns.

By chance, a non-pedigreed shorthaired cat (or "Domestic Shorthair") might resemble an American Shorthair, just as another random-bred cat might look like a Siamese, Persian or Maine Coon. The difference, however, is that a pedigreed cat can consistently produce kittens of the same physical conformation, coat quality, and temperament, while a random-bred cat cannot. Years of selective breeding and the careful recording of many generations of cats guarantee that each litter of kittens will have specific qualities.

The American Shorthair has made steady progress in the show ring. There have been dozens of American Shorthairs achieving recognition at the national level, including two CFA "Cats of the Year" and one CFA "Kitten of the Year." American Shorthairs are often selected as "Best Cat in Show," and each year more than a hundred become Grand Champions, Grand Premiers and Distinguished Merit cats, as well as regional and national level winners. American Shorthairs are low-maintenance cats. These beautiful cats are not only lovely to look at, but healthy, easy-going and affectionate. Males are significantly larger than females, weighing eleven to fifteen pounds when fully grown. Mature females weigh eight to twelve pounds when they achieve full growth at three to four years of age. American Shorthairs can live fifteen to twenty years, requiring only annual vaccinations, veterinary checkups, a quality diet and plenty of tender loving care.

History

In the 370 or so years that American Shorthairs have inhabited this continent, the environment-and more recently, human-controlled breeding-have shaped them into their present form. Shorthaired domestic cats arrived in America with the Europeans. Evidence indicates that several cats may have sailed over from England aboard the Mayflower in 1620. Upon arrival, these felines became working cats in the barns and fields of the early Americans. Years of natural selection turned them into a strong, hardy breed of dependable temperament.

With the import of foreign breeds, however, the original American Shorthair bloodlines became diluted. In the early 1900s a group of breeders began a selective breeding program to preserve the natural beauty, mild temperament, and hardiness of the American Shorthair. Acceptance in the show ring was a long time coming for the American Shorthair. As late as the 1960s American Shorthairs were treated like the strays of the cat fancy.

Breeders also battled confusion between their carefully bred American Shorthairs and randombred domestic cats. While a nonpedigreed domestic cat may look like a pedigreed American Shorthair, the mix of uncertain genes means that the domestic generally will not breed true; you cannot count on type, temperament, and length of hair as you can with a purebred American Shorthair.

The first American Shorthair to be registered in this country was an orange tabby male named Belle that ironically was imported from England in the early 1900s. It wasn't until 1904 when the first American-born American Shorthair (named Buster Brown) was registered under the breed name of Shorthair.

Later, the breed was renamed Domestic Shorthair, and in 1965 the breeders voted to change the name again, this time to the American Shorthair. The same year, CFA named a silver tabby male (Shawnee Trademark) Best Cat, and the breed finally began to receive some hard-earned respect in the cat fancy. Today, American Shorthairs are playing at show rings everywhere, and earning their due share of admiration and rosettes.

Personality

When describing the American Shorthair, the expression "happy medium" springs to mind. These all-American cats are medium in size, build, type, and temperament; neither too big nor small, not overly cuddly nor distant, neither couch potatoes nor hyperactive. Breeders note that the American Short-hair is the perfect breed for the person who wants a cat that enjoys being in your lap but not in your face. American Shorthairs are known for their quiet voices and adaptable personalities; they are sociable, easily trained, and adapt well to other animals and children. They generally do not like to be picked up; like their Pilgrim companions who left England to find independence, they cherish their freedom.

Because of the American Shorthair's history as a working cat, they make great companions in terms of health, strength, and vitality. With proper care Americans enjoy long life spans, generally between 15 and 20 years.

The expression "happy medium" comes to mind. Easygoing, laid-back cats, American shorthairs are perfect for those who want a feline companion that doesn't need constant attention but is nevertheless affectionate and devoted. They enjoy being by your side but not in your face. ASHs are also known for their quiet voices and adaptable personalities; they are sociable, easily trained, and they get along well with other animals and children.

Like their pilgrim ancestors who left Europe to find independence, American shorthairs hold their freedom dear. Not your average lap cats, ASHs generally don't like to be held and cuddled, preferring to be with you, not on you. But given room to be themselves, they are loyal, loving companions for life.

Appearance

In the almost four centuries that cats have inhabited this continent, the environment - and, more recently, human-controlled breeding - have shaped them into their present form. As befits a breed that developed on the farms of early America, the American shorthair is a powerful, solidly built, muscular cat with well-developed shoulders, chest, hindquarters and jaws. A true breed of working cat, the ASH exudes power, endurance and agility and is at home both in the barn and curled up in the fanciest cat condo.

The breed comes in a plethora of colors and patterns. Almost any color or pattern is allowed except those indicating hybridization, such as the Siamese pointed pattern and colors and Abyssinian agouti ticking. The most striking and best known color and pattern combination is the silver tabby, particularly memorable because of his distinct black markings set off on a vivid silver background. More than one-third of all American shorthairs possess this color and pattern. Next in popularity is the brown tabby, with black tabby markings on a rich brown background.

The American Shorthair is recognized in more than eighty different colors and patterns ranging from the striking brown patched tabby to the glistening blue-eyed white, the beautiful shaded silvers, smokes and cameos to the flashy calico van, and many colors in between. The most well-known American Shorthair color today is the silver tabby, with dense black markings set on a sterling silver background. You probably have seen an example of this striking variety in television and magazine advertising or in recent movie roles. It's no wonder that the American Shorthair consistently ranks as one of the ten most popular breeds of cat -- truly a star in the feline world.

Conformation

The American Short-hair is known as a healthy, hardy breed with few genetic defects, not surprising since the breed developed from hardy domestic stock. A relatively large gene pool helps keep the breed healthy. The standard emphasizes that the American Short-hair should be a "true breed of working cat" and that no part of the anatomy should be exaggerated as to foster weakness.

The most striking and best known color is the silver tabby; more than one- third of all American Shorthairs exhibit this color. With the black markings set against the brilliant silver background, the pattern is dynamic and memorable.