If you truly love cats, chances are you’ve come across the word British Shorthair. However, if you have and ever wondered what it means or, better yet, what type of cat breed is a British Shorthair, then you’ve come to the right place.
In this British Shorthair kitten white guidepost, we’ll be looking at all things British Shorthair. This includes looking at what makes British Shorthairs so special and popular. Even better, we’ll look at how to care for them properly.
Quick Facts!
British Shorthairs are kind in nature and have an even-tempered personality. These two combined have made British Shorthairs a very popular cat breed. It is also independent, loyal, loving, and kind.
What is a British Shorthair?
British Shorthair is simply a type of cat breed. Sometimes viewed as a medium-to-large-sized cat, British Shorthair boasts several positives. One such positive is the fact that it is very affectionate. Other positives include the fact it is good-natured and very loyal.
All in all, British Shorthair’s characteristics make it a very good companion. Other notables about this cat breed include a gorgeous thick, dense coat that tends to grow even thicker during winter months.
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British Shorthair Appearance
Appearance-wise, British Shorthairs come in a variety of colors. These colors include the British Blue self-colored British Shorthair, tabby, white self-colored British Shorthairs, grey, cream, calico, black self-colored British Shorthairs, and so much more.
In terms of popularity, many cat lovers prefer the “British Blue” self-colored British Shorthairs. Worth noting if you are going for this particular color, it has to be very pure and completely solid for a British Shorthair to be British Blue.
It usually spots a dense, crisp coat of light-to-medium blue-grey. Other appearance features include no spots or hints of tabby striping. British Shorthair kitten white is another color that’s gaining popularity slowly and one you can embrace.
If you are going for a show-quality British Shorthair, the white must be completely pure and clean. Tabby British Shorthair cats are also worth a mention when talking about appearance and colors.
These are British Shorthairs with sure distinct stripes or markings on their coat colors. Popular Tabby British Shorthair cats are those with Markel tabby body markings, black silver tabby, blue silver tabby, chocolate silver tabby, red silver tabby, and lilac silver tabby.
Regardless of the color, expect to spot a few distinctive color features with every British Shorthair. For instance, the British Blue British Shorthair spots distinctive grey-blue fur.
The eye color of British Shorthairs is also something that deserves mention when talking about appearance. Given that they naturally show animals, they do have a range of eye colors.
It is worth noting, however, that a majority of them tend to have deep orange eyes. British Shorthairs kitten white, however, is known to have blue or mismatched eyes. Dark British Shorthairs, on the other hand, have green or hazel eyes.
British Shorthair Temperament
Overall, British Shorthairs have a warm temperament and a placid temper. Their temperament, which also includes being calm, has led to many terming them as lazy. But off-course, they are far from it.
Some of them are actually up for a few exercises here and there. Again, back to British Shorthairs laid back approach to life. This means that they’ll be happy to relax with you for hours and hours.
British Shorthairs don’t like to be carried or picked up despite their calm, loving, and affectionate nature. In addition, some of them are known to act in a manner that’s not appropriate when carried. Therefore, you should fight the urge to carry them around or pick them up if you have the opportunity to have one.
Equally important to note when talking about British Shorthairs and their temperament is weight. Yes, weight. Given the laid-back approach to just about everything, British Shorthairs can easily pack in extra weight.
To make sure you British Shorthair don’t become overweight, British Shorthair owners must enforce or do three things. One is introducing a strict diet, which includes limiting the number of times you feed your cat.
Two is exercising. You must encourage your British Shorthair to exercise from time to time. Exercising is nothing serious. Just a walk here and or some playtime can pass for exercise.
Three is very easy, and that is monitoring your cat’s weight. You can do this in different ways. However, one of the common ways is a weighing machine, have it around the house, and get to weigh your cat from time to time.
British Shorthair Diet
You must feed your British Shorthairs cat the right way and the right food. The ideal or perfect diet of any British Shorthair cat should be rich in protein. Not just any protein, keep in mind, preferably, a protein from an animal that cats generally hunt or eat.
Avoid giving your British Shorthair vegetable ingredients as they are unnecessary; also, if you can see that you feed your British Shorthair cat only wet food instead of dry food, the better.
It’s also good to point out that water is way better for cats than milk, contrary to beliefs. Therefore, see to it that you give your British Shorthair as much water as possible.
British Shorthair Lifespan
Pets, in general, don’t necessarily have a long lifespan. With British Shorthair, however, it’s completely different. It’s among the very few pets that live long. Figures-wise, British Shorthairs have a 15-year lifespan. Fun fact, some are known to have lived for more than 20 years.
If you are worried that you might love a pet and it goes too soon, then a British Shorthair is perfect for you. You can count on its love and show it the same love and affection for 15 plus years.
Remember to always check their health from time to time and encourage exercise. This way, you increase the chances of it living for years and years.
British Shorthair Inherit Health Issues
Like any other pet or cat, British Shorthairs are not immune to inherit health issues. One of the health issues is diabetes. The diabetes British Shorthairs get or have is usually brought about by British Shorthairs being obese.
This is why it is so important to monitor the health of a British Shorthair from a very early age. Other health conditions that affect British Shorthairs include gingivitis and gum disease.
While paying close attention to your cat’s weight, it is also recommended that you watch out for bad breath and red gums. These are tale-tale signs that something is wrong with your British Shorthair.
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Conclusion For “British Shorthair Kitten White Guide”
British Shorthairs are perfect cats to have as pets. Given its overall temperament, you should be able to live perfectly with it throughout its lifespan. They are also not that expensive to maintain or have. Even better, if you happen to have other pets already, you’ll be happy to learn that British Shorthairs do very well with other pets.
This applies whether you have a dog or a cat, pretty much any pet in the house. However, it is recommended that you supervise them when they are together, especially during the initial days.
Find a British Shorthair breed today:
- Best British Shorthair Breeders in Quebec
- Best British Shorthair Breeders in Pennsylvania
- Best British Shorthair Breeders in Ohio
To see the British Shorthair in action, watch “Sweetest British Shorthair Kitten Evan” from Happy Kittens down below: