The British shorthair cat is one of the oldest breeds in the world

The ancestors of British shorthair cats are several generations of working cats, from city mice and street cats to rural farm cats. When they actually came to Britain is unknown, but it may have even been during Roman times. Regardless, this is the natural starting population when breeding is deliberately initiated. Harrison Weir, the founder of Pet Cats and organizer of the first cat show at the Crystal Palace in south London, developed the British Shorthair, the most popular breed at early shows.

British shorthair cats were once bred as hunting cats

Before being developed as show cats, the original British cats were actually bred as hunting cats! Back in the 19th century and earlier most homes had a cat that found its own food and even helped provide food for it The host provides food. This may be hard to believe today, as most British Shorthair cats love nothing more than lying around the house, but don't be fooled. They are quite capable of hunting if they choose.

The British shorthair cat was once on the verge of extinction

After its promising early showing, the British Shorthair all but disappeared! In the early 20th century, other more exotic cats began to appear, notably the long-haired Persian and later the dramatic Siamese. The two world wars had a devastating impact on cat breeding, and by the 1950s, British shorthair cats had all but disappeared. However, dedicated breeders in the UK and abroad persevered, and by the 1970s it was back again. It is even known throughout the Atlantic region, and in 1980 the CFA recognized it as the official breed of the United States.

British shorthair cats come in a variety of colors

Harrison Weir's early British Shorthair cats were all blue, and for a long time this was the color people associated with the breed. In fact British blue remains one of the most popular colors. But today there are about 30 colors almost all solid colors, many varieties of colors and colors. They also come in a variety of different eye colors, although they all have the large round eyes associated with the breed. So, no matter what color cat you want, you should be able to buy a British Shorthair cat. British shorthair cats gain weight easily

The British Shorthair is a stocky, stocky, muscular cat, which is part of its appeal. But these cats also have a tendency to gain weight and can easily become overweight or even obese. So owners need to take care of them, provide them with healthy food, and provide these cats with plenty of opportunities for exercise to keep them healthy.

British shorthair cats are usually very healthy

In addition to a tendency to gain weight, this is generally a healthy, long-lived breed. It does not appear to have any breed-specific conditions and its short coat is easy to care for. Of course all cats can get sick, so regular veterinary checkups are necessary for this breed as for any other cat.

British shorthair cats are good with children

British shorthair cats are excellent cats for families with children. It is a calm, laid-back cat who is affectionate with people of all ages. It's less likely to be too tight and won't make you feel frustrated or nervous. While children should obviously be taught to play gently with house cats, they are also unlikely to complain too much during rough handling.

British shorthair cats live a long life

As mentioned above, overall this is a very healthy breed. These cats often live into their late teens or even early twenties. This may be due to the large gene pool that British Shorthair cats have developed in the past. Regardless, it does mean that if you get a British Shorthair, there's a good chance your beloved cat will be with you for a long time.

The British Shorthair may be the prototype of Lewis Carroll’s Cheshire Cat

It is rumored that the Cheshire cat in "Alice in Wonderland" was inspired by the British shorthair cat. Many historians believe that the photograph of Lewis Carroll's Cheshire cat was actually a tabby British shorthair cat. This breed is also rumored to have been the inspiration for "Puss in Boots."

A British shorthair cat once held the record for the loudest purr in the world

One last weird fact, in 2011 a British shorthair cat was declared to have the world's loudest purr! Smokey's happy sound was measured at 67.7 decibels, about the volume of an average lawnmower. Smokey died in 2014, but his record stood until 2015 when a cat purred at 67.8 decibels.