The British Shorthair Cat can best be described as the 'gentle giant' of the cat world. The adult British Shorthair is a large and robust animal with a majestic gait, under which lies a temperament which is both very gentle and friendly. Making the British Shorthair cat, an ideal family pet.

All too often, as with most things in life, the ordinary is neglected in favour of the more exotic. We are proud to be in some small way associated with the British Shorthair Cat. It is neither ugly or bald, or genetically malformed in any way. We will try to ensure, for our part, that the breed remains pure and try to route out any prejudicial inadequacies from the gene pool.

The British Shorthair may have humble origins, but for over a hundred years now, the devotees of this beautiful animal have been responsible for breeding a cat which is both stunning to behold and a superb companion. And we hope to continue in this tradition.

British Shorthair Standard for Showing

The British Shorthair is compact, well-balanced and powerful. Showing good depth of body, a full broad chest, short to medium strong legs and rounded paws. The tail is thick at the base with a rounded tip. The head is round with good width between the ears, rounded cheeks, firm chin, medium ears, large round and well-opened eyes, and a medium broad nose. The coat is short and very dense. Females are less massive in all respects with males having larger jowls. The British Shorthair takes a full three to five years to reach full maturity and development. Individuals should convey an overall impression of balance and proportion in which no feature is exaggerated to foster weakness or extremes.

GCCF Scale of Points

Coat (Texture & Length)

The coat is short and dense. It should not be double coated or overlong, but crisp to the touch. The coat of the Self (Solid) should bear no 'tabby' markings or any white hairs (White Self excluded) and the colour should be consistent from root to tip. For a full list of breed numbers and colours click here.

Head & Ears

The head of the British Shorthair should be broad with a round skull, set on a short thick neck. The face should be round, with a short straight nose, full cheeks and a strong firm chin. The ears should be medium in size, broad at the base, rounded at the tips. Set far apart, fitting into (without distorting) the rounded contour of the head.

Eyes

The eyes should be large and round, well opened and set well apart. There should be no detectable squint. The colour of the eyes is dependent upon coat colour.

Body, Legs & Paws

The word most associated with the British Shorthair is 'cobby', which means stocky. The body should be medium to large (males are generally larger than females), with a full deep chest, wide shoulders and hind quarters, with a short level back. The legs should be short and strong and supported by large rounded paws.

Tail

The tail should be of medium length (in proportion to the body) rounded at the tip with a thick base.