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British Shorthair Personality &
Character Traits
 Because
of its easy-going nature and
intelligence, the British Shorthair has
become a favorite of animal trainers,
and in recent years many examples of
these cats have appeared in Hollywood
films and television commercials. The
British Shorthair is easy to groom and
is a playful but no-nonsense cat. It
tends to be reserved, in fact typically
British by nature, but once it becomes a
part of the family it is a devoted cat
and undemanding companion.
A British
Shorthairs' devotion and empathic bond
to it's family are strong friendships
traits most people don't expect from a
cat. Spirited but gentle, intelligent
not weak, the British Shorthair is the
ultimate companion in the human-feline
experience. Just like a teddy bear, a
British Shorthairs round and
velvet-plush appearance makes resistance
to hugging and cuddling difficult. They
show affection by offering head bumps
and body rubs in loving abandon.
Throwing their weight into their embrace
CH
Ouachita Paddington of Britacoon
 they are impossible to ignore; a true
companion cat. Love breaks with your
British are very important. Offering a
soft paw and a comforting look, they'll
lap knead, soaking up the soreness and
fatigue of a hard day. Many owners say
they can actually feel their British
lower their blood pressure.
The
British Shorthair is as amazing as
you'll let them be. They will put as
much (or as little) into a relationship
as you do. They are a cat to be
intellectually savored and pondered. Not
a dull cat, they have a strong ego and
insist on being treated as an equal
member of the family. A British
Shorthairs roman history and vast
intelligence does not appreciate
boredom. They love to play with toys,
balls, feathers, and they adore
exercising on a tall scratching post or
cat tree with jumping and stretching
ledges. A large cat with a small voice,
a British rarely talks, preferring to
capture attention by head butting and
rubbing.
Sometimes they will insist on
standing on an offending object, such as
a keyboard or book, or they jump in the
middle of a news paper if they are not
receiving what they feel is proper
attention.
A
British Shorthair always
Poodie and Binzie
Ouachita Makunda of
FrontPageKat
 determines how
much attention is enough. They do not
like to be restrained or forced to stay
in one place, as they dislike un-cool
behavior. A British will hold a grudge
if not treated kindly, and may not
forgive until a sincere apology is made.
The British Shorthair has a very easy
going nature, and is considered a
non-destructive, low energy out-put type
cat. Since they are large, they do tend
to make clumsy jumpers so care should be
given to remove priceless objects from
harms way. Protective of family, a
British has been known to sound the
alarm by waking their family when an
intruder was in the house. Understanding
of young children, a British usually
takes the position of being out of
reach, preferring adult companionship.
CFA Breed Standard:
British Shorthair
 GENERAL:
the British Shorthair is compact,
well-balanced and powerful, showing good
depth of body, a full broad chest, short
to medium strong legs, rounded paws,
tail thick at base with a rounded tip.
The head is round with good width
between the ears, round 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. This
breed is slow to mature.
HEAD:
round and massive. Round face with round
underlying bone structure well set on a
short thick neck. The forehead should be
rounded with a slight flat plane on the
top of the head. The forehead should not
slope.
NOSE: medium, broad. In profile
there is a gentle dip.
CHIN: firm, well-developed in
line with the nose and upper lip.
MUZZLE: distinctive,
well-developed, with a definite stop
beyond large, round whisker pads.
 EARS:
ear set is important. 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: large, round, well opened.
Set wide apart and level.
BODY: medium to large, well knit
and powerful. Level back and a deep
broad chest.
LEGS: short to medium, well-boned
and strong. In proportion to the body.
Forelegs are straight.
PAWS: round and firm. Toes: five
in front and four behind.
TAIL: medium length in proportion
to the body, thicker at base, tapering
slightly to a rounded tip.
COAT: short, very dense, well
bodied, resilient and firm to the touch.
Not double coated or woolly.
COLOR: for cats with special
markings: 5 points for coat color and 10
points for markings. Shadow tabby
markings in solid color, smoke, shaded,
shaded golden, bi-color, or calico
kittens are not a fault.
PENALIZE: definite nose stop.
Overlong or light undercoat. Soft coat.
Rangy body. Weak chin.*
DISQUALIFY: incorrect eye color,
green rims in adults. Tail defects. Long
or fluffy coat. Incorrect number of
toes. Locket or button. Improper color
or pigment in nose leather and/or paw
pads in part or total. Any evidence of
illness or poor health. Any evidence of
wryness of jaw, poor dentition
(arrangement of teeth), or malocclusion.
Evidence of hybridization resulting in
the colors chocolate, lavender, the
himalayan pattern, or these combinations
with white.*
*The previously listed penalties and
disqualifications apply to all British
Shorthair cats. Additional penalties and
disqualifications are listed under
colors.
TIDBITS FOR THE
MONTH: When looking into cat
furniture consider cedar. The oils
found in cedar wood posts are appealing
to your cat's sense of smell and contain
a natural insect repellent
Cats and dogs can eat saturated and
unsaturated fats without the risks that
humans are concerned with, such as
clogged arteries, high cholesterol,
coronary artery disease or stroke.
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