British Shorthair vs. Jamie

Dear Diary,

I always wanted a fluffy cat breed.

However, I wasn’t quite sure about a long-haired cat.

They are gorgeous, don’t get me wrong, but there’s also some work involved. You need to brush them regularly, and they shed a lot.

So, I was quite pleased when I discovered the British Shorthair.

Some also call them the teddy bear cat, for a reason. Their coat is sooo soft. I love to bury my face in it.

I had found the perfect breed.

But what are the characteristics of a British Shorthair, and do they compare to Jamie?

British Shorthair Overview

Weight: About 4 to 9 kg, with males slightly larger

Coat: short hair but very dense (fluffy!), velvet-like

Coat colours: including white, black, blue, red, cinnamon, fawn, cream, smoke, silver, and golden

Coat patterns: classic tabby, tortoiseshell, calico, cameo, and bicolour

Body: muscular, short, thick neck, powerful limbs

Head: round, rounded cheeks

British Shorthair History

The British Shorthair is possibly the oldest cat breed in Great Britain. Origins can be traced back to Ancient Rome.

The breed started off as a ‘generic’ short-haired street cat and was crossed with Russian Blue and Persians to get its distinctive appearance.

The breed is also often referred to as British Blue, as blue is the most common coat colour. I always wanted a blue one, well, until I fell in love with wee Jamie.

Did you know that the British Shorthair inspired Lewis Carroll's famous CheshireCat in Alice in Wonderland?

British Shorthair personality

High:

• Affectionate

• Pet-friendly

• Intelligence

Medium:

• Friendliness

• Exercise needs

• Playfulness

• Energy levels

• Amount of shedding

Low:

• Vocalisation

3) British Shorthair vs. Jamie

1) Affectionate

Jamie loves a cuddle, and he always purrs lovingly. Whenever I sit down, it usually doesn’t take long for him to be on my lap.

It is said that British Shorthairs don’t like to be carried around or held. I wouldn’t say that’s true of Jamie. He does it on his terms, of course, but in general, he doesn’t mind. He sometimes even demands to be picked up and carried around like a baby.

2) Intelligence

Well… you know the saying, he got the looks. So, when it comes to his grips, Jamie probably isn’t the brightest of them all. Some cats are able to open doors and perform tricks, but not Jamie.

3) Playfulness

Jamie has to be in the mood; some days he’s more playful than others.

He can get hyper-focused on one item, though, just for a while before losing interest again. Which is great, as he constantly re-discovers old toys and I don’t have to buy new ones.

4) Vocalisation

Jamie meows a fair amount, especially around feeding times, like most cats.

He tries to communicate with me, sometimes more successfully than others. But over the years, I got better at distinguishing his different types of meows.

He also has the annoying habit of meowing when I go to bed. Maybe his way of saying goodnight, or him simply bored.

5) Looks

Jamie is quite small and light for a British Shorthair. His mum was tiny, so I guess that’s why.

He also doens’t have the typical chubby face lots of males have. When I tell people what breed he is, they are usually surprised.

When it comes to his coat colour, it’s also rather rare. I would say he is a lynx point.

But the one thing most people adore is his blue eyes, which are just stunning.

So, is Jamie a stereotypical British Shorthair? I’d say not so much. He is indeed very special.