About British Shorthairs
			Personality 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 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 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.
		History The British Shorthair has a rags to riches history. Descended from the cats introduced into England during the Roman times the breed had centuries of "living rough" alongside man rather than with him which produced a line of strong, self-sufficient, hardy cats. The British Shorthair is valued for its calm demeanor, endurance and loyalty to man.   Nineteenth century author and artist, Harrison Weir, so admired these cats natural sturdiness and intelligence that he started selectively breeding the most outstanding specimens he could find and developed them into a breed. The British Shorthair is indeed a sturdy, compact looking cat. It has a massive round head and a deep-chested, cobby body with a coat unique to its breed-short, dense, plush and "crisp", not soft to the touch. Because of its dense coat, the British Shorthair is exceptionally hardy and resistant to cold and has a stamina born of countless generations of life in all kinds of weather. One of its distinctions is in the wide range of beautiful coat colourings – anything from traditional solids to tabby, tortoiseshell, bi-colours, tri-colours and new colours such as lilac, colour points and chocolate. Of all these, blue and silvertabby has remained the favourite throughout the years.