british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Looking for a British Shorthair kitten or cat in Guelph, Ontario? britishkitten.ca can help you find an adorable British Shorthair near you.
The British Shorthair is a compact, well-balanced, and powerful cat, with a short, very dense coat.
They often convey an overall impression of balance and proportion in which no feature is exaggerated.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Personality
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
If you’re looking for a cat that will loot your refrigerator and swing dizzily from your chandeliers, then the British Shorthair is not for you.
Some say the British Shorthair is the perfect household companion if you like a breed that’s undemanding, not always underfoot or in your face. British Shorthairs like to keep a low profile;
they are affectionate but not clingy, playful but not overactive.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
They are quiet, even-tempered, and undemanding with a bit of typical British reticence, particularly when they’re first introduced.
When they get over their initial reserve, however, they become extremely faithful companions.
British Shorthair need love and attention if they are to become the loyal, loving companions they can be; the more attention and affection you give them, the more they will repay you in kind.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Once they get to know and trust you, British Shorthair are confident and devoted, and enjoy following you from room to room to keep an eye on your activities.
They are calm, quiet companions, appreciating quality time without demanding your total attention.
British Shorthair can make great apartment cats, being alert and playful without being hyper or destructive.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
British Shorthairs tend to show their loyalty to the entire family rather than select one person with whom to bond.
They tend to be more independent than many breeds and usually adapt well to most situations.
British Shorthairs tend not to be vocal cats; they make tiny squeaking sounds rather than meows, which is quite humorous coming from those burly bodies.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
They make up for it by some of the loudest purring you’ve ever heard; British Shorthairs are often known for their motor boat type purrs. One thing Brits are not, however, is lap cats.
They’d much rather sit beside you, or curl up at your feet, than cuddle on your lap.
British Shorthairs dislike being picked up, and tolerate it with legs stiffly stretched out to push you away.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
They detest being kissed, too, but head presses are acceptable, and they accept petting with great enthusiasm and mighty purrs of appreciation.
They get along with other animals in the home, including dogs as long as the proper introductions are made.
British Shorthairs are at their very best with children, and children love these plush smiling friends.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
History
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
The British Shorthair is native to Great Britain in the same way that the American Shorthair is native to America—long ago it was transported there from somewhere else.
However, the progenitor of the Brit, as it’s affectionately called, is probably Great Britain’s oldest natural breed of cat, and was roaming around Great Britain for centuries before its cousin journeyed to the New World.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
In many ways, the British Shorthair’s struggle for recognition resembles the American Shorthair’s in North America.
Both began as working cats and weren’t appreciated as the special breeds they are for many years.
The British Shorthair originated from a common street cat once called the European Shorthair.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
This breed, whose appearance is much different from the Brits you’ll see today, came to Great Britain some 2,000 years ago, courtesy of the Roman Empire.
As they conquered and colonized other lands, the Romans brought cats along with them to protect their homes from rodents.
These cats had been obtained from the Egyptians, who were very tight-pawed with their treasured felines.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Eventually, however, Phoenician caravans transported them along trade routes, and Roman armies smuggled them out of Egypt and carried them along to many lands.
Although the Phoenicians first introduced cats to England, the Romans were most likely responsible for their widespread establishment when Rome invaded the British Isles.
Eventually, the Romans were driven from the Isles, but the cats they had brought with them remained.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
The cats left behind didn’t look like today’s British Shorthair.
Lithe with long, elegant bones, these cats were sandy brown or yellow-gray in color, with ticked coats like the Abyssinian and tabby markings on their face, legs, and tail.
They were probably members of, or closely related to, the African wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica, the progenitor of all domestic cats.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
After arriving in Europe, however, they mixed with the European wildcat, Felis silvestris silvestris, a local wildcat subspecies inhabiting most of Europe.
This caused a shift in both coat and body style, since the European wildcat has a broad head, small wide-set ears, a sturdy, muscular body, and short, thick fur.
Some European wildcats bear the mackerel tabby pattern;
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
this common tabby pattern found today in so many breeds and mixed-bred cats may have arisen from the European wildcat.
Because of the colder and wetter conditions, the cats in Europe developed stocky, muscular body styles and thicker, water-repelling coats that were favorable to the climate.
For hundreds of years, these cats earned their livings protecting from rodents in Great Britain’s barns, granaries, alleys, gardens, and households.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
From these working cats, the British Shorthair developed into a stalwart, substantial breed.
In the 1800s, residents started to appreciate these hardy alley cats for their beauty, strength, personality, and their value as companions.
Blue British Shorthairs, at first simply called “Shorthairs,” were favorites of cat enthusiast Harrison Weir. Mr. Weir was instrumental in getting the British Shorthair recognized as a breed in its own right.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
While they became popular for some time there after, just before the turn of the century, longhaired exotics caught people’s eye and British Shorthairs declined in popularity.
Nevertheless, British Shorthairs held their own until the chaos of World War II decimated the breed, along with most other European breeds as well.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
After the war, efforts were dedicated to preserving the British Shorthair breed.
It took many generations to bring the breed back to their former glory, but eventually they prevailed.
Americans took little notice of the British Shorthair until the 1960s.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
In 1970, ACFA recognized the breed for championship in only one color—solid blue—and under the now obsolete name “British Blue.”
Blue was, and still is, the most common color both here and in Great Britain.
The breed slowly earned supporters, and between 1970 and 1980 British Shorthairs were officially recognized in all the many colors of the breed.
Today, the British Shorthair has an active following.
In Great Britain, the breed also has many fans.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Physical Attributes
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
BODY
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Medium to large, well-knit, and powerful. Level back and a deep broad chest.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
HEAD
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Round and massive. Round face with round underlying bone structure well set on short thick neck.
Forehead is often rounded with slight flat plane on top of head.
Nose is medium, broad. In profile there is a gentle dip.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Chin is firm, well-developed in line with nose and upper lip.
Muzzle is distinctive, well-developed, with definite stop beyond large, round whisker pads.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
EARS
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Medium in size, broad at the base, rounded at the tips.
Set far apart, fitting into rounded contour of the head.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
EYES
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Large, round, well opened. Set wide apart and level. Eye color depends upon coat color.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
LEGS & PAWS
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Legs short to medium, well-boned, and strong.
In proportion to the body.
Forelegs are straight.
Paws round and firm. Toes five in front
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
TAIL
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Medium length in proportion to the body, thicker at base, tapering slightly to a rounded tip.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
COAT
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Short, very dense, well bodied and firm to the touch.
Not double coated or woolly.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
COLOR
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Any other color or pattern with the exception of those showing evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or these combinations with white.
british shorthair kittens for sale in Ontario
Our Mission
britishkitten.ca is dedicated to unite people and families with this amazing breed.
British shorthair are highly intelligent, very loving, gentle and in our opinion, a great addition to any family.
Generally the breed are known as easy going teddy bears, and love interaction with people and other animals.
They have extremely soft fur that is lush, thick and full.
They are usually interested in what you are doing as they love to be near you and are highly inquisitive.
We here at britishkitten.ca feel rewarded when families get to know the breed as we have.
As a breeder there is nothing better than seeing pictures of kittens bred at britishkitten.ca growing with their new families.
It’s a great feeling when the new families rant and rave to us about how social and loving our kittens are.
These beautiful and gentle cats stole our hearts and we are sure they will steal yours as well.
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