The British Shorthair is a beloved breed known for its dense coat, rounded features, and calm temperament. A key aspect of their appeal lies in the vast array of colors and patterns they can exhibit. This guide delves into the detailed breed standard, outlining the specific requirements for a variety of British Shorthair colorations, as well as penalties and disqualifications to help enthusiasts understand what makes a champion in the show ring.
General Breed Standard
The British Shorthair is characterized by its compact, powerful build, showcasing a broad chest, short to medium strong legs, and rounded paws. The head is distinctly round with well-developed whisker pads, firm chin, and large, round eyes. Their coat is a defining feature: short, exceptionally dense, and firm to the touch with a crisp, resilient texture. Both males and females display a robust physique, though females are generally less massive. It is important to note that British Shorthairs mature slowly, reaching their full development between three to five years of age. The breed standard emphasizes balance and proportion, avoiding any exaggerated features that could compromise the cat’s well-being.
Head and Facial Features
The head of a British Shorthair is massive and round, with a rounded facial bone structure. A short, thick neck supports this prominent head. The forehead should be rounded, with a slight, mandatory flat plane on top, and should not slope. In profile, the nose should exhibit a gentle dip without a discernible stop or break. The muzzle is well-developed and distinctive, featuring prominent, round whisker pads that do not droop. Ears are medium-sized, broad at the base, and rounded at the tips, set far apart to complement the head’s contour. Eyes are large, round, and set wide apart, contributing to the breed’s sweet expression.
Body, Legs, Paws, and Tail
The body of the British Shorthair is medium to large, powerfully built, and well-knit, with a level back and a deep, broad chest. The legs are short to medium in length, in proportion to the body, and well-boned and strong, appearing straight without any signs of foreshortening. Paws are round and firm, with five toes on the front and four on the hind. The tail is of medium length, proportional to the body, thicker at the base, and tapers slightly to a rounded tip.
Coat and Color Standards
The coat is a hallmark of the breed, being short, very dense, and firm to the touch with a crisp, resilient texture. It should not be double-coated or woolly, and when pushed against the grain, it should readily return to its natural position.
Color is a complex and crucial aspect of the British Shorthair standard. Points are awarded for coat color and, in some cases, specific markings.
Solid Pattern Colors
- White: Pure white is required, with no yellow tipping. Eye color can be deep sapphire blue, gold, or copper. Odd-eyed whites with one sapphire blue and one gold eye are also accepted. Nose leather and paw pads should be pink.
- Black: A jet black color, free from any rusty tinge or white hairs, is desired. Black nose leather and black or brown paw pads are standard. Eyes should be gold or copper, with no trace of green.
- Blue: A sound, level shade of blue is preferred. Blue nose leather and paw pads are required, with gold or copper eyes.
- Red: A deep, brilliant, level red, sound to the roots, with no white hairs, is the standard. Nose leather and paw pads should be brick red, and eyes gold or copper. Heavy tabby markings are a disqualification.
- Cream: A rich cream, with lighter shades preferred and sound to the roots, is the ideal. Tabby markings are acceptable in cats under five years old. Cream nose leather and paw pads are standard, with gold or copper eyes.
- Chocolate: A rich, warm chocolate-brown, sound from roots to tip. Brown nose leather and cinnamon-pink paw pads are required, with gold or copper eyes.
- Lilac: A rich, warm lavender with a pinkish tone, sound and even throughout. Lavender-pink nose leather and paw pads, with gold or copper eyes, are standard.
Shaded/Chinchilla Pattern Colors
These patterns involve color being restricted to the ends of the hairs, with a lighter undercoat.
- Shaded Silver: The undercoat is white or pale silver, with the color tipping approximately one-third of the hair length. The tipping should be evenly distributed.
- Chinchilla Silver: Similar to shaded silver, but the color tipping is much shorter, about one-eighth of the hair length, resulting in a lighter overall appearance.
- Shaded Golden: The undercoat is a rich warm cream, with color tipping on the ends of the hairs. The tipping may be of any recognized solid, tortoiseshell, or blue-cream color.
- Chinchilla Golden: Similar to shaded golden, but with shorter tipping, making the cat appear lighter overall.
- Silver (Black Silver): Pure white undercoat tipped with black. Eye and nose rims are outlined in black, with brick-red nose leather and black paw pads. Eye color is green or blue-green.
- Various other silver and golden variations exist, including Blue Silver, Cream Silver, Red Silver, and their tortoiseshell and blue-cream counterparts, each with specific undercoat and tipping requirements.
Smoke Pattern Colors
In smoke patterns, the cat appears to be of the specified color when in repose, but the undercoat becomes apparent in motion, showing maximum contrast. Accepted smoke colors include Black Smoke, Blue Smoke, Red Smoke, Cream Smoke, and their variations.
Tabby Pattern Colors
Tabby patterns are categorized into Classic, Mackerel, and Spotted, each with distinct marking requirements.
- Classic Tabby: Features dense, broad, and clearly defined markings. A characteristic “M” on the forehead and swirling patterns on the cheeks are notable.
- Mackerel Tabby: Characterized by narrow, parallel pencillings running down the sides.
- Spotted Tabby: Distinguished by clear, distinct spots, which can be round, oblong, or rosette-shaped.
Within these patterns, various color combinations exist, such as Silver Tabby, Brown Tabby, Blue Tabby, Red Tabby, and their patched and silver variations. For example, Brown Tabby has a brilliant coppery-brown ground color with dense black markings.
Parti-Color Pattern Colors
- Tortoiseshell: A mix of black and rich red, softly mingled rather than patched.
- Chocolate Tortoiseshell: Rich chocolate brown with patches of red.
- Blue-Cream: A soft mingling of blue and cream.
- Lilac-Cream: Lavender with patches of cream.
Calico and Bi-Color Pattern Colors
These patterns involve white in combination with other colors.
- Bi-Color: Features white with a solid pattern color, with white preferred on the feet, legs, undersides, chest, and muzzle.
- Van Bi-Color: A white cat with color confined to the extremities (head, tail, and legs).
- Calico: White with unbrindled patches of black and red.
- Dilute Calico: White with unbrindled patches of blue and cream.
- Chocolate Calico / Lilac Calico: Tri-color combinations involving chocolate or lilac, cream or red, and white.
Specific requirements extend to patched tabby and white combinations, as well as smoke and white, ensuring a wide spectrum of visually striking British Shorthairs.
Penalties and Disqualifications
The breed standard outlines specific penalties and disqualifications to maintain the breed’s integrity. Penalties are given for minor deviations, such as an overlong or fluffy coat, a soft coat lacking resiliency, or a weak chin. Disqualifications are for more serious faults, including a definite nose stop, incorrect eye color, tail defects, incorrect number of toes, or any evidence of illness or genetic abnormalities like hybridization or the CORIN gene. These strict guidelines ensure that the British Shorthair remains a healthy, well-proportioned, and distinctive breed.
