British Shorthair cat

The British Shorthair cat is a breed of shorthaired cat developed in England. They are the equivalent of the American Shorthair cat, but due to their selective breeding, they are an entirely different shape.

It has a very dense soft coat, and large round copper eyes. The body is large, rounded and well formed--the males weighing in at about 14 lbs. These cats can be any colour, but 'blue' (a light blueish grey) is common enough to have a name of its own - the 'British Blue'.

The cat has a seeming perpetual smile on its face; Lewis Carroll chose the British Shorthair as the model for his Cheshire cat in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

They are an even-tempered breed not given to cuddling but prefer to sit beside their owner, yet are affectionate in their own way.

British shorthair cats were crossbred with persian cats to create the Exotic cat.