Getting to Know Shorthair Cats: Types, Characteristics, History and More

Getting to Know Shorthair Cats: Types, Characteristics, History and More

Today, more and more folks, especially young urbanites hustling in the city, often feel a bit lonely after a long day at work. Urban life has its perks, but it can also leave us feeling a bit disconnected. Taking advantage of this gap, pet cats are capturing more attention. For busy professionals, having a cat at home can bring joy without the hassle of daily walks. So, let's explore a few breeds of shorthair cats for your consideration.

The British Shorthair cat is a favorite among cat lovers. With its round face, muscular build, and velvety short coat, it exudes an air of pride and dignity. Their round, big eyes come in various colors like gold and orange, giving them a regal look. Coupled with their independent personalities, they have cat enthusiasts swooning. Despite their coat coming in various colors like black, cream, and tabby, the most famous and popular in cat shows is the blue British Shorthair. In fact, it's so common in competitions that it's often referred to as the British Blue cat.

The popularity of this breed soared, becoming a media darling. Much of this acclaim can be attributed to Lewis Carroll, the renowned British mathematician, photographer, and author of the beloved fairy tale "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," published in 1865. Carroll created the character of the Cheshire Cat, based on the British Shorthair, and later, in 1871, penned "Through the Looking-Glass." These two fairy tales quickly became global sensations, translated into numerous languages, and propelled the fame of the British Shorthair. As for why Carroll named it the Cheshire Cat, it's said to have been inspired by the British saying "grin like a Cheshire cat." The origin of this saying is debated, with various theories, including one suggesting that Cheshire was known for a type of cheese that resembled a smiling cat, while another theory involves a local nobleman whose coat of arms featured a lion that looked more like a grinning cat due to poor craftsmanship. The final theory involves a local woodsman named Caterling, known for his unattractive appearance, who was nicknamed the Cheshire Cat.

The British Shorthair has a long-standing relationship with humans, being one of the oldest recognizable breeds. Its roots can be traced back to around the 2nd century when the ancient Roman Empire invaded the British Isles, bringing these cats to eliminate rodents in their settlements. These cats later interbred with local wildcats, evolving into descendants with distinct muscular physiques and short, dense fur, better suited to the island's environment. Since then, their appearance has remained largely unchanged.

By the 19th century, efforts were made in Britain to establish the British Shorthair as a domestic breed, with a focus on breeding an unusual blue-gray variant known as the "British Blue," to distinguish it from the Russian Blue, which had relatively slender bones and weaker muscles. One individual who made significant contributions to this endeavor was the renowned British artist Harrison Weir, hailed as the "Father of the Cat Fancy." In 1871, the first cat show organized by him in London's Crystal Palace showcased the British Shorthair, garnering public attention.

Unfortunately, the good times didn't last. By the late 19th century, the introduction of long-haired breeds like the Persian cat led to the decline of the British Shorthair's popularity. During World War I, British Blue cats became extremely rare, nearing extinction. To preserve the breed, breeders resorted to crossbreeding the remaining British Shorthairs with Persian cats, inadvertently giving rise to the British Longhair. By the time World War II rolled around, the relentless war effort pushed British Shorthairs to the brink of extinction once again. To save the breed, the already crossbred British Shorthairs were bred with Russian Blues, Persians, and other shorthair cats. After the war, as people had more time and energy to sort through and identify cat breeds, the British Blue cat had been mixed with countless bloodlines. To standardize the breed, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), one of the two most authoritative cat organizations alongside the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA), decided to only accept third-generation offspring of British Shorthairs crossed with Persian cats. It wasn't until the 1970s, after years of breeding and stabilizing the genes, that the British Blue cat finally gained recognition from major cat organizations worldwide, including the CFA.

Compared to most cats, British Shorthairs have a relatively slow development, taking about three years from birth to maturity. Their fur is dense and lacks an undercoat. Although there are now many colors available, such as red, cream, gold, and the trendy light brown, none can shake the dominance of the blue coat. Despite their sturdy build and adorable fluffiness, caregivers should note that British Shorthairs are relatively sedentary as adults. They're a bit lazy by nature, so if their diet isn't monitored, they can easily become overweight, which directly affects their health. Since they're not naturally inclined to exercise, it's essential to control their food intake appropriately.

British Shorthairs have a very gentle temperament, preferring peace and quiet over playful antics like many other breeds. They're smart enough to understand their owners, loyal, and patient. However, it's worth mentioning that despite tolerating physical contact, these independent cats don't enjoy being held for long periods. If you're looking for a cat that enjoys frequent cuddles, the British Shorthair may not be the best fit.

As life for these early settlers gradually stabilized, the descendants of these shorthaired cats brought across the ocean began to be kept as pets. Their popularity increased as their range of ownership expanded. At this point, people felt they needed an exclusive name to distinguish them from other shorthair breeds. So, in 1906, these cats were first named Domestic Shorthairs. However, even by today's standards, this name lacks uniqueness—"shorthair" and "domestic cat" can apply to many breeds, making it a typical "generic" name. Speaking of catchy and pleasing names, since the adoption of this name, the popularity of these shorthaired cats began to decline rapidly. Perhaps it was due to the vanity of the caregivers, but it's also human nature. Sixty years later, someone finally realized this and, in 1966, they were finally renamed American Shorthairs. This was not just a simple renaming; it also declared the privilege of "American"—not every shorthaired cat is called an American Shorthair. It not only reinforced the geographical fact but also established it as a separate breed with exclusive criteria.

Unlike the British Shorthair's big round face, the American Shorthair has a round face with a pointed chin. Also, unlike the British Blue, which mostly has one coat color, the American Shorthair's spotted coat pattern is more common, especially represented by the silver tabby. Their bright eyes are not as compact, giving them a slightly more distant look.

The American Shorthair is known for its calm demeanor and gentle temperament, yet it's also lively, intelligent, and obedient. They enjoy close contact with their owners and don't show fear or avoidance towards strangers. They get along peacefully with other pets in the household, including dogs, and can be great companions for kids. Despite not being overly athletic, they inherited robust genes from their ancestors, which keep them generally healthy. They still retain their strong hunting instincts, making them perfectly capable of keeping rodents at bay. With proper care, they can live up to 15 years or even longer, making them a great choice for cat lovers with yards to roam in.

Besides the British Shorthair, there's another feline on the European block with a grander name—the European Shorthair. Originating from Finland and Sweden, this breed was considered the common village cat native to European villages and also referred to as the Celtic Shorthair.

Before being recognized as a distinct breed, the European Shorthair and the British Shorthair were once considered part of the same group for some time. Even when they participated in cat shows together, they weren't distinguished from each other. This was because the British Shorthair also played a role similar to that of the local house cat at that time. From an evolutionary perspective, before human intervention, all cats' forms evolved naturally, unconstrained by any conditions, and their offspring were the result of mutual affection. Later, with human involvement, the British Shorthair was crossbred with Persian cats, purposefully producing some offspring with round faces, short noses, and thick coats. People then referred to these offspring, with a slightly different appearance from their ancestors, as the European Shorthair. This offhand name left the original European Shorthairs in a bit of a quandary—who was the real deal, and who was the "imposter"?

To provide some clarity, in 1982, FIFe (the largest pedigree registration association in Europe) officially defined the native Scandinavian Shorthair cats as European Shorthairs and registered them as such. This finally gave them a proper designation—regardless of how much other cats might resemble them, they are an independent breed and shouldn't be lumped together simply because of their similar appearance.

However, the awkward truth is, despite the European Shorthair having mature criteria for fur color, body type, and other attributes established by this authoritative organization, there aren't many institutions worldwide that recognize its identity. It's like graduating from school, holding a diploma, and hunting for a job worldwide. Although that piece of paper is indeed acknowledged by some countries, even symbolizing a high level of education, in other countries, it might not hold much weight.

The current situation for the European Shorthair is somewhat like this. Due to its significant similarities with the British Shorthair and the American Shorthair, in today's emphasis on individuality and differentiation, they haven't received much favor from breeders and owners internationally. Therefore, they might be immensely popular among locals in Europe but appear somewhat overlooked on a global scale. Nevertheless, it's heartening to know that their enthusiasts haven't given up on them. The work of breed improvement continues to this day, and with the unwavering efforts of breeders, the future of the European Shorthair is promising.

From a personal perspective, despite its resemblance to other short-haired cats, a closer comparison reveals that the European Shorthair has a more slender body type. It's nothing like the laid-back demeanor of the British Blue, giving off a more agile and nimble impression. Their appearance is harmonious, with no single feature exaggerated or diminished, well-developed muscles, and a moderate physique. Moreover, upon interacting with them, you'll notice that, compared to the British Blue's aloofness, the European Shorthair is intelligent, lively, and playful. Though territorial, they're friendly to people of all ages. Leveraging their excellent hunting instincts, they naturally excel at keeping rodents at bay. All in all, they're perfect for household companionship.

There's another breed born in the late 1950s. If you have some knowledge of cat breeds, you can tell from its appearance that this short-haired cat bears a striking resemblance to the Persian cat. Its birth was a result of people desiring a short-haired cat with Persian-like characteristics that was easier to care for. Hence, breeders at the time attempted to crossbreed American Shorthairs with Persians. Consequently, these hybrid offspring can be seen as a short-haired version of the Persian cat.

However, this breeding method driven by people's selfish desires has faced strong opposition from many breeders, who believe it goes against the laws of nature. Some extremists even protest this practice as "damaging the purebred Persian cat lineage" (Can you believe it? Discrimination in the cat world?). They label this behavior as "crossbreeding." Perhaps influenced by this, as a brand-new breed, it should have garnered significant attention driven by curiosity. However, at its initial cat shows, its popularity was vastly different from what was expected and didn't receive much attention or praise.

Strictly speaking, cats of different breeds still belong to the same species from a biological perspective. This differs from crossing species in nature. In fact, many domesticated animal breeds today result from such crossbreeding of different breeds. But in the world of pet breeding, especially concerning pedigrees, this short-haired cat inevitably faces discrimination.

One might say "perseverance pays off." The breeders who had cultivated this short-haired cat weren't willing to let their efforts go to waste. Perhaps out of a passion exceeding that of ordinary people, or perhaps because they genuinely saw the market potential hidden in crossbreeding Persians with American Shorthairs, an American named Jane Martin tirelessly worked among the cat breeding community, using persistence and determination to persuade them one by one to recognize the breed. Whether the experts eventually genuinely accepted it or simply wanted peace of mind, regardless of the truth, the ultimate result was that in 1966, the Shorthair was finally recognized by the CFA, and in 1986, FIFe also included it in its certified range.

One might speculate that the panel of judges at the time might have been swayed by this woman's determined spirit and reluctantly accepted these short-haired cats as a separate breed. Why do I say this? Because the Shorthair had some less glamorous nicknames at the time, such as being called "lazy Persian cats." You see, purebred Persian cats are known as the "kings of cats" and have incredibly high popularity, one of their characteristics being their long, thick fur. Regarding this, perhaps we naturally have an ingrained aesthetic preference—if it deviates from the norm, it's wrong, it's ugly.

Returning to the Shorthair, in appearance, aside from differences in fur length, they actually share many similarities with Persian cats, and some physical features even surpass those of Persians. For example, they have a sturdy physique like Persian cats, rich fur colors, short and sturdy limbs, large, round eyes that seem to convey a sense of surprise and curiosity, a short and wide nose on their chubby round faces, exuding a soft and adorable aura. Their biggest advantage is that their shorter fur doesn't require expensive grooming and meticulous care like Persian cats do. Being clean animals, they can completely groom themselves without the help of their owners, making them very suitable for busy working professionals to raise. Cat owners only need to return home after work and use a brush to groom them and remove loose fur; no additional care is required.

The Shorthair inherits the gentle and calm temperament of Persian cats. Although curious and playful, they also have a stronger sense of dependence on their owners and loyalty. They don't like being alone in the house. Unlike British Shorthairs, most Shorthairs enjoy being held and petted by people. These sleepyheads often choose to nap on their owners' laps, making them very suitable pets for urban life.

As people's minds have become more open, and thanks to their excellent performance, the Shorthair's popularity has soared. Especially after becoming the protagonist of an animated series, it became a global sensation. By now, many of you might have already guessed who I'm referring to—the famous Garfield cat. This animated TV series first appeared in 1982 and was a huge success upon release. It spawned an animated series, with the protagonist Garfield becoming an "international superstar".

The prototype of Garfield is actually an orange tabby Shorthair, just like Mickey Mouse, underwent artistic changes in both appearance and behavior from the early days to the later years, transitioning from walking on all fours to a more anthropomorphic upright walk. Apart from serving the plot and animation design, this pretty much aligns with the nature of Shorthairs—eating, sleeping, and being mischievous and playful.

The well-known short-haired cats produced in the UK and the US offer cat enthusiasts a variety of options. Of course, there are more than just these four breeds of short-haired cats. Before adopting a pet, all you cat owners out there should consider your own conditions and needs, and find a furry companion that's just right for you.