If you’re interested in keeping a British Shorthair Cat as pet for the family, it’s important to understand its personality, temperaments, and even emotional wiring.
This is an all-important step to take to keep your feline friend smart, healthy, and live for longer.
Should you keep one British shorthair or multiple?
Do British Shorthair cats need companionship?
The British Shorthair cats prefer the companionship of two or more cats. Two BSH cats can drive the social instincts in each other and stay entertained all day, as well as offer support and stimulation when their human owners go to work or travels — and aren’t available to pet or play with them.
Raising a British shorthair cat
Most cat lovers probably think that any British Shorthair cat is automatically a companion.
BSH cats have the sweetest personalities, the most devoted to their owners, and are famous for their loyalty.
In fact, they have such a strong bond with their human companions that some believe only a dog can have a similar relationship.
However, unlike dogs, cats are not naturally used to be pets and need a great deal of attention and care to be well-trained.
As well as being a great companion, a British Shorthair cat may also be one of the most intelligent household pets.
Although they originated in Britain, cats from all over the world now have a British gene in their DNA.
This makes them somewhat immune to the popular American ‘de-sexing’ practice which is when neutering or spaying is performed to reduce the chances of breeding two females with each other.
Under the right circumstances, however, male cats can still mate with female cats and produce fertile kittens.
If you already own two cats, you will probably know how difficult it can be to house train a tomcat, particularly if they have been indoor cats.
As well as needing several cat toys to play with and to chase around, they also require a litter box in which to live.
If you have a large home with a large yard, or a fenced in outdoor area, then you could consider introducing a stray or a non-breed cat into your family.
However, it is best to introduce a new cat to an elderly or overweight pet first, as overweight cats who are in poor health are more susceptible to illness and disease.
Even elderly or overweight cats who do not possess any diseases can develop eye conditions or suffer with arthritis, so a companion cat would make for a good long-term pet.
Some shorthairs have even learned to provide companionship for those with disabilities, or are purebred pets who are perfect for elderly humans who need help walking, but who do not wish to have a full-size cat with them.
Cats of any breed can develop behavioral problems, and this includes a tendency to claw furniture, soil carpets, scratch doors, and windows, and generally be rather destructive.
This can be exacerbated by a lack of companionship, so a second cat to watch over your pet may seem like an ideal solution.
It should be remembered however, that felines do not get along well with each other. If two queens get too close to each other, then the result can be a litter of kittens.
While some kittens are born with the ability to bond with their mother, it takes a year or so for this to occur, and it can only happen during the mating season.
Socializing your cat
Socializing cats to keep them from being aggressive towards each other, as well as keeping them from fighting each other when they do get along can also be done through training.
Training a tomcat will teach him not to claw because it makes them feel powerful, and it teaches them not to soil their beds and suchlike because it makes them feel guilty.
The tomcat is highly intelligent and alert, and can be trained to use a litterbox and other tricks. It is important however, to do this correctly.
British short haired felines can be quite demanding and need an experienced owner who is willing to spend time training them, as well as taking care of all the little details.
They are quite noisy and need to be tamed and kept in lines at the park, but they make wonderful pets.
A British shorthair can live up to 30 years in captivity. Most live up to twelve and are quite robust.
Though it is not recommended that British shorthairs be left alone in the house, they make very good companions when they are let out.
How many British shorthair cats to keep as pet?
For many pet owners, keeping a cat is a dream come true, but unfortunately there is not a single specie of feline that can’t actually be kept as a pet.
While the Siamese is the most popular breed among felines, British Blue cats are also very pretty and can make fabulous pets.
These cats have white markings on their belly that can vary from a lighter blue to a bluish gray color depending on the lighting of the environment.
The British Blue is also one of the rarest breeds, only being found in a few areas of Britain and usually being bred in captivity.
If you have an interest in owning one of these adorable cats then it is important to know just how many Birmans there are in the world and how hard the breeder will work to ensure that each and every kitten is properly cared for.
There are several different things that determine the number of British Blue cats that a particular breeder has available.
One of these is the level of care that is provided to the animals. Another is the amount of space that they are allowed to roam in.
Then there are the parents of the kittens, as well as the age of the kittens as well as their activity level.
All of these things play a role in determining how many kittens a breeder will have available for sale.
The number one factor in deciding how many British shorthair cats to keep as pets is the shelter or rescue that the mother cat receives.
Each shelter or rescue will provide a specific quota on how many kittens that they will be accepting.
You will need to contact the shelters in your area and inquire about the kitten’s chances of being adopted.
Most shelters and rescues will have a specific preference on the sex of the kitten as well, which will influence how many British shorthair cats they will accept, as the mother cat will become pregnant once she reaches a certain age.
Another thing that will play a part in determining how many British shorthair cats keep as pets is the size of the yard where the mother cat resides.
If you are trying to raise a purebred British kitten, you may not want to allow the mother cat to roam free in an open area of your yard.
The mother cat will have a tendency to try to locate her kittens and will begin to eliminate in these areas.
If you plan on keeping a purebred British kitten, you will want to build a fenced in area for him or her to live in.
If you are considering adopting a kitten from a British cat owner, you will want to ask them how many British cats they currently have.
It’s possible that a new owner might not be completely familiar with all of the different breeds of British shorthair.
In this case, it would be beneficial to let the new owner know what type of cat you are looking for.
If you already know the type of breed you are looking for, you can narrow down your search by telling the owner that type of British cat you are looking for.
If you aren’t sure what type of British cat you are looking for, you will want to tell the owner all about your preferences so that they can match your specifications to the perfect British kitten.
Once you find the cat that meets your requirements, you will be able to adopt him or her.
When you are considering how many British cats to keep as pets, you should remember that they have varying amounts of energy.
Kittens can get very energetic and, because they will quickly become very good at hunting, you will want to make sure that you don’t get too many.
Your new kitten will need lots of attention and his or her time spent outdoors should be carefully monitored, but most cats with this kind of temperament are good candidates for a home with another adult cat.
How to care for a british shorthair cat
When considering the pros and cons of owning a British Shorthair cat, you might wonder what makes this breed so different from other cats.
The short coat of the British Shorthair is an important consideration in determining the type of care that will be required for the animal.
Unlike some breeds, a British Shorthair’s hair can remain smooth and curly, even at an advanced age.
This unique trait makes the Shorthairs among the easiest of all breeds, to care for, making them great pets for those with moderate grooming needs.
Even with daily brushing and clips, a properly groomed British Shorthair cat will seldom need professional treatment.
The hair on this breed is extremely silky and shiny, not the sort of hair that needs frequent trimming or cleaning. It’s this sleek appearance that makes the Shorthairs so appealing to many owners.
They are often mistaken for long haired cats due to their close resemblance to the American ShortHair.
However, a close inspection of the shorthairs reveals that they are no longer born with the tufted “C” of the American Short-Hair.
A well cared for British Shorthair cat should have minimal health problems.
Though this breed does have slightly higher chances of developing cataracts as compared to others, most of these problems are mild and easily correctable.
Ear infections are very rare in this breed, and their teeth do not require special attention to maintain clean teeth.
It’s best to brush your cat each day, using a firm-hair brush with soft bristles, to reduce hair shedding and eventual matting of the fur.
Providing a steady diet is an essential part of caring for your British Shorthair cat.
Their coats tend to lack shine and luster, but a balanced diet rich in vitamins A and C, and combined with regular grooming will help them retain all their beautiful attributes.
Cats who are regularly brushed can in time regain their natural lustrous coat.
Groom your British Shorthair cat daily
Grooming must be done daily, and new hair should not be brushed too close to the skin. Hair that falls into the face and eyes should also not be brushed too close to the face, as this leads to clogging of the pores.
An occasional combing through the hair is necessary to remove matting.
Although kittens tend to have longer hair than adult cats, this should not be a cause for concern. A good combing with a fine-toothed comb should remove all loose hair.
Older cats who suffer from matting need to be shampooed with an anti-frizz or anti-mild hairbrush and the hair checked thoroughly for matting. Sometimes matting can be the cause of hair loss, so any such signs should be addressed and prevented.
A well-groomed coat will help them look their most attractive and will help to keep them warm in the winter months. The coat should be kept clean by combing it regularly.
Conclusion
Caring for a British shorthair cat will involve grooming, although this does need to be done on a regular basis.
In addition, it is important to give the cat a wide variety of food and water dishes to allow them to have the best of both worlds.
All these aspects of how to care for a British shorthair cat will help them live a long, healthy life.