| British Longhair | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Great Britain |
| Breed standard | |
| TICA | standard |
| Domestic cat (Felis catus) | |
The British Longhair, is a medium size, long hair domestic cat breed, originating in Great Britain.
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The rationale for this breed is that the original longhaired British cat, through interbreeding with imported longhairs, was developed into the Persian and became increasingly massive and extreme in type with long, thicker fur than the early Persians. During the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the Persian was considered the longhaired analogue of the British Shorthair. During the later part of the twentieth century, a shorthaired version of the modern Persian was developed and was called the Exotic Shorthair; this was very different from the British Shorthair. It was therefore proposed that a longhaired cat of the British type be reintroduced into the cat fancy.[1]
This breed are a longhair version of British Shorthair.[2] Much like these cats, the British Longhair has a broad square head. It is known as Britannica in European countries, but this breed is not recognized in the UK.
The coat is lutstrous and physique is stout in general. The head is round, with bright circular eyes and short ears. The legs are short too, but strong. The tail is plush and thick. The chest is deep, giving the overall impression of a compact, medium-sized cat.[1]
British Longhairs can come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. It goes along with British Shorthairs. The colors are black, white, red, cream, blue, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, or fawn. As to all these colors, the patterns can include self, tabby, tortoiseshell, bicolor, smoke, tipped, and colorpointed.
British Longhairs are quite calm and easy going. They are fun-loving and playful, particularly as kittens. These cats attach quickly to their owners, with great affection. British Longhairs are good for owners who have to work, because they will enjoy just laying around all day. They are not destructive, and do not need any other animals for company. However, some individuals do enjoy living with another British Longhair that is similar in personality.[1]
British Longhairs can be prone to obesity if neutered or kept as indoor cats only. Avoid overfeeding.
They require more brushing than British Shorthairs. This procedure should take place daily. Autumn and winter are the seasons when they have a high risk of tangles. Sometimes, it may be neccesary to wash for extra care.