BRITISH SHORTHAIR / BRITISH LONGHAIR BREED GROUP (BS/BL)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE BREED

The British Shorthair (BS) and the British Longhair (BL) are powerful cats with a semi-cobby body, broad and firm.
They have a rounded face with a sweet, open and gentle expression.

POINT SCORE

HEAD: 35 points

• Shape: 8
• Eyes: 8
• Ears: 6
• Profile + Nose: 6
• Muzzle + Chin: 5
• Neck: 2

BODY: 35 points

• Torso: 8
• Boning: 8
• Musculature: 7
• Legs + Feet: 6
• Tail: 6

COAT / COLOR / PATTERN: 30 points

• Length: 12
• Texture: 12
• Pattern / Color: 6

CLASSIFICATION

• Categories: Pointed; Traditional
• Divisions: All
• Colors: All
• Allowable Outcrosses: None

HEAD STANDARD

Shape

Round. The head is defined by three circles:

1. Broad, rounded muzzle
2. Broad, rounded head
3. Full, ample cheeks

Broad cheekbones, with a smooth transition to the muzzle.
Great width at eye level.
Top and front of the head well rounded from every angle.
Males large, females medium.

Ears

Small to medium, broad at the base, with rounded tips.
Set well apart on the rounded top of the head, without being extreme or flared.

Eyes

Large, round, level in the head, set well apart, showing the width of the nose.
Deep color is desirable.
It should conform to the coat, except in the silver division, where copper and green are accepted.
Shape is more important than color.

Muzzle + Chin

Heavy, broad muzzle, with a smooth transition to the cheekbones.
Firm chin, in line with the nose, completing the facial circle.

Profile + Nose

Short, straight, upturned nose, with a well-defined stop.
Pronounced change of direction toward the rounded forehead.
No flat planes above the nose.

Neck

Short, thick, heavily muscled, giving the appearance of having no neck.
It blends into the cheeks, especially in mature males.

BODY STANDARD

Torso

Semi-cobby. Broad, sturdy, muscular, firm and powerful.
Rounded chest, deep flanks.
Broad shoulders, flat at the withers.
Hips of the same width.
Level back.
Females proportionally smaller.

Legs + Feet

Legs of medium to short length.
Distance from the ground to the belly slightly less than from the belly to the back.
Rounded feet, medium to large.

Tail

Thick at the base, straight, tapering gently to a rounded tip.
Length equal to two thirds of the body.

Boning

Substantial. Medium to large size.

Musculature

Sturdy, firm, not flabby.

COAT / COLOR / PATTERN

Structure

Straight, dense coat standing away from the body, with a natural protective appearance.
Even length.

Length

• (BS): Short
• (BL): Semi-long, with a ruff and britches desirable

Texture

So dense that it is hard to see the skin when the hair is parted.

• (BS): Firm, full-bodied, plush
• (BL): Fluffy and plush

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The British is an imposing breed.
The large, rounded face should have a sweet, open expression, with a rounded muzzle.
Ample cheeks and an almost nonexistent neck blend into the compact, semi-cobby, broad, firm and muscular body.

The coat is dense, rich, thick and plush in both varieties.
Slightly reserved temperament.
A "four paws on the ground" breed, it likes to be handled with gentle firmness and supported when carried.

ALLOWANCES

• Seasonal changes in coat density, length and texture
• Slightly softer texture in colors other than blue

PENALTIES

Eyes

Almond shape or slanted setting

Musculature

Lack of tone

Legs

Cow hocks

Coat

Absent or deficient undercoat
Close-lying coat

• (BS): Long or soft coat
• (BL): Short, silky or excessively long, flowing coat (Persian type)
• British Shorthair cats are best known for their blue coat, often called gray, but they can come in a variety of other colors.

Boning

Light or delicate

WITHHOLD AWARDS (WW)

• Lockets

DISQUALIFICATION (DQ)

• Strabismus

TEMPERAMENT AND GENERAL DISQUALIFICATIONS

Temperament must be gentle.
Any sign of aggression results in disqualification.

The cat may show fear, vocalize or try to escape, but must not threaten.

Mandatory disqualifications include:

• Biting
• Attempted fraud
• Males without two descended testicles
• Absence of tail (unless authorized)
• Unauthorized polydactyly
• Tail defects
• Strabismus (where required)
• Total blindness
• Incompatible size
• Sternal or chest deformity