This breed is prone to becoming overweight, especially when neutered and kept indoors. As they’re slow to mature, they should be fed kitten food until they’re at least a year old. 

BSH cats thrive on a healthy diet containing meat-based cat food. Wet foods can provide the right amount of protein, but dry foods are good for variety . Ask your vet for recommendations on which cat food best fits their needs.

Make sure you don’t overfeed them – read the label on the food packaging for guidance on quantities. This will help to keep them at their ideal weight. Don’t forget to provide them with plenty of fresh water too.

British Shorthairs don’t need much grooming. Their dense and plush coat doesn’t mat or tangle easily. A weekly brush with a cat brush, grooming glove, or comb should be enough. They might need more grooming during seasonal shedding in spring and autumn, but this is still relatively low maintenance compared to other cats.

While they’re one of the easiest cat breeds to groom, you will still need to get your British Shorthair into a grooming routine. Gently introduce them when they’re a young kitten, and gradually work up to weekly brushing.

British Shorthair coats come in a variety of colours. They can be white, black, red, cream, smoke, blue, lilac, ginger, chocolate, silver or golden. A variety of patterns and shadings are also found, including colourpoint and tabby. But the grey-blue or ‘British Blue’ remains the most popular.

Thanks to their easy-going nature, British Shorthairs are content to laze about. They require minimal exercise of around 15 minutes twice a day.

But that doesn’t stop them from having the occasional burst of energetic play. Encourage them to get some exercise by giving them cat toys to play with or a cat tree to climb, jump and play on. This will help to keep them in good condition.

The majority of British Shorthairs are indoor cats, so it’s worth bringing the outdoors inside. Add perches throughout your home, provide a scratching post and include hideouts to keep them entertained. If you decide to let them outside, create an enclosure to stop them from escaping.

British Shorthairs are an intelligent breed, so they usually pick up toilet training pretty quickly. But as they are a large cat breed, make sure you have a large litter box for them.

They can also be taught small tricks, which can be a great way to build your bond with them. Clicker training and treats work well for this breed but be careful to not feed them too many as it can lead to obesity. BSH cats also love to chase and pounce, so laser pointers and cat toys can do wonders.

A British Shorthair kitten from a registered breeder can cost between £1200 and £2000. A kitten from an unregistered breeder can cost between £350 and £800. Some colours may be more popular and more expensive. A trusted breeder will have had their cats tested for hereditary diseases. They’ll also make sure that the kittens aren’t separated from their mother too early and that they have all the necessary vaccinations.

Unfortunately, despite rumours, British Shorthairs are not hypoallergenic. Allergy sufferers will not escape the cat allergens that can trigger coughs and sneezes. These cats may be short-haired, but they do still shed.

This breed of home-loving cats is content to be kept indoors and quite happy being left alone. They might not be the best lap cats, but they do like being close to you and will snuggle up on the sofa beside you.

British Shorthairs are generally a long-living breed. They’ll live long happy lives, with an average lifespan of between nine and 20 years, and an average median of between 12 and 14 years . As long as they’re well cared for, British Shorthairs can stick around for years to come.