The ancestors of the British Shorthair were brought to Northern Europe by Roman soldiers almost two thousands years ago. Their origins are humble enough, as street cats that bred freely with no attempt to control their bloodlines or appearance. However, during the last quarter of the 19th century, British Shorthairs suddenly appeared in great numbers at various cat shows in London. Since then they have increased in popularity to become one of the most sought after breeds, both in Europe and the rest of the world.
The Development of the British Shorthair
When longhaired cats first appeared at cat shows in England after World War II, they attracted a great deal of interest mostly because they were quite different from the norm. In the early 1900s, longhaired cats outnumbered shorthaired cats at shows by at least four-to-one. Shorthaired cats of any breed were hardly valued in England, and it seemed that the British Shorthair was the victim of neglect and ignorance as it dwindled in popularity. And things only got worse for the British Shorthair in the aftermath of both World War I and World War II.
Cat fancy, in general, suffered in England after World War II. The British Shorthair itself became almost extinct as it was ignored by most of the population of Europe. Breeders had difficulty finding suitable studs, and were reduced to outcrossing in order to maintain the breed. British Shorthairs were crossed to Persians to maintain eye color, type, and coat texture. Most cat associations refused to recognize the breed at all due to the outcrossing that was occurring.
However, the longhaired crossing seemed to enhance the beauty and form of the British Shorthair. So much so, in fact, that once accepted as a breed, judges in England began awarding hybrids for their unusual beauty. Eventually, associations in North America and England both passed regulations disallowing hybridization, but by then, so much hybridization had occurred that the ruling made no difference to the breed itself. Of course, it did make it difficult to register cats with Persian blood.
Eventually, the Persian became an allowable outcross for the British Shorthair once again, but only in England. This caused difficulties for breeders in North America, since they could not use most British Shorthairs from England in their stud programs. North American associations required at least three generations of British-to-British breedings to register a cat, and most cats from England did not meet this requirement.
North American breeders were having enough trouble getting their cats accepted as a breed by local associations throughout most of the 20th century. They didn’t have time to worry about importing cats that they could not use in their breeding programs anyway. It wasn’t until the mid-1960s that some North American breeders began importing English cats, but only those with pedigrees that would allow them to be accepted by associations in the United States
Finally, in 1970, the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) became the first American registry to recognize British Shorthairs as a distinctive breed, but only in the colors of blue and black. It took much more time for other colors to become accepted, but today, a large variety of colors are seen at shows throughout the world, but the most popular colors are still blue and black.
Some Breed Standards for the British Shorthair
The Standards for the British Shorthair, as with many other breeds, are quite strict. It is quite easy to have a cat that is penalized or even disqualified, so those picking a show or breeding kitten should do so with care.
General: The ideal British Shorthair is compact, well balanced, and powerful. There is much depth in the body, a full chest, and strong legs. The coat is short and very dense. This breed is slow to mature, with some cats taking as long as four years to reach maturity.
Head: Round and massive, the head should be set on a thick, short neck. The forehead should be rounded, but should not slope.
Ears: The ear set of the British Shorthair is very important in competition. Ears should be medium in size, broad at the base, and rounded at the tip. They should be set far apart, fitting into the rounded contour of the head without distorting the line of the head.
Eyes: Large, well opened, and round, the eyes of the British Shorthair should be set wide apart and level.
Body: The British Shorthair should be powerful and medium to large in size. These cats have a level back and a deep, broad chest. The legs are short to medium, the paws should be round and firm.
Tail: The ideal British Shorthair has a medium length tail that is in proportion to the body. It should be thicker at the base, tapering slightly to a rounded tip.
Coat: The coat is short and very dense, well bodied, resilient, and firm to the touch. However, the coat must not be double coated or woolly.
Penalties: Any cat with a definite nose stop, weak chin, or rangy body will be assessed a penalty. Also, a overlong or soft coat will receive a penalty.
Disqualifications: There are several reasons a British Shorthair might be disqualified. These include: incorrect eye color, tail defects, long of fluffy coat, locket or button, or any evidence of poor health.
The British Shorthair is a stocky and well-formed cat. Because they developed out of strong country stock and have very strong genes, they are free of known genetic problems. They are also sweet and loving, and so make wonderful companions for many cat lovers.
The Bombay is a manufactured breed if there ever was one. These adorable cats actually began with Burmese breeders in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Burmese breeders recognized the need to outcross in order to produce a more compact body while retaining the dark and even coat their breed Standard required. They couldn’t use a Siamese, due to the longer body and blue eyes. Other breeds were eliminated from consideration for similar genetic issues.
The only logical candidate appeared to be the black American Shorthair. The difficulty Burmese breeders encountered was that there was no allowable outcross for the Burmese. If they wanted to introduce new blood, they had to falsify the pedigrees. This was accomplished in several ways. Brown hybrids were added to legitimate Burmese litters, and black hybrids were registered as American Shorthairs, since, at this time, there was open registration for the American Shorthair.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, there were several Burmese champions that carried the thickened, more resilient coats resulting from the Burmese-American cross. But what could the breeders of these kittens do with those that retained the all-black coats of their American Shorthair parents?
The Development of the Bombay
A breeder in Louisville, Kentucky began crossing the black kittens to black kittens only. This breeder, Nikki Shuttleworth Horner, was highly successful in creating a black Burmese with excellent conformation and a budding personality. These beautiful kittens were Burmese in every respect, with the exception of their black color. She knew that she could never get a new color added to the Burmese breed because of the strong opinion of Burmese breeders.
Horner decided on a different approach, one that didn’t involve the Burmese breeders at all. She made a request for a separate recognition for her black cats, which she called Bombays. They reminded her of the black leopards of India, near the city of Bombay, which is where the name comes from. In 1976, the Cat Fancier’s Association accepted the Bombay for competition. And so the breed was born.
Some Breed Standards for the Bombay
The Standards for the Bombay, as with many other breeds, are quite strict. It is quite easy to have a cat that is penalized or even disqualified, so those picking a show or breeding kitten should do so with care.
General: The ideal Bombay has a unique look all its own. It should have a short, jet-black, gleaming coat, vivid copper eyes, a solid body, and sweet expression. The Bombay should also be muscular and heavy for its size. The perfect Bombay has excellent proportion and carriage.
Head: Pleasingly round, with no sharp angles, and the face should be full and sweet. In profile, there should be a visible nose break, but it should not present a ‘pugged’ or ‘snubbed’ look.
Ears: The ears of the Bombay should be medium in size and set well apart, alert, and tilting slightly forward. They should be broad at the base, with slightly rounded tips.
Eyes: The eyes should be set far apart with a rounded aperture. The color can range from gold to copper, but the greater the depth and brilliance the better.
Body: The Bombay should be medium in size, muscular, and neither compact nor rangy. They are slightly longer than their Burmese cousins, but not by much. The legs should be in proportion to the body, the paws should be rounded.
Tail: The ideal Bombay has a straight tail, medium in length, and neither short nor ‘whippy.’
Coat: All Bombays must be jet-black, with short, fine, satin-like texture of the coat. It should be close lying, with a shimmering sheen.
Penalties: Any cat found to be excessively cobby or rangy will be penalized.
Disqualifications: There are several reasons a Bombay might be disqualified. These include: kinked or abnormal tail, lockets or spots, incorrect number of toes, nose leather or paw pads that are not black, or green eyes.
The Bombay has a sweet disposition and a wonderfully sleek look. They make excellent pets and companions for many people, and are generally a mild tempered breed.
Itching is a common problem in cats and has many different causes. Your cat may have a skin infection, irritation, allergies, or even a parasite. However, one of the most common causes of itching in cats is the presence of fleas. An itchy cat is an uncomfortable cat. Your feline may scratch, bite, or even rub his or her own fur off on cement or concrete in an attempt to relieve the itching. Keep your cat healthy and happy by taking steps to prevent fleas to begin with.
Left untreated, fleas can lead to serious health issues for your cat including Feline Allergy Dermatitis (FAD). FAD is characterized by severe itching and little red bumps that look a lot like pimples. This condition can result in permanent hair loss and even infection. The best way to prevent FAD is to deal with fleas immediately.
Your best option for dealing with fleas is to use a good flea control medication. I like Advantage II, but you should consult your veterinarian for a recommendation regarding which medication is best for your feline. It is in your cat's best interest to be on a flea control medication. A single flea can more than 400 times in one day and they multiply like you wouldn't believe. Fleas can infest your home in just a few days, so prevent an infestation by taking precautions for all your feline friends.
If you already have an infestation, contact a qualified exterminator, treat your furry family members for fleas with the assistance of your veterinarian, and take steps to prevent another occurance.
The Birman is a fabled breed that is shrouded in mystery and legend. This cat, often referred to as the Sacred Cat of Burma, was honored in Burma because the people there believed that the souls of their departed priests returned in the form of these stunning cats. The greatest legend surrounding this breed comes out of the temple of Lao-Tsun, located in western Burma.
A priest named Mun-Ha lived here, and each night, as he prayed, his sacred cat Sinh was at his side. One dark night, the temple was raided and Mun-Ha was killed. Sinh stood with his paws on his dead master, facing the sacred statue of Tsun-Kyan-Kse, the goddess of the transmutation of souls. Sinh began to transform. His coat, once white, glowed gold. His eyes turned blue, and his legs took on the color of brown velvet. His feet, however, remained a sparkling white, a symbol of the purity of Mun-Ha’s soul.
By morning, all other cats in the temple had completed this same transformation. For seven days, Sinh remained with his master. Finally, on the seventh day, Sinh died, carrying with him the soul of Mun-Ha.
While such a tale is certainly worthy of the Birman, it does nothing to illuminate the true origins of the breed. It is unlikely that anyone will ever discover the true beginnings of this illustrious cat.
The Development of the Birman
The introduction of the Sacred Cat of Burma to Western Europe is also surrounded in doubt. It is likely, however, that a pregnant female was shipped from Burma to France in 1919. Though no one seems to know what became of that cat, or why she was sent to France, it seems reasonable to assume that her kittens, including a beautiful female named Poupee, were the foundation used to establish the breed in France.
By 1925, the Sacred Cat of Burma was established well enough in France to take part in various competitions. The arrival of World War II, however, was hard on the breed. There was a point just after the war when there was only a single pair of these cats left. Concerned breeders used outcrossing to reestablish the breed as best they could.
In 1955, the Sacred Cat of Burma was firmly reestablished in France. Four years later, a breeding pair was imported into the United States. By the mid-1960s, the breed was accepted for competition in North America and England. Around this same time, the name was changed to Burman, and eventually to Birman.
Some Breed Standards for the Birman
The standards for the Birman, as with many other breeds, are quite strict. It is quite easy to have a cat that is penalized or even disqualified, so those picking a show or breeding kitten should do so with care.
General: The Birman is a colorpointed cat with long, silky hair and four pure white feet. The head is distinctive, and the eyes are a bright blue.
Head: The head of the Birman should be strong, broad, and rounded. There should be a slight flat spot just in front of the ears. The Birman has full cheeks and heavy jaws.
Ears: Medium in length, the ears are almost as wide at the base as they are tall.
Eyes: The eyes of the Birman should be round and convey a sweet expression. The eyes should be blue in color, and the deeper blue, the better.
Body: The body should be long and stocky. Females tend to be smaller than males. Legs are medium in length and heavy, paws must be large, round, and firm.
Tail: The tail of a Birman is beautiful and pleasing in proportion to the body. It should be medium in length.
Coat: The Birman has a medium long to long coat, and is silken in texture. There should be a heavy ruff around the neck, and slight curl on the stomach. The color of the body should be fairly even, with subtle shading allowed. The points should be clearly defined, and the gloves should be clean and obvious.
Penalties: Uneven gloves, delicate bone structure, or white shading on chest or stomach are all causes for penalties.
Disqualifications: Any cat lacking full gloves will be disqualified. Other grounds for disqualification include: kinked or abnormal tail, crossed eyes, incorrect number of toes, white on the back legs beyond the hock.
The Birman is a sweet and gentle breed. Its lovely disposition and beautiful coat make it a delightful addition to any household.
