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Cat Shows

First introduced to Britain by the Romans, the British shorthair was one of the domestic cat breeds originally bred for its hunting prowess. In the last 150 years, the breed pivoted towards being bred for physical qualities. The British Shorthair breed debut --- along with a wide range of other selectively bred felines --- in the first organized cat show arranged by Harrison Weir at London’s Crystal Palace in 1871. Ever since their debut, British shorthairs maintained the premiere pedigree at cat shows, up until 1895.

Shortly after the British Shorthair exhibit in the Crystal Palace show, the popularity of British Shorthair increased. The public began searching for breeders of British Shorthairs with various character and color traits, all in the pursuit of “exoticness”. From the late 1800’s up to the early 1910’s, certain British Shorthairs would occasionally earn notoriety, or decorated titles in Cat Competitions. The British Shorthair publicity from 19th and 20th century cat shows helped British Shorthairs become one of the most popular pet cat breeds today. For example, in the 1980’s, the British Shorthair was featured in competition by the CFA, or Cat Fancier’s Association, which led to an increase in demand for British Shorthairs as household pets. As of 2023, the British Shorthair ranks the 6th most popular cat breed in the United States. As of 2015, the TICA cat show competition standards for British Shorthairs judge the cats for their circular head shape, muzzle, and cheeks. Small to medium ears are desired, with large, round, leveled eyes. Eye shape is more important than color. The muzzle and chin shape should complement the circular face; the profile and nose should be short, further complementing the circular face. The neck should give the illusion of the cat having no neck, blending in with the cheeks. The body of the cat should have a sturdy and muscular torso, complemented by medium to short legs, finished with round medium to large feet. The tail of the cat should be thick at the base, and tapers to a rounded tip, totaling about two thirds of the body’s length. Internally, the cat should have substantial boning, and a firm and sturdy musculature. As for the cat’s coat, no preference on color is stated, rather the coat should be straight, dense, and even in length.