The Vet's Guide to British Shorthair Cats: Facts, Care and Training Tips

The British Shorthair cat is one of the most popular cat breeds globally, renowned for their kind, loving nature and distinctive teddy bear-like appearance. 

With a rich history dating back to ancient Rome, they were initially valued as working cats. Today, these affectionate felines are cherished companions, ideal for individuals and families across Australia seeking a loyal and easygoing pet.

Here’s what you need to know about British Shorthairs:

• British Shorthairs are quite intelligent, so start training them in basic commands from an early age to benefit from their whits. This is also a great bonding experience for you and your cat.
  
  
• This breed is more vulnerable to becoming obese — they love their food and are a naturally larger breed. Feed them a balanced diet in appropriate portions to ensure that they remain happy and healthy.
  
  
• As a double-coated cat breed, brush your British Shorthair regularly to keep on top of shedding and matting. Brushing them at least once a week helps minimise the amount of cat fur you see around your home.

Whilst the coat of British Shorthair cats is shorter than some more high maintenance breeds, they do require regular brushing and grooming to keep their skin and fur healthy. As their coats are so dense and lush, they require regular brushing to ensure that it is kept in top condition, and reduce the amount of shedding you notice around the home.

However, compared to other more high-maintenance breeds such as Persian and Ragdoll cats, British Shorthairs are very simple to manage in terms of their grooming. This breed requires grooming at least once a week to ensure their coat stays healthy.

Shedding patterns

Regular shedding is to be expected with this breed, as their double coat means they have both an undercoat and topcoat of fur. This double layer of fur means they will regularly shed their undercoat throughout the year. You can expect them to shed most prevalently during autumn and spring as they adjust their fur in response to the changing seasons.

Keep on top of their shedding (especially during peak shedding season) by brushing your British Shorthair at least once a week. Use a cat comb or cat slicker brush to keep your British Shorthair’s coat looking healthy and keeping shedding at bay.

Grooming

One weekly brush keeps a British Shorthair’s coat in top shape. Glide a slicker or rubber mitt through the dense undercoat to lift dead hair and stop mats. Skip fancy trims—five focused minutes controls shedding and protects skin.

To make sure that your cat is comfortable during the grooming process, brush your British Shorthair’s coat in the direction of hair growth. This will make your grooming experience with your cat a lot more enjoyable for the both of you.

Nail Trimming

Trimming your cat's claws can be a stressful experience for everyone involved if you don’t introduce this practice early on in your cat’s life. Get your British Shorthair familiar with nail trimmers by leaving them in familiar places, along with familiarising them with the noise of the clippers. If your British Shorthair is uncomfortable with any of these things, be sure not to begin trimming their nails as it may lead to an accident.

For British Shorthairs, try to keep nail trimming sessions short, as they are not a breed that generally enjoys extended lap-time. Stay aware of your cat’s body language throughout this process, and let them have breaks when they are becoming restless.

Dental Hygiene

Like most cats, British Shorthairs can be susceptible to gum and dental disease if their teeth are not well maintained. You can promote good dental hygiene for your cat by brushing their teeth at least once a week.

Try a flavoured cat toothpaste to entice your British Shorthair when it comes to brushing their teeth. Through using a pet toothbrush or finger brush, gently brush your cat's teeth, and give them breaks when they become restless. Getting them acquainted with having their mouth touched from an early age will also help make this process a breeze. 

An always enjoyable way to ensure your cat’s teeth remain healthy and plaque-free is through cat dental biscuits. Yummy treats like these will be loved by your British Shorthair and helps keep their teeth squeaky clean.

As with many cat breeds, British Shorthairs are susceptible to a range of health concerns and conditions that any owner should be aware of. While some of these conditions are hereditary and can be diagnosed through genetic screenings, some health issues may arise later in life, so it’s worth seeking professional veterinary advice.

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)

An inherited disease, Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a disease that negatively impacts your British Shorthair’s kidneys. This disease consists of cysts forming in the cat's stomach, and filling with fluid. This starts on a smaller scale and grows over time as they age, making kidney function more strained.

As this is a slow forming disease, it doesn’t often produce symptoms in cats until they are around seven years old. Genetic testing of breeding cats is crucial to prevent passing on the gene. If diagnosed, management focuses on supportive care, dietary changes, and medications to manage symptoms and slow progression. 

If you notice symptoms such as vomiting, increased urination, lethargy or loss of appetite, take your cat to a trusted veterinarian to test for PKD.

Heart Disease

British Shorthairs are also susceptible to heart disease, such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). If you suspect that your cat has HCM, take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible. As this disease may not present physically though symptoms in all cats, it is important for you to be aware of the risks.

Symptoms of HCM in British Shorthairs include lethargy, breathing difficulties, elevated heart rate, sudden hind leg paralysis and any major change observed in regular behaviours.

Regular cardiac ultrasounds (echocardiograms) by a veterinary cardiologist are recommended for breeding cats to screen for HCM. While there's no cure, medication can help manage heart rate, prevent blood clot formation, and alleviate congestive heart failure symptoms.

Obesity

Research found in PetSure’s Health Monitor 2025 report found 65% of British Shorthairs were overweight (the highest proportion of any pedigree surveyed), flagging obesity as a major preventable health issue for the breed.

This is especially true for older cats and male cats. If your furry friend is consuming an unbalanced or poor diet, along with not receiving the recommended amount of physical exercise, they will be at a much higher risk of obesity. Obese cats face a higher risk of other health concerns such as heart disease.

You can identify obesity in your British Shorthair if they are developing notable excessive weight gain, are lethargic, or you can’t feel their ribs and spine with your palms. You can manage your cat's obesity by reassessing their diet and portion control. 

Switching to a weight control cat food and provide them with cat toys to promote exercise can help your British Shorthair is sure to lose the excess weight.

Cataracts

Cataracts cause the lens of your British Shorthair's eye to become cloudy, impacting their vision and potentially leading to blindness. This is particularly true for older cats.

You can identify cataracts in your British Shorthair if you notice a cloudy or opaque appearance in one or both of their eyes, or if they are having difficulty seeing, bumping into objects, or show reluctance to navigate in dim lighting. Regular veterinary check-ups can help with early identification. Surgery can be an option to restore vision for suitable cases.

British Shorthairs respond best to consistent, short, and positive reinforcement-based training sessions, which not only teach commands but also strengthen your bond.

If you’re looking to train your cat in basic commands and tricks, you have picked the right breed. As they are intelligent and affectionate, British Shorthairs take very well to learning commands. Along with this, training your British Shorthair can be an enjoyable bonding experience for both your and your cat.

Starting early

Although British Shorthairs are known for their willingness to learn, start training at an early age to have the most success in obedience. Start training practices early on in their kittenhood by familiarising your cat with basic commands before they reach adulthood, making it easier for them to learn more complex commands in the future.

Effective training tips: Each British Shorthair is going to be different, and you should find the best training style that is effective for their personality and training preference:

• Positive reinforcement: When training your cat, we always recommend using the positive reinforcement training method. This is not only the most effective way to train your British Shorthair, but is also the kindest. When your cat successfully completes a command, give them a treat or affection (something of high value to them). Try to ignore unwanted behaviours, and redirect them to the wanted behaviour.
  
  
• Clicker training: This training method is another form of positive reinforcement training. This involves using a clicker sound when your cat displays a positive behaviour, followed by a reward (such as a training treat). Once your cat understands the clicker, they will then associate the positive behaviour with the sound and reward.
  
  
• Keep sessions short: Training can become exhausting for both you and your cat, so keep training sessions short and sweet. Keeping sessions with your British Shorthair positive and brief helps encourage your cat to be more receptive to learning commands.
  
  
• Use their toys: If you have an especially playful British Shorthair cat, spend some of their playtime to train them. Use their toys to incentivise positive behaviours, and remain positive throughout your training time.

Regular, varied play sessions utilising interactive toys and puzzle feeders are vital for keeping your British Shorthair physically active and mentally stimulated, especially given their tendency towards a more relaxed lifestyle.

Even though they aren’t an overly excitable and energetic breed, British Shorthairs are still playful and friendly. Encouraging playtime throughout the day with engaging toys and games can help keep them fit and healthy.

Frequent play sessions

A great way to not only ensure your British Shorthair gets their daily exercise, but also to develop a strong bond with your cat is through playing. Engaging with your cat with some of their favourite interactive toys can encourage your British Shorthair to be more active.

With their calm nature, it is uncommon for British Shorthair owners to experience excessive behavioural issues. However, each cat comes with their own unique personality. Some British Shorthairs may misbehave more than others. Here are some common behavioural issues:

Begging for food

Stop begging by removing the reward. Feed on a set schedule, ignore table-side meows and shift part of each ration into a puzzle feeder. Clear rules teach your Shorthair that human food stays off-limits and calories stay in check. Table scraps and overfeeding your cat is never recommended, as it can lead to obesity and further health problems.

Destructive scratching

You may experience unwanted and destructive scratching by your British Shorthair on their bed or your furniture. This can be a result of marking their territory, but is likely due to boredom or the absence of a scratcher.

Help prevent destructive scratching in your home by purchasing a scratching post or scratching board that keeps your cat’s claws at bay. Redirecting their scratching can help save your furniture from destruction.

Aggression

With your British Shorthair, you may experience bouts of aggression towards other animals or people. This could stem from a territorial place, or fear, and should be addressed immediately before it progresses. While these behaviours may arise due to a lack of affection and playtime leading to boredom and aggression, try consulting a trusted veterinarian to determine the root of the problem.

To help avoid aggression in your British Shorthair, we suggest early socialisation with other cats, people and animals. This familiarises them with other people close to them, and will likely make them less territorial.

Hiding tendencies

As with many cats, and humans, British Shorthairs need their alone time. However, if your cat has no safe place to go to when they require solitude, they may end up hiding in hard-to-find places. It is important to remain patient with them, and provide them with a safe space that’s just for them.

Look into a secure cat tree or a cat cave for them to snuggle into when they are needing time alone.

A high-quality, meat-based diet with strict portion control and consistent hydration is paramount for managing your British Shorthair's weight and preventing obesity-related health issues throughout their life.

Being a larger cat breed, ensuring that your British Shorthair is eating a well-balanced diet is essential. This includes nutritious food, along with managing the portions you are giving them. 

Carnivorous diet

As carnivores, the best type of food to give your British Shorthair is meat. Having a meat-centred diet closely resembles what they would eat if they were in the wild. Keep them healthy and support their diet with cat food that includes tuna, chicken or other meats.

You can also find British Shorthair cat food that caters to the specific needs of this breed, ensuring they reach their nutritional needs.  

Weight management and portion control

British Shorthairs gain weight fast are highly susceptible to obesity and associated health conditions. Serve measured meals, avoid free-choice kibble and cap treats at 10% of daily calories. Two ten-minute laser-or-feather play sessions burn extra energy and keep joints healthy.

Monitor their weight, particularly as they grow older. This helps guide your portion control, as it may change throughout their life, as their activity fluctuates.

Learn more about how you can support healthy weight loss in your cat.