The British Shorthair is a medium to large sized cat. The body is sturdy & muscular, and often described as "cobby".  The coat is short, dense & plush. The legs are heavy boned, short with round paws. Tail is short to medium in length.

It's head is massive & rounded with a broad skull. The ears are small & set wide apart. The eyes are large & round

British Shorthairs are good natured, amiable. As kittens, they are playful but adult British Shorthairs tend to be less active than other breeds. They are a fairly independent breed of cat & are happy to amuse themselves (often by snoozing). They are not a vocal cat.

Words used to describe the British Shorthair include: Calm, affable, intelligent, quiet, independent

British Shorthairs are sometimes referred to as "British Blue", but the breed actually comes in many colours, patterns & markings. Blue is the most recognised colour. Below are some examples of British Shorthair colours.