British Shorthair kittens for sale

Yes. “British Blue” is the name for a British Shorthair with a blue coat. The Australian Cat Federation’s standard allows all shades of blue-grey and prefers the palest. Blue is one colour among many: the same standard lists black, white, chocolate, lilac, red and cream, and tabby, tortie, bi-colour and colourpoint patterns.

The Co-ordinating Cat Council of Australia’s standard describes a medium to large cat, solid and powerful. It expects males to be considerably bigger than females, and says the breed generally takes several years to reach full maturity. Neither that standard nor the Australian Cat Federation’s gives a weight. The GCCF, a UK cat registry, gives 4.1 to 7.7 kg for males and 3.2 to 5.4 kg for females. Ask how big both parents grew.

No one can promise a kitten’s nature. The GCCF, a UK cat registry, describes the breed as patient and tolerant, and says an adult may not want to be carried about. The RSPCA says to supervise children with companion animals and to teach them to handle animals gently. Meet the mother to see her temperament.

Sources differ. A 2024 study in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, built on UK vet records of 7,936 cats that died from 2019 to early 2021, put life expectancy from birth at 9.6 years for its British group, which it lists as British Blue and British Longhair, and 11.7 years for all cats. The GCCF, a UK cat registry, gives the British Shorthair 14 to 20 years. Neither figure is a promise for any one cat.

Yes. The RSPCA says short-haired cats can usually be groomed about once a week, and more when they’re shedding. The GCCF, a UK cat registry, says the British Shorthair’s dense coat needs grooming in the moulting seasons to remove loose hair. The RSPCA says cats generally shouldn’t be bathed.

The GCCF, a UK cat registry, says polycystic kidney disease (PKD) was once a problem in the breed and is now under control thanks to breeders’ common use of DNA tests. It says hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a heart disease, can be a problem and has no DNA test in the breed yet, and that the breed’s slow metabolism means weight gain needs watching. Ask the breeder for both parents’ test results.

ALPS (autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome) is an inherited disease of the immune system. The University of Sydney’s OMIA database lists it under one breed, the British Shorthair. Affected kittens fell ill from 6 weeks of age, with swollen lymph nodes and anaemia, and in 2017 researchers linked it to a change in the FASLG gene. It’s recessive, so a kitten is affected when it inherits the change from both parents. Ask whether both parents have been tested.

The Co-ordinating Cat Council of Australia’s standard asks for a short, straight, broad nose with a slight dip in profile, and penalises a definite nose break. It also asks for large, open nostrils “allowing for ease of breathing” and penalises small ones. Look at both parents’ faces when you visit.

We show a price range once 8 listings from 3 sellers have asked a price. Size, colour and health testing drive the price.

Every seller passes an ID check before their first listing, and each listing shows its checks and their dates. Then meet the seller and the animal in person before you pay anything, including a deposit. For a breeder’s puppy or kitten, meet its mother too. Ask for the vet check and get papers at handover.

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