Mary Allen
The Highlander, also known as the British Longhair, has long been an unwanted by-product of breeding the British Shorthair. It was only relatively late that people realized that these cuddly and adoptable cats are just as great companions as their short-haired relatives. Learn all about the Highlander cat breed here.
Highlanders are extremely popular pedigree cats among cat lovers. Here you will find the most important information about Highlander.
Origin of the British Longhair
The Highlander cat, also known as the British Longhair, arose from the British Shorthair cat, into which the recessive gene for long hair was introduced through Persian crosses. This means a shorthair cat can carry the long hair trait covertly, and if mated to another shorthair that also carries this gene, statistically out of four adopted kittens per litter there will be three short-haired babies and one long-haired, with two of the short-haired again are carrier animals.
For a long time, the long-haired kittens were not liked in the litter, they were scorned and their existence was sometimes even concealed. They were often given away as pets for pets. Often, however, the “witches” were the most popular babies with the buyers. This is how a new breed developed, initially in independent clubs. Since 2016, the Highlander has also been granted “provisional recognition” status in Fifé.
The Appearance of the British Longhair
The Highlander corresponds in standard to the British Shorthair cat, except for the coat length and texture. She is tall to medium-sized, muscular, and stocky. The chest, shoulders, and back are broad and massive. The cat’s neck is short and strong. The legs are short and muscular.
The rounded, massive and broad skull has medium-sized, widely set ears. Large, round, wide-set eyes complete the face. The eye colors are analogous to the coat color.
British Longhair Coat and Colors
The Highlander’s coat is medium to long and stands away from the body. The fur on the face is short, on the cheeks, it gets longer. The Highlander has a well-developed ruff and knickers. The texture is firm, double, dense, and plush with an undercoat that adds volume to the cat’s fur.
In addition to many different unicolored Highlanders, there are also tabbies, silvers, goldens, Highlanders with white spots, and even with point coloring.
The Temperament of the British Longhair
The Highlander is a curious, cuddly, and affectionate breed that seeks contact with people. She is pleasantly quiet, so she makes little use of her voice. In addition, this cat is very adaptable, tolerant, and friendly.
Similar to the British Shorthair, the Highlander is a very easy-going cat breed that is not easily disturbed. Nevertheless, she is also playful and has her “wild five minutes”.
Keeping and Caring for the British Longhair
The British Longhair is very well suited to being kept indoors, but they are also happy about safe access to fresh air. Due to its adaptability, it is suitable for families with children as well as for single-person households. A cat-friendly dog may also be part of the household. A Highlander doesn’t like to live alone. Working people, in particular, should adopt a harmonious couple right from the start so that they don’t get bored.
Daily play and “fake prey” hunting, for example in the form of a cat rod or a feather, are just as important for Highlanders as extensive cuddling hours on the sofa.
The Highlander’s coat is easy to care for. Depending on the individual coat structure, the cat needs to be combed and brushed about two to four times a week. Cats that are allowed to use a secured balcony or even a secured garden often have even more voluminous fur than purely house cats. There can be nodules in the “problem areas” such as the panties, under the front legs, and behind the ears, which condense into mats and felts if you do nothing about it.
Daily fur care can also be useful during the molting season in spring: The hair that comes out is better off with a comb and brush than on your furniture or even in the cat’s stomach, where it automatically ends up when you clean your cat and causes annoying hairballs.