Mary Allen
The British Longhair is simply irresistible with her teddy bear face. But the beauty also enchants with her balanced nature.
When looking for the right cat, the future cat owner is spoiled for choice: should the new family member be short-haired and easy to care for or long-haired and more care-intensive? Should it be an outdoor cat or an indoor cat?
A perfect balancing act succeeds with the British Longhair. This cat breed can adapt exceptionally quickly and easily to circumstances. She is just as happy with your apartment as with a large garden. In addition, she has an easy-care coat that does not lack the beauty of a long-haired coat.
You can find out everything you need to know about this relatively young cat breed, which is also known as Britannica, Highlander, or Lowlander, here.
Where does the British Longhair come from?
By crossing genes from the long-haired Persian cat, it was possible to breed this hybrid from the “venerable” British Shorthair, which was very popular in Great Britain in particular. She is often the carrier of a recessive (i.e. not visible from the outside) long hair gene. It is undesirable in breeding and is only sporadically visible in a few kittens.
By mixing it with the genes of the Persian cat, the hair length in the coat can be bred in a more controlled manner. The originally recessive longhair gene thus becomes a deliberately dominant (i.e. outwardly visible) gene.
The Britannica has only recently been recognized as a separate breed by many breed associations. The umbrella organizations of breeders are still an exception. The standard for breeding these cats is that of the British Shorthair. The only difference relates to the requirements for the cats’ coat length.
What does the British Longhair look like?
At first glance, you have a compact but not too bulky cat. She is particularly noticeable because of her plush, half-length fur. She appears rather large, but in no way moves clumsily and sluggishly, but rather swiftly and elegantly.
The body
The Britannica is not a delicate breed. When you pick them up, you’ll feel powerful limbs and a stocky physique. However, the cat does not appear fat at all, unless, like many of its peers, it is overweight due to improper nutrition.
The breed has a broad, strong chest and skull. The legs are rather short and sometimes have so-called knickerbocker pants. These are extended sections of hair on the hind legs. Highlanders often wear an impressive mane around their heads.
The fur
The fur is often referred to as plush. This is because this breed, like many long-haired cat breeds, has a very dense undercoat. The main hair stands out slightly from the body and therefore appears fuller.
The individual hair is half-length, but due to the genetic combination, it can sometimes be long – especially on the hind legs and collar. The breed is somewhat reminiscent of a smaller version of the Maine Coon with its mane, which is more or less pronounced.
Like its closest relative, the British Shorthair, there are many different coat variations in terms of color and markings.
The most important difference relates to the number of colors (single and multi-colored). The different colors
- Black,
- chocolate,
- Cinnamon (cinnamon colored) or
- Red
can be classically intense, but also diluted. In the case of carriers of the dilution gene, the colors fade and thus appear diluted. So a red becomes lilac or a black becomes blue.
The most important coat variants in the British Longhair are called
- Tabby
The cat is tabby, brindle, or spotted. Typical is an M marking on the forehead, a light rim around the eyes, a rim around the ears, and a dorsal line on the back. - Tortie
This is what a three-colored British Longhair is called, usually in the primary colors white, black and red. - Torby
This is a tabby/tortie mix. - Two Tone
These specimens are white with a certain proportion of one other color. - Colorpoint
This popular color variant of the British Shorthair is now seen in some places as a separate breed. Colorpoint has meanwhile also established itself with British Longhair and is very popular. Kittens are white, over time the ears, legs, tail and finally the face (“mask”) of the cats turn the respective secondary color.
The head
What is special about this cat’s head is the short, wide nose, which does not appear to have been bred out like the Persian. It has a slight indentation. The ears are small and rather rounded. Brushes on the ears are missing.
The eyes
The large, spherical eyes mean that many British Longhair fans attest that she has the face of a teddy bear. (Indeed, they look like the button eyes of a stuffed animal.) The color of the eyes varies between copper, blue or green. The odd eye can also occur: In this case, the two eyes have different colors.
How tall is a British Longhair?
It is a medium-sized cat breed but often appears bulkier due to the plush fur, the mane, and the so-called knickerbocker pants. To give you a better idea: the cat is slightly larger than the European Shorthair, which is native to Central Europe, but slightly smaller than Persian cats.
How heavy is a British Longhair?
Hangovers can weigh up to eight kilograms. Cats can reach a maximum weight of six kilograms.
Temperament and nature of the British Longhair
The Highlander shares a well-balanced and family-friendly nature with the related cat breeds British Shorthair and Persian. Due to its low urge to move, it also feels good in small areas – i.e. apartments.
Her simplicity and balance also make Britannica quite easy to care for as far as character goes. Changes don’t bother her much. They even usually get used to family growth quickly. It doesn’t matter whether she has to share her home with a human baby, a kitten, or an older second cat.
It also adapts to new areas quickly and easily. Nevertheless, she loves the attention and contact with her family. Britannicas are very docile, which is why their human should play with them as much as possible and also mentally challenge them. Intelligence games for cats are just right for the British Longhair.
The high-stress tolerance in the character of these cats is reflected in another special characteristic: the low fear of water. Some Britannica likes to dip their paws in puddles of water or even in running water from the tap.
Proper husbandry of the British Longhair
This breed is rather undemanding and therefore needs little grooming. When the cat gets its cuddles and strokes and its food, it is quickly satisfied. Cuddling is especially important because the British Longhair is one of the most cuddly cat breeds.
If kept as an indoor cat, it should be given opportunities to scratch and climb, even if it is not very active. She loves to laze around and keep herself busy.
The cat usually hardly has a problem with dogs, but then they have to have their own retreat. A litter box is a matter of course.
What care does the British Longhair need?
While short-hair cat breeds usually do not require any special grooming and long-hair cat breeds often suffer from knots and tangles in their fur, a Britannica offers the perfect happy medium. With the exception of the long hair areas on the hind legs and on the collar, their grooming is not particularly complex, and yet you can stroke and admire a stylish, elegant coat with long hair in this breed.
The undercoat does not require intensive care either, so you save on the cat hairdresser and knotting shears. The undercoat only has to be regularly thinned out with special undercoat combs or brushes. Normally, once a week is sufficient. If the hair lying around bothers you too much – especially during the change of fur – you can of course brush your darling more often. The sooner you get him used to it, the more he will love it. And the more consistent you are with the brushing, the more you save him and you the painful brushing out of the hair tangles.
Tip: Reward your kitten with some form of treats when it has been brushed well. This makes grooming an uncomplicated routine activity and at the same time a good time for you and your house cat. You can even strengthen the bond with your cat. But remember to subtract the number of treats you give from your regular diet.
What typical diseases does the British Longhair have?
The relationship to the British Shorthair breed is also reflected in health and susceptibility to certain diseases. Obesity can be a big problem. This mainly affects indoor cats and becomes a health hazard. The Britannica does not have a great urge to move but eats well and happily. This can quickly lead to one or two kilos being too much on your ribs if you, as the owner, do not pay attention to your diet.
As carriers of Persergenes, Highlanders are also prone to kidney disease, which causes cysts to form on the kidneys. Polycystic kidney disease is a purely hereditary disease that can occur at a very young age. Many veterinarians have susceptible cat breeds like this one perform ultrasound scans as a precaution.
In addition, these cats often develop HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). This is a disease of the heart muscle, which can also be detected by means of ultrasound. So your British Longhair can live a long life despite this serious illness due to medication. Unfortunately, she cannot be cured of this.
How old does a British Longhair get?
Like most pedigree cats, this cat will live 12 to 18 years if in good health and with appropriate nutrition and care.
How much does a British Longhair cost?
If you want a kitten from a reputable breeder, you have to reckon with a purchase price of between 600 and 1000 euros. The price varies depending on the rarity of the drawing and color.
Because the Britannica has not been bred regularly for long, there are not many older cats and senior cats looking for new homes. Nevertheless, we keep pointing out animal shelters that are a shelter for orphaned cats and kittens. There is a good chance that one or the other Highlander specimen will be waiting for you there. If it’s not a purebred kitten, then maybe it’s a mixed breed kitten that can be just as teachable and bring a lot of joy to its new family. It may even have health benefits. So it doesn’t always have to be a breeder. A phone call to various homes makes sense, especially when you consider the price of kittens from one kennel.
What makes the British Longhair so special?
Anyone who has never owned cats and doesn’t know how they react to a small apartment, small children, or planned family members is well advised to consider the British Longhair. Few cat breeds show this combination of characteristics:
- cuddling,
- people relatedness and
- child friendliness
together with great composure and resistance to stress and hectic pace make them the perfect beginner and family cat.