With a breed that takes five years to finish growing up, an adult tells you the truth.
British Shorthair
British Shorthair mix
British Shorthair
British Shorthair mix
British Shorthair mix
British Shorthair
British Shorthair
British Shorthair
British Shorthair cats for adoption are usually adults, and with this breed that is an advantage. It takes three to five years for one to finish maturing, so a kitten is a forecast and an adult is a fact.[4] You can meet the cat, see how it takes being handled, and know what you are getting. The cats above are listed by their current owners.
Adopting a British Shorthair, at a glance
The quick version. Every figure is explained and sourced in the sections below.
Short answer
Almost always because of the owner, not the cat. In a study of 2,755 relinquished cats, 74% were given up for owner-related reasons: health, housing, money or time. Pedigree cats are no exception. In the UK, 21% of people who gave up a cat said they could not afford to keep it.
That study broke the reasons down. The owner’s own health came first at 32%, then housing at 26%, then the cat’s behaviour at 25%, lack of interest at 11% and lack of time at 4%.[2]
Housing is the one people discuss least. More than half a million UK households cannot have a cat because of a landlord rule, according to Cats Protection.[1] A house move can end a home that was working perfectly well.
Taking a cat on from another owner is also ordinary. In the UK, 16% of cats were taken on from a neighbour, family member or friend.[1] That is roughly one cat in six, arranged directly between two people.
Pedigree cats are now part of that picture. For the first time, over half of the cats acquired in the UK in the last 12 months were pedigrees, at 51%.[1] As more people buy pedigree kittens now, more pedigree adults will need homes in a few years.
What the numbers do not say. Nothing in the relinquishment data suggests a rehomed pedigree is a defective one. A good cat usually loses its home because something happened to its owner.[2] Ask why, listen to the answer, and take the history seriously.
Are you the one who needs to rehome a cat? Our guide to rehoming a pet responsibly covers how to do it well.
Short answer
Yes. In a study following 168 adult-cat adoptions, 99% of adopters still intended to keep the cat six to twelve months later and 88% described themselves as very attached. Attachment scores were no different between people who adopted adults and people who adopted kittens. Adult cats do form new bonds.
The same study reports one thing that cuts the other way. Adult adopters were less likely than kitten adopters to say they were very satisfied, 78% against 89%.[3] At follow-up, 7% of the cats were no longer with the adopter and 2% had been returned.[3] They were equally attached, a little less delighted, and just as likely to keep the cat.
This breed handles a household change better than most. In a survey of 5,726 cats across 19 breeds and breed groups, British Shorthairs had the lowest probability of aggression.[5] They were also among the least likely to have a behaviour problem their owner flagged.[5] A calm cat that does not startle easily is a good candidate for a second home.
Short answer
Usually not, and with an adult you can check before you commit. The breed’s own US registry tells owners to teach children that these cats “are not fond of being carried around”. They like company without contact: in the same room, often following you, but not on your lap and not keen on being picked up.
The CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association, the largest US pedigree cat registry) is unusually blunt about it. British Shorthairs “enjoy supervising you from a nearby distance” and will “wait for an invitation to sit on the couch beside you rather than jumping into your lap”.[4] They are “most comfortable keeping all four feet on the floor”.[4]
A large owner survey agrees. Across 5,726 cats in 19 breeds and breed groups, British Shorthairs had the highest probability of decreased contact with people, and they were the least active breed in the study.[5]
The part that usually gets left out. The same survey put British Shorthairs among the least aggressive breeds it measured.[5] Low contact-seeking is not unfriendliness. A cat that keeps its distance is not a cat that objects to you.
This is where adopting an adult pays. Someone buying a kitten is buying a forecast. You can pick this cat up and see what it does. Cats vary within a breed, and with an adult you are choosing the individual rather than the average.
Six things to ask the current owner
Quoted descriptions come from the CFA breed profile.[4]
If what you actually want is a cat that sits on you, a Ragdoll suits that better. Adopting an adult means you can tell the difference before you decide.
An adult arrives with a history. That is an advantage for some things and a blind spot for others.
What an adult shows you that a kitten cannot
Four things to ask about, and why
Lifespan, honestly. UK veterinary records give British cats a life expectancy at birth of 9.58 years, against 11.74 years for UK cats overall.[11] Two caveats come with that number. The record group combines British Blue and British Longhair, and life expectancy at birth counts the cats that die young.[11] It is not the age a healthy adult reaches, and an adult has already passed the riskiest stretch.
The Persian connection is real. The CFA records that breeders crossed British Shorthairs to Persians after both World Wars to rebuild the type.[4] If you want the flatter face and the long coat, look at Persian cats instead. The Scottish Straight is a closer relative still, and people mix the two up often.
Short answer
Expect weeks, not days. International Cat Care advises keeping a new cat indoors for at least two to three weeks, and says some cats take several weeks to feel safe. Early hiding is normal, and a nervous cat may only eat and use the litter tray at night at first.
Hiding comes first, and it is not rejection. International Cat Care warns that a new cat may only eat and use the litter tray in the middle of the night for the first few days.[12] A very anxious one may not do even that for the first twenty-four hours.[12] None of it means the cat is unhappy with you.
Set the first room up like this
About the “3-3-3 rule”. You will see it everywhere: three days to stop hiding, three weeks to settle, three months to feel at home. It is folk wisdom. No research supports it, and cats do not settle on a schedule. International Cat Care says some take several weeks to feel safe, and that is the honest version.[12]
Indoors or outdoors. International Cat Care says plainly that there is “no right or wrong answer”.[13] Indoor-only cats are more likely to become obese, and cats with outdoor access tend to sit closer to an ideal weight.[13] Most people keep a valuable, low-activity cat indoors. If you choose indoors, you are taking the weight management on yourself. This breed already carries the risk.[9]
Short answer
There is no standard figure, and anyone quoting one is guessing. A fee usually reflects what the current owner already paid for neutering, vaccination and microchipping. It also does a quieter job: a cat advertised free attracts people who resell pedigree animals, and a fee filters them out.
We are not printing a range, and here is why. We went looking for reliable data on private rehoming fees for pedigree cats and did not find any. Charity adoption fees are published, but that is a different transaction with a different cost base. Inventing a number would be worse than saying so.
What should come with the cat
The number that actually matters is the running cost. The PDSA, a UK veterinary charity, puts the minimum cost of owning a cat at about £79 a month, before any illness or injury.[14] Set-up costs add about £366 at the start. Over a whole life the total comes to £11,400 to £13,600.[14]
Set on a kitten instead? See British Shorthair kittens for sale. If you want a settled adult cat without the pedigree price, look at a domestic shorthair cat.
Yes. Most British Shorthairs that need a new home are adults listed by their current owners. In the UK, 16% of cats are taken on from a neighbour, family member or friend. Going direct to the owner is an ordinary route, not a last resort.
Almost always because of the owner's circumstances. In a study of 2,755 relinquished cats, 74% of the reasons were owner-related, led by the owner's own health at 32% and housing at 26%. In the UK, 21% of people who gave up a cat said they could not afford to keep it.
Yes. In a study of 168 adult-cat adoptions, 99% of adopters still intended to keep the cat six to twelve months later, and 88% described themselves as very attached. Attachment scores were no different between people who adopted adults and people who adopted kittens.
Usually not. The Cat Fanciers' Association tells owners to teach children that these cats are not fond of being carried around. It also says they are most comfortable keeping all four feet on the floor. They like company in the same room without being held.
Expect weeks rather than days. International Cat Care says some cats take several weeks to feel safe, and advises keeping a new cat indoors for at least two to three weeks. Early hiding is normal, and a nervous cat may only eat and use the litter tray at night.
Ask whether the cat likes being picked up, where it sleeps, and how it behaves around children, dogs and visitors. Then ask for the vaccination record, the microchip number, the neutering status, and whether the cat has ever had a heart scan.
UK veterinary records give British cats a life expectancy at birth of 9.58 years, against 11.74 years for UK cats overall. Two caveats matter. That record group combines British Blue and British Longhair. Life expectancy at birth also counts the cats that die young, so it is not the age a healthy adult reaches.
The Cat Fanciers' Association calls them extremely patient with children, though it warns they may withdraw during loud activity. It says they adjust easily to a dog, but may become top cat in the household. With an adult, the current owner can tell you what actually happens.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the heart muscle, is the main breed concern. Screening 329 British Shorthairs by heart scan found it in 8.5% overall and in 20.4% of the males. Weight is the other big one, with 48% of adults in an Australian study overweight or obese.
International Cat Care says there is no right or wrong answer. Indoor-only cats are more likely to become obese, while cats with outdoor access tend to sit closer to an ideal weight. Most owners of this quiet, valuable breed choose indoors, which makes weight management your job.
There is no standard figure. We looked for reliable data on private rehoming fees for pedigree cats and found none, so we are not printing a range. A fee usually reflects the neutering, vaccination and microchipping the current owner already paid for, and it deters people who resell pedigree cats.
Very little. The coat is short and dense, and the Cat Fanciers' Association says a quick weekly combing or brushing is enough for most owners. Expect shedding all the same, because the coat is very dense.
Sources
Fact-checked against the CFA, International Cat Care, Cats Protection, the GCCF, the PDSA and peer-reviewed veterinary research.
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