The British Shorthair or European Shorthair is probably the oldest English breed and one whose ancestors came to Europe and Britain with the Roman soldiers. The Romans used these cats to protect their food supplies from rodents and as companions. The British and European Shorthair cats are identical and the name just reflects where you live. In Britain and North America we refer to them as British Shorthairs or Brits. The founder of the British cat fancy, Harrison Weir, is largely responsible for turning the domestic British cat into a recognized breed. He organized the first cat fancy show in 1871 which was dominated by the British Shorthairs. However by the turn of the century the Persians began to dominate and by the Second World War the British Shorthairs were in short supply. Some cross-breeding to Persians was introduced to save the breed and some hint of the Persian can still be seen in the Brit’s head shape.

Buying a Cat – Are You Ready? So, you’ve decided that you want to have a pet cat. However, before you buying a cat, you may need to consider a few important things. After all, finding out that a cat is not for you after you’ve already grown attached can be heartbreaking. The main reason that people have to find their cats new homes is that they are allergic to cats. If you’ve never spent much time around cats, be sure you can spend a few hours in a home with cats without developing an allergy attack. Also, check with friends and family to be sure none of them are highly allergic. Next, you may want to consider your lifestyle. Although most cats need less interaction than dogs, your cat can still become lonely and bored if left alone all day. A bored cat is often a bad cat. If you work long hours, consider getting two kittens so that they can keep each other company.

The Bombay cat is an attractive shorthair hybrid breed with a shiny black coat and copper eyes. The Bombay was developed in the US by Burmese breeders trying to improve their cats’ color and body type. Against the rules of the day, they out-crossed their Burmese to black American Shorthairs and produced some attractive cats. In 1953, a Kentucky breeder named Nikki Horner set out to produce a mini panther. The black leopard of India inspired the choice of the name “Bombay”. She began breeding champion Burmese with champion black American Shorthairs and through a careful breeding and outcrossing program developed the Bombay cat breed. Because the black gene is dominant the Bombays bred true. The Bombay finally achieved the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) championship status in 1976. Outcrossings are still being made to the Burmese in order to maintain the body type. Cat size Medium Exercise Docile – requires little exercise Grooming Minimal grooming –