In England, there is a legend telling about the origin of the breed of British cats. Allegedly they were brought to the British Isles 2000 years ago by Roman legionnaires. To protect the stock of provisions from mice, they took on board their ships shorthair cats from Italy, and went with them to conquer the northern countries. Arriving in Britain and faced with its cold climate, cats not only survived, but also adapted to new conditions. Quite often they were forced to lead a wandering lifestyle, which influenced the character of British cats: self-confidence, leadership qualities, restraint in feelings developed. The body became strong, muscular, with short strong legs. The climate of Britain made its adjustments in the coat of the cat: it became thick, with dense undercoat, thanks to which the animal looks like a stuffed toy. The "British" is therefore also called "plush cats."
There is some truth in this legend. Although the breed of British cats was bred in the 19th century by breeding a local shorthair cat with Persians, still British cats show a “Nordic, persistent” character. The breed was registered in 1898 by the English Club of Cat Lovers. As a result of painstaking and lengthy selection, the British got a beautiful "Persian" color - the most popular are blue, purple, cream British. Another Persian heritage is the magnificent collar, which is obtained due to the large skin fold under the short neck of the Briton.
In a word, if you describe this breed, then we can say that British cats remotely resemble the inhabitants of Great Britain and ... English bulldogs. With the last British cats, bryns (slightly sagging lips) are related, powerful paws, a wide bone, due to which adults weigh 6-7 kg (and some cats reach a weight of 10-12 kg), a round head, large expressive eyes, short round ears that do not stick out, but lie on your head like a hat. True, the tail of the cat is not a bulldog stump, although it is also thick, rounded at the end.
“He’s the guy that’s necessary, but not at first glance, he has to be bitten through, he needs to be recognized” - this is what they say about the English Bulldog. Those who love feline grace in cats, elongation of the body and touching tenderness, are unlikely to appreciate the positive qualities that British cats are famous for. The nature of the representatives of this breed is very sociable. The British fit perfectly into the new team, are friendly with dogs and other cats, even in childhood do not cause serious damage to household utensils, are unobtrusive, unobtrusive, not worried. At the same time, they are used to being leaders.
The British cat will be an excellent companion for the elderly: her character is such that she likes to play, but in moderation, loves to feast on, but she also feels when to stop. What the British can't stand is inconsideration: if a cat is constantly squeezing, licking and playing with her without her consent, the animal will simply break free and go into some secluded corner. Incompatible concepts are also considered to be a dog and a British cat. The character of the representatives of this breed is too independent and proud to carry out commands. But you can teach a clever "Briton" teams affection and patience, conducting training in-game.
A distinctive feature of the nature of the representatives of this breed is called calm, poise and peacefulness. These Nordic creatures are not so easy to piss off, such are British cats. Their nature, however, does not allow them to be considered completely tame - for happiness, they need to be given the opportunity to be in solitude, alone with themselves. Their care is minimal: the animal itself maintains its thick plush coat in perfect order, it is extremely rare to bathe it. The strong structure of the Briton made him extremely resistant to disease.