The British Shorthair comes in a variety of colors, including solid, bi-color, and tabby patterns. There are seven recognized solid colors.
The most common solid color is blue, which has a distinctive grey-blue coat. Blue British Shorthairs can range from a light silvery blue to a darker charcoal grey.
The other solid colors are red, cream, black, white, and chocolate. Each of these colors has its own unique characteristics and can be found in both male and female British Shorthairs.
Fell und Aussehen
The British Kurzhaar's adorable appearance is one of its most distinctive features, with a short, dense, and low-maintenance coat that's reminiscent of a cuddly teddy bear. Their rounded head and large, round eyes only add to their endearing charm.
Their fur is a joy to behold, with a wide range of colors and patterns available, including the iconic British Blue. But did you know that their fur should be evenly colored, with no white patches or markings? This is a key characteristic of the breed.
The British Kurzhaar is a medium to large breed, with males reaching up to 7 kg in weight and females up to 5 kg. They take their time growing up, typically reaching full maturity at 3-4 years old. This means they have a playful and curious phase that can last a bit longer than usual.
Their calm and gentle nature makes them a great fit for families with children or seniors. They're not too demanding in terms of exercise, but they do love to play and engage in interactive activities. In fact, they're often described as "spoilable" due to their affectionate and loving personalities.
One thing to keep in mind is that British Kurzhaars can be a bit shy around strangers, so socialization is key. They're also generally not too vocal, but if they start meowing excessively, it's often a sign that something's amiss.
Farben
The British Shorthair comes in a stunning array of colors and patterns, with over 300 recognized variants. This includes solid colors like the iconic British Blue, as well as various tabby patterns like ticked, mackerel, and tortoiseshell.
Solid colors are just that - a single, uniform color that covers the entire body, with no tabby markings or "ghost markings" visible. This is in contrast to tabby patterns, which feature distinctive M-shaped markings on the forehead and stripes on the body.
The British Shorthair's eye color is determined by its coat color, with some interesting exceptions. For example, solid-colored cats with tabby patterns have copper-colored eyes, while point-colored cats have blue eyes. Silver and golden cats, on the other hand, have green eyes - unless they're point-colored, in which case they have blue eyes.
Solidfarben
Solidfarben are a key aspect of a cat's coat color.
A solidfarben cat's fur should be one color, with no "Geisterzeichnung" or ghostly markings on the body.
The fur should be dyed all the way to the skin, with no visible stripes or patches.
This is a desirable trait in cat breeding.
British Mix
British Mix is a fascinating world of colors.
Bicolor cats, like Noelle v.d. weißen Fee, have a solid-colored base with a white portion, making up half to a third of their fur.
Harlekin cats, such as Tarzan v.d. weißen Fee, have a very high white portion, with only a sixth of their fur in color.
Weibliche Tiere, like Noelle v.d. weißen Fee, can have two base colors, one of which is always red or its dilution, cream.
This combination is called Schildpatt or Tortie, named after the Schildkröten-Panzer, or turtle shell, because the patterns on the shell resemble those on the cat's fur.
Tortie cats can also come in other combinations, like Chocolate Tortie, where the base colors are brown and red.
Blue Tortie is another variation, with the base colors being blue and cream.
Dreifarbig, or three-colored, cats, known as Glückskatze, or lucky cat, have a red-black base color and a white pattern, making them extremely rare.
As only weibliche Tiere can have two base colors, it's mostly female Glückskatzen.
Pointfarben
Color-Point-Briten sind Teilalbinos, nur die wärmsten Körperstellen sind farbig.
These include the face, ears, tail, legs, and testicles. They can be found in various colors such as seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, red, cream, as well as Tabby variants of these colors.
Color-Point-Briten haben immer blaue Augen.
Their eyes are a distinctive feature of this breed, and they're a beautiful shade of blue.
In jüngster Zeit sind auch Color-Point-Briten in golden und silver zugelassen.
This means that breeders can now register Color-Point-Briten in these new colors, offering even more variety for cat enthusiasts.
Tortie and Torbie
Tortie and Torbie are fascinating colors in the British Shorthair breed. Tortie cats always have a mix of the base color and red or cream. They can be found in solid, bi-color, or tabby British Shorthairs. Torties are always female, and if a male tortie is born, he's usually infertile.
The eyes of tortie British Shorthairs depend on the base color of their fur. Solid torties have copper-colored eyes, while point torties have blue eyes.
Tortie British Shorthairs can be classified as Torbie if they have a tabby pattern in addition to their tortie color.
Farben (weitere)
The British Shorthair comes in a stunning array of colors and patterns, with over 300 recognized variants. The most well-known solid color is the "British Blue".
The silver tabby pattern has been around since the 1880s, making it one of the oldest and most iconic variations. Silberne and goldene Briten, or silver and golden British Shorthairs, are gaining popularity and can be found with various tabby patterns.
The eyes of British Shorthairs with tabby patterns are determined by the base color of their fur. Solid-colored Brits with tabby have copper-colored eyes. Pointed Brits with tabby, on the other hand, have blue eyes.
Silberne and goldene Briten, or silver and golden British Shorthairs, have green eyes. However, those with mask-like patterns have blue eyes instead.
Die Fellpflege
The British Kurzhaar's short coat requires minimal maintenance, just a weekly brushing with a suitable brush is enough. This breed can be quite hairy, especially in the spring, so daily brushing during this time is a must.
Their coat sheds heavily during spring, so it's essential to keep on top of brushing to prevent matting and tangling.
Grooming is a breeze, as bathing is not necessary - just wipe away any gross dirt with a damp cloth.
When it comes to playtime and cuddling, keep an eye on those delicate areas around the eyes and ears to ensure they stay clean and healthy.
Rasse und Herkunft
The British Shorthair has a rich history that spans over 2000 years, dating back to the time the Romans brought their cats to Britain.
Their origins are rooted in Britain, where they were first bred as a distinct breed in 1960, after centuries of development from the original Roman cats.
The breed was nearly wiped out during World War I and II, which led to the introduction of other breeds, such as the Persian, to help preserve the British Shorthair.
This cross-breeding is still evident in the breed's sturdy build, which is a testament to their ability to adapt and survive.
The British Shorthair's history is a fascinating story of resilience and determination, and it's no wonder they're such beloved pets today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Welche Farben sind bei BKH selten?
Bei der Britisch Kurzhaar sind Lilac und Creme seltene Fellfarben. Lilac ist sogar eine der seltensten Farben bei Katzen.
Sources
- Steckbrief: Die Britisch Kurzhaar - Katze (zooundco.de)
- Britisch Kurzhaar Katze (BKH) - Das Rasseporträt (samtpfote.com)
- Rasseguide: Britisch Kurzhaar (lucybalu.com)
- Übersicht zugelassener Farben der Britisch Kurzhaar (von-der-weissen-fee.de)
- Britisch Kurzhaar: Farben und Zeichnungen (liebesvieh.de)
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