In the past centuries, cats of the type to become known as British Shorthairs, were found throughout the British Isles. These cats, most likely developed from the domestic cats brought by the Romans, crossed with the native wild cats. These cats were prized for their strength and hunting ability and as their personality, grace and confidence were discovered they became the undisputed heirs to the fireside hearths and pleasant additions to the home.

Harrison Weir, father of all cat shows, was a great admirer of these cats, "The ordinary garden cat," he wrote, "has survived every kind of hardship. That he exists at all, is a tribute to his strength of character and endurance." Mr. Weir's devotion to the shorthaired British cats was shared by Mr. Jung, who was to become one of the first cat show judges. He believed if these beautiful cats were thoughtfully bred, a race of cats with aristocratic pedigrees and the same inherent goodness and quality would be developed. The breed produced was named the British Shorthair and were the only cats to be shown as pedigreed at the first cats shows. All others were simply shown as longhair or shorthair, divided by their various colors.

The British standard calls for the cat to be of compact build, powerful and well-balanced. A full broad chest, short strong legs, rounded paws and modified tail show off a "football player" physique. The British Shorthair has a round head with good width between the ears. The eyes are round and wide- open. One of the most appealing features are the "Brit's" built-in smile caused by the round prominent whisker pads. This smile was never displayed better than in Lewis Carroll's Cheshire cat; originally a tabby British Shorthair. The British Shorthair coat is like no other; short, dense, like deep pile carpet. The coat needs minimal care yet has a luxurious feel. British Shorthairs are very affectionate, quietly following you from room to room until they can settle contentedly by your side. Gifted with lasting patience and confidence Brits are especially good with children and other types of pets. A moderately active cat, they are not destructive as a breed,adapting well to any size household.

British Shorthairs are late to mature, often not reaching full size and development until three years of age. They seem to benefit from staying with their litter group until at least 12 weeks old before going to their new homes, where they win over the household with charm and cuteness. They do well either singly or in pairs, which is sometimes preferred in homes where they are left alone all day. Our kittens have been raised with optimum attention to every aspect of their development. From attending each birth, bottle feeding supplementation, introduction of litter trays, instigating solid food consumption, our kittens have known the touch and comfort of human hands as well as feline maternal nurturing. All our kittens receive their "baby" vaccines before they leave us. We hope that we can be of service when selecting your newest feline companion. For additional reading we suggest the following books: The Ultimate Cat Book and The Eyewitness Handbook to Cats for information on the breed; Cats on the Couch by Carole Wilborne and The New Natural Cat by Anitra Frasier for information on caring for your cat.

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