The semi-long-haired version of the British Shorthair. They share the round face, plush coat, and famously calm temperament — but with a flowing semi-long coat that needs more attention. Often called the 'teddy bear cat'.
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Category
- longhair
- Lifespan
- 12–17 yrs
- Size
- Medium-Large
- Weight
- 4–8 kg
- Coat
- Semi-long, dense double coat with plush undercoat
- Colours
- All colours and patterns — blue is iconic
😺 Temperament
🏡 Best suited to
📊 Personality ratings
📜 History & origin
After World War II, British Shorthair breeders were forced to outcross their decimated breed to Persians to rebuild numbers. The resulting cats sometimes carried the recessive longhair gene. For decades, longhaired kittens born from British Shorthair litters were quietly homed as pets without recognition. In the 1980s, breeders in Europe began deliberately developing the longhaired variant as its own breed. TICA recognised the British Longhair in 2009; the GCCF in the UK followed in 2017. The breed remains one and the same as the British Shorthair in some registries.
🧼 Care & grooming
The dense double coat requires brushing 2–3 times weekly, increasing to daily during the spring moult when the heavy winter undercoat sheds. Their calm, dignified temperament makes them outstanding apartment cats — they are not climbers, jumpers, or boundary-pushers. They tolerate handling well but are typically not lap cats; they prefer to sit nearby rather than on you. Independent enough to be alone during the workday but appreciative of evening company.
🩺 Health notes
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the primary inherited concern — responsible breeders screen breeding stock with annual cardiac ultrasounds. Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), inherited from Persian outcrossing, is now uncommon but DNA testing is available. Their relaxed temperament masks discomfort; regular vet checks are important to catch issues that they would otherwise hide.
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