British Longhair

The British Longhair breed is one of the younger cat breeds that have not been bred as an independent breed for very long. The British Longhair (BLH) originated from the breeding of British Shorthair and Persian cats. As many BKHs carry the gene mutation for longhair, it is quite possible that two shorthaired Brits will also give birth to longhaired Brits. These kittens were the starting animals and the beginning of the breeding of the British Longhair cat. Nowadays, the inheritance pattern can be clearly recognised so that British Longhair and British Shorthair cats can be selectively bred. The mating of British Shorthair and British Longhair cats is also permitted today.

A healthily bred British Longhair has a fairly high life expectancy of 12 to 15 years. Due to their proud body size, British Longhair cats can often develop joint problems as a result of the strain. It is therefore important to keep a close eye on the cat's diet and weight. Typical breed diseases in British Longhairs include kidney disease and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Affected cats show panting after playing, bluish discoloured mucous membranes, rapid heartbeat, accelerated breathing rate, loss of appetite and a weak condition.

The British Longhair cat is particularly known for its cosy and gentle nature. The cat breed is generally considered to be friendly, curious, affectionate and open-hearted. They usually show us humans a lot of love and affection. The British Longhair usually forms a close bond with its humans very quickly. At the same time, the British Longhair is intelligent, playful and curious. They can initially react reservedly to unfamiliar visitors, but when they make contact they are friendly and approachable. Due to its high stress tolerance, which is not typical of cats, the British Longhair is well tolerated by other cats, children and, with appropriate socialisation, also dogs.

Due to the increased undercoat of the British Longhair, it requires intensive grooming. It is advisable to keep on top of this from an early age, as tangles and matting can quickly form in the cat's coat. It is advisable to use tine combs with fixed and rotating tines for grooming. Felting knives also help very well with tangles.

From Maja with the three Brits Jupiter, Oskar and Greta:

I became aware of the British Longhair cat breed by chance. I have always liked British Shorthair cats. I had never heard of the longhair variety before. However, after looking at a few pictures on the Internet, I knew that this was the breed I liked. So my first BLH tomcat soon moved in.

The first meeting with my EKH, who was four years old at the time, went smoothly. He wrapped her around his finger just as he did with me. He won her heart pretty quickly. And because one was not enough, a British Longhair girl was quickly added to the mix.

When our little girl moved in, it was as if she had always been there. She was already 4 years old and jumped out of her basket with complete self-confidence and explored her new home. The first contact with my cat, who was 6 years old at the time, and the 2.5-year-old tomcat was just as uncomplicated.

Well-socialised animals that grow up with different age groups integrate very well into an existing group. They love to be close to their humans. My two British Longhairs always snuggle up with me on the sofa and also come to bed with me in the evening and never leave my side. They show their love by purring loudly, rubbing their heads against their humans and seeking attention.

However, British Longhairs can also sleep well on their own. You don't have the feeling of being besieged by the cats all day long. They love various cosy baskets, cat trees or the carpet. We like to play with cat toys made of felt, with strings, fishing rods, small felt balls or even small feathers, which the cats like to retrieve.

On the whole, I can recommend a British Longhair cat to anyone. Personally, I would choose this breed again and again. They are very warm-hearted, sociable, open to visitors, not shy, have a big heart and always show me that they love me.

_In collaboration with Maja from @zweieinhalb_briten