Breed Standards for CFA
GENERAL: the British Shorthair is compact, well-balanced and powerful, showing good depth of body, a full broad chest, short to medium strong legs, rounded paws, tail thick at base with a rounded tip. The head is round with good width between the ears, round cheeks, firm chin, medium ears, large round and well-opened eyes, and a medium broad nose. The coat is short and very dense. Females are less massive in all respects with males having larger jowls. This breed is slow to mature.
HEAD: round and massive. Round face with round underlying bone structure well set on a short thick neck. The forehead should be rounded with a slight flat plane on the top of the head. The forehead should not slope.
NOSE: medium, broad. In profile there is a gentle dip.
CHIN: firm, well-developed in line with the nose and upper lip.
MUZZLE: distinctive, well-developed, with a definite stop beyond large, round whisker pads.
EARS: ear set is important. Medium in size, broad at the base, rounded at the tips. Set far apart, fitting into (without distorting) the rounded contour of the head.
EYES: large, round, well opened. Set wide apart and level.
BODY: medium to large, well knit and powerful. Level back and a deep broad chest.
LEGS: short to medium, well-boned and strong. In proportion to the body. Forelegs are straight.
PAWS: round and firm. Toes: five in front and four behind.
TAIL: medium length in proportion to the body, thicker at base, tapering slightly to a rounded tip.
COAT: short, very dense, well bodied, resilient and firm to the touch. Not double coated or woolly.
COLOR: for cats with special markings: 5 points for coat color and 10 points for markings. Shadow tabby markings in solid color, smoke, shaded, shaded golden, bi-color, or calico kittens are not a fault.
PENALIZE: definite nose stop. Overlong or light undercoat. Soft coat. Rangy body. Weak chin.*
DISQUALIFY: incorrect eye color, green rims in adults. Tail defects. Long or fluffy coat. Incorrect number of toes. Locket or button. Improper color or pigment in nose leather and/or paw pads in part or total. Any evidence of illness or poor health. Any evidence of wryness of jaw, poor dentition (arrangement of teeth), or malocclusion. Evidence of hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or these combinations with white.*
*The previously listed penalties and disqualifications apply to all British Shorthair cats. Additional penalties and disqualifications are listed under colors.
BREED STANDARDS for TICA:
The British Shorthair (BS) and British Longhair (BL) are powerful cats; semicobby,
wide and firm in body. Their round face has a sweet, open expression.
HEAD
Shape: Round, a series of 3 circles defines the head 1st broad round muzzle, 2nd broad round head and 3rd full round chubby cheeks. Broad, wide cheek bones with smooth transition to muzzle, great width at eye level. Rounded front and top head, well rounded from any angle. Large in males, medium in females.
Ears: Small to medium, broad at the base and rounded. Set wide apart
on the rounded top head, but not extreme or flared.
Eyes: Large, round, level in head, set wide apart to show width of nose. Intense, eye color preferred. Color conforms to coat color with exception of silver division where copper is accepted as well as green. Eye shape is more important than color.
Muzzle+Chin: Heavy muzzle with great width and smooth transition towards the cheekbones. Firm chin in line with nose, completing the circle of the face.
Profile+Nose: Short straight snub nose, stop, well pronounced change of
direction towards the rounded front head. No flat planes above the nose.
Neck: Short, thick, heavily muscled, creating the appearance of no neck, blending with the cheeks. Especially pronounced on mature males.
BODY:
Torso: Semi-cobby. Wide, sturdy, muscular, firm,powerful, well rounded,
chest and considerable depth of flank. The shoulders are broad and flat at
the wither; the hips are the same width. Back is level. Females proportionately smaller.
Legs+Feet: Legs medium to short length from floor to belly should be slightly less than from belly to back. Round feet, medium to large in size.
Tail: Thick at base, straight, tapering slightly to a rounded tip. Two-thirds the length of the body.
Boning: Substantial. Large to medium.
Musculature: Sturdy, firm, not soft.
COAT/COLOR/PATTERN:
Straight,dense,standing away from the body, with natural protective
appearance, even in length.
Length
(BS): Short.
(BL): Semi-long, with ruff and britches desirable.
Texture: So dense that it is difficult to see the skin when parting the hair.
(BS): Firm, crisp, plush
(BL): Fluff-plush
Pattern: In torties brindling is allowed.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The British is an imposing breed. Their large, round face should have a sweet open expression, with a smug rounded muzzle. Chubby cheeks and no-neck, blend into a stocky, semi-cobby, muscular, wide and firm body. Their coat is dense and rich, plush and thick in both shorthair and longhair varieties. Slightly reserved in temperament, they are a four feet on the floor breed, and like to be handled with gentle firmness and supported when carried.
ALLOWANCES: Seasonal changes in coat density, length and texture. Slightly softer texture in colors other than blue.
PENALIZE:
Eyes: Almond shape, slanted set
Musulature: Lack of muscle tone
Legs: cow hocks.
Coat: Lack of/or poor undercoat, coat not standing away from body
(BS): Long or soft coat,
(BL) short or silky coat, long flowing coat like in Persians
Boning: light delicate
DISQUALIFY (DQ): Crossed eyes.
Temperament must be unchallenging; any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm.
In accordance with Show Rules, ARTICLE SIXTEEN, the following shall be
considered mandatory disqualifications: a cat that bites (216.9), a cat showing evidence of intent to deceive (216.10), adult whole male cats not having two descended testicles (216.11), cats with all or part of the tail missing , except as authorized by a board approved standard (216.12.1), cats with more than five toes on each front foot and four toes on each back foot, unless proved the result of an injury or as authorized by a board approved standard (216.12.2), visible or invisible tail faults if Board approved standard requires disqualification (216.12.4), crossed eyes if Board approved standard requires disqualification (216.12.5), total blindness (216.12.6), markedly smaller size, not in keeping with the breed (216.12.9), and depression of the sternum or unusually small diameter of the rib cage itself (216.12.11.1).