One of the nicest pets for any pet owner to have is a cat. These cuddly animals have been around for decades, and even during the times of the ancient Egyptians and Pharaohs, they were kept around the houses for company, and to get rid of rodents.
Today, we still revere keeping pets in our house for various reasons such as companionship, love, teaching our kids to care for animals and various other reasons. One such attractive pet has been the British Shorthair, and especially in the UK.
These cats can live for up to 20 years and have some of the fewer health problems amongst most felines, click here to read about this more. There are however a few things to take note of when adopting this pet as your child. We look at the main ones below.
Buying from a Registered Breeder
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One of the most important aspects to consider when adopting any animal, be it a dog or a cat, is to make sure you buy it from a registered breeder. This is mainly because they would have had all the right vaccinations, medical examinations and certified DNA tests, as well as being spayed or neutered.
Sometimes other catteries won’t do any of these things and you may end up with a kitten that’s unwell, full of health problems, unclean and depressed. Some may have also been abused by their previous owners or kept in unfavourable conditions, and you as the owner won’t know how to handle this.
Not Many Health Problems
The British Shorthair does not have many health issues and is a generally healthy cat. They may be prone to some minimal conditions such as “hypertrophic cardiomyopathy” especially prevalent in males. This is a condition that leads to the thickening of their heart muscles, which leads to a decrease in the efficiency of the heart and can affect other parts of their bodies. With the right type of treatment, they can live long lives and symptoms can cease to exist.
They Live for a Long Time
These cats can live for up to 20 years, so if you are looking for a kitten to grow up with your children, these are the best options to have around the house. The average lifespan is about 12 years, but they commonly live well and you can enjoy a long healthy and happy lifestyle with them. With a sensible diet, activity and care time, you can be sure to keep them satisfied.
If you are ready for a long-term commitment, these are highly recommended. However, if you are looking for something that temporary, there are other choices of cats you can look at that do not have such long lifespans. Such as the Burmilla which lives to about 7 to 12 years, American wirehair which also averages 12 years, the Manx and Devon Rex or Ocicat: https://www.newsweek.com/20-cat-breeds-shortest-lifespans-1594961#
They Can Grow Very Big
One word of caution is, they need space. Especially those that grow to a large extent. You need a good-sized house, and if possible a backyard or garden for them to run around and play. You do get a smaller sized one as well, however, this needs to be determined from the start when they are still a kitten. After 5 years they can continue to grow and possibly get up to 7kgs in weight. The females, however, tend to be smaller than the males.
They also may suffer from excessive weight in terms of becoming obese, so this is something that needs to be considered. However, with a proper diet, and strict feeding times, it can be controlled. If they become too overweight it will cause lots of health problems, much like us humans.
They Don’t Do Laps
Unlike other felines, these are unique in that they don’t like to be placed on your lap, but would rather choose to sit beside you on the couch. They are independent but make good companions, as they can follow you around the house wherever you go, and like the idea of having you around, as long as they can see you.
The British Shorthair cat is overall one of the best breeds to keep in the house and take with you on travels.
They Are Not Very Active
Before you start thinking these are lazy cats, we wouldn’t necessarily call them that. They are just not very active and prefer to lay around the house on the couch or a cold floor, or your carpet. They do love a good nap time and can snooze for hours on end. One thing to note is not to pick them up while they are taking their nap otherwise you may find a very moody cat in your hands.
They are calm and gentle creatures and don’t cause any trouble to you or any other pets around the house. One unique thing about them is also that they do not scratch your furniture when stretching themselves as most other moggy’s do. They won’t tear your couch cover to claw at anything to damage it. However, they do like to chew on things so it’s best to get them some soft toys to chew on as and when they desire.
You may sometimes find one or two naughty ones that can cause a ruckus, but because they are good at being trained, you can take them to a pet trainer or train them not to claw at anything and offer them a treat thereafter to show your appreciation. In due time they will get the hang of what to do and what’s not allowed in the home.
Besides that, you can revere in the fact that these do make some of the best house companions around!
