British Longhair vs Australian Mist - Breed Comparison

The British Longhair cat hails from Great Britain. The cat is a longer-haired variety of the British Shorthair.

These British Shorthairs were interbred with imported long-haired varieties with the idea being to bring about a cat that was more compact and stout and with a rounder face. Today the British Longhair is an established longhair breed in its own right.

This beautiful cat, the Australian Mist was developed in Australia and is a cross between the Burmese Cat, the Abyssinian as well as domestic shorthairs.

The breed was developed in 1975 by Truda Straede looking to bring about a short-haired cat with a ticked or spotted coat. At first the cat breed was known as the Spotted Mist but this changed to Australian Mist in 1998.

This is also because cats with marbled coats as opposed to spotted coats were accepted as part of the breed. This is an Australian cat but today there are some in UK, America and Germany.

The cat is recognized by governing councils Australia. The cats have a large gene pool.

The beautiful British Longhair cat is a medium-sized feline, leaning towards being a large cat with semi-long hair.

The cat, whether males or females can weigh between 4 and 8kg. It is robust and muscular with round paws and legs of medium length. The ears are smallish and round at the tips.

The color of the eyes can be different - browns, greens, blue, and grey. The colors of the coat can be blue, white, black, grey, calico, tabby, bi-color and tortoiseshell. The coat can be a solid color or it can be in different patterns. The fur is always medium length and silky with an undercoat.

Temperament:

The British Longhair has much the same personality as the British Shorthair – being calm, amicable cats who appreciate their human owners.

They’re adaptable cats too and are willing to get along with any other pets in the home as well. They’re playful and affectionate with their owners but don’t particularly like being held for too long.

Even though this is a docile cate, it is intelligent and will require mental stimulation. You’ll need to invest in a few ‘intelligent’ type of toys to keep your cat physically and mentally active. Take a look at the kinds of games where your cat will be required to ‘hunt’ for his food.

There is nothing particularly unusual about these beautiful cats as the Australian Mist is a medium-sized cat weighing between 4 to 7kg. Its short coat comes without an undercoat and it is a low-shedding cat.

The coat can be spotted or marbled and the legs and tail come with a pattern of black rings. The cat’s coat is short and comes in a number of colors – gold, peach, brown, blue, lilac, chocolate and caramel.

The Australian Mist has large, bright, expressive green eyes with a rounded head and a furry tail.

Temperament:

The Australian Mist is known for its exceptional temperament, and they don’t mind being picked up and cuddled. For this reason they make great cuddly pets for first-time cat owners as well as homes with children.

He is more than willing to get on with other pets in the home as well. They’re lively cats and will not mind being put on a leash and going for a walk, although because they are such cats that thrive on human company, this cat is willing to spend the entire day indoors with their human family.

These companionable cats make excellent animal friends for invalids.

Desexing your Australian Mist will ensure that he likes to stay close to home and become a solid family member.

The British Longhair makes an awesome pet and can live happily with children, other dogs, and cats and all of his human family.

He isn’t a cat that wants to be picked up too often – he is independent but is willing and loving towards his humans.

For the friendship he offers, you’ll want to reward him for the joy he brings by providing well for him.

The Australian Mist is capable of becoming the perfect pet for single people, couples, families, the sick, and the elderly.

They just thrive on human companionship and love the indoor life. You can expect to have your furry companion with you for a good time as their life expectancy is into the late teens – if you provide them with a happy, comfortable home.

Bring one of these wonderful fur companions into your home and you’ll see that the Australian Mist is ready to quickly become a member of your unique family.

These beautiful cats can be prone to obesity if kept as an indoor cat only and a cat that doesn't get enough exercise.

Obesity, an accumulation of excess body weight, is a preventable disease. It is necessary to prevent this obesity as it can reduce your pet’s life expectancy. Fat tissue is active, secreting inflammatory hormones and creating oxidative stress on the body’s tissue, and this is precisely what contributes to so many diseases.

The British Longhair cat can also be prone to renal polycystosis. This disease is where many pockets of fluid or cysts form in the kidney and if they grow large over time they can actually interfere with kidney function and this can bring on kidney failure.

These are generally long-lived cats and with good health, these robust cats from Australia can live well into their teens.

The Australian Mist hasn’t got any particular health care issues, but as with every cat, it is a good idea to see that he gets to the vet for an annual check-up to make sure all is still well.

Because of the long hair, the British Longhair is going to require brushing as the coat can easily become matted, particularly as the coat thickens in preparation for winter.

You’ll need to brush the hair once a week, but perhaps more in peak shedding times. A gentle but firm brushing keeps the cat’s fur and skin in good condition.

Have your pet spayed and neutered to avoid unwanted kittens.

Take your pet to the vet as soon as he is unwell. He is part of your family now and must be treated as such.

Provide your pet with human companionship especially if you buy one of the more social cats.

If your cat is an indoor pet, provide him with a litter box ad be prepared to clean it every day.

Provide a clean, dry, comfortable bed in a quiet area.

Provide your cat with stimulating toys.

Vaccinate your cat against the major feline diseases. Also, have your cat dewormed.

Diet:

In terms of nutritional requirements, make sure that your British Longhair gets the very best cat food there is, whether you provide him with homemade food or you give him some of the excellent commercially manufactured cat foods there are.

There are wet- and dry foods and it's for your furry friend to decide which one he prefers.

Learn to read labels and make sure your cat is getting foods high in protein, after all, your cat is a carnivore.

Be sure that the food has lots of vitamins and minerals for his health. A cat also needs a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

They’re moderate shedders and the short lying coat of this cat won’t require much grooming. It is always a good idea to brush a short-haired cat like the Australian Mist at least just once a week to get rid of dust and loose hairs. Of course, the cat thrives on the attention that comes with brushing him as well.

Diet:

Because your Australian Mist is a fairly active cat you want to buy commercially manufactured cat food that is of the highest quality to maintain his health and condition.

These cats are prone to putting on weight and you want to ensure the right food portions to maintain his weight.

He should never be without a constant supply of fresh, cool water. A good diet for your cat can go a long way to eliminating- or cutting down on veterinary expenses.

If you’re unfamiliar with what to feed your cat, your furry friend’s basic nutrition needs will require having good protein from meat, fish and poultry. You always want to be sure that Taurine, an essential amino acid is always included in the food as well as other important vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and enzymes.