British Shorthair vs Asian Semi-Longhair - Breed Comparison

A cat breeder, Harrison Wier took a street cat of Britain and with an intensive breeding program, transformed it to the British Shorthair.

The British loved this beautiful pedigree cat. During the Second World War, the British Shorthair all but disappeared but re-emerged as a popular cat that is today accepted in cat registries around the world.

Similar to the Asian Shorthair, the Asian Semi-Longhair with its semi-long fur was developed in the UK in the 1980s and isn’t recognized by any U.S. registries.

It is believed that the cat breed goes back to matings between the Chinchilla and Burmilla cats. This cat may not be recognized by any of the U.S. registries but it has recognition in the GCCF.

The British Shorthair is a medium to large-sized cat and he can be anything from 5 to 9kg. He has a short to medium-length dense coat that can either be a solid color, bi-color tortoiseshell or patterned.

The coat becomes thicker and longer in the winter. This is a robust, strong cat, being heavily muscled with heavy bones. The cat also has a broad chest with thick, strong legs. The ears are fairly small and the round eyes give him a totally amicable expression on his face.

Temperament:

The British Shorthair is an amicable cat and makes a superb companion as it's an easy-going cat that adores his human family, being loyal towards them.

The British Shorthair is an active cat and it is able to get by on his own for a few hours without human company. If you do work particularly long hours and you go out a lot, it will be kind to perhaps get another cat for him as a friend.

He is quiet and undemanding and because he is big and heavy he doesn’t like being carried around.

This beautiful cat is medium to large in size and can weigh up to 6 or 7kg. The body is compact, the face and eyes round with a slightly blunt snout. The ears are fairly small and pointed.

The luxurious silky coat comes in different colors and patterns such as black, brown, chocolate, blue and lilac, which happen to be the five main colors of this beautiful cat with his shiny green eyes.

Temperament:

The Asia Semi-Longhair is a gentle cat but curious and active. These are cats that become attached to their human owers and don’t like to share their humans with other cats.

They’re very talkative and they are therefore not the best breed to keep in an apartment. It’s also a cat that doesn’t like to be left on its own for long periods of time and will make a friend of children and other pets such as dogs if it means some companionship.

The British Shorthair is such a companionable cat, being intelligent and affectionate, even though he isn’t a lapcat as such.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love being around his human companions. He does and is loyal to them.

They’re laid back cats and are capable of getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He just loves lazing around in the sun and can spend a few hours on his own without feeling anxious or lonely.

These cats are really great companions and they make themselves at home in different lifestyles, whether you live in the countryside or in town and whether you are single, a couple or a family with children and other pets.

Easy to care for, the British Shorthair cat is guaranteed to make you an excellent companion.

The Asian Semi-longhair is such a sociable, friendly cat and he loves his human family so much that he can’t bear to be separated from them. It is often referred to as being a dependent cat, as it absolutely hates being alone and does not want to be separated from the people he loves.

It’s not the type of cat to get if you work long hours and there is nobody else at home. It's the kind of cat that also gets on well with kids and dogs.

He is such a playful cat that even a yarn of wool will keep him amused for ages and he loves toys. For so much friendship coming from your feline friend, he deserves plenty of love and attention - after all, he is prepared to give you that.

These beautiful cats are a robust, healthy type of cat breed and if you care well for him, you aren’t going to be taking him along to the vet too often. He can also live to be up to 20 years of age.

This cat has been bred with Persians in the past, so this should alert you to some of the diseases that this particular cat breed is susceptible to. It makes the cat a little bit vulnerable to polycystic kidney, an inherited condition in cats that causes cysts to form in the kidneys. They are small at first but they can grow bigger and actually result in kidney failure.

The Asian Semi-longhair is a robust cat, not prone to lots of health issues and he can reach up to 15 years of age.

It doesn’t have any particular breed-specific diseases, but as with any cat, you want to be looking out for heart and periodontal diseases.

Also, hypokalaemic polymyopathy is a condition that results in muscle weakness and pain in your cat. The cause is low potassium and your pet's entire body can have muscle weakness.

Some other symptoms include being stiff, slow walking and an actual reluctance to walk. Some of the common causes of this illness include chronic kidney disease and poor diet.

The British Shorthair is a fairly large, robust cat but that certainly doesn’t mean he must be fat. Being overweight can bring about a range of health issues and you want to follow an appropriate diet for him ad see that he gets enough exercise.

When it comes to feeding your British Shorthair, always look out for the very best, most nutritious food there is as he is a big cat.

You want to ensure your pet gets enough protein as cats are carnivores - they’re meat eaters and they require chicken, beef and fish. You can give your cat some cooked egg as they are an excellent source of protein.

Be very careful not to be tempted to give your cat chocolates, grapes, nuts, onions or garlic as foods like this are toxic for your cat and can cause him pain and discomfort.

Remember to ensure that there is always a constant supply of fresh, cool water for your cat. If you’re wondering what to feed your cat or you have any other concerns, don’t hesitate to speak to your vet.

Brush your British Shorthair when he starts to shed his winter coat and trim the nails.

Do things for your cat that you would do for your own human child. This is your beloved fur-child and you want him to be happy and healthy.

Check inside his mouth to make sure there aren’t any loose or blackened teeth that could be causing him terrible pain. Also, check inside his ears for signs of redness.

Your British Shorthair is an elegant, clean type of cat so you want to keep his litterbox nice and clean for him.

Your Asian Semi-Longhair will require regular deworming.

Keep your cat’s vaccines up to date.

The Asian Semi-longhair has moderate to long hair, and it’s a cat that sheds quite a bit so use a soft brush to brush the coat gently twice a week.

Have your cat spayed or neutered as this can prevent unwanted kittens. Not only this, doing this for your cat can be beneficial for your cat and bring out better characteristics in them. They no longer want to roam and mark territory. In the female cat it's the removal of the cat’s ovaries and uterus, and with the male cat, neutering is the removal of the cat’s testicles.

After this op, your vet will explain to you how to look after your recovering pet.