British Shorthair breeders, verified by hand.
Round, dense, and quietly self-contained.
Round, dense and famously plush, most recognisable in solid blue. A calm, undemanding cat that would rather sit beside you than on you.
History
One of the oldest recognised English breeds, developed from working street and farm cats and refined heavily after the World Wars, when Persian outcrosses were used to rebuild numbers. That Persian ancestry is why PKD1 belongs on the panel.
Living with one
Calm, undemanding and not a lap cat by default — a British Shorthair will usually settle beside you rather than on you. Slow to mature, reaching full size at around three, and disinclined to be carried.
What British Shorthairs are screened for
PKD1 is a one-time DNA test and only clear cats should be bred; the Persian outcrossing in the breed's history is the reason it matters here. There is no DNA test for HCM in this breed, which means an annual echocardiogram by a cardiologist is the only real screening — ask for one dated within twelve months. Blood type matters too: type B is common enough in British lines that a mismatched mating risks neonatal isoerythrolysis in the kittens.
This is what breeders in this breed commonly screen for. It is not veterinary advice, not a complete list, and Kittenry does not authenticate the documents a breeder provides — here is exactly what we do and don't check.
Four questions worth asking
Are both parents PKD1 negative — can I see the certificates?
When was each parent last echoed, and within the last twelve months?
What blood types are the queen and stud?
Which lines did you outcross to, and why?
And one rule that applies to every breed on this site: pay by credit card. Zelle, Cash App and wire transfers have no chargeback rights. Kittenry never handles your money — you pay the breeder directly, and we want your dispute rights intact.
British Shorthairs on Kittenry
We're onboarding our founding catteries now, and British Shorthair is one of the breeds we're actively recruiting. If you breed British Shorthairs, apply here — the first catteries in each breed are listed free.
Looking for a British Shorthair?
Tell us what you're after and we'll point you at the right cattery when one has kittens.
0 other waiting for a British Shorthair right now.