British Shorthair Coloring Pages

The Oldest Cat in Britain

The British Shorthair is a cat that was born in Britain.
In English, its name means "a short-haired cat from Britain."
It is said that long ago, Roman people brought cats to Britain to catch mice, and that is how it all started.
It is thought to be the very oldest cat breed in Britain.
It even showed up at the world's first cat show held in London in 1871 and became very popular.
It is a slow-growing cat that takes about 3 to 5 years to become a full adult.

A Round Face and a Sturdy Body

In the 1st coloring page, the British Shorthair is standing facing left and turning its face toward you.
It has small round ears on its big, round face, doesn't it?
Its legs are thick, and its body is sturdy.
Its tail is also thick with a rounded tip.
Its fur is short, but it grows very densely, so it feels so soft when you touch it.
Some people say it looks just like a teddy bear.
Try lining it up with another short-haired cat, the American Shorthair, to compare their faces and bodies!

Curled Up on a Cushion

In the 2nd page, it is curled up on a big, round cushion in a winter room, looking up.
Next to it, there is a plaid blanket, a teapot and a teacup, and yarn mittens.
Outside the window behind it, snow is falling.
In Britain, drinking tea is a very popular custom.
It is said that the British Shorthair has a calm and quiet personality.

Looking at the Snowy Town from a Bay Window

In the 3rd page, on a snowy winter evening, it is sitting in the bay window of a brick house, looking outside.
In the bay window, a poinsettia pot, a candle, and a pile of books are lined up, and there are curtains too.
Outside the window, you can see a snowy European town.
There are houses with triangle roofs, chimneys, and even a gas lamp.
It is said that many British Shorthair cats like to relax rather than jump up to high places.

The main color is blue

The most famous color for the British Shorthair is a bluish gray called "blue."
This color was so popular that they used to be called "British Blue!"
If you layer a little bit of light blue or blue over gray, it will look just like real blue fur.
If you color the eyes an orangey gold, it will look great with the blue fur.
There are also cats with many other colors like white, black, cream, stripes, and two-tone spots!

Layer gently for fluffy fur

The trick for their short, thick fur is to tilt your colored pencil and layer the colors gently again and again.
If you layer a slightly darker color on the cheeks, under the chin, on the tummy, and where the legs start, you can show their round, sturdy body.
Color the nose gray or dark gray, and leave the area around the mouth a little lighter to make a cute face.
Try this on the Scottish Fold coloring page too, since they have round faces just like the British Shorthair!

A winter room and an evening town

On the second coloring page, if you make the cushion and blanket a red and green plaid, it will look just like winter.
It would also look lovely if you draw blue flower patterns on a white teapot and teacup.
On the third coloring page, change the evening sky little by little from orange to purple.
If you shade around the gas lamp and candles with a light yellow, the lights will look like they are shining.
Color the poinsettia leaves red on top and green on the bottom.
Color the snow white and the bricks brick-red to bring the town to life!

Model for the Cheshire Cat?

In the story *Alice's Adventures in Wonderland*, a grinning Cheshire Cat appears.
People say the British Shorthair was the model for this Cheshire Cat.
That is because its round face looks like it is smiling when you look at it from the front.
However, there are other ideas too, so no one knows for sure.

A Time When They Almost Disappeared

Around the time of World War II, there was not enough food, and the number of British Shorthairs became very small.
It is said that people bred them with cats like the Persian to help increase their numbers again.
Now, it is a popular cat in both the UK and Japan.

They Like Sitting Next to You More Than Being Held

British Shorthairs like people, but it is said that many of them do not really like being held.
Instead of jumping onto your lap, they prefer to sit next to you and spend time together.
If you gently watch over them, you might become good friends!