The British Shorthair is a breed of shorthaired cat developed in England. They are the equivalent of the American Shorthair, but due to selective breeding, they are a different shape. The British Shorthair is also similar to the European Shorthair, but differs mostly in that the Brits have a rounder face.

British Shorthairs have a very dense, soft coat, and large round copper eyes. The body is large, rounded and well formed, the males weighing in at about 14 lb (6 kg). These cats can be any colour, but 'blue' (a light blueish grey) is common enough to have a name of its own - the 'British Blue'.

The cat has a seemingly perpetual smile on its face; Lewis Carroll chose the British Shorthair as the model for his Cheshire cat in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

They are an even-tempered breed, not given to cuddling but preferring to sit beside their owner, yet they are affectionate in their own way.

British Shorthairs were crossbred with Persians to create the Exotic cat.