European Shorthair
Meoww!!
Each European shorthair cat is an individual personality. Due to crossing with cats with unknown origin cats with different personalities can be found in the breed.
In 5 Words
- Intelligent
- Active
- Independent
- Curious
- Playful
Snapshot
Size: medium-sized to large
Weight: 8-15 lbs
Origin: Italy/Sweden
Life Span: 15-20 years
Colour: black, red, blue and cream, with or without tabby or white markings. Pure white is also permitted.
Characteristics
Learn About the European Shorthair
The European Shorthair goes back to cats that lived in Rome during the time of the Emperors. As the Romans spread their culture throughout Europe, these cats went with them.
Modern breeders in Sweden began deliberately crossing attractive yet unpedigreed cats in an attempt to create a breed that harkened back to early Roman origins. The result was the European Shorthair.
The European Shorthair is not recognized by any of the U.S. cat clubs, but is accepted by the Federation International Feline (FIFe). It is very popular in Finland.
- Head: Fairly broad with rounded contours but a bit longer than it is wide. Slightly rounded skull and forehead. Well-developed cheeks, especially in males. Straight, moderately long nose with no stop and a clearly defined base. Rounded, firm chin.
- Eyes: Large, round, widely spaced, set at a slight slant. Color must be clear and pure and correspond to that of the coat.
- Neck: Moderately long and muscular.
- Body: Fairly long, not stout. Stocky, strong, muscular. Broad, well-developed chest.
- Paw: Moderately long, strong, solid, tapering evenly to the paws, which are round and firm.
- Tail: Moderately long, fairly thick at the base, tapering gradually to a rounded tip.
- Coat: Short, dense, close-lying, lustrous hair without undercoat. All colors except chocolate, lilac, and colorpoint.
- Fault: Body too large or too stout. Strong resemblance to British Shorthair and American Shorthair. Pendulous cheeks. Clear stop. Long, wooly fur.
European shorthair cats are intelligent, active and independent, curious and playful.
They are friendly and sociable but sometimes suspicious of strangers. They like human company and are extremely nice to “their” people. They show their devotion to their people e.g. by greeting their people when they return home from work, assisting them by everyday activities and sleeping in bed of their person.
European shorthair cats are characterized by considerable adaptability. They get on well with other cats and other pets, provided they have been raised in a group of cats and have not spent several years as the only cat in the household.
Each European shorthair cat is an individual personality. Due to crossing with cats with unknown origin cats with different personalities can be found in the breed.
They are susceptible to all the common feline aliments that affect all cats, but no more so than normal. They have no hereditary health problems.
The coat of European Shorthair cats is short and very easy to take care of. Grooming once a week should be enough to keep it in a good state.
European Shorthairs come in all natural colours including black, red, blue and cream, with our without tabby or white markings. Tortoiseshell colourations are also possible.
