American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair Cat Breed Comparison

"Find similarities and differences between American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair" Compare American Shorthair and British Shorthair. Which is better: American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?

Size, Appearance and Physical Traits Special Abilities Health Characteristics and Personality Grooming Show differences only

Name	American Shorthair	British Shorthair	British Longhair
Origins	United States	United Kingdom	United Kingdom
Cat Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Natural	Natural	Natural
Popularity Rank	9	3	36
Reviews	0	0	0
User Ratings

Other Names What other names do they have?	Domestic Shorthair	Highlander, Highland Straight, Britannica	British Longhair Variant, British Semi-Longhair, Longhair British, Britannica (European), Lowlander (United States)
Price Which one is cheaper, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair cat?	$600 to $1200	$1,500 to $3,000	$800 to $1200
Cost Of Ownership	Low	Moderate	Moderate
Breed Recognition	The International Cat Association (TICA) Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA)	The International Cat Association (TICA) American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe)	The International Cat Association (TICA) Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe)

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair Size, Appearance and Physical Traits Comparison

Size Which is bigger, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair cat?	Medium The medium-sized cats usually weigh 10-15 pounds and are 8-11 inches long from the nose down.	Large The large-sized cats usually weigh 10-20 pounds and are 10-16 inches long from the nose down.	Large The large-sized cats usually weigh 10-20 pounds and are 10-16 inches long from the nose down.
Weight Which is heavier, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Males: 11 to 15 pounds, Female: 8 to 12 pounds	Males: 12–18 pounds, Females: 9-15 pounds	Male: 10 - 18 pounds, Female: 8 - 16 pounds
Bite Force	Average Bite Strength: Around 10-15 PSI	Strong Bite Strength: Greater than or around 15 PSI	Average Bite Strength: Around 10-15 PSI
Body Type	Semi-cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.	Cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.	Cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.
Ear Shape	Medium Rounded Wide-set	Medium Rounded Wide-set	Medium Rounded Wide-set
Eye Color	Green Copper	Gold Copper	Gold Copper
Hair Color and Pattern	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.
Coat What is the difference between American Shorthair, British Shorthair and British Longhair coats?	Short Hair	Short Hair	Dense, Straight
Leg Lenght	Medium	Medium	Medium
Whisker Length	Medium	Medium	Medium
Musculature	Lean	Muscular	Robust
Head Shape	Round	Round	Round
Toe Count	5 front 4 back	5 front 4 back	5 front 4 back
Eye Shape And Orientation	Round	Round	Round
Night Vision
Paw Size	Medium	Medium	Medium
Nose Structure	Concave	Button	Button
Neck Length	Medium	Medium	Medium
Fur Texture	Short Shaggy	Soft Curled	Fine Short Silky
Bone Density	Medium	Medium	Medium
Flexibility	High	High	High
Bone Structure	Slender Fine	Robust	Fine
Tail Length	Long and Tapered	Long and Tapered	Plumed
Sleep Patterns	Calm More Sleep	Active Less Sleep	Active Less Sleep

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair Special Abilities Comparison

Attention Span	Long, focused on play and hunting	Long, enjoys calm activities	Short to moderate, relaxed and calm
Guarding Instinct	High	High	Moderate
Protection Instincts	High	High	Moderate
Climbing Ability	High	Moderate	Moderate
Jumping Ability	Good	Moderate	Moderate
Swimming Ability	Poor	Poor	Poor
Water Affinity
Rescue Capability	Good	Moderate	Moderate

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair Health Comparison

Litter Size	1-3 Kittens	2-4 Kittens	2-4 Kittens
Special Needs	Low maintenance Independent	Low maintenance Independent	Affectionate High grooming
Breeding	Easy to breed, large litter size	Easy to breed, large litter size	Requires grooming knowledge, small to moderate litter size
Dietary Preferences	High protein, raw diet	High protein, wet food	Low fat, high protein
Solo Time Tolerance	High	Medium	Medium
Noise Sensitivity	Low	Moderate	Low
Genetic Diversity	High	Moderate	Moderate
Sensitivity To Changes	Medium sensitivity	Medium sensitivity	Medium sensitivity
Food Motivation	High	High	Moderate
Feeding Schedule	Twice a day Morning and Evening	Twice a day Morning and Evening	Twice a day Morning and Evening
Maintenance Level	Moderate	Moderate	Low
Exercise Needs	Medium	Medium	Medium
Life Expectancy Which will live longer, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	15-17 years	12-17 years	12-15 years
Energy Level Which is more energetic, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair cat?	The American Shorthair cat has an average energy level.	The British Shorthair cat has a lower energy level than other cats.	The British Longhair cat has a higher energy level than other cat breeds.
Hypoallergenic Which cat is hypoallergenic, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	No American Shorthair cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.	No British Shorthair cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.	No British Longhair cats don't do well with allergy sufferers by causing an allergic reaction.
Common Health Issues Which cat is healthier, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair?	Low Very healthy cat breed.	Low Very healthy cat breed.	Low Very healthy cat breed.
Health Problems	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Obesity Diabetes Mellitus	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Obesity Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)	Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Obesity Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
Climate	Temperate	Temperate	Temperate
Cold Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Heat Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Breeding Difficulty	Medium	Easy	Medium

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair Characteristics and Personality Comparison

Common Vocalizations	Moderate meowing	Soft and gentle meows	Quiet and calm meows
Interaction With Other Pets	Excellent, enjoys other pets' company	Good, calm and tolerant	Moderate, can be reserved
Facial Expression	Calm and adaptable	Calm and easygoing	Calm and gentle
Tail Behavior	Flicks tail when curious	Gentle swaying when calm	Calm tail, rarely flicks
Explorer Instincts	High	Moderate	Moderate
Attention Needs	Low	Low	Moderate
Protectiveness	High	High	Moderate
Territoriality	High	High	Moderate
Independence	High	High	Moderate
Response To Commands	High	Moderate	Moderate
Adaptability To Indoor Life	High	High	High
Hunting Drive	High	Moderate	Moderate
Play Style	Curious Playful Gentle	Playful Gentle Calm	Playful Gentle Calm
Escape Tendencies	Moderate	Low	Moderate
Curiosity	High	Moderate	Moderate
Hunting Skills	High ⬆️	Moderate ⏺️	Moderate ⏺️
Reaction To Strangers	Cautious	Cautious	Cautious
Stalking Behavior	High	Moderate	Moderate
Aggression Level	High	Low	Moderate
Training Difficulty	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Agility	High	Moderate	Moderate
Travel Compatibility	Medium	Medium	Low
Activity	Moderately Active	Moderately Active	Moderately Active
Compatibility With Other Animals	Playful Medium	Playful Medium	Playful Medium
Household Noise Tolerance	Medium	Medium	Medium
Playfulness	Active Adventurer. American Shorthair are quite playful and enjoy frequent play sessions.	Balanced Playmate. British Shorthair have a balanced playfulness.	Active Adventurer. British Longhair are quite playful and enjoy frequent play sessions.
Trainability	Average Trainability: American Shorthair cat breeds are less interested in training and obedience, but can still learn basic commands and routines with enough practice and rewards.	Moderately Trainable: British Shorthair cat breeds require more patience, repetition, and reinforcement to learn new commands and behaviors, but can still be trained successfully with consistent efforts.	Difficult to Train: British Longhair cat breeds are the least responsive, most stubborn, and hardest to train, often requiring professional guidance and extra effort to achieve even basic results.
Lap Cat Which cat is lap type, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Yes This cat loves to sit on his owner's lap.	Yes This cat loves to sit on his owner's lap.	No This cat sits on its owner's lap less than other breeds.
Temperament Which one has a better personality, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Active	Affectionate	Affectionate
Adaptability Which cat has a higher adaptability potential?	American Shorthair cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	British Shorthair cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	British Longhair cats adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Affection Level Which is the more affectionate cat breed: American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair?	High: American Shorthair cats are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate cats toward their handlers.	Average to High: British Shorthair cats are highly affectionate cats.	High: British Longhair cats are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate cats toward their handlers.
Child Friendly Which cat is more kid-friendly, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	The American Shorthair cat is a child-friendly breed.	The British Shorthair cat is a child-friendly breed.	The British Longhair cat is a child-friendly breed.
Dog Friendly Which cat is more dog-friendly, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Very dog-friendly: American Shorthair owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.	Very dog-friendly: British Shorthair owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.	Very dog-friendly: British Longhair owners often find that their cats get along very well with the family dog.
Intelligence Which cat is smarter, American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair?	Average: the American Shorthair cat has an average level of intelligence.	Average: the British Shorthair cat has an average level of intelligence.	Outstanding: British Longhair is one of the brightest cat breeds.
Social Needs Which cat is more social, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Above-average: they need more social interaction than average cats.	Average: they need as much social interaction as the average cat.	Average: they need as much social interaction as the average cat.
Stranger Friendly Which cat is more stranger friendly, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Average: this cat breed gets on relatively well with strangers.	Below average: this cat breed tends to have difficulty getting along with strangers.	Above-average: this cat breed gets on well with strangers.
Vocalization Which cat is the loudest, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.	Low Low vocalization cats are a category of cats that typically make less noise than other cats.

American Shorthair vs British Shorthair vs British Longhair Grooming Comparison

Seasonal Shedding	Moderate	Moderate	High
Grooming Tools Needed	Brush Nail Clipper Comb Deshedding Tool	Brush Nail Clipper Comb	Brush Nail Clipper Comb
Dental Care	Low	High	Moderate
Grooming Which is easier to groom, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	Moderate Maintenance Grooming your American Shorthair cat is an essential part of caring for their health and well-being.	Low Maintenance Occasional grooming is recommended to keep the British Shorthair coat in good condition.	High Maintenance This cat breed requires more time and effort than other breeds.
Shedding Which cat sheds less, American Shorthair or British Shorthair or British Longhair?	High If you're looking for a cat that won't leave a trail of fur everywhere they go, you might want to rethink your choice of pet.	Minimal This cat breed sheds much less than the average.	Moderate This cat breed is of average shedding.

Popular Cat Compares

Despite the best intentions, there may be errors. If you find one, please let us know and we will fix it as soon as possible. Contact us here.