American Shorthair vs Turkish Van vs British Shorthair Cat Breed Comparison

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

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

Name	American Shorthair	Turkish Van	British Shorthair
Origins	United States	Turkey United Kingdom	United Kingdom
Cat Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Natural	Natural	Natural
Popularity Rank	9	77	3
Reviews	0	0	0
User Ratings

Other Names What other names do they have?	Domestic Shorthair	Turkish Cat, Swimming cat	Highlander, Highland Straight, Britannica
Price Which one is cheaper, American Shorthair vs Turkish Van vs British Shorthair cat?	$600 to $1200	$800 to $1500	$1,500 to $3,000
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) Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe)	The International Cat Association (TICA) American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe)

American Shorthair vs Turkish Van vs British Shorthair Size, Appearance and Physical Traits Comparison

Size Which is bigger, American Shorthair or Turkish Van or British Shorthair 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 Turkish Van or British Shorthair?	Males: 11 to 15 pounds, Female: 8 to 12 pounds	Male: 9 - 20 pounds, Female: 7 - 12 pounds	Males: 12–18 pounds, Females: 9-15 pounds
Bite Force	Average Bite Strength: Around 10-15 PSI	Average Bite Strength: Around 10-15 PSI	Strong Bite Strength: Greater than or around 15 PSI
Body Type	Semi-cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.	Substantial Turkish Van are large and heavy-boned with a strong, muscular build.	Cobby This body type is a mix between the cobby and foreign types.
Ear Shape	Medium Rounded Wide-set	Large Pointed Wide-set	Medium Rounded Wide-set
Eye Color	Green Copper	Gold Blue	Gold Copper
Hair Color and Pattern	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.	Van pattern: primarily white with coloured markings on the head and tail; colours include red, cream, black, blue, and their respective tabby patterns, as well as tortoiseshell and calico.	Wide range of colors and patterns, including solid, tabby, bicolor, and more.
Coat What is the difference between American Shorthair, Turkish Van and British Shorthair coats?	Short Hair	Semi-long	Short Hair
Leg Lenght	Medium	Medium	Medium
Whisker Length	Medium	Medium	Medium
Musculature	Lean	Muscular	Muscular
Head Shape	Round	Triangular	Round
Toe Count	5 front 4 back	5 front 4 back	5 front 4 back
Eye Shape And Orientation	Round	Almond-shaped	Round
Night Vision
Paw Size	Medium	Medium	Medium
Nose Structure	Concave	Long and Narrow	Button
Neck Length	Medium	Medium	Medium
Fur Texture	Short Shaggy	Fine Short Silky	Soft Curled
Bone Density	Medium	Medium	Medium
Flexibility	High	High	High
Bone Structure	Slender Fine	Robust	Robust
Tail Length	Long and Tapered	Plumed	Long and Tapered
Sleep Patterns	Calm More Sleep	Moderate Sleep	Active Less Sleep

American Shorthair vs Turkish Van vs British Shorthair Special Abilities Comparison

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

American Shorthair vs Turkish Van vs British Shorthair Health Comparison

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

American Shorthair vs Turkish Van vs British Shorthair Characteristics and Personality Comparison

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

American Shorthair vs Turkish Van vs British Shorthair Grooming Comparison

Seasonal Shedding	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Grooming Tools Needed	Brush Nail Clipper Comb Deshedding Tool	Brush Nail Clipper Comb Deshedding Tool	Brush Nail Clipper Comb
Dental Care	Low	Low	High
Grooming Which is easier to groom, American Shorthair or Turkish Van or British Shorthair?	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 Turkish Van coat in good condition.	Low Maintenance Occasional grooming is recommended to keep the British Shorthair coat in good condition.
Shedding Which cat sheds less, American Shorthair or Turkish Van or British Shorthair?	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.	Moderate This cat breed is of average shedding.	Minimal This cat breed sheds much less than the average.

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