European Shorthair Cat Breed Description

Active: European Shorthair cats are a moderately active cat breed. They do not tend to be lap cats, lazing around the house all day but they also are not incredibly demanding of your attention. They are independent and intelligent so they enjoy challenging games and activities as well as hunting for mice.

Size: European Shorthair cats are medium in size, weighing between 8 - 15 pounds.

Characteristics: European Shorthair cats are a muscular breed with strong legs but their look is not cobby. They have round, strong paws with a medium-length tail that is thick and tapers towards the tip. Their head is round and slightly longer than it is wide. Nestled in their rounded head are large, round eyes that are widely spaced and very endearing. Their ears are medium in size with slightly rounded tips. Their short coat should lie flat and close to the body and is available in all colors except chocolate, colorpoint and lilac.

Temperament: It is difficult to specifically describe the temperament of the European Shorthair cat breed with a blanket description. The personalities of European Shorthair cats are quite varied due to the fact that their genetic background comes from a wide variety of domestic cats. They tend to be playful and active cats that enjoy games and puzzles and are very skilled hunters. They are also very intelligent cats and need challenging toys and interaction so that they can show off their skills. Additionally, they use their intelligence to learn new tricks and can be trained fairly easily. These good natured felines enjoy human interaction and enjoy showing and receiving affection. They tend to enjoy following their favorite humans around the house and get along well with all ages as well as other family pets.

Care: European Shorthair coats only moderately shed because they are short in length. Because of this, they are a fairly easily cat breed to care for and groom. They simply need weekly combing or brushing to keep their coat looking its best. Routine nail trimming and ear cleaning will also keep your cat looking and feeling great.

Coat: The coat of the European Shorthair cat is dense and short, that is sleek-looking with a soft feel.

Origin: The European Shorthair cat breed has ancient roots but its modern history is more relevant to our discussion. The European Shorthair dates back to ancient Rome when emperors kept them as pets almost 2,000 years ago. These beautiful cats were spread across the European continent and, to date, are some of the most prevalent cats in all of Europe. While they developed naturally in Rome, the modern history of the European Shorthair cat breed begins in Sweden where breeders made an effort to preserve and further the breed. The focus of the breeding program was to create a cat that looked just like the cats in ancient Rome. The British Shorthair cat breed was bred with Persian cats in the pursuit of a very specific look but, for a time, British Shorthair cats were also called European Shorthair cats which was very confusing. In 1982, FIFE recognized the Scandinavian type of European Shorthair cat as a separate breed and still recognized as a separate breed today. While it is a very popular and well recognized cat breed in Europe, it is not currently recognized in North America.