Weight

British Shorthair weight chart

The stocky, blue-coated teddy bear of cats, with a plush feel and laid-back attitude.

Calm, easygoing, independent, and affectionate.

Adult reference weight is 9 to 18 lb. The breed record lists 14 to 20 years.

Breed record origin is England.

The breed record marks British Shorthair as a fit for a first-time owner.

British Shorthair

How much does a British Shorthair weigh?

Typical weight, then the reference range under it.
AgeFemaleMale
8 weeks3.8 lb3 to 4.62.7 lb2.2 to 3.4
12 weeks5.8 lb4.8 to 6.54.5 lb3.8 to 5.3
16 weeks7.6 lb6.5 to 8.56.3 lb5.5 to 7.3
20 weeks9 lb8.2 to 10.28 lb7.1 to 9.1
24 weeks10.2 lb9.3 to 11.49.4 lb8.4 to 10.6
30 weeks11.3 lb10.1 to 12.211.2 lb9.9 to 12.1
36 weeks12.1 lb11.1 to 13.611.9 lb10.8 to 13.4
42 weeks12 lb10.7 to 13.112.7 lb11.4 to 13.8
1 year12.4 lb10.9 to 14.212.9 lb11.2 to 14.7
15 months13.1 lb11.9 to 14.413.7 lb12.5 to 14.9
18 months13.5 lb11.8 to 15.913.5 lb12 to 15.5

Breed weight ranges are a reference, not a diagnosis. Ask a vet before you treat a number as a problem.

Adult weight up to 8.16kg exceeds WALTHAM 7kg ceiling. Milestones scaled from WALTHAM by breed adult midpoint (6.12kg). Confirm with vet and BCS.

The curve comes from WALTHAM / Salt et al. PLOS ONE 2022 (Liverpool DataCat 1456). WALTHAM dataset

Food

Weight-control portions. They look round even when they should not be.

Home

Apartment-friendly. A window perch is enough enrichment for many.

Company

Affectionate without being velcro. Fine alone for a workday if you play at night.

Coat

Weekly brush. Dense coat sheds in season.

What tends to stress them

  • Overfeeding
  • Forced play
  • No quiet spot

Breed risks to mention to a vet

  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • Obesity

A breed risk is not a diagnosis for your cat.

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