Descended from the British Shorthair, the British Longhair takes the classic cobby, sturdy structure and adds a thick, dense coat. Its origins are a little unclear: British Longhair breeders, like many working with longhair variants of shorthair breeds, claim that the longhair gene has been dormant in the breed since 19th century and post-WWII crosses to Persians. This may be true – certainly other Persian-originating colours such as colourpoint, chocolate, and golden have made their way into non-CFA populations of the British Shorthair, so why not longhair as well? Whether the crosses are ancient or recent, the British Longhair provides another option for pet owners looking for a sweet, cuddly, and fluffy companion without the extreme flat face of the Persian. First accepted by TICA in 2009, the British Longhair was accepted by FIFe in 2017, proving that it certainly has a place in the global cat fancy—although it may face a long journey to acceptance by the ever-stodgy CFA.

Type & judging remarks
The British Longhair is a compact, muscular cat while remaining well-balanced and in proportion. Its broad chest, thick tail, round head and short strong legs emphasize its power and strength. The coat is extremely dense, and semi-longhaired rather than hugely voluminous, with ruff and breeches.