British Longhair Breed Information

The British Longhair is known to be a fairly relaxed, inactive breed, that’s prone to laziness. They can be tolerant of other pets such as dogs and rabbits but are not so happy to share the house with other cats unless they have grown up with them.

The British Longhair is not normally an overly talkative cat, and isn’t too keen on being picked up - they seem to prefer to have all four paws on the ground, but should happily sit on your lap.

Breed-related health problems:

Owners are, understandably, upset when their cat develops a health problem linked to its breed. Often they wish they’d known what problems the breed was prone to have. The potential health problems that British Longhairs are prone to include:

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a condition where the volume of blood that the heart pumps with each contraction is reduced. This can cause fainting, tiredness and other signs of heart disease.
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) – a condition where cysts, present in the kidneys from birth, gradually increase in size until the kidney cannot function normally, resulting in kidney failure. A genetic test is available for this disease.

Coat care:

British Longhairs require daily brushing due to their coat length, especially during seasonal changes when the coat is thickening or thinning. As cats get older they may struggle to groom themselves properly, and the coat of the British Longhair has a tendency to matt/tangle easily if not groomed regularly.

Estimated cost over lifetime:

These costs are based on essential items such as:

• A bed, litter and tray
• Grooming items
• Food and bowl
• Preventive treatment such as flea, worming, vaccinations and neutering
• Toys
• Cat carrier
• Pet insurance

This does not include initial purchase cost, non-essential items (such as holiday care) or potential veterinary treatment of which an excess needs to be paid before your pet may be covered by pet insurance.

Insure your British Longhair Cat with PDSA:

1 in 3 pets need vet treatment each year and vet bills can come to hundreds of pounds. PDSA Pet Insurance can give you peace of mind when your pet is poorly, especially for breeds like British Longhair Cats that are prone to certain conditions. PDSA Pet Insurance offers:

1. Dog and cat insurance policies from 8 weeks of age.
2. 24/7 veterinary advice online or over the phone with Petcall.
3. Manage your policy online with the PDSA Insure Hub.
4. Monthly payment at no extra cost.

By insuring your British Longhair Cat with PDSA Pet Insurance you’ll also be helping to provide vet care to some of the UK’s neediest pets.

For more information on taking care of your cat please visit our kitten and cat section.

Rehoming from a reputable source:

Where you get a cat from can have a big effect on how healthy and happy it is for the rest of its life. Find out where our PDSA vet experts recommend you get your cat from.

Not sure if the British Longhair is the right pet for you?