Owyhee Bob vs British Shorthair - Breed Comparison

A cat breeder, Harrison Wier took a street cat of Britain and with an intensive breeding program, transformed it to the British Shorthair.

The British loved this beautiful pedigree cat. During the Second World War, the British Shorthair all but disappeared but re-emerged as a popular cat that is today accepted in cat registries around the world.

This breed of cat is a cross between two fantastic cat breeds – the Manx and the Siamese. It’s a cat breed that is recognized by the Rare and Exotic Feline Registry.

The Owyhee Bob is also just casually referred to as the Owyhee and it's an experimental feline breed.

It’s from the USA and is polydactyl, which means that the cat carries the genes of the Manx while the other breed used to create them is the Siamese.

The British Shorthair is a medium to large-sized cat and he can be anything from 5 to 9kg. He has a short to medium-length dense coat that can either be a solid color, bi-color tortoiseshell or patterned.

The coat becomes thicker and longer in the winter. This is a robust, strong cat, being heavily muscled with heavy bones. The cat also has a broad chest with thick, strong legs. The ears are fairly small and the round eyes give him a totally amicable expression on his face.

Temperament:

The British Shorthair is an amicable cat and makes a superb companion as it's an easy-going cat that adores his human family, being loyal towards them.

The British Shorthair is an active cat and it is able to get by on his own for a few hours without human company. If you do work particularly long hours and you go out a lot, it will be kind to perhaps get another cat for him as a friend.

He is quiet and undemanding and because he is big and heavy he doesn’t like being carried around.

The cat has spotted or marbled markings on his coat which can be long or short. In fact, the coat can be in all colors and patterns.

Its a medium to large-sized cat, muscular with a round head and medium to large-sized ears that have some feathering around the rounded tips.

The tail too can be long or short but the preferred look is the stumpy tail. The cat has large oval eyes that are wide-set and blue, like one of the parent cats - the Siamese.

Temperament:

The Owyhee Bob is a social cat and very playful. He likes nothing more than to be part of his human family. He is intelligent too and becomes a loving and loyal pet.

The personality of the Owyhee Bob is sweet-tempered and social. They are also these kinds of cats that follow you wherever you go and when you sit down, they’re eager to be in your lap.

These cats don’t do well in homes where their humans work all day, every day and they are left in solitude hour after hour.

Remember that the socialization you give your kitten as well as the environment it grows up in can play a role in the temperament of your cat.

The British Shorthair is such a companionable cat, being intelligent and affectionate, even though he isn’t a lapcat as such.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love being around his human companions. He does and is loyal to them.

They’re laid back cats and are capable of getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He just loves lazing around in the sun and can spend a few hours on his own without feeling anxious or lonely.

These cats are really great companions and they make themselves at home in different lifestyles, whether you live in the countryside or in town and whether you are single, a couple or a family with children and other pets.

Easy to care for, the British Shorthair cat is guaranteed to make you an excellent companion.

The Owyhee cat in your home becomes a wonderful pet. They’ve got such playful, jaunty personalities and they’re clever too.

Social, sweet-tempered, and active, you won’t be disappointed by having such an awesome feline companion in your home.

After all, he has fantastic parent breeds – the Siamese and the Manx – and the two blended together brings out all the most amazing characteristics in the Owyhee Bob cat.

These beautiful cats are a robust, healthy type of cat breed and if you care well for him, you aren’t going to be taking him along to the vet too often. He can also live to be up to 20 years of age.

This cat has been bred with Persians in the past, so this should alert you to some of the diseases that this particular cat breed is susceptible to. It makes the cat a little bit vulnerable to polycystic kidney, an inherited condition in cats that causes cysts to form in the kidneys. They are small at first but they can grow bigger and actually result in kidney failure.

Every cat, regardless of how healthy can get ill. If you don’t want your cat to become a parent, he or she will need to be spayed or neutered as well which comes with a host of health benefits.

If you worry about the cost of vet bills, you can rather pay a small amount each month for pet insurance.

Certainly, as a cat owner, you need to recognize the signs and symptoms of some of the more common illnesses your cat could get so that you can get your feline pet to the vet before he gets too sick by neglecting it.

Cancer:

Cancer is a killer disease where cells grow uncontrollably so that the disease spreads to every area of the body. Cats can get different types of cancer but you need to know some of the symptoms to watch out for.

Your cat may lose weight, you’ll maybe notice a difficulty with swallowing, he has a sore that won’t heal, he doesn’t want to eat, he is losing weight and he may have a new, unusual lump.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV):

This is a tricky illness and cats infected with this disease may not show symptoms until years after they were infected. With this disease, the cat’s immune system is weakened and the cat is open to all kinds of other secondary infections.

Worms:

Parasites can make a cat seriously ill. It is why vets deworm kittens. Infestations of worms can cause a host of symptoms. Certainly, your cat is listless, dull and the hair may even fall out.

The British Shorthair is a fairly large, robust cat but that certainly doesn’t mean he must be fat. Being overweight can bring about a range of health issues and you want to follow an appropriate diet for him ad see that he gets enough exercise.

When it comes to feeding your British Shorthair, always look out for the very best, most nutritious food there is as he is a big cat.

You want to ensure your pet gets enough protein as cats are carnivores - they’re meat eaters and they require chicken, beef and fish. You can give your cat some cooked egg as they are an excellent source of protein.

Be very careful not to be tempted to give your cat chocolates, grapes, nuts, onions or garlic as foods like this are toxic for your cat and can cause him pain and discomfort.

Remember to ensure that there is always a constant supply of fresh, cool water for your cat. If you’re wondering what to feed your cat or you have any other concerns, don’t hesitate to speak to your vet.

Brush your British Shorthair when he starts to shed his winter coat and trim the nails.

Do things for your cat that you would do for your own human child. This is your beloved fur-child and you want him to be happy and healthy.

Check inside his mouth to make sure there aren’t any loose or blackened teeth that could be causing him terrible pain. Also, check inside his ears for signs of redness.

Your British Shorthair is an elegant, clean type of cat so you want to keep his litterbox nice and clean for him.

Your Owyhee Bob is a social cat so he will require interest and companionship from his human owners.

Choose the best cat food that there is. Your Owyhee Bob cat is a carnivore and he will require excellent cat food to ensure his health. Make sure he has a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Provide a litter tray and clean it out every day.

Provide a warm, dry bed for your cat, stimulating toys, a scratching-post, climbing tree, food and water bowls, a collar and grooming accessories.

Get you Owyhee Bob to the vet when he shows any sign of illness. Make sure that he gets his kitten vaccines.