The European Shorthair in a breed portrait

The history of the European Shorthair goes back a long way. Its ancestor was probably the North African Fawn. Originally, the cats were valued as nimble hunters who kept mice out of granaries. The cat breed came to Europe on ships as early as around the year 1000, where it spread rapidly and served as a domestic and farm cat. By adapting to climatic conditions and mating with native wildcats, the European Shorthair cat emerged. The breed standard of the EKH was only established in 1981 and recognized as an independent breed by the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe).

According to the standard, the breed of the European Shorthair must be externally free of crossbreeding with other breeds. The cat's coat is short and shiny. The coat colour is available in all colours and markings. If the cats are two-coloured, then the colours are clearly separated from each other by spots. The coat comes in these colors :

• Black

• White, whereby the cat may only be half white,

• Red

• Cream and

• Mixtures and patterns such as the "tortoiseshell" of black and red.

The European Shorthair is a medium-sized, muscular cat with a strong body. Male cats can weigh up to 7 kg, cats up to 6 kg. Her round, expressive eyes can shine in a wide variety of colors, from green to yellow to blue. Their head is round with well-developed cheekbones and medium-sized, slightly rounded ears. The tail is of medium length and ends in a round tip.

European Shorthair cats are very intelligent, playful and gentle. Due to its past, the European Shorthair has a strong hunting instinct and is often in search of adventure. The affectionate pedigree cat is also extremely people-oriented, which is why the house cats enjoy cuddling hours with their owners and are usually patient with children.

Keeping the European Shorthair is straightforward, making it an ideal choice for both experienced cat lovers and beginners. She feels comfortable as an indoor cat and also outdoors. However, the energetic cat breed has a great urge to move. As a house or apartment cat, the European Shorthaired Cat therefore needs a lot of activity and variety. Cat furniture such as cat trees help to enable wild climbs. To prevent boredom and stay in shape, the cats should be offered variety through various cat toys. Since it is very sociable , the European Shorthaired Pointer is happy to be accompanied by conspecifics or other pets.

The short, dense coat of the European Shorthair does not need any special grooming. With regular brushing, you can help your cat through the change of coat in spring and autumn and thus counteract the swallowing of hair. As with all cats, you should regularly inspect the fur, ears and paws of your EKH for parasites such as ticks and fleas - especially in outdoor cats.

The European Shorthair cat is a robust animal with a life expectancy of up to 20 years. Typical hereditary diseases of the shorthair cat do not exist due to their natural development and standardized breeding. Of course, since it can still develop diseases, a balanced diet and regular exercise are important to avoid health problems such as dental disease and obesity.

"I'm Mela from @twofurchilds and I live near Mannheim with Cecile – my European Shorthair – another four-legged and a two-legged friend as well as our swimming friends.

Due to the early loss of her mother, Cecile had to be hand-raised by us with cooked chicken and bottles. As a result, we quickly developed a familiar relationship with each other. For nine years, we haven't fallen asleep without cuddling together in the evening. Cecile was a freewheeler for four years. Due to her philanthropy, she was allowed to sit on the couch with some neighbors in other people's houses and apartments, but cat mom Mela didn't like that at all. After moving, Cecile became a house cat without any problems. That made me want to keep her on a leash outside in the open. Cecile does this quite voluntarily and happily. She comes running when I get out the harness and the leash – and off I go. To compensate for the lack of climbing opportunities that can be found in nature, Cecile has been given various stylecats® scratching furniture for her home since she has been living as a house cat.

Today, Cecile lives with a dog and three aquariums with various aquatic inhabitants. At first she was very anxious about our dog, but she quickly got rid of that and the two get along well! Her calm and cuddly nature does not trigger a hunting instinct in our dog. She also likes to take part in dog training with treats. She can already sit, paw and kiss, although Cecile, as a European shorthair cat , is intelligent enough to only do this when she gets treats.

She loves to romp and play with her cat toys. The water in the aquarium is also her friend and is drunk regularly – but she is not really allowed to! That's why Cecile now gets the tap turned on. Running water apparently tastes much better. Cecile is really not afraid of water at all.

When visitors come to the cat's home, she is often unimpressed and does not even get out of bed or out of her cuddle cave. At some point, however, she is curious and usually drops by for a moment. She can usually also be petted by visitors. When we are on vacation and strangers come to feed her, she is happy, cuddles around her legs, lets herself be stroked and stroked. Here, too, the open-mindedness for which the European Shorthaired Shorthair breed is known is evident.

Cecile is a spoiled goddess (probably has to do with her ancestors) who demands everything she wants and usually gets it. She regularly plays with everything that moves. And likes to cuddle, especially when no one else is around and we have time for two. Everything has to revolve around her. That's how she is. Other European Shorthair cats I know are so different in many ways, but still so similar. Conclusion: European Shorthair cats are robust, easy to care for, people-friendly, balanced and as different in character as their coat colors."

_In collaboration with Mela from @twofurchilds