At a glance the quick version
Coat and looks how to spot one
shorthair, no undercoat
A sleek, muscular medium-sized cat whose body is longer than it is tall. It has large rounded eyes set about one eye-width apart, big pointed ears and a gently curved profile, and its short coat is silky and shiny with no undercoat.1
Personality what they are like
Warm, adaptable and sociable. It likes being with people, enjoys exploring and is clever enough to pick up simple tricks; kittens are especially playful and adults stay fairly lively.21
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Fairly high. Regular play sessions and mental challenges keep it content.21
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Minimal. An occasional brush, plus routine teeth, claw and ear care.21
Home where they are happiest
Adapts well to indoor life or a home with safe outdoor access.1
Company who they like around
Enjoys human contact and usually mixes well with children, other cats and dogs.21
The story where it all began
Cats arrived in Brazil on Portuguese ships around 1500 and spread through the streets of its towns and cities. In 1985 engineer and breeder Paulo Samuel Ruschi noticed that street cats in different cities shared the same look and began breeding them to a standard, and WCF accepted the breed in 1998.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It was the first cat breed from Brazil to gain international recognition.1
- 2
The breed was developed from ordinary street and feral cats rather than imported pedigrees.1
- 3
It looks sleeker and more elegant than the American or British Shorthair.1
- 4
Its founder, Paulo Samuel Ruschi, also founded Brazil's cat federation.2
Recognised by the official bits
- WCF
- Accepted as a breed in 19981
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Brazilian Shorthair. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Nail trimevery 3 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- Litter scoopevery day
- Litter changeevery week
- PlayDaily playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 11every year
You might also like
European Shorthair
American Shorthair
British ShorthairLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Brazilian Shorthair - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, founder, recognition, body, coat, facts
- Brazilian Shorthair - PetGuide petguide.comused for weight, height, lifespan, temperament, care
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.