Your British Shorthair, Cheeks and All
Round cheeks, a plush coat and those big copper eyes: a British Shorthair is a teddy bear with opinions. Upload a photo for a free preview in about 30 seconds, then get it printed, framed and shipped free.
in about 30 seconds
A British Shorthair Portrait With Teddy-Bear Charm
A British Shorthair portrait is all about roundness: a broad, round head, full cheeks, small ears set wide apart, big round eyes and a sturdy, compact body. The coat is short but very dense, with a plush feel that stands slightly away from the body. These cats mature slowly, often taking a few years to reach their full size, and adult males tend to develop especially broad, jowly cheeks.
The gray British Blue with copper eyes is the classic, but the breed also comes in lilac, cream, black, cinnamon, silver and golden tabby, colorpoint and bicolor, with eye color to match. Our custom British Shorthair portraits are created from your own photo, so your cat’s real shape and calm, slightly unimpressed expression come through.
Upload a photo, pick a style and see a free preview in about 30 seconds. Love it? Choose a framed print or canvas, approve the digital proof we email, and your British Shorthair art ships free in the US. Browse all our custom cat portraits for more.
Try It With Your British Shorthair
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Capture your pet's personality in a custom premium-print portrait. Choose the perfect size, frame, and art style to match your home—We ship every masterpiece ready to hang and enjoy.
How to Photograph a British Shorthair
Calm by nature, British Shorthairs are easier to photograph than most cats. To make the most of that round face:
- Get down to their level. Eye level shows the full, round face; shooting from above makes the head look smaller and the body squat.
- Step back and zoom in a little. Up close, a phone’s wide lens stretches the nose. Use 2× zoom from a step back for natural proportions.
- Shoot head-on. A straight-on angle shows off both cheeks and those wide-set eyes.
- Use side light for the plush coat. Window light from one side reveals the dense texture instead of a flat gray.
- Contrast the coat. A British Blue disappears on a gray sofa; try a cream, white or warm wood background.
- Catch the copper. Daylight without flash shows the real copper or gold eye color.
- Try the loaf. That tucked-paw sitting pose is pure British Shorthair.
Best Styles for a British Shorthair Painting
- The General — an antique oil portrait of your cat in a historic military uniform with gold epaulets. A stately British Shorthair with a stiff upper lip carries this off with total composure, and copper eyes match the gold trim.
- Watercolor Blue — a soft blue watercolor background that flatters the British Blue coat, for a calm, classic portrait.
- Sparkle — polished and semi-realistic on a dreamy blue sparkle background, playing up the teddy-bear sweetness of those round cheeks.
Lilac, cream or golden coat? Warm Pecan frames suit them nicely, while White Oak keeps a British Blue light and fresh. Previews are free, so try all three before you choose your British Shorthair painting.
British Shorthair Portrait FAQ
Yes, if the photo does. Take it at your cat’s eye level, straight on, from a step back with your phone’s 2× zoom, which avoids the stretched look of a close-up wide-angle shot. The portrait is created from your photo, so natural proportions in the photo mean natural proportions on the wall.
Yes. Every coat color works because the portrait follows your photo. Lilac and cream coats look lovely in Sparkle or Watercolor Blue, golden and silver tabbies suit Watercolor Earthy, and colorpoints with blue eyes shine in Watercolor Blue. Photograph pale coats in soft, indirect light.
Absolutely. The portrait is created from your photo of your cat, not a breed template, so pedigree doesn’t matter. Mixes often have the round face with a different coat or build, and that’s exactly what will show. Our grey cat portrait page has extra tips if your cat is gray.
Their round, compact shape fits a square perfectly. A 16″×16″ ($129) framed print works for most spaces, and 24″×24″ ($149) gives a big, cuddly presence above a sofa. For a loaf or lounging pose, try 16″×24″ ($139). Gallery-wrap canvases start at $89, with free US shipping.
It’s a great one for anyone who adores their cat. If you can get a clear photo, create the portrait and add the cat’s name for free. If not, a gift card is emailed instantly and lets them upload their favorite photo, preview styles for free and choose their own size and frame.
More Cat Portraits
See tips for other coats and breeds, or browse all our cat portraits:
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See Your Pet as a Work of Art
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