Brazilian Shorthair - From Rags to Riches

As per their name, the Brazilian Shorthair cat is originally from Brazil. They developed from a feral cat to a purebred that has changed dramatically throughout.
Brazilian Shorthair - From Rags to Riches

Last update: 19 November, 2019

The Brazilian Shorthair is a well-bred cat with all the advantages of a feral animal. At least, this would be a good way to describe them. They were born on the streets of the largest and most populated country in Latin America. In today’s article, we’d like to tell you all this beautiful domestic cat.

A European cat that took over the streets of Brazil

The Brazilian Shorthair is a very recent breed. Paulo Ruschi, a member of the WCF, an international organization of cat clubs, created them in 1985. These animals emerged as a result of an experiment. The intention was to show why Brazilian street cats were different from those of the rest of the world in spite of their similar characteristics.

However, it’s not the only breed developed from animals that grew up in the streets. That’s also the case with the American Shorthair and British Shorthair.

Anyway, this feline “South American breed” is a descendant of the Iberia Felis. These are the cats that the Portuguese kept on their ships to control the rodent population. They arrived in Brazil sometime during the conquest.

When mixed with the local felines, the Brazilian Shorthair began to thrive. Currently, the Brazilian Feline Federation recognizes it as a pure breed.

Here’s the Brazilian shorthair, a newish breed of cats that still has all the advantages of a feral animal. These cats are nimble and rather expressive, one of their characteristics is their individual nature.

A very agile cat with expressive eyes

A cat outside.

This lovely domestic cat breed stands out for its agility and for its peculiarly expressive look. But you can also recognize them by the following physical characteristics:

  • Size: medium
  • Body: long, compact and rounded shapes
  • Limbs: strong and well apart from each other
  • Head: medium and narrower rather than long
  • Eyes: large and high (the space between them is the same as their individual size)
  • Ears: large with tufted tips
  • Tail: between medium and long, also wide at the base and tapered at the end
  • Fur: ​​silky, shiny and short
  • Color: assorted

Every Brazilian Shorthair is a world to discover

This beautiful cat is highly sociable and affectionate and usually adapts well to life in an apartment. Also, they don’t seem to have any problems sharing space with other animals.

However, each specimen has its own character given its feral origin. So, it’s difficult to define other general characteristics that can describe their individual personality.

You’ll never be bored if you have one of these cats as a pet and you’ll have many pleasant surprises while discovering their personality.

The Brazilian Shorthair is a strong and healthy breed

A cat on a step.

The street origin of this domestic cat made them quite tough and healthy. It’s for this reason that they don’t require too much special care, beyond receiving adequate and quality food, as well as keeping up with their vaccination and deworming schedule indicated by your veterinarian.

The advantage they gained from their crossbreeding with street cats is that their “mix” is more natural. This helps avoid the appearance of genetic problems that tend to occur in breeds made with closely related animals.

Then again, their short coat doesn’t pose any inconveniences due to the way it falls. So, you won’t have to worry too much about daily brushing.

You must take into account that these are high-spirited animals and they need exercise. For this reason, you have to play games with them and give them toys to get rid of some of their energy with.


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.