The British and American Shorthair Breeds got their names from the fact that they are breeds from these countries. It is said that the American Shorthair probably originated in England and came over with the Pilgrims in the early seventeenth century. It is recorded that most ships set sail for the New World with several cats on board.
Today there are only minor differences required in their standards.
History History of the breed goes back to the Roman Invasion in England where these shorthair cats arrived with the troops and were kept for their mousing ability. Old paintings and engravings show cats of this type have been around for several hundred years. The oldest type recorded is a Tabby. The coat should be short crisp and dense without wooliness. The only exception is the Manx varieties.