Gentle and independent, the British Shorthair likes to have the freedom to come and go using a cat-flap. When in the house, they are content to play by themselves as long as they have a play-centre area with a scratching post and toys. British Shorthairs have a tendency to gain weight easily so it's good to encourage them to play games that involve lots of jumping. You may want to use dietary foods and smaller food bowls to control portion sizes if weight becomes a problem.