The The cinnamon British Shorthair is one of the rarest and most distinctive colour varieties in the breed — a warm, reddish-brown coat that is unlike any of the more commonly seen British Shorthair colours. If you have seen one in person, you will understand immediately why buyers who discover cinnamon tend to become quite specific about wanting it. If you have only seen photographs, be aware that a genuinely well-coloured cinnamon is far more striking in real life.
Finding a well-bred cinnamon is not straightforward. The colour is rare, the genetics are complex, and the waiting lists from reputable breeders can be long. But for buyers who are prepared to do it properly, a cinnamon British Shorthair is something genuinely special.
This guide explains everything you need to know — what produces the colour, how it differs from similar colours, what to look for in a breeder, and what to expect when you eventually bring one home.
What Makes a British Shorthair Cinnamon?
The cinnamon colour is produced by the B gene locus — the same gene that controls black and chocolate. The three alleles at this locus form a dominance hierarchy:
- Black (B): Dominant — expressed even if only one copy is carried
- Chocolate (b): Recessive to black — requires two copies to be expressed
- Cinnamon (b^l): Recessive to both black and chocolate — requires two copies and is the rarest of the three
For a cat to express cinnamon, it must carry two copies of the cinnamon allele — one from each parent. Because cinnamon sits at the bottom of the dominance hierarchy, both parents must carry the gene, and a cat can carry one copy of cinnamon without showing any visible sign of it. Black or chocolate cats may be cinnamon carriers without their owners or even their breeders knowing — unless genetic testing has been done.
This is why reputable cinnamon breeders invest in DNA testing at the B locus for all their breeding cats. Without this, producing cinnamon reliably is a matter of chance rather than a considered breeding programme.
What Does a Cinnamon British Shorthair Look Like?
The cinnamon coat is a warm, reddish-brown — lighter and more orange-toned than chocolate, with a distinctly russet quality. In good light it has a genuine warmth that sets it apart from the cooler, darker brown of chocolate. The two colours can look similar in poor photographs or under artificial light, but in person the difference is clear.
Coat: Even, warm reddish-brown from root to tip. No tabby markings, no white hairs, no shading or variation in tone. The density and texture should be the same as any British Shorthair — short, plush, and crisp.
Eyes: Deep orange or copper. Large and round, with the same vivid contrast against the warm coat as seen in other British Shorthair solid colours.
Body: The same compact, broad, muscular type as any British Shorthair. The cinnamon coat adds a warmth and richness to the already substantial, rounded look of the breed.
A common issue with cinnamon is distinguishing a genuinely well-coloured individual from a poorly-coloured chocolate or a brownish tabby marketed as cinnamon. A true cinnamon has that distinctive warm, reddish tone — not the cooler, deeper brown of chocolate, and not a tabby pattern with cinnamon ticking. When in doubt, ask to see the GCCF registration papers: they will list the colour as cinnamon.
Cinnamon vs Chocolate vs Fawn British Shorthair
Because these colours are all produced by alleles at the same gene locus, buyers sometimes find them confusing. Here is a straightforward comparison:
| Colour | Gene | Tone | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | bb (two copies of chocolate) | Rich, cool-toned medium brown | Uncommon |
| Cinnamon | b^l b^l (two copies of cinnamon) | Warm, reddish-brown, lighter than chocolate | Rare |
| Fawn | Dilute cinnamon (b^l b^l + dd) | Pale, warm mushroom-beige | Very rare |
| Lilac | Dilute chocolate (bb + dd) | Soft pinkish-dove grey | Rare |
Cinnamon and chocolate are often confused in photographs. The key difference in person: cinnamon is warmer, lighter, and more reddish than chocolate. Think of chocolate as a dark milk chocolate; cinnamon is more like a warm caramel or a cinnamon stick — the name is genuinely descriptive.
Fawn is the dilute version of cinnamon. When a cinnamon cat also carries two copies of the dilute gene, the coat lightens to a pale, warm mushroom tone. Fawn is even rarer than cinnamon and equally beautiful in person.
Cinnamon British Shorthair Temperament
The cinnamon British Shorthair has exactly the same temperament as any other British Shorthair colour. Coat colour does not affect character.
British Shorthairs are calm, adaptable, and quietly affectionate. They are not demanding or highly vocal. They enjoy human company without requiring constant attention. They suit family households, single owners, flat living, and homes with other pets equally well.
Because cinnamon is rare and therefore sought after, it is worth emphasising that buyers should choose a kitten first and foremost for its health, temperament, and the quality of the breeder — not purely for colour. A cinnamon kitten from a high-quality, health-tested breeder who socialises their kittens well will be a far better companion than a cinnamon from a less careful source, regardless of how the coat looks.
For a full overview of British Shorthair character and daily life with the breed, see our British Shorthair personality guide.
Cinnamon British Shorthair Health
Health considerations are the same as for the breed generally, with additional points specific to working with rare recessive colours.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): Annual cardiac echo screening of breeding cats is essential. Ask to see dated results — current within the last 12 months — for both parents.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): DNA test available; results should be clear for both parents.
B locus genetic testing: Responsible cinnamon breeders DNA-test all their breeding cats for their status at the B locus. This confirms whether a cat is a true cinnamon, a cinnamon carrier, or clear — and it reflects a breeder who understands the genetics behind their programme. This should be standard, not something you have to ask for.
Genetic diversity: Because cinnamon is rare and the pool of cinnamon-producing breeding cats is small in the UK, genetic diversity is something conscientious breeders pay attention to. The best breeders are aware of this and make breeding decisions that prioritise both colour production and a broad, healthy gene pool.
For a full overview of inherited conditions to be aware of in the breed, see our British Shorthair health guide.
Buying a Cinnamon British Shorthair in the UK
Finding a reputable cinnamon British Shorthair breeder in the UK takes patience. There are fewer breeders working with this colour than with blue, black, or even chocolate, and the best of them typically operate with waiting lists that can extend to 12 months or more.
What to look for in a reputable cinnamon breeder:
- GCCF registration papers confirming the colour as cinnamon
- HCM cardiac echo results for both parents — current and dated
- PKD DNA test results — clear for both parents
- B locus genetic testing confirming the cinnamon status of breeding cats
- Kittens raised in a home environment, socialised from birth
- Willingness to explain their breeding programme, bloodlines, and how they produce cinnamon
Red flags:
- A seller describing kittens as cinnamon but unable to provide GCCF registration papers
- No mention of health testing
- Kittens that, in photographs, look more like brown tabbies than solid warm-brown cats
- Multiple litters constantly available — suggesting volume breeding rather than a considered programme
- A price significantly below the market rate — cinnamon kittens from reputable breeders are not cheap
Price: Cinnamon British Shorthair kittens from reputable, health-tested GCCF-registered breeders typically range from £1,000 to £1,800 or more. The rarity of the colour and the complexity of the breeding programme justify this. If a price seems too low, ask why.
To find GCCF-registered British Shorthair breeders in the UK, use our Find a Breeder directory.
Cinnamon British Shorthair FAQs
Is cinnamon the rarest British Shorthair colour?
Cinnamon and fawn are among the rarest, along with their tortoiseshell equivalents. Because cinnamon is recessive to both black and chocolate, both parents must carry the gene, and fewer breeders have the bloodlines to produce it reliably.
How do I know if a British Shorthair is really cinnamon?
Ask to see the GCCF registration certificate — the colour will be stated as cinnamon. Ask for B locus DNA test results confirming the kitten’s genetic status. In person, a true cinnamon is a warm, reddish-brown — lighter than chocolate with a distinctly russet quality.
Can a cinnamon British Shorthair come from black parents?
Yes — if both parents carry one copy of the cinnamon gene and those copies are passed to the kitten, it can express cinnamon. This is why genetic testing is so important: carriers do not show the colour themselves.
Do cinnamon British Shorthairs change colour with age?
The overall warm, reddish-brown tone is stable through the cat’s life. Kittens may show faint ghost tabby markings that fade with the adult coat. As with all solid colours, poor diet or sun exposure can affect coat quality and depth.
Is cinnamon the same as ginger or orange?
No. Ginger or orange in cats is produced by the O (orange) gene — a completely different gene locus, sex-linked, responsible for the red and cream colours. Cinnamon is a brown-based warm colour produced by the B locus — it is not an orange or red cat, though the warm reddish-brown tone can look faintly orange in certain photographs.
Is a Cinnamon British Shorthair Right for You?
If you have done your research, you understand the rarity, you are prepared for a waiting list, and you want something genuinely rare and beautiful in a British Shorthair — the cinnamon variety is a wonderful choice. The temperament is exactly what you would expect from the breed, the look is unlike any other colour, and a well-bred cinnamon from a responsible breeder is a cat that will turn heads at every cat show it enters.
Be patient, ask the right questions, and do not compromise on health testing in pursuit of the colour. The best cinnamon breeders care deeply about both, and the wait for a kitten from them is always worth it.
Explore the full range of British Shorthair colours, or find a registered breeder through our Find a Breeder directory.