The British Shorthair Colourpoint is one of the most visually striking varieties in the breed — the characteristic pale body coat with rich, darker colour restricted to the face, ears, paws, and tail gives a familiar pointed pattern to the British Shorthair’s solid, plush body type. Combined with the deep blue eyes that the breed standard requires, the colourpoint variety has a glamour and distinctiveness that sets it apart from every other British Shorthair colour.
It is also, perhaps, the most misunderstood variety — because the pointed pattern is most commonly associated with the Siamese, and buyers sometimes wonder whether a British Shorthair Colourpoint is a cross-breed. It is not. The British Shorthair Colourpoint is a fully pedigree British Shorthair, recognised by the GCCF for championship competition, with the pointed pattern introduced through a carefully managed breeding programme decades ago. The type, the temperament, and the breed standard are British Shorthair throughout.
What Makes a British Shorthair Colourpoint?
The colourpoint pattern is produced by the Cs gene — the colourpoint or Siamese gene. This gene is responsible for a temperature-sensitive form of pigment production: the enzyme that creates coat colour is only active at temperatures below a certain threshold. Because the extremities of the body (face, ears, paws, tail) are slightly cooler than the body core, colour develops only at the points. The warmer body remains pale.
The colourpoint gene is recessive — a cat must carry two copies (one from each parent) to express the pointed pattern. A cat carrying one copy alongside a non-pointed allele will appear as a solid or tipped colour, but can pass the colourpoint gene to its offspring. This is why pointed kittens can occasionally appear in litters from non-pointed parents in programmes that carry the gene — and why genetic testing and careful record-keeping matters in colourpoint breeding.
Colourpoint kittens are born white or very pale and develop their point colour progressively over the first few months, with full colour not apparent until the kitten is several months old. The body colour often continues to darken slightly throughout the cat’s life, particularly in older cats.
British Shorthair Colourpoint Point Colours
Because the colourpoint pattern sits on top of the breed’s full range of base colours, a wide variety of point colours are recognised by the GCCF:
Seal point: The classic combination — deep brown or near-black points on a pale cream or ivory body. The most commonly seen colourpoint variety and the most closely associated with the pattern in the public imagination.
Blue point: Blue-grey points on a pale bluish-white body. The dilute version of seal — softer and cooler in tone than seal, and widely popular.
Chocolate point: Warm milk-chocolate points on a pale ivory body. A rich, warm combination, requiring the chocolate gene.
Lilac point: Soft dove-grey/pinkish points on a near-white body. The dilute of chocolate point — very delicate and pale, and one of the rarer colourpoint varieties.
Red point: Orange-red points on a pale cream or white body. Sex-linked, as with solid red — solid red point males are more common than females.
Cream point: Pale cream points on a near-white body. The dilute of red point — very soft and subtle.
Tortie point: Tortoiseshell patching in the points — black/red, blue/cream, chocolate/red, and so on, depending on the base colour. Almost always female.
Tabby point (lynx point): Tabby pattern restricted to the points — creating a striped or ticked appearance on the face, ears, and tail against the pale body. Can appear in seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, and tortie combinations.
All of these varieties are recognised by the GCCF in the British Shorthair Colourpoint classification and shown in their appropriate classes.
British Shorthair Colourpoint Eye Colour
One of the defining requirements of any colourpoint British Shorthair is the eye colour: deep blue. This is not a preference — it is a breed standard requirement, and it applies to all colourpoint varieties regardless of point colour.
The blue eye colour is genetically linked to the colourpoint gene itself. It is not the same as the blue eyes seen in some solid white cats (which carry the dominant white gene) — colourpoint blue eyes are a different genetic expression entirely, and they do not carry the deafness risk associated with the dominant white gene.
In the show ring, the depth and clarity of the blue eye colour is scrutinised carefully. A pale or washed-out blue is penalised. The deepest, most vivid blue is the ideal — and the contrast between deep blue eyes and the point colour (particularly in a seal point) is one of the most striking features of the variety.
British Shorthair Colourpoint vs Siamese: What Is the Difference?
This is the question asked most often about the colourpoint variety, and it deserves a clear answer.
| British Shorthair Colourpoint | Siamese | |
|---|---|---|
| Breed | British Shorthair — entirely | Siamese — entirely separate breed |
| Body type | Compact, broad, heavily boned | Slender, elegant, fine-boned |
| Coat | Short, dense, plush | Very short, fine, close-lying |
| Head shape | Round, broad, full-cheeked | Wedge-shaped, angular |
| Eyes | Deep blue, round | Deep blue, almond-shaped |
| Temperament | Calm, independent, British Shorthair | Vocal, sociable, highly interactive |
| Pattern gene | Same Cs gene | Same Cs gene |
The pointed pattern in both breeds is produced by the same colourpoint gene. But beyond that, the two breeds share nothing — the British Shorthair Colourpoint is a British Shorthair with pointed markings, not a Siamese cross.
A cat that looks like a Siamese in type but is registered as a British Shorthair Colourpoint should prompt questions. The type should be unmistakably British Shorthair — round, solid, broad, and plush. If the cat looks lean, fine-boned, or wedge-headed, it is not a good example of the variety regardless of the paperwork.
British Shorthair Colourpoint Temperament
As with all British Shorthair colour varieties, the colourpoint has the same calm, adaptable, affectionate temperament as the breed as a whole. The pointed pattern changes the appearance; it does not change the character.
British Shorthair Colourpoints are not more vocal, more demanding, or more Siamese-like in personality than any other British Shorthair. The breed’s characteristic independence, quiet affection, and ease of management are consistent across all varieties. If you are specifically choosing a colourpoint because you want a pointed cat but with a calm, unfussy British Shorthair temperament rather than the more intense character of the Siamese, this variety delivers exactly that.
For a full picture of what living with a British Shorthair involves day to day, see our British Shorthair personality guide.
British Shorthair Colourpoint Health
Health considerations are the same as for the breed generally.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): Annual cardiac echo screening of all breeding cats should be standard. Ask for current, dated results for both parents.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): DNA test available; results should be clear for both parents.
Point colour development: Colourpoint kittens are born pale and develop their point colour over the first months of life. The body coat may also continue to deepen slightly with age, particularly in older cats kept in cooler environments. This is a normal feature of the colourpoint gene, not a health issue.
Eye health: The deep blue eyes associated with colourpoints are not associated with the deafness risk linked to the dominant white gene. However, as with any cat, regular veterinary eye checks are sensible.
For a full breakdown of inherited conditions in the breed, see our British Shorthair health guide.
Buying a British Shorthair Colourpoint in the UK
British Shorthair Colourpoints are a recognised and established variety in the UK, with a number of dedicated breeders producing seal, blue, chocolate, and lilac points as well as the rarer combinations. Finding a reputable colourpoint breeder is achievable, though good breeders will have waiting lists and the rarer point colours will require a more targeted search.
What to look for:
- GCCF registration papers — listing the variety as British Shorthair Colourpoint with the point colour specified
- HCM cardiac echo results for both parents — current and dated
- PKD DNA test results — clear for both parents
- Strong British Shorthair type — this is particularly important for colourpoints; the body type must be unmistakably British Shorthair, not Siamese-influenced. Ask to see photographs of adults from the breeding programme in full coat
- Deep blue eye colour in adults — pale eyes are a fault
- Kittens raised in the home, well socialised from birth
A note on type: The history of introducing the colourpoint gene into the British Shorthair means that some breeding lines have carried Siamese influence for longer than others, and some colourpoints show more Siamese-like features in type than the breed standard requires. Choosing a breeder whose adults show strong, correct British Shorthair type is the most important single decision you can make when buying a colourpoint.
Price: British Shorthair Colourpoint kittens from reputable, health-tested, GCCF-registered breeders typically range from £900 to £1,600. Rarer point colours and show-quality individuals may attract higher prices.
To find GCCF-registered British Shorthair breeders in the UK, use our Find a Breeder directory.
British Shorthair Colourpoint FAQs
Is a British Shorthair Colourpoint the same as a Siamese cross?
No. The British Shorthair Colourpoint is a fully pedigree British Shorthair, recognised by the GCCF for championship showing. The pointed gene was introduced through a managed breeding programme, and current colourpoints are bred to the British Shorthair standard in type, coat, and character. A well-bred colourpoint is a British Shorthair that happens to carry the pointed gene — not a Siamese cross.
Why are colourpoint kittens born white?
Because the colourpoint gene is temperature-sensitive — the enzyme that produces pigment is only active in cooler parts of the body. Before birth, the kitten’s entire body is kept at a uniform warm temperature in the womb, so no pigment develops. After birth, the cooler extremities (face, ears, paws, tail) begin to develop their point colour over the following weeks and months.
Do British Shorthair Colourpoints have blue eyes?
Yes — all colourpoint British Shorthairs should have deep blue eyes. This is a breed standard requirement, not a preference, and it is genetically linked to the colourpoint gene.
Will a colourpoint kitten’s points get darker with age?
Yes — the points continue to develop in depth over the first year or more of life, and the body coat can gradually deepen slightly in older cats, particularly in cooler environments. A seal point kitten will be much paler at 12 weeks than it will be at 2 years.
Can a colourpoint British Shorthair be shown?
Yes — British Shorthair Colourpoints compete in GCCF shows in their own classes. They are fully recognised for championship competition in all the registered point colours.
Is a British Shorthair Colourpoint Right for You?
If you love the elegance of the pointed pattern but want a calm, rounded, unfussy British Shorthair temperament rather than the high-energy, vocal personality of the Siamese — the colourpoint variety offers the ideal combination. The deep blue eyes, the pale body with rich point colour, and the solid British Shorthair type underneath create a genuinely distinctive and beautiful cat.
Choose a breeder who prioritises correct British Shorthair type alongside colour and pattern, ask to see adults from the programme, and verify the health testing as you would for any British Shorthair. A well-bred colourpoint from a breeder who cares about both type and health is one of the most striking cats in the pedigree world.
Explore the full range of British Shorthair colours and patterns, or find a registered breeder through our Find a Breeder directory.