The silver British Shorthair is one of the most eye-catching varieties in the breed — a clean, pale silver or white undercoat with dark tipping on each hair, producing a coat that shimmers and shifts as the cat moves. Paired with the vivid green eyes that the breed standard requires for this variety, the silver British Shorthair has a look that is quite unlike any other colour in the breed.
Silver is not a single colour — it is a family of related varieties produced by the inhibitor gene, ranging from the very lightly tipped chinchilla silver through shaded silver to silver smoke. Understanding the difference between these types helps buyers know exactly what they are looking for, and helps avoid confusion with similar-looking varieties like the golden.
What Makes a British Shorthair Silver?
The silver coat is produced by the inhibitor gene (I) — sometimes called the silver gene. The inhibitor gene acts on the pigment in the undercoat, suppressing or removing the yellow-to-red pigment. The result is a white or near-white undercoat, with dark tipping on the outer portion of each hair providing the visible colour.
In goldens, the inhibitor gene works differently — it produces a warm, yellow-to-apricot undercoat rather than a white one. Silver and golden are genetically related, and a breeder working with silver may occasionally produce goldens and vice versa depending on the specific genetics involved.
Eye colour: One of the defining features of silver British Shorthairs is the eye colour requirement — deep green or blue-green. This is a breed standard requirement, not a preference, and it distinguishes the silver and golden varieties from the orange/copper-eyed majority of British Shorthair colours. The combination of silver coat and green eyes is distinctive and striking.
Types of Silver British Shorthair
The degree of tipping along each hair determines which type of silver a cat is. The GCCF recognises the following:
Tipped silver (chinchilla silver): The lightest expression — only the very tips of the hairs carry the dark pigment. The overall coat appears almost white, with a delicate shimmer of colour when the cat is in movement or the coat is parted. This is sometimes called chinchilla silver, particularly in older breed literature. The effect is ethereal and particularly striking in good light.
Shaded silver: A heavier degree of tipping — roughly the top third to half of each hair is tipped. The coat has a clearer silver-grey tone than the chinchilla type, with more visible contrast between the pale undercoat and the darker tips. Shaded silvers are the most commonly seen silver variety from UK breeders and are well established in the show ring.
Silver smoke: The most heavily tipped variety — the dark pigment covers most of the hair length, and the cat appears almost solid at first glance. The pale silver undercoat is only revealed when the coat is parted or when the cat moves. Silver smokes have a dramatic, slightly different appearance from the classic silver and are sometimes confused with solid colours by the uninitiated.
Silver tabby: Technically a separate classification — a cat with a silver ground colour and a tabby pattern rather than a tipped coat. Silver tabbies have a white or silver base with dense black tabby markings, producing very sharp contrast and a bold, graphic appearance. Green or hazel eyes are required.
Silver British Shorthair vs Golden British Shorthair
Because both colours are produced by the inhibitor gene, silver and golden British Shorthairs share some characteristics — and buyers sometimes ask how to tell them apart, particularly in kittens where the coat is still developing.
| Silver | Golden | |
|---|---|---|
| Undercoat | White or pale silver | Warm golden-apricot |
| Overall tone | Cool, silver-grey | Warm, gold |
| Eye colour | Green or blue-green | Green or blue-green |
| Tipping | Dark on silver base | Dark on golden base |
| Kittens | Often look dark/grey as youngsters | Often look dark/dusky as youngsters |
In adults the two are clearly different — the warm undercoat of the golden versus the cool silver-white of the silver variety is unmistakable in person. In kittens, both can look surprisingly dark and similar. Asking for the GCCF registration and asking the breeder to explain the genetics of their programme will give you a definitive answer.
Silver British Shorthair Appearance
Coat: Pale silver-white undercoat with dark tipping on the outer portion of each hair. The overall tone and depth depends on the specific type — tipped silvers are very pale, shaded silvers are a clear silver-grey, and smokes appear almost solid. The coat should have the same dense, crisp, plush texture as any British Shorthair.
Eyes: Deep green or blue-green. Large, round, and prominent. This is a defining feature of the variety — any orange or copper eye colour in a cat presented as silver is a concern.
Body: The same compact, broad, muscular British Shorthair type. Broad rounded head, full cheeks, strong chin. Males typically 5–8 kg; females 3.5–5.5 kg.
One thing worth noting: the contrast between the pale undercoat and the darker tips means that silver British Shorthairs look quite different depending on whether their coat is lying flat or disturbed. Parting the coat to reveal the pale undercoat is one of the things judges do in the ring when assessing tipped and shaded cats.
Silver British Shorthair Temperament
Coat colour and pattern do not affect temperament. The silver British Shorthair has the same calm, adaptable, affectionate character as any British Shorthair.
British Shorthairs are steady, quiet, and easy to live with. They suit a wide range of households — families, single owners, flat living, mixed-pet households. They are not demanding or highly vocal. They enjoy human company without being clingy, and they handle time alone reasonably well.
The silver and golden varieties have both attracted a following among cat enthusiasts who appreciate the combination of a distinctive, photogenic appearance with an entirely unfussy, comfortable temperament. The coat draws attention; the personality makes ownership straightforward.
For a full overview of what to expect living with a British Shorthair, see our British Shorthair personality guide.
Silver British Shorthair Health
Health considerations are the same as for the breed generally.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM): Annual cardiac echo screening should be standard for all breeding cats. Ask to see current, dated results for both parents.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD): DNA test available; results should be clear for both parents.
Inhibitor gene considerations: Some research in cats has explored potential links between the inhibitor gene and minor health considerations, though nothing that affects the decision to own a silver British Shorthair as a pet. It is worth raising with your vet if you have specific concerns, but it should not deter buyers from the variety.
For a full breakdown of inherited conditions in the breed, see our British Shorthair health guide.
Buying a Silver British Shorthair in the UK
Silver British Shorthairs — particularly shaded silvers and silver tabbies — are reasonably well established among UK breeders. Finding one from a reputable source is achievable, though the best breeders will have waiting lists. Tipped silvers (chinchilla) and silver smokes may require a more targeted search.
What to look for:
- GCCF registration papers — colour listed correctly as tipped silver, shaded silver, silver smoke, or silver tabby
- HCM cardiac echo results for both parents — current and dated
- PKD DNA test results — clear for both parents
- Eye colour confirmation — green or blue-green in adults is a breed standard requirement, not optional
- Photographs of adults in natural daylight — so you can assess the quality of the tipping and the depth of the eye colour at maturity
- Kittens raised in the home, socialised from birth
A note on silver kittens: Like goldens, silver kittens often look quite different from their adult selves. Tipped silvers in particular can look surprisingly dark as young kittens, with the pale shimmer developing progressively over the first 12–18 months. Ask your breeder to show you adult cats from their programme so you have a realistic picture of the finished result.
Price: Silver British Shorthair kittens from reputable, health-tested, GCCF-registered breeders typically range from £900 to £1,600, with some well-established silver breeders at the upper end or beyond for particularly striking individuals.
To find GCCF-registered British Shorthair breeders in the UK, use our Find a Breeder directory.
Silver British Shorthair FAQs
Are silver British Shorthairs rare?
Shaded silvers and silver tabbies are reasonably available from established UK breeders. Tipped silvers (chinchilla) and silver smokes are less commonly produced and may require more searching. The silver variety as a whole is less common than blue but more available than the recessive colours.
Why do silver British Shorthairs have green eyes instead of copper?
The green eye colour is genetically linked to the inhibitor gene. Cats carrying the inhibitor gene — which produces both silver and golden coat types — consistently produce green or blue-green eyes rather than orange or copper. This is a feature of the variety, not a fault.
Can a silver British Shorthair have copper eyes?
In a registered silver, copper eyes would suggest the cat does not carry the inhibitor gene and is possibly misregistered or misidentified. A genuinely tipped or shaded silver British Shorthair should have green eyes. If you are shown a silver kitten with copper eyes, ask for GCCF registration and genetic clarity.
What is the difference between a silver tabby and a shaded silver?
A silver tabby has a clear tabby pattern — stripes, spots, or whorls — on a silver ground. A shaded silver has no tabby pattern — the tipping is even across the coat, creating a solid silver-grey appearance without markings. Both have green eyes and the pale silver undercoat, but the presence or absence of pattern is the key distinction.
How does a silver British Shorthair look different from a blue British Shorthair?
The difference is significant in person. A blue British Shorthair has an even, solid blue-grey coat from root to tip with copper/orange eyes. A silver British Shorthair has a pale or white undercoat with dark tipping and green eyes. The blue is warmer and more neutral; the silver has a cooler, more graphic quality with the contrast between undercoat and tips visible when the coat moves.
Is a Silver British Shorthair Right for You?
If you want one of the most visually distinctive coats in the breed — the shimmer of the tipped varieties, the boldness of the silver smoke, or the graphic sharpness of the silver tabby — paired with the green eyes that set these cats apart from the rest of the breed, the silver British Shorthair is an outstanding choice.
The temperament is exactly what you would expect from the breed: calm, adaptable, and quietly affectionate. The appearance is something special. And a well-bred silver from a health-tested, GCCF-registered breeder who understands the inhibitor gene and breeds intentionally for quality is a cat worth seeking out and waiting for.
Explore the full range of British Shorthair colours, or find a registered breeder through our Find a Breeder directory.