The British Longhair is a relatively new breed, having descended directly from the British Shorthair cat. By the end of the first world war, the British Shorthair population had dropped dramatically. Breeders worked hard to save these incredible cats by outcrossing with several other breeds including Persians.
Kittens with long hair did not qualify as British Shorthairs, however they made excellent pets, as they shared many of the traits that make the breed so popular.
The British Shorthair cat breed was nearly decimated again during the second world war, leading breeders to outcross again. In addition to Persians, British Shorthairs were crossed with Burmese, Chartreux, and Russian Blue cats. Once again, kittens with medium to long hair were not accepted for registry.
Incredibly, and even though these amazing cats have been around since the first half of the 20th century, the British Longhair breed was only recognized by TICA in 2009. The Cat Fanciers Association does not recognize the British Longhair cat.