The British Shorthair is a domesticated cat. Its features make it a popular breed in cat shows. It has been the most popular breed of cat registered by the UK's Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) since 2001 when it overtook the Persian breed. The British Shorthair is the descendant of cats brought to Britain by the Romans, which were interbred with wild native cats. Later they were crossbred with Persian cats to improve the thickness of their coat. The breed was defined in the 19th century and British Shorthairs were shown at the 1871 Crystal Palace cat show. The popularity of the breed had declined by the 1940s, but since the end of the Second World War, breeding programs have intensified and the breed's popularity is high once again.