Exotic shorthair

Other names : Exotic, Persian shorthair

The Exotic, or Exotic Shorthair, has all the characteristics of a teddy bear. Their dense hair is irresistible to the touch, they look like a ball and their attitude is gentle and quiet, with a touch of infantile madness. They adapt to all kinds of home, with a preference for cozy apartments that are full of toys. The perfect cat for lovers of Persians who do not want to have to maintain long fur!

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Life expectancy	The Exotic shorthair has a life expectancy of between 12 and 15 years
Temperament	Affectionate Calm
Adult size	Female Between 12 and 14 in Male Between 12 and 14 in
Adult weight	Female Between 7 and 11 lb Male Between 7 and 13 lb
Coat colour	Black Brown White Red Cream Blue
Type of coat	Short
Eye colour	Blue Green Brown
Purchase price	The Exotic shorthair costs between £300 and £600

Good to know

The short hair gene is a dominant gene. The Exotic is homozygous or heterozygous. This means that it can happen that some offspring will have long hair! These individuals will be recognised as long-haired Exotics by some federations, while for others they will be Persians.
Also, it is essential for the breed to keep Persian blood, otherwise, the coat changes over time and becomes less dense.

More details about the Exotic shorthair

Exotic shorthair: Origins and history

The Exotic was born in the fifties, in the United States, following attempts to cross short-haired cats with a Persian, to improve the existing breed. The unsuccessful results, from a certain point of view, became the foundation for the creation of this new breed.

The first cross was the American Shorthair with a Persian Silver. The goal was to get a silver-haired American Shorthair, but unfortunately the offspring did not meet the standards of the latter. Jane Martinke discovered these kittens and proposed to establish a new breed. First called "Sterling", it was renamed Exotic Shorthair to expand the possible coat colours.

Meanwhile, Carolyn Bussey, owner of the New Dawn Cattery, crossed one of her cats with a Burmese in order to obtain a brown Persian. The kittens that followed, convinced the breeder to design a short-haired Persian. Her work contributed enormously to the breed after being officially recognised.

The Russian Blue was used for the fluffy appearance of the fur. Perhaps other breeds also contributed to the creation of the Exotic, but since the short hair gene is dominant and the goal was to create a short-haired Persian, the long-haired Persian was almost exclusively used, for the development and maintenance of a good genetic pool.

Exotic shorthair: Characteristics

Very affectionate

The Exotic Shorthair is very affectionate and cuddly. It won’t take much convincing to cuddle them.

Moderately playful

Their hunting instinct is a little more present than in their long-haired cousins, possibly the stemming from their short-haired ancestors.

Very calm

Relaxed, the Exotic Shorthair is a little more active than the Persian, but nonetheless has maintained the calm gene of their long-haired cousin.

Moderate intelligence

This may not be the kind of cat that can learn to open a door, however, they are attentive, curious and have a certain level of emotional and social intelligence.

Moderately fearful of strangers

This largely depends on the individual, but in general, the Short-haired Persian is sociable and curious.

Moderately independent

As they are capable of keeping themselves entertained they won’t get too bored without their owners for company, as long as toys have been left for him and a cat tree. But of course, your cat will be happy to see you return at the end of the day.

Exotic shorthair: Behaviour

Doesn't tend to be very vocal

They rarely make themselves heard, preferring to communicate with their eyes.

Doesn't need much exercise

Daily play sessions will be of great benefit to the Exotic cat. Even if they are short, they will help to keep your cat fit and healthy.

Doesn't have a tendency to run away

The Exotic very rarely runs away, they prefer the comfort of the home.

Very food motivated

This cat has a reputation for being greedy… and you must be careful to avoid excessive weight-gain.

Breed compatibility Exotic shorthair

Moderately compatible with other cats

The secret is in the way in which the two cats are introduced. If it is well done, the two could get along and even become friends.

Moderately compatible with dogs

A relaxed cat could live with an equally laid back dog, as long as the introduction is well managed.

Compatible with children

They usually enjoy the presence of children, particularly to play with them but it is important to ensure that the personality of the cat matches the style of the adoptive family. Patience has its limits! And be wary of overly-excitable children!

Compatible with senior owners

Calm, affectionate and requiring little maintenance: this is the perfect cat to live indoors with a person who matches their personality.

Exotic shorthair: Purchase price

On average, the price of an Exotic kitten ranges between £300 and £600. The sex, the age, the pedigree, etc ... are factors that cause variations in the price. It will cost around £25 / month to provide for their needs.

Exotic shorthair: Shedding

Heavy !

Even if they tend to lose less fur than the long-haired version, the Exotic Shorthair still loses quite a lot of hair. Due to their thick coat and undercoat.

Exotic shorthair: Grooming

Often called the "Persian for lazy people", their maintenance is minimal: simply comb their hair once a week. Only their eyes need to be wiped regularly, especially if they tend to run, because moisture in the folds of facial skin can quickly lead to infection.

Exotic shorthair: Health

Life expectancy

The Exotic tends to live for 12 to 15 years on average.

Strong / robust

Little more robust than their cousin, they prefer to live in a controlled environment such as an apartment.

Tendency to put on weight

Like all cobby type cats, the Exotic is inclined to put on too much weight.

Common illnesses

Polycystic kidney disease: autosomal dominant genetic kidney disease, it is very common in Persians. The symptoms appear around the age of 7. A screening test is available. The only way to stop the disease is to mate only healthy individuals
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: cardiac pathology that causes heart failure
Peritoneal-pericardial hernia: the passage of abdominal organs in the pericardium, the cavity where the heart is located
Progressive atrophy of the retina: hereditary, it causes a loss of vision in the first months of life. The gene (s) responsible are currently being researched in order to develop a genetic test
Corneal sequestra: pathology of the cornea specific to cats, especially Persians
Cystitis and bladder stones: diseases of the bladder
The portosystemic shunt: vascular pathology decreasing the blood circulation of the liver. Its symptoms are related to toxins that accumulate in the blood instead of being normally metabolised to the liver
Polycystic liver disease: associated with polycystic kidney disease
Skin diseases: Idiopathic facial dermatitis, dermatophytosis (ringworm), primary seborrhoea, certain tumors ...
Chédiak-Higashi syndrome: an illness that is almost specific to the Persian Blue Smoke which causes a lack of accumulation of melanin in lysosomes and a malfunction of platelets and certain white blood cells
Nasopharyngeal polyps: benign tumors that can be found in the nose, sinuses, ears, pharynx ...
Cryptorchidism: testicles that do not descend to the scrotum during the maturation of the sex organs
Periodontal diseases: The much shorter jaw of the brachycephalic breeds causes differences in the grip and chewing of food as well as in the position of the teeth (the number of teeth is the same as other cats) and scale problems, gingivitis and sometimes even digestion issues
Respiratory problems related to their brachycephalic conformation
And all the other pathologies of domestic cats.

Reproduction

They reach sexual maturity a bit later than other breeds. The number of kittens per litter is slightly lower too. The risk of complications at birth is higher, due to the large size of the kitten’s heads.

Authorised crosses, besides amongst the breed, are only allowed with the Persian.