Exotic shorthair is a recognizable cat breed. It is also the oldest breed known for its short, thin hair, flat face, cheeks and round eyes. This breed is a part of the Persian and Himalayan breeds. The only difference between Exotic shorthair is that it has a short coat, while Persian and Himalayan have long hair coats.
History and origins
Country of Origin: America
Other Names: lazy man’s Persian
Similar breeds: British Shorthair, Scottish Fold, Selkirk Rex.
Exotic shorthair is developed from the crossing between American shorthair and Pure Persian in the 1950s. In some cases, exotic shorthair comes from a cross between Russian blue and Burmese cats and American shorthair.
The cat fanciers’ associations breed between American shorthair and Persian to get a unique breed with a silver coat. The first-born exotic shorthair is not completely like American shorthair and Persian but retains some characteristics.
At one time, CFA (the cat fanciers of association) limited the number of crossings of genuine exotic shorthair. And CFA completely banned this breeding in 1987. Nowadays, exotic shorthair has become most popular among another purebred cats.
Temperament:
Quiet, adorable and gentle
Size:
Medium to large
Weight:
Exotic shorthair is 8 to 12 pounds on average
Colors:
Exotic shorthair is available in white, red, cream, silver, golden, black, blue, chocolate, lilac, tortoiseshell, blue-cream, brown, calico, and seal. Besides, this breed also appears in various patterns, including tortoiseshell, smoke, bicolor, tricolor, and tabby shaded.
Exotic shorthair lifespan:
8-15+ years
Exotic shorthair price:
The average price of an exotic shorthair is about $1,200 to $2,200. But depending on the pedigree quality, an exotic shorthair maybe $5000.
Traits of Exotic shorthair:
- Exotic shorthair is adorable with its sweet flat face and tends to tear eyes.
- They are calm, gentle and love to sit on your lap, curl and your shoulder
Exotic Shorthair Fun Facts:
- The exotic shorthair breed needs extremely low maintenance
- Purebred exotic shorthair, sometimes born with long hair
- They exist with an average round shape muzzle, nose, head and face
- Exotic shorthair cat feels shy to go in front of the guest and strangers
The downside of exotic shorthair cat:
- Exotic shorthair can be affected by Various diseases of the digestive system and kidneys.
- They do not look like pure Persian in energy and appearance.
Care and maintenance of Exotic shorthair
Grooming:
Exotic shorthair needs less maintenance to prevent tangles and mats. Brushing their hair coat once a week is enough. These cats naturally tend to tear, so their eyes may get stains that need regular cleaning. Otherwise they eyes might get infection.
Nutrition:
Exotic shorthair cats love to eat varieties of homemade food. Do note that they especially love chicken, turkey and sea fish. Besides, good quality cat food should be provided to an exotic shorthair cat.
Health:
This breed tends to get sick from the following diseases. The most common exotic shorthair health problems are progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), polycystic kidney disease (PKD), excessive eye tearing, and respiratory diseases.