Exotic Shorthair

About the breed

The Exotic Shorthair is a breed built to look like a Persian, but with a short, dense coat that needs far less maintenance than the Persian's long fur. Breeders often nickname it 'the lazy man's Persian,' since it offers nearly the same round, plush look and placid nature without the daily brushing a Persian demands. It originated in the United States, where it was deliberately developed in the 1960s by crossing the American Shorthair with the Persian.

History

The breed's story began in the late 1950s, when some American Shorthair breeders secretly crossed their cats with Persians, initially hoping to gain silver coloring and copper eyes without losing American Shorthair type. The result was kittens with a plush short coat but a round head and flat face typical of the Persian - in other words, quite unlike an American Shorthair. Breeder Jane Martinke recognized the potential for a standalone breed in these cats and in 1966 proposed to the board of the US-based Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) that it be recognized. The name 'Sterling' was initially considered because of the silver color, but at the board meeting in September 1966 the name 'Exotic Shorthair' was chosen instead. The breed first competed in a CFA show class in the 1967-68 season. Breeders later also reinforced the shorthair genetic base by crossing with the Burmese and the Russian Blue (for its dense undercoat), but once the shorthair gene was established, cats were bred back almost exclusively to Persians to preserve type.

Appearance and temperament

The Exotic Shorthair has a cobby, low-set body with heavy bone, a round head, large round eyes, and a short, broad nose with a pronounced break - the CFA standard describes the body as low on the legs and broad and deep through the chest. The coat is dense, plush and soft, standing away from the body thanks to a rich undercoat, giving the cat the look of a stuffed toy. In temperament it is a calm, quiet, devoted companion that rarely vocalizes, preferring to communicate through its eyes rather than meowing. It is somewhat more playful and curious than the Persian, but still prefers resting near its owner over demanding attention.

Exotic Shorthair and the Persian

Although the Exotic Shorthair is nearly identical to the Persian in body type, head shape and temperament, the coat sets them apart. The short-coat gene came from the American Shorthair (and, in some lines, the Burmese and Russian Blue), so the Exotic lacks the Persian's long coat while still keeping its dense undercoat. Because the breeding goal from the outset was to create 'a Persian with short hair,' CFA judges both breeds against an almost identical body and head standard - coat length is really the only thing that separates them. That is why the Exotic Shorthair is so often recommended to people who love the Persian's look and calm nature but do not want to deal with the daily brushing and frequent bathing its long coat requires.

Health concerns from the flat face

The Exotic Shorthair inherits the same flattened (brachycephalic) skull shape as the Persian, and with it the same well-documented health risks. A study published in PubMed Central describes Persian and Exotic Shorthair cats with extreme brachycephaly as having narrowed nostrils, an elongated soft palate, compressed nasal turbinates and bulging eyes, which narrows the airway and shows up as audible breathing, quick fatigue, and difficulty with exertion or heat - a condition veterinarians call brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Because of short, distorted tear ducts, the cat also often suffers from overflowing tears that leave brown staining under the eyes, with the skin beneath sometimes becoming irritated from constant moisture. International Cat Care also warns of dental crowding, since teeth do not align properly in a shortened jaw, which can make eating harder and lead to gum disease. Prospective owners should favor breeders working toward a more moderate, less extreme head type.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)

Beyond head shape, the Exotic Shorthair also inherited from its Persian ancestors a predisposition to polycystic kidney disease (PKD1) - an inherited disorder in which cysts develop on the kidneys (and occasionally the liver) from early kittenhood onward, eventually leading to kidney failure later in life. The disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, meaning a single faulty copy of the PKD1 gene is enough to cause it. The Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at the University of California, Davis lists the Exotic Shorthair among the breeds for which PKD1 testing is appropriate, since it descends directly from the Persian. According to International Cat Care, in the 1990s, when screening tests became available, more than a third of all Persian and Exotic Shorthair cats tested positive for PKD1; responsible breeders today significantly reduce that rate by testing breeding animals. Before buying a kitten, it is worth asking the breeder for proof that both parents tested negative for PKD1.

Coat care

Although the breed's name promises effortless grooming, the Exotic's short coat is not entirely carefree. The dense, plush coat with its rich undercoat mats occasionally, especially during seasonal shedding, when the cat sheds more heavily than many other shorthaired breeds. Per CFA and VCA veterinary guidance, weekly combing with a metal or Teflon-coated comb is usually enough, with more frequent grooming or even bathing warranted during heavier shedding periods. Compared with the daily, hours-long brushing a long-haired Persian needs, this is far less demanding - hence the nickname 'the lazy man's Persian' - but owners should not expect the zero-maintenance coat of a shorthair with no Persian ancestry. Because of the flat face, regular, ideally daily, cleaning around the eyes is also recommended to prevent tear staining and skin irritation.

Suitability for the home

Thanks to its calm, quiet nature and low exercise needs, the Exotic Shorthair is an excellent choice for apartment living and for owners looking for a placid but devoted companion. As a quieter, lower-maintenance version of the Persian, it also does well in calmer households, though it is not necessarily the best match for boisterous children or energetic dogs - the cat tolerates rough handling poorly, and its brachycephalic build also means less resilience to stress and physical exertion than the average cat. Prospective owners should also keep in mind that low coat demands do not mean low care demands overall - regular vet checkups, monitoring of breathing and eyes, and possible PKD1 genetic testing are all part of responsible care for this otherwise relatively low-maintenance but health-sensitive breed.

Pros & cons