The Exotic Shorthair is a breed of cat developed as a short-haired version of the
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
. The Exotic is similar to the Persian in many ways, including temperament and conformation, a flat nose and face with the exceptions of the short dense coat.
In the late 1950s, the Persian was used as an
outcross
Out-crossing or out-breeding is the technique of crossing between different breeds. This is the practice of introducing distantly related genetic material into a breeding line, thereby increasing genetic diversity.
Outcrossing can be a usefu ...
by some
American Shorthair
The American Shorthair (ASH) is a breed of domestic cat believed to be descended from European cats brought to North America by early settlers to protect valuable cargo from mice and rats. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, in 2020, i ...
breeders. This was done in secret in order to improve their body type, and crosses were also made with the
Russian Blue
The Russian Blue Cat (russian: Русская голубая кошка, Russkaya golubaya koshka), commonly referred to as just Russian Blue, is a cat breed with colors that vary from a light shimmering silver to a darker, slate grey. The short ...
and the
Burmese. The
crossbreed
A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. ''Crossbreeding'', sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism, While crossbreeding is used to main ...
look gained recognition in the show ring, but unhappy American Shorthair breeders successfully produced a new breed standard that would disqualify American Shorthairs that showed signs of
crossbreed
A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. ''Crossbreeding'', sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism, While crossbreeding is used to main ...
ing. One American Shorthair breeder who saw the potential of the Persian/American Shorthair cross proposed and eventually got the
Cat Fanciers' Association
The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) was established in the United States in 1906. The CFA is currently the world's largest registry of pedigreed cats. Originally headquartered in Manasquan, New Jersey the CFA moved to Alliance, Ohio in 2010. ...
judge and American Shorthair breeder Jane Martinke to recognize them as a new breed in 1966, under the name Exotic Shorthair. In 1987, the Cat Fanciers' Association closed the Exotic to shorthair outcrosses, leaving Persian as the only allowable outcross breed.
Because of the regular use of Persian as outcrosses, some Exotics may carry a copy of the recessive longhair gene. When two such cats mate, there is a 1 in 4 chance of each offspring being longhaired. Longhaired Exotics are not considered Persians by the Cat Fanciers' Association, although
The International Cat Association
The International Cat Association (TICA) is considered the world's largest genetic cat registry. Originally a North American organization, it now has a worldwide presence. The organization has a genetic registry for pedigreed and household pet ca ...
accepts them as Persians. Other associations like the
American Cat Fanciers Association
The American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA) is an American non-profit organization formed with the intent of allowing greater flexibility in the development of pedigreed cats. The ACFA is a cat registry for purebred, pedigreed cats, experimen ...
register them as a separate Exotic Longhair breed.
Description
![Noidankattilan Bellatrix Exotic shorthair](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Noidankattilan_Bellatrix_Exotic_shorthair.JPG)
The Exotic Shorthair meets every standard for the Persian breed, except for the coat.
*Head: Oval, massive. Very broad skull. Rounded forehead. Round, full cheeks. Short, broad, round muzzle. Short, broad nose with pronounced stop، Strong chin. Broad, powerful jaws.
*Ears: Small, rounded at the tip, not too open at the base. Widely spaced and well-furnished with hair on the inside.
*Eyes: Large and round. Pure, deep color corresponding to that of the coat (gold to copper in most varieties; green in the chinchilla and the golden; blue in the white and the
colorpoint).
*Neck: Short and thick.
*Body: Medium-sized,
cobby, low to the ground. Broad chest. Massive shoulders. Large-boned with powerful muscles. Weight: 3.5 – 6 kilograms.
*Paw: Short, straight and large. Round, large paws. Tufts of hair between the toes.
*Tail: Short, thick, carried low. Rounded tip.
*Coat: Shorthaired but slightly longer than other shorthaired breeds. Dense, fluffy, erect hair. All Persian colors are recognized.
Characteristics
Exotic Shorthairs have a gentle and calm personality reminiscent of the Persian, but are generally livelier than their longhaired ancestors. Curious and playful, they are friendly to other cats and dogs, but they don't like being left alone and need the presence of their owner. They tend to show more
affection and
loyalty
Loyalty, in general use, is a devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another h ...
than most breeds and make excellent lap cats. Their calm, steady nature makes them ideal apartment cats for city dwellers. Nonetheless, Exotics retain some of the energetic spark of the American Shorthair, and they are often capable
mouse
A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
hunters.
Care and grooming
![Sleepingexoticshorthair](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Sleepingexoticshorthair.jpg)
Unlike the high-maintenance Persian, the Exotic is able to keep its own
fur
Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket t ...
tidy with little human assistance, though weekly brushing and combing is recommended to remove loose hair and reduce shedding and
hairball
A hairball is a small collection of hair or fur formed in the stomach of animals, and uncommonly in humans, that is occasionally vomited up when it becomes too big. Hairballs are primarily a tight elongated cylinder of packed fur, but may inclu ...
s.
The Exotic Shorthair personality can simply be described as calm and friendly. Due in part to their easy-going nature, these felines acclimate well to apartment or household environments, and they enjoy being around kids and adults.
As with other
flat-faced animals, the Exotic's tear ducts are prone to overflowing due to the
nasolacrimal duct
The nasolacrimal duct (also called the tear duct) carries tears from the lacrimal sac of the eye into the nasal cavity. The duct begins in the eye socket between the maxillary and lacrimal bones, from where it passes downwards and backwards. The ...
, which can dampen and stain the face. This can be relieved by periodically wiping the cat's face with a cloth moistened with water or one of the commercial preparations made expressly for the purpose.
This breed ages slowly, as it does not reach maturity until around two years of age and enters puberty fairly late. When two Exotic Shorthairs are crossed, they may produce long-haired kittens called "Exotic Longhairs" by the Cat Fanciers' Association. Externally, they look like Persians.
Health
The Exotic Shorthair is a
brachycephalous breed, meaning that its problems result from having the nose and eyes in close proximity to each other, giving the appearance of a pushed-in face. As well as issues with the tear ducts, sinus problems can also occur. Due to the shortened jaw, there is a chance of tooth misalignment or tooth crowding.
*
Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome
Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome (BAOS) is a pathological condition affecting short nosed dogs and cats which can lead to severe respiratory distress. There are four different anatomical abnormalities that contribute to the disease, al ...
. Also referred to as brachycephalic respiratory syndrome or congenital obstructive upper airway disease, this causes upper airway abnormalities ranging in severity. The syndrome can cause increased airway resistance, inflammation of structures in the airways, and increased strain on the heart. Treatment includes weight loss, surgery, and avoiding humid or hot conditions.
* Calcium oxalate urolithiasis. A stone that
crystallizes
Crystallization is the process by which solid forms, where the atoms or molecules are highly organized into a structure known as a crystal. Some ways by which crystals form are precipitating from a solution, freezing, or more rarely deposi ...
in the bladder and kidney.
* Corneal sequestrum. A necrosis of the cornea of unknown origin.
* Dystocia. An abnormal labor due to large-domed skulls.
* Feline polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Exotic Shorthairs, as well as Persians and other Persian-derived cats, have a high chance of inheriting PKD, a disease that can lead to kidney failure. Several studies using ultrasound scan screening have shown that the prevalence of PKD in Exotics is between 40 and 50% in developed nations. DNA screening for PKD is recommended for all Exotic cats used in breeding programs to reduce the incidence of kidney disease by
spaying
Neutering, from the Latin ''neuter'' ('of neither sex'), is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. ...
and
neutering
Neutering, from the Latin ''neuter'' ('of neither sex'), is the removal of an animal's reproductive organ, either all of it or a considerably large part. The male-specific term is castration, while spaying is usually reserved for female animals. ...
PKD positive cats.
Recognition
The Exotic has steadily gained popularity among cat fanciers with the help of the devoted advocates of the breed who saw the value in a Persian and Shorthair crossbreed.
* In 1967, the Exotic Shorthair was first accepted for Championship status by the Cat Fanciers' Association.
* In 1971, the first Exotic Shorthair achieved the status of Grand Champion.
* In 1986, the
Fédération Internationale Féline
The Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) (in English "International Feline Federation") is a federation of cat registries. There are currently forty-two member organizations in forty countries. Membership spans Europe, South America, and ...
recognized the Exotic Shorthair.
* In 1991, an Exotic was the Cat Fanciers' Association's Cat of the Year.
* In 1992, the Cat Fanciers' Association's Best Kitten was an Exotic.
References
External links
Cat Fanciers Association Exotic Breed Council
{{Domestic cat
Cat breeds
Cat breeds originating in the United States
Inbred animals