Exotic Shorthair

The breed first gained recognition in the USA, where it initially evolved as a result of crossing American Shorthair cats to Silver Persians. In September 1966, CFA established a hybrid class for Domestics of mixed Persian and American Shorthair parentage; a new standard, based on the Persian standard was written for Exotic Shorthairs and they were given Championship status. They first appeared in competition in CFA in the 1967-68 show season. Original crosses included American Shorthair to Persian, Burmese to Persian and Russian Blue to Persian. In 1975 CFA narrowed allowable outcrosses to American SH and Persian, in 1987 American SH was dropped as an allowable outcross – only Persian and Exotic SH are now allowed. In the UK some British SH breeders kept the “overtyped” offspring from British Shorthair x Persian matings to try and develop the Exotic SH. The first import to the UK was CFA Gr Ch Purrfun My Main Man, a Black Smoke, he was descended from an original Burmese x Persian cross. The British SH was dropped as an allowable outcross for Exotics in 2000, now only Exotic and Persian are acceptable. Exotics were formally recognised by the GCCF in 1986, and gained Championship status in 1995.

The standard for the Exotic Shorthair is the same as for the Persian as far as head and body type is concerned. The head should be broad, round and smooth. The ears are small and round tipped and should be set down on the skull, helping to emphasise the roundness of the head. The eyes are one of the great beauties of the breed – they should be round and full, brilliant in colour, and set well apart. This is what helps to give the Exotic its appealing “sweet” expression. The cheeks should be round and the nose short and broad with a stop or break. The chin should be strong and the muzzle full. The neck is short and thick and the body medium to large and “cobby” in type, that is short and boxy in shape. The legs should be short and strong with rounded paws, and the whole body shape balanced by a short thick tail with a rounded tip. The coat is unique to the breed, being dense and plush; it should be soft, standing away from the body and longer than other shorthairs, but not long enough to flow. You should be able to bury your fingers into the soft fur.

Exotics come in a rainbow of colours from the self (or solid) colours of black, white, blue, red, cream, chocolate and lilac. The tabby varieties come in three patterns – classic, mackerel and spotted and in all colours, including tortie and silver varieties. Bi and Tri-colours are very popular, including tabby and white. The lovely Smokes are fairly rare with their silver base coat contrasting with the top coat. All of these varieties should have orange or copper eye colour. The exquisite Silver and Golden varieties have tipped and shaded coats and vivid green eyes and the Colourpointed have the colour restricted to the mask, legs and tail (as in Siamese cats) and blue eyes.

The Exotic temperament is what has made them an extremely popular pet worldwide. Exotic cats make ideal pets for owners who want a gentle affectionate lap cat. Good quality Exotic kittens are big and sturdy. Their temperament is gentle but playful and full of life; they love to be with people. Quietly endearing, Exotics request your attention with an irresistible gaze and then hug you when you pick them up. They will follow you from room to room in order to be near you and then jump in your lap for a nap when you settle down to read a book or watch the tv. Their shorthaired ancestors have given them a love of play and they will jump to catch a toy or sit studying how to get the toy you put out of reach before they were finished playing. Simple things amuse them whether it is chasing paper balls around the house or watching water drip out of a tap. Exotics are a joy to be around and, thanks to their easygoing nature, they get on well with children and other pets.

Although Exotic Shorthairs are not as high maintenance as Persian Longhairs, they do still require regular grooming to maintain the soft, dense coat in optimum condition. Especially during the spring and summer, when moulting, they can shed a large amount of old undercoat that needs to be carefully combed out, or the coat will mat and knot. Eyes should be regularly cleaned, and Exotics do benefit from an occasional bath.

The Exotic is a healthy breed, but it has to be remembered that they are bred from Persians and, therefore, have been affected by PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease). There is a DNA test that is quick, cheap and non-invasive, requiring a simple cheek swab, and all Exotics used for breeding should be tested to ensure they are PKD negative. Owners should always obtain the clear test certificates from the breeder for the parents of any new kitten. Breeding cats should also be tested for PRA(pd) (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) – this test can be done at the same time as the PKD test.

Exotics are brachycephalic (having a relatively broad, short skull) so care should also be taken that this aspect is not taken to extremes for the health and comfort of the cat. A female Exotic cat will usually weigh 7 – 12 lbs and a male 12 – 14 lbs. Life expectancy is 12 to 15 years or more.