The exotic shorthair, like a Persian with short hair

Are you interested in owning a Persian, without having to deal with the hassles of maintaining that long hair? You’ll be happy to know that some cats look like Persians, without any of the drawbacks. The exotic shorthair may, in fact, be just right for you!

Origins

In the United States in the 1950s, breeders of the American shorthair tried crossing it with the silver Persian for some of its features, including the silver coat colour. However, most of the kittens that resulted from the crossbreeding failed to meet American shorthair standards. Their unique appearance nevertheless attracted the attention of Jane Martinke, who suggested creating a new breed: the sterling, which she liked in particular for its beautiful silver colour. The name of this new breed was replaced by exotic shorthair when small short-haired Persians began emerging in all colours.

During the same period, Carolyn Bussey of New Dawn Cattery was trying to develop a brown Persian. Unsuccessful crossbreeding with a Burmese led her instead to work on creating a new short-haired Persian. She therefore made an enormous contribution to the breed once it was officially recognized. Another short-haired breed, the Russian blue, was also crossbred with a Persian, but this time for its dense, plush coat.

Although very important in the breed’s history, crossbreeding with short-haired cats did not occur very often. Since the shorthair gene is dominant, the carrier offspring were then crossbred with Persians (the goal obviously being to most closely resemble their appearance). Although the first exotic shorthair breeders encountered resistance from Persian breeders, that is no longer the case. In fact, these days, the exotic shorthair is unanimously recognized as the short-haired version of the Persian.

Appearance

The exotic shorthair looks exactly like the Persian, except for its short, dense coat, which is similar to that of a stuffed animal. The Persian’s appearance has changed considerably since the 1950s, and the exotic shorthair has kept pace. Like its long-haired counterpart, the current exotic shorthair is characterized by its very short, broad nose with pronounced stop, also aligned with the chin and forehead, giving it an almost flat profile. It has large, round eyes and a round head. Its tiny ears, set low on the head, further highlight the roundness. Its body, paws and tail are massive, well balanced, muscular and solid, although rather short and rounded. With its unique coat, this breed really is the teddy bear of the cat world.

Maintenance

This cat is sometimes referred to as the Persian for lazy people, and that says it all! Its coat is really low maintenance, requiring only a minor weekly brushing to remove dead hair. However, its eyes need to be wiped daily to avoid infections along the skin folds of the face.

The ideal family

The exotic shorthair’s temperament is also very similar to that of the Persian. The cat is generally calm and gentle, with a tiny voice that is barely audible. Its large eyes analyze everything in its surroundings, and it often uses them to communicate with humans. It has also kept its playful side, a vestige of its short-haired ancestors. It needs very little to have fun, but also enjoys a cat teaser toy. The exotic shorthair suits all types of families, but it’s important to choose an animal that is a good match for the family’s energy level.