Exotic Shorthair is a house cat breed. It was developed in United States.
A shorthair house cat, Exotic Shorthair was developed in United
States during the middle of twentieth century by mating longhair
Persian cats with certain shorthair breeds. The idea was to create a
cat that had all the adorable external features of the Persian apart
from its long hair. For this purpose American and British Shorthairs,
Burmese and even Russian Blues were used to create the perfect
shorthaired Persian. The resulting cat had a distinct exotic look about
it and owing to its short hair, was named thus. Formal recognition came
in the sixties when it was accepted by major registration bodies. Today
the Exotics resemble Persians more than the shorthair breeds that were
used in their initial creation, in temperament and appearance. Indeed
Persian is the only breed with which occasional outcrosses of the
Exotic are currently permitted.
A shorthaired feline, Exotic is a
muscular cobby cat that mimics the Persian in its heavily built
musculoskeletal frame. Body is low-set with strong chest and shoulders
and short powerful legs. Head is broad with well developed jaws and
chin. Ears are short and widely set. Big bright eyes occur in a number
of colors, varying with the coat. The coat itself is short and plush,
not requiring frequent grooming and combing. For this reason, Exotic
Shorthairs are often referred to as the 'lazy man's persian'. The tail
is short and thick and paws are big and round.
Like their
ancestor Persians, the Exotic are subject to similar health problems
owing to their short flat nose and overly broad jaws. Nasolacrimal
duct, that allows tear drainage, gets compressed leading to watery eyes
that require daily wiping. There are ensuing eye and sinus problems.
Disproportionate jaws lead to biting trouble, hindering the cat's
eating ability and leading to frequent dental problems in some lines.
Exotic
Shorthairs have a very calm, pleasant temperament. They are quiet and
peaceful like the Persians and yet are lively and playful like the
shorthairs. They are not overly demanding and express themselves in
occasional shrill meows.
