Exotic Shorthair

The Exotic shorthair has the Persian's gentle manner together with some of the liveliness and playfulness of the short-hair breeds. He loves, comfort, peace and quiet, but he is more active and inquisitive. Many of his admirers consider him to be the perfect apartment cat.

Sometimes called the Persian in pyjamas (because of the scaled down Persian coat) the Exotic Shorthair is one of the most popular show cats. A gorgeous plush coat is no doubt part of the charm. An undemanding pet, it is easy to groom, good with other pets and children, and completely at home in the show ring.

The breed was created by the breeder Carolyn Bussey, who was hoping to produce a Chocolate Persian. She mated a Persian queen to a chocolate Burmese, but the litter all had short hair because the Persian's long hair results from a recessive gene. Her disappointment was short-lived, however; faced with the magnificent little bears of the first litter, she decided to produce short-haired Persians.

The coat is short, but slightly longer than in other short-hair breeds. The texture is soft, dense, plush and stands away from the body.

Exotic Shorthair kittens are alert, loving and very playful; expect them to stalk everything that moves, from crickets to houseflies. They enjoy jumping in the air after a feather tease, chasing each other, children, or the family dog, and playing floor hockey with whatever rolls. A Persian kitten may never climb your curtains, but the Exotic shorthair will. They will fetch and can be taught tricks, such lying down to be slid across the floor and coming back to slid again and again. They like company and are social. The adult Exotic Shorthair is very similar to the kitten and most likely will retain kittenish temperament even after experiencing parenthood.

References: REf FILE #CP-190
Photo credit: swisscat.ch

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