Exotic Shorthair Cat
Updated July 19, 2026
The Exotic Shorthair is the short-coated counterpart of the Persian, sharing its round cobby body, large eyes, calm temperament, and shortened face while replacing the flowing coat with a dense plush one.
Sweet and people-oriented, Calm, Moderately playful, Soft-voiced, Prefers predictable routines
7-14 pounds
12-15 years
At a Glance
Maintenance Level
Affection Level
Energy Level
Good with Kids
Vocalization Level
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About Exotic Shorthair Cat
The Exotic Shorthair is the short-coated counterpart of the Persian, sharing its round cobby body, large eyes, calm temperament, and shortened face while replacing the flowing coat with a dense plush one.
Coat Length
Short Hair
Breed Group
Shorthair
Weight
7-14 pounds
Great For
What Makes Exotic Shorthair Cats Special
The Exotic Shorthair places the Persian's round head, large eyes, cobby body, and sweet expression under a short but exceptionally dense plush coat.
Its calm affection and manageable coat length are appealing, but facial anatomy can still create substantial daily care and health burdens.
Exotic Shorthair Cat History & Origin
In the 1950s, some American Shorthair breeders crossed their cats with Persians to add silver color, green eyes, and a rounder build. Judge Jane Martinke proposed recognizing the resulting Persian-type cats as a new breed. CFA accepted the Exotic Shorthair for championship in 1967, and later breeding focused primarily on Persian outcrosses.
The breed was not created simply by trimming a Persian coat; it arose through planned breeding and selection for short hair.
Early foundation programs also used limited Burmese and Russian Blue ancestry before registry rules narrowed outcrosses.
Longhair remains recessive, so longhaired kittens can still appear in Exotic litters.
Exotic Shorthair Cat Characteristics
Individual Variation
Cats are individuals and not all cats, even those of the same breed, will exhibit all the same qualities.
Care Requirements
Exercise Needs
Grooming Needs
Shedding Level
Exotic Shorthair Cat Appearance
A large round head, full cheeks, short nose, small ears, broad chest, short legs, and compact muscular body create the characteristic Persian-family silhouette.
The short double coat stands away from the body, giving the cat a soft, rounded teddy-bear finish.
Physical Features
Ears
Small, round-tipped, forward-tilted, and set low and far apart.
Eyes
Large, round, full, and set far apart; color corresponds to the coat division.
Nose
Short and broad with a stop between the eyes; nostrils should remain open and breathing quiet and effortless.
Coat & Build
Tail
Short but proportionate, straight, and carried below the back.
Exotic Shorthair Cat Temperament
The Exotic Shorthair places the Persian's round head, large eyes, cobby body, and sweet expression under a short but exceptionally dense plush coat.
Its calm affection and manageable coat length are appealing, but facial anatomy can still create substantial daily care and health burdens.
Temperament Traits
Good With
Health
Exotics share the Persian family's important inherited and conformation-related risks. Facial shortening can impair breathing, drainage, eating, and dental alignment, so selecting a functional face with open nostrils is a health priority.
Common Health Issues
Preventive Care
Verify PKD1 and relevant PRA results and ask about cardiac screening; choose cats with open nostrils and quiet effortless breathing, clean eyes and facial folds, maintain dental care and lean weight, and seek prompt care for labored breathing or eye pain.
Caring for Your Exotic Shorthair Cat
Grooming Requirements
The plush double coat is easier than a Persian's long coat but still sheds heavily and can trap loose undercoat. Facial care may be daily.
Brushing
Comb or brush at least twice weekly and daily during heavy shedding, reaching through the dense undercoat without scratching the skin.
Bathing
Bathe every 4-8 weeks or when oily or dirty, using cat-safe products and drying the undercoat and facial folds completely.
Eye Care
Wipe the eyes and adjacent folds daily with a separate soft damp pad for each eye, then keep folds dry. Redness, squinting, odor, cloudiness, or increased discharge needs veterinary care.
Nail Care
Every 2-3 weeks.
Essential Grooming Tools
Exercise & Play
Exotics are calm but often more playful than Persians. Short daily sessions protect healthy weight without overheating or overtaxing a brachycephalic cat.
Daily Requirements
Provide about 20-30 minutes of gentle interactive play daily, divided into short sessions and stopped immediately for noisy breathing, open-mouth breathing, or fatigue.
Mental Stimulation
Rotate quiet toys and food puzzles, provide low window perches and hiding places, and avoid laser-only play or exercise in heat.
Recommended Activities
Nutrition & Feeding
Feed a complete-and-balanced life-stage diet and prevent weight gain, which worsens breathing, heat tolerance, and joint stress.
Daily Amount
Use the food manufacturer's feeding guide as a starting point, measure the daily ration, divide it into two or more meals, and adjust with a veterinarian using hands-on body-condition checks.
Special Considerations
A wide shallow dish may help cats with very short faces. Wet food and several fresh-water stations support hydration; investigate difficulty grasping food, prolonged eating, or weight loss.
Living Environment
Space Requirements
Well suited to apartments or houses with low stable cat furniture, broad scratching surfaces, cool resting places, clean litter boxes, and gentle daily play.
Climate Preferences
Climate-controlled indoor living is essential. Facial shortening and a dense coat increase heat risk, so avoid hot, humid conditions and strenuous activity.
Ideal Lifestyle Match
Best for a quiet household willing to perform routine coat, eye, fold, and dental care and to choose function over the flattest possible face.
Colors & Patterns
Exotics occur in the full Persian palette, with eye color tied to coat division.
Solid Colors
Patterns
Eye Colors
Copper, blue, green, hazel, or odd-eyed depending on coat color and division
Fun Facts About Exotic Shorthair Cat
The Exotic Shorthair shares the Persian body and head standard under major registry systems.
Its short coat is still a very dense double coat that sheds heavily.
CFA granted championship status in 1967.
Longhaired kittens can occur because the longhair gene is recessive.
Daily eye and facial-fold care may be necessary.
Noisy or labored breathing is a health concern, not a harmless breed trait.
PKD1 DNA screening is essential in responsible breeding programs.
The breed is often more playful than the Persian while retaining a calm disposition.
Training Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Exotic Shorthair low-maintenance?
It needs less coat work than a Persian, but it still sheds heavily and may need frequent brushing, regular bathing, daily eye and fold cleaning, and careful respiratory and dental monitoring.
Why do Exotic Shorthairs have breathing problems?
The shortened skull can narrow nostrils and airways. Severity varies, but noisy or labored breathing, poor heat tolerance, and open-mouth breathing are not normal breed quirks.
Can Exotic Shorthair kittens have long hair?
Yes. Because of Persian ancestry, longhaired kittens can occur. Registries classify or show these kittens differently, often within the Persian division.
Specialized Care Guides
Kitten Care
Verify parental PKD1, PRA, and cardiac records; select open nostrils and quiet breathing; establish eye, fold, coat, dental, carrier, and nail care gently from the start.
Senior Care
Arrange veterinary checks at least every 6-12 months as advised, monitor breathing, heat tolerance, eyes, teeth, kidneys, heart, weight, joints, and coat, and use low accessible resources.
First-Time Owner Tips
Temperament is beginner-friendly, but care is not minimal; owners must commit to eye and fold care, dense-coat grooming, dental work, heat protection, and health-tested functional breeding.
Looking for a Exotic Shorthair Cat?
Connect with responsible breeders, rescue organizations, and pet adoption services in your area.