Exotic Cats

The Exotic cat breed was bred similar to the Persian, but with a short, dense coat. Persian cats require daily grooming to keep their longhaired coat from matting and tangling. Exotic cats, sometimes called Exotic Shorthair cats, are ideal for people who like the appearance and temperament of Persian cats, but do not want the time commitment of daily grooming.

Exotic cats have personalities that are similar to that of their Persian ancestors. They are easygoing and not demanding like many cat breeds. Though an Exotic cat may follow the owner, an Exotic cat typically is not intrusive or demanding. They are also very calm and quiet. Unlike many cat breeds, male Exotic cats tend to be even more affectionate than female Exotic cats.

The dense shorthaired coat complements the rounded contours of the Exotic cat. Exotic Shorthair cats are supposed to be heavily boned and well-balanced. The heavily boned bodies of an Exotic Shorthair cat can be described as cobby. The Exotic Shorthairs have large, round heads with large, round eyes. These characteristics lend to the desired sweet expression of the Exotic Shorthair cat breed. The small ears with rounded tips also add to their rounded appearance.

The Exotic Shorthair cat has a thick undercoat that keeps the coat from lying flat against the body like the coats of most shorthaired cats. The thick coat is soft and plush. Solid, silver, shell, golden, smoke, shaded, tortoiseshell, calico, bi-color, Himalayan point, lynx point, and tabby are the possible color patterns of Exotic Shorthair cats. Solid-colored Exotic cats can be black, white, blue, cream, red, chocolate, and lilac.

The eye color of Exotic Shorthairs varies with coat color, but can be copper, blue, green, blue-green, hazel, or odd-eyed. The eyes of Exotic Shorthair cats with point coloring are a vivid, deep blue. The rounded eyes are set wide apart.

Exotic cats have short, snub noses similar to the Persian ancestors. The tail of an Exotic Shorthair cat is short, but in proportion to the body. Exotic kittens are slow to mature. Exotic kittens tend to retain their kitten-like playfulness throughout their lives.