The Exotic Shorthair cat is one of the most family-friendly cat breeds that you could come across. They are treasured for their lovable attitudes and unique appearance. They are a newer breed, intentionally created to evoke highly distinct features.
The Exotic Shorthair is a recognizable breed with a striking resemblance to their Persian cat ancestors. Instead of sporting the long and luscious locks of a Persian, the Exotic Shorthair’s coat is, you guessed it, short.
Their coat is very dense, thick, and extremely plushy to the touch, but it sets them apart from Persian and Himalayan breeds.
The Exotic Shorthair is very similar to the Persian cat in demeanor, affection levels, and facial features, but has the coat of a Domestic Shorthair cat, making them far easier to groom. Just like the Persian, the Exotic Shorthair cat comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
Keep reading to learn more about the variations that this breed comes in!
History of the Exotic Shorthair cat
The Exotic Shorthair cat originated when a breeder desired the looks and temperament of a Persian cat without all that grooming. He worked to create a cat that was virtually the same as a Persian but with a shorter coat.
In the 1950s and 1960s, cat lovers tried mixing Persian cats with American Shorthairs. The result was an adorable litter of kittens with short, snubbed noses, round, plushy faces, and short, thick fur.
Then the kittens that closely resembled Persians were bred back to Persian cats to help enhance their features. The longer the breeding process went, the more distinguished the Exotic Shorthair cat breed became.
To maintain the Exotic Shorthair features, these cats can only be bred back to other Exotic Shorthairs or Persian cats. If you breed an Exotic Shorthair with another breed of cat, they’re not officially recognized as an Exotic Shorthair.
Today, the Exotic Shorthair is a well-loved and sought-after cat that has flourished in the United States. They are one of the best companions to have, sticking with you through thick and thin.
What does an Exotic Shorthair cat look like?
The most prominent features of the Exotic Shorthair cat are their snubbed noses and very round faces. They have round eyes, round cheeks, and small ears that all seem to squish together. Additionally, their coats are short but still feel plush and dense to the touch.
Exotic Shorthairs are medium-sized cats and can weigh anywhere from 6 to 13 pounds. The Exotic Shorthair is generally regarded as a somewhat lazy cat, so you need to ensure they are getting enough exercise. Their snubbed noses can make breathing more difficult, especially if they become overweight or when exercising in warm conditions.
What colors do Exotic Shorthair cats come in?
Exotic Shorthair cats come in almost all color and pattern combinations exhibited by cats. Their coat is very versatile, just like the Persian’s, and will look different on any Exotic Shorthair you see. What does stay the same is the length of their coat, which will always remain short.
There are several divisions of color that your Exotic Shorthair could fall under, including:
- Solid color division
- Silver and golden division
- Smoke and shaded division
- Tabby division
- Parti-color division
- Calico division
- Himalayan division
Among these different divisions are vastly different colorings and markings. We will go through some of the most common colors for each division, but there are simply so many that you could put together an entire book about it.
Solid color division
Exotic Shorthairs that fall in the solid color division can come in the following colors: white, black, red, cream, blue, chocolate, or lilac. Each color will have specific colors for paw pads, nose leathers, and eyes.
- White: Paw pads and nose leather are pink; eyes are deep blue or copper
- Black: Paw pads are black or brown; nose leather is black; eyes are a brilliant copper
- Red: Paw pads and nose leather are brick red; eyes are copper
- Cream: Paw pads and nose leather are pink; eyes are copper
- Blue: Paw pads and nose leather are blue; eyes are copper
- Chocolate: Paw pads are cinnamon-pink; nose leather is brown; eyes are copper
- Lilac: Paw pads and nose leather are lavender-pink; eyes are copper
Silver and golden division
Exotic Shorthairs in the silver and golden division come in 8 different colors, and all have specific nose leather, paw pads, and eye colors, just like the solid division.
- Chinchilla silver: Paw pads are black; nose leather is brick red; eyes are green or blue-green
- Shaded silver: Paw pads are black; nose leather is brick red; eyes are green or blue-green
- Blue chinchilla silver: Paw pads are blue or old rose; nose leather is old rose; eyes are green or blue-green
- Blue shaded silver: Paw pads are blue or old rose; nose leather is old rose; eyes are green or blue-green
- Chinchilla golden: Paw pads are black; nose leather is deep rose; eyes are green or blue-green
- Shaded golden: Paw pads are black; nose leather is deep rose; eyes are green or blue-green
- Blue chinchilla golden: Paw pads are blue or old rose; nose leather is old rose; eyes are green or blue-green
- Blue shaded golden: Paw pads are blue or old rose; nose leather is old rose; eyes are green or blue-green
Shell, shades, and smoke division
Exotics that fall into this division are incredibly versatile. They can come in shell, shaded, or smoke within a few different color combinations.
- Cameo: Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads are rose-pink; eyes are copper
- Cream: Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads are rose-pink; eyes are copper
- Tortoiseshell: Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads are rose-pink to black; eyes are copper
- Blue: Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads are blue; eyes are copper
- Black: Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads are black; eyes are copper
- Blue-cream: Nose leather, rims of eyes, and paw pads are rose-pink to blue; eyes are copper
- Chocolate: Nose leather is brown; paw pads are cinnamon-pink; eye color is copper
- Lilac: Nose leather is lavender; paw pads are pink; eyes are copper
- Chocolate tortoiseshell: Nose leather is brown, brick red, or pink; paw pads are brick red, cinnamon-pink, or pink; eyes are copper
- Lilac-cream: Nose leather is lavender, lavender-pink, or pink; paw pads are lavender-pink or pink; eye color is copper
Tabby division
Many different tabby coats exist for the Exotic Shorthair cat. Some of them have specific colorings for their nose leather and paw pads.
- Classic
- Mackerel
- Spotted
- Silver: Nose leather is brick red; paw pads are black; eye color is green, hazel, or copper
- Red: Nose leather and paw pads are brick red; eye color is copper
- Brown: Nose leather is brick red; paw pads are black or brown; eye color is copper
- Blue: Nose leather is old rose; paw pads are rose; eye color is copper
- Cream: Nose leather and paw pads are pink; eye color is copper
- Lilac: Nose leather is lavender; paw pads are pink; eye color is copper
There are so many more tabby colors that you can come across with Exotic Shorthairs, but some will need to have those distinct markings to be recognized.
Parti-color division
Four colors exist in the parti-color division:
- Tortoiseshell: Nose leather and paw pads are black or brick red; eye color is copper
- Blue-cream: Nose leather and paw pads are blue or pink; eye color is copper
- Chocolate tortoiseshell: Nose leather is brown, brick red, or pink; paw pads are brick red, cinnamon-pink, or pink; eye color is copper
- Lilac-cream: Nose leather is lavender, lavender-pink, or pink; paw pads are lavender-pink or pink; eye color is copper
Calico division
If you have a calico Exotic Shorthair, your cat showcases a striking look of three different colors. 25-75% of their bodies will be white, with orange and black markings mixed into their coat.
Other colors like lilac and chocolate do appear in the Exotic Shorthair calico division, but you’re more likely to see the common orange, black, and white trifecta.
Himalayan division
This division showcases pointed cats with lighter-colored bodies and darker-colored points: Their faces, ears, paws, and tails will be darker than the rest of their bodies. Himalayan patterns include chocolate point, flame point, and tortie lynx point.
Loving an Exotic Shorthair
Your Exotic Shorthair cat will have a much easier time being groomed and kept clean than a Persian, and that was really the whole point of the breed! Their hair won’t knot and tangle, and it takes less time to brush.
You’d be shocked at how many more color combinations are out there for the Exotic Shorthair. Whichever Exotic Shorthair you do get to spend time with, you will be lucky to have them in your life.
Sources:
- Exotic Shorthair | VCA Animal Hospitals
- Exotic Shorthair Breed | TICA
- Exotic Shorthair Standard | CFA
- Persian - Students | Britannica Kids
Photo credit:
- Dan Wayman via Unsplash
