Exotic Shorthair

Short games and accessible climbing places

Play in short sessions each day. Roll a light ball along the floor or move the attached toy on a cat wand slowly away from the cat. Let it catch the toy, then put the wand away. Stable, low climbing places make movement easier. Allow rests and provide cool places in hot weather. Stop play if breathing quickly becomes strained or noisy and arrange a veterinary assessment. Obvious breathing difficulty or open-mouth breathing requires immediate veterinary help.

For practical play, food searches and quiet retreats, read Indoor Cat Enrichment: Play, Food Puzzles and Safe Retreats ↗

Dense fur and sensitive eyes

The short coat is extremely dense and stands away from the body. It mats less readily than long Persian fur, but loose undercoat still needs regular combing. Gently wipe tears from the eye corners with a soft damp cloth, using a clean part for each eye. Persistent discharge, redness or pain calls for a veterinary eye examination. Some cats need more frequent eye care because of their facial shape. Shorter fur does not remove that task.

Persian build, short coat

The Exotic Shorthair developed from Persian cats crossed with shorthaired breeds. Its body and head largely follow the Persian group: a solid, short body, round head and large eyes. The coat is short but plush and can come in many colours. For welfare, a freely breathing nose with open nostrils and comfortable eyes matter more than an extremely flat profile.