Exotic Shorthair Cat
Introduction
Why did breeders create this breed? A question I think worth asking when one considers two things;
It seems that the initial reason was to "strenghten" the American Shorthair "type" by selective breeding with the Persian. "Type" in cat fancier's language means the recognizable appearance of a particular cat breed. In this instance, I presume this meant to make the American Shorthair look more like an American Shorthair i.e. solid, rounded looking. What they got was a squash faced American Shorthair, which they liked. They went on to make a new breed out this mating. The appearance is of a shorthaired Persian cat. I don't want to sound too critical but I wonder how much consideration was given to the health issues? Since the initial creation in about 1960, breeders have "expanded" the breeding program and included other similar shaped shorthair breeds namely the British Shorthair and Burmese, for example.
History
See all the pictures here (there are more in this video than on this page, plus some breif information - the short tour): Appearance and Character
She is then, docile, quiet, loyal and sweet natured. And there's less time grooming and more time to play and cuddle (grooming though is a form of exchange of friendship and affection if done gently). She is sometimes called the "lazy man's Persian" because of the lower grooming requirements. The wide range of coat colors are the same as for the Persian. Why not see a slide show with high quality large format images of this cat breed accompanied by comment on a breed standard?
Medical Concerns The Persian has certain medical concerns. These are found in the Exotic Shorthair Cat. I have also discovered that there are at least potential problems with an asymetrical jaw. This naturally affects eating and can lead to dental problems.Then you have the problems associated with the squashed face, namely, sinus, tear duct overflow. These as we know can be minimised by not overbreeding towards the extreme face. It's all about responsible breeding practice. I also have a page on cat health problems, which includes genetically linked problems of various breeds and which updated more frequently.
Exotic Shorthair Cat - Breeders Google listed (excluding directories) first 2 pages on search for Exotic Shorthair Cat breeders in order of appearance. These pages open in new windows:Heida Located Bedford Virginia, USA. Owned by Nancy Pribble. Small cattery and nice clean, simple website. La Boheme's Located Northern Calfornia, near Sacramento. Milbury Cattery Located Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada. Sources:
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