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Lapchums Cattery Welcome to the Wonderful World of Exotic Shorthairs As spectators at the show walk by the cage they look quizzically at the cat and say “It looks like a Persian but it has short hair. The sign says Exotic. Exotic what?!” With today’s busy lifestyles the cat has become a popular pet. Cats are best kept indoors and do well in an apartment or a house. The popularity of the Persian has been evident for many years. The Persian represents the largest class in shows and boasts the largest number of cats registered each year in CFA. However, Persians require daily grooming to maintain their beautiful coat. For busy people who like the look of a Persian but don’t have time for the daily grooming demands, the Exotics are the best kept secret of the cat fancy. They are bred to meet the Persian standard in every way with one very special exception: the coat has a thick, dense, plush, short coat. The Exotic coat is unique to the breed and gives them a soft, rounded, teddy bear look. Their wonderful coat requires much less combing than a Persian’s and will not mat or tangle. Because of the ease of grooming for this special breed, Exotics are sometimes affectionately referred to as the lazy man’s Persian. What is it like living with an Exotic? Are they like Persians, or do they resemble their shorthaired ancestors? Over the years, as the type and coat have changed, so has the personality of the Exotic. As the Exotic’s line of Persian ancestors became longer and longer, their temperament has become more and more Persian like. Indeed, there is no longer much difference in the temperament of the two breeds. Exotics have a quiet, endearing nature. Their voices are seldom heard. The Exotic is an ideal breed that produces a quiet, sweet, peaceful and loyal companion. They are easy going and not much seems to disturb them. In general, they are extremely affectionate. They quietly beg for your attention by just sitting in front of you with an irresistible look focused on your eyes. They will jump in your lap to curl up for a nap or push their wet nose right into your face. Some like to sit on your shoulder and hug you when you pet them. They may or may not sleep with you as some prefer cooler places like the bricks on the hearth or the tiled floor.
When people call for a pet kitten, they almost always ask for a female, thinking that a girl will be sweeter and more loving. Many also believe that males will be more aggressive and prone to spray. However, neither assumption is correct. Male Exotics are, in general, more affectionate than females. Females can be somewhat more aloof. They always seem to have more important things to do than cuddle with their owner. Exotics mature later than most other breeds, and since all pets should be neutered and spayed at an early age, problems related to spraying and other adult urges need never be a concern. Exotic kittens exhibit the same level of activity as do Persian kittens. Some breeders say that the Exotic kittens do everything first: open their eyes, climb out of the box, start eating, etc. Adult Exotics enjoy simple pleasures, like watching water drip from a faucet or chasing paper balls around the house. The easy going nature of the Exotic allows it to fit into your home at any age. Exotics stay playful as adults and bring pleasure for many years. All things considered, the Exotic is a wonderful addition to any family. Adorable to look at, peaceful and clean, what more could you ask for the perfect pet. The Exotic is really the “best of two worlds.”
There are C.C.C. of Australia clubs devoted to the promotion, protection and preservation of the Exotic breed. For more information, please send inquiries to The Hinterland All Breeds Cat Club of Queensland Hinterland Allbreeds Cat Club of Qld Contacts List:
Secretary: Lorraine Smith Ph: (07) 5545-2451 Treasurer: Karen Pitkin Ph: (07)3807-2659
History of the Exotic Breed In the late 1960s, Persian breeders in the CFA (USA) had a dream - to create a shorthaired Persian cat. This cat would have the advantages of a short, plush coat but would have the same beautiful, cuddly, lovable and laid-back character of the Persian In 1969 the first Exotic Shorthair Cat Club was founded with the resolution that it would be devoted to the protection, perfection and promotion of the Exotic.
But the Burmese crosses introduced a flat, undesirable coat and colour gene. Some breeders started with Russian Blues. Therefore, the original, Persian x American Shorthairs, has later been enforced. The first time I came across this wonderful breed was in 1985 in Tasmania, when I visited Lesley Morgan and mother, Tops. Lesley was the pioneer of Exotic breeding in Australia using Persian x British with great success. Breeders in England also started using the Persian x British. In New Zealand, Dianne Davidson pioneered Exotic breeding. She started in 1985 with Persian x domestic. When I asked Dianne why she started with domestic cats, Dianne explained that the type in a domestic is not set as it is in the breeds like the British. She felt is was easier to achieve type and coat by breeding this way. Dianne was also successful and is still recognised today as one of the top Exotic breeders in New Zealand. All over the world, Persian and Exotic breeders have imported and exported cats. This has created a good gene pool. In Australia, many breeders have imported cats at some stage or another, which has resulted in wonderful lines. I personally have imported more than 10 cats in 15 years. I especially selected cats from CFA or CFA lines in order to improve head type.
We have a saying - "What you see is what you get"! Faults cannot be camouflaged by long coats or clever grooming, as they can in Persians. Therefore, the Exotic has to be that much better than a Persian. We are now approaching the standard with regard to head type. Body type: - we do see on the show bench, some wonderfully short cobby bodies with short,thick legs. But we also often see long-legged, long bodied Exotics. This must be penalised, as it is a significant fault. Exotics are not meant to be large, with long legs or tubular bodies, neither should they be fine boned.
You will often find on very small kittens that the guard hairs are sticking out all over, giving the kitten a spiky appearance. It will disappear by the time the kitten is four to five months old. The strange thing about this spiky coat is that it seems to disappear overnight. One day you look at the kitten and realise that the coat has all evened out - just like magic! When Judging at shows I have noticed that we see a great variety in the coat of the Exotics, from very flat coats, to slightly long or too fine. I believe that breeding Exotic to Exotic in the long term will give us a shorter and coarser coat. Coat faults mentioned in the standard are: --British Shorthair coat texture -- Coat too long or too flat The
coat should be medium in length, slightly longer than other shorthair
breeds, but not long enough to flow. The coat should show through
the fingers by nearly a centimeter if the hand is run through
it with fingers apart. Coat Colour - The coat colour should conform to the same individual colour standards as for the Persians. Patterns are much more defined than in the Persians. Creams and reds still seem to have more markings than Persians, this is because the length of the Persian coats diffuses markings and patterns.
We have witnessed the changes in the past 20 years: I look forward to seeing the improvement in the next 20 years, not only in Exotics but also in all other breeds. Written by Theresa Imboden-Johnson, for the Judges Seminar held in Melbourne - 2003 for the Cat Co-Ordinating Council of Australia Theresa is also a breeder of lovely Exotics under the Martes Prefix All Breeds Judge for the NSWCFA Member of the Management Committee for the NSWCFA President of the Exotic Cat Association of Australasia
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The
early development of the Exotic was long, hard and very slow.
In the USA, originally only Persian and American Shorthair crosses
were allowed to be registered as Exotic Shorthairs. This rule,
however, was not strictly enforced. For many years, any shorthair
cat could be used. The American Burmese seemed an ideal choice,
because its type was closest to what was wanted in the Exotic.
Overseas,
the Persians and Exotics always seem to be one step ahead of those
in Australia. They have shorted noses, bigger eyes and smaller
ears. In Australia, for many years, it has been a great challenge
to get the ears smaller and lower on the head and still keep a
well-rounded dome.
Coat:
- The Exotic coat is unique to the breed and gives them a
soft rounded teddy bear look. Their wonderful coat requires much
less combing than a Persians' and will not mat or tangle. Because
of the easy-care for this special breed, Exotics are sometimes
affectionately referred to as "the lazy mans' Persian".
The
texture is dense, soft and full of life. It is not flat or close
lying, but stands out from the body due to density.
We
have learned from the past that variety strengthens the fancy.
Breeding is an outlet for creating; improving and making our chosen
breed more beautiful.
