Exotic Shorthair vs British Shorthair - Breed Comparison

A cat breeder, Harrison Wier took a street cat of Britain and with an intensive breeding program, transformed it to the British Shorthair.

The British loved this beautiful pedigree cat. During the Second World War, the British Shorthair all but disappeared but re-emerged as a popular cat that is today accepted in cat registries around the world.

The Exotic Shorthair cat is such a sweet-faced cat that it is often referred to as the ‘lazy man’s Persian. This is because the face is also flat and pushed in like the Persian cat.

The Exotic Shorthair was in fact developed as a short-haired version of the Persian. It was in the 1950s that the Persian was used to mate with other breeds such as the Burmese.

The crossbreed gained recognition but some American Shorthair breeders produced a new breed standard that would disqualify American Shorthairs that showed any signs of crossbreeding.

It was in 1966 that the Cat Fanciers Association recognized the cat as a new breed and under the name Exotic Shorthair.

The British Shorthair is a medium to large-sized cat and he can be anything from 5 to 9kg. He has a short to medium-length dense coat that can either be a solid color, bi-color tortoiseshell or patterned.

The coat becomes thicker and longer in the winter. This is a robust, strong cat, being heavily muscled with heavy bones. The cat also has a broad chest with thick, strong legs. The ears are fairly small and the round eyes give him a totally amicable expression on his face.

Temperament:

The British Shorthair is an amicable cat and makes a superb companion as it's an easy-going cat that adores his human family, being loyal towards them.

The British Shorthair is an active cat and it is able to get by on his own for a few hours without human company. If you do work particularly long hours and you go out a lot, it will be kind to perhaps get another cat for him as a friend.

He is quiet and undemanding and because he is big and heavy he doesn’t like being carried around.

Developed through crosses between Persians and American Shorthairs as well as other cat breeds, the Exotic Shorthair looks like the Persian but he has a short coat.

The coat is found in the same colors as the Persian cat – patterns and solid colors, ranging from chinchilla silver to tabby, tortoiseshell, black and white and bicolor. The eyes are large and round, the ears small and round and the tail fairly short and thick.

Temperament:

The Exotic Shorthair is a sweet, gentle, calm cat but a bit livelier than the Persian. They’re lively, friendly, and playful, but are also cats that like to sit in your lap and be stroked.

They get on well with children and other pets, being a loyal friend to the entire family. He quietly communicates with his human family with a soft voice. He is also quite adaptable to living conditions so long as his human family provides him with lots of attention.

He won’t want to be left for long periods of time on his own so he won’t suit living in a home where he is left alone all day.

The British Shorthair is such a companionable cat, being intelligent and affectionate, even though he isn’t a lapcat as such.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love being around his human companions. He does and is loyal to them.

They’re laid back cats and are capable of getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He just loves lazing around in the sun and can spend a few hours on his own without feeling anxious or lonely.

These cats are really great companions and they make themselves at home in different lifestyles, whether you live in the countryside or in town and whether you are single, a couple or a family with children and other pets.

Easy to care for, the British Shorthair cat is guaranteed to make you an excellent companion.

Your Exotic Shorthair is a loving cat and for those who prefer, it is a cat that is livelier than the Persian. While the Exotic Shorthair also has a mellow personality, because of its shorthair ancestors, it's more active.

This Exotic cat can live to be 15, 16, or 17 if you care for him well and that means you have 15 years to share with a most wonderful feline companion.

These beautiful cats are a robust, healthy type of cat breed and if you care well for him, you aren’t going to be taking him along to the vet too often. He can also live to be up to 20 years of age.

This cat has been bred with Persians in the past, so this should alert you to some of the diseases that this particular cat breed is susceptible to. It makes the cat a little bit vulnerable to polycystic kidney, an inherited condition in cats that causes cysts to form in the kidneys. They are small at first but they can grow bigger and actually result in kidney failure.

With the Exotic Shorthair, some of the diseases are genetic while others can be encouraged by poor diet and lifestyle.

Obesity for instance is a major disease of cats and it contributes to many serious illnesses in cats. Excess weight shortens your cat’s life and contributes to arthritis and diabetes. The extra weight puts a strain on the cat's joints. Shedding just a little bit of weight can result in improved mobility.

Dental disease is a common chronic problem in pets. Make sure to check inside your cat’s mouth from time to time as serious dental problems can cause pain and interfere with the health of your cat’s important organs such as heart and kidneys.

All kinds of parasites can invade your Exotic Shorthair's body, internally and externally – worms, fleas, and ticks - and cause your pet a tremendous amount of pain and discomfort.

Brachycephalic Syndrome is a respiratory distress syndrome and it mostly affects what is known as brachycephalic cats – those cat with snub faces like the Exotic Shorthair.

The flattened features of the face make it that there is less space for the tissue to grow. The soft area at the back of the roof of the mouth hangs into the airway, obstructing it, and they can’t breathe normally. Sometimes the cats will require surgery to allow for more regular breathing.

The British Shorthair is a fairly large, robust cat but that certainly doesn’t mean he must be fat. Being overweight can bring about a range of health issues and you want to follow an appropriate diet for him ad see that he gets enough exercise.

When it comes to feeding your British Shorthair, always look out for the very best, most nutritious food there is as he is a big cat.

You want to ensure your pet gets enough protein as cats are carnivores - they’re meat eaters and they require chicken, beef and fish. You can give your cat some cooked egg as they are an excellent source of protein.

Be very careful not to be tempted to give your cat chocolates, grapes, nuts, onions or garlic as foods like this are toxic for your cat and can cause him pain and discomfort.

Remember to ensure that there is always a constant supply of fresh, cool water for your cat. If you’re wondering what to feed your cat or you have any other concerns, don’t hesitate to speak to your vet.

Brush your British Shorthair when he starts to shed his winter coat and trim the nails.

Do things for your cat that you would do for your own human child. This is your beloved fur-child and you want him to be happy and healthy.

Check inside his mouth to make sure there aren’t any loose or blackened teeth that could be causing him terrible pain. Also, check inside his ears for signs of redness.

Your British Shorthair is an elegant, clean type of cat so you want to keep his litterbox nice and clean for him.

Diet:

It is important to understand the type of foods available to your pet and how often and how much to feed him.

Most cats prefer to eat several small meals a day as opposed to a couple of large ones. Make feed times interesting and provide food puzzles to have your cat ‘prey’ for food.

Always read and understand the labels on the cat food packaging and be sure to always feed your Exotic Shorthair with the very best food there is and to follow the portion guides.

If you’re in any doubt or your cat doesn’t want to eat his food, try something else or speak to your vet about how to be sure your cat is getting fed the best food there is.

Make sure to have your kitten vaccinated as required. Also, when you take your kitten in to be vaccinated, the vet will also perform a check-up to make sure your kitten is healthy as these cats are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections.

Your cat has a short, low maintenance coat. A brush once a week can get rid of loose hairs and you and your cat will both enjoy the therapeutic bonding between the two of you.

Check your cat’s inner ears for wax and debris as well as for signs of any infection, and if you don’t want to do that, professional cat groomers can do it for you.