Exotic Shorthair Kittens

By Wendy Pan

The Exotic Shorthair cat is a breed that came into being around 30 years ago. They are a cross between the Persian Longhair and the British Shorthair. The resulting breed is a lovely cat with man of the distinctive features of the Persian but obviously with shorter hair. Although their hair is short, it is every bit as thick as the Persian Longhairs coat and is very dense and soft. They are attractive cats with wide set eyes and distinctive faces. The Exotic Shorthair kittens are probably some of the prettiest kittens that you will see.

In the past the general ruling for breeding of Exotic Shorthair kittens was to mate a British Shorthair to a Persian Longhair. As the breed have grown in numbers, however, it is now more normal to breed using two Exotics. Occasionally breeders will revert to original to perhaps breed new colours etc, but this is no longer necessary to swell the gene pool.

There are still only a few hundred Exotic Shorthair kittens being born each year so they are not always easy to source. There are, however, websites full of information including details of how to find a breeder. Always use a reputable breeder and make sure that you have details of the parents. Whenever possible ask to see both mother and father. Often it is not so easy to see the father as he may not be kept at the same home, but make sure that all the paperwork is in place and you have all the information that you can get.

Exotic Shorthair kittens are robust little animals and very playful. They are bright and easily trained. By the time you get your kitten they should have been litter trained by their mother and be vaccinated. There should be no signs or history of disease or parasite and they should be happy and lively. They are naturally inquisitive and affectionate and love to be cuddled and handled. If the kitten is not keen on contact from humans then it may not have been handled sufficiently and may not have learned to interact with people properly. A happy and healthy Exotic kitten will love to be with people and you will be able to establish a loving and affectionate relationship with it as it grows into an adult.

Buying a kitten is never a straightforward business. There are many things which you must consider prior to actually bringing your pet home. You will need to research the best food for example. This is something that you should talk to the breeder about. They will have been providing a particular kind of food and feeding pattern which you should stick to, at least to begin with. If you do want to change the feeding structure and diet it must be done over a period of time so as not to upset the kitten's digestion. The Exotic Shorthair kitten is a lovely pet and given care and love will be an affectionate family member.

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about exotic shorthair kittens, please visit American Shorthair Cats for current articles and discussions.