The Exotic Shorthair is a Persian in a plush short coat, bred to the same extreme flat-faced standard, which means it inherits the same brachycephalic breathing problems, tear-duct overflow, and elevated polycystic kidney disease risk as the Persian — buyers who pick this breed specifically to avoid 'Persian problems' are mistaken about what they're avoiding.
Health tests to ask the breeder for
There is no CHIC program for cats. These are the DNA and screening tests that the testing laboratories and cat health bodies name for the Exotic Shorthair. A breeder who tests will show the certificates; a DNA result of "clear" for one variant is not a guarantee against the disease.
- PKD1 DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford Vets) screens for autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease
- PRA-pd (AIPL1) DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford 'Persian PRA') screens for early-onset progressive retinal atrophy
When to spay or neuter: by five months, whatever the breed. That is the one answer the AVMA, the feline practitioners and AAHA all give, and the spay and neuter page has why, and the two weeks after.
Sources: vgl.ucdavis.edu · vgl.ucdavis.edu · langfordvets.co.uk. Checked September 2026. Check a breeder has the questions.
Adopt a Exotic Shorthair near you
Shelters and rescues list Exotic Shorthairs and Exotic Shorthair mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Exotic Shorthair
Exotic Shorthairs are calm, affectionate lap cats that need far less coat maintenance than a Persian, which is exactly why people nickname them the 'lazy man's Persian' — but that shortcut does not apply to health: the same flat face means many need lifelong management of breathing and eye issues and can struggle badly in heat. This is a breed where low grooming effort does not translate into low overall maintenance.
Health you should know about
- Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) — the same flattened face that defines the breed standard narrows the nostrils and airway, causing noisy breathing, exercise intolerance, and in more extreme cases real respiratory distress, especially in heat or with excess weight.
- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) — a dominantly inherited condition causing fluid-filled kidney cysts that progressively destroy kidney function; UFAW specifically lists Exotic Shorthairs among the related breeds affected alongside Persians, though a genetic test exists and reputable breeders screen for it.
- Chronic tear overflow and eye conditions (corneal ulcers, eyelid abnormalities) stemming from the same shallow eye sockets and facial structure as the Persian.
- Increased risk of dystocia (difficult birth), often requiring a caesarean, tied to the same head shape as the Persian.
Read the full Cat Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a cat needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Exotic Shorthair? Persian cat names, 80 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 4 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 4 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.