Exotic Long Hair Cat

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Exotic Longhair Cat Appearance

They have short faces with soft, luxurious coats and come in several colors and patterns. 

Exotic Longhair Cat Personality

These breeds are charming, lovable, and playful. They can amuse themselves with simple things like crumpled paper. Still, they enjoy playing with their human family, primarily if they can chase something.

Their lineage of American Shorthair gives them active and outgoing personalities. At the same time, their Persian heritage makes them contented from snuggling all day on the couch. However, when introduced to new people, they might be kept back or hide when their surroundings have many activities. But they will loosen up if given ample space and time to go through everything.

Their calmness and peaceful traits make them perfect for owners looking for lovable cats to spend time with. They also love lots of cuddles and lap time. The Exotic Longhairs' thick coat keeps them warm, and they enjoy cool places such as brick floors and tiles to relax.

Exotic Longhair Cat Living Needs

These breeds are perfect for every home, whether in a small apartment or a big house. But although they have calm personality and are not demanding, they cannot adapt to places with loud noises as they like peaceful and quiet surroundings. 

Since they enjoy napping, providing them with a cool place to relax, such as a tiled floor or bricks, can give your cat a restful sleep.

Exotic Longhair Cat Care

This breed has a multi-layered, dense coat like its Persian cousin, and brushing them daily is necessary to keep their fur and skin healthy and prevent furballs and matting, especially during shedding season. Because of their flat faces, these breeds need regular cleaning to avoid possible infections from developing in their skin folds.

Like all cats, Exotics requires nail trimming every two weeks and regular teeth brushing for their overall well-being. It's a good practice to introduce kittens to these grooming routines when young, ensuring the experience is calm and positive.

Exotic Longhair Cat Health

These cats are generally healthy, with a lifespan of 13 to 15 years. However, they share genetic traits with Persian cats, which can lead to similar medical issues such as heart and dental problems. They can also experience breathing difficulties due to their small nostrils and flat faces. 

Discussing this with the breeder to ensure your new kitten can breathe comfortably throughout their life is crucial. Managing your cats' diet and consulting your vet for their overall well-being is recommended.

Exotic Longhair Cat Exercise Requirements

Exotic Longhair cats need exercise to prevent them from becoming overweight, given their sturdy build. Luckily, they enjoy playing, especially chasing toys. Using a fishing pole toy to engage them in running and pouncing games can be a great way to help them stay fit and healthy.

Exotic Longhair Cat Training

Exotic Longhair cats certainly enjoy lounging on laps and taking naps, but that doesn't mean they don't need some mental stimulation. It only takes a little to entertain them, as simple things like catnip mice and small toys can pique their interest. Thanks to their American Shorthair heritage, they still have a strong hunting instinct, so play sessions with a wand toy and prey-like lures are a hit.

These cats like to be around their human companions and observe what's happening, so make sure to provide them with spots like stools or shelves to keep an eye on you.

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Exotic Longhair Cat History 

Since the 20th century, the Exotic Longhair has had a long experience when the breeders of the American shorthair cats bred them with the Persian cats to create silver-coated, green eye breeds. But it fell short of the real American shorthair kind.

Until a breeder named Jane Martinke recognized the outcome of these mixed breeds and recommended a new breed known as the Sterling due to its attractive color, silver, in 1966 the Cat Fanciers' Association recognized the Exotic Longhair breed and has become one of the most famous cats worldwide.

Exotic Longhair Cat Fun Facts

These breeds come in many different coat colors. In the exotic breed, having long hair is not very common, and it's seen as a recessive gene. Sometimes, longhaired kittens can appear in litters where both parents are shorthair exotics. However, it must be seen as a desirable practice to breed longhair exotics intentionally. If you're looking for cat breeds similar to the exotic longhair, consider the Persian and the Himalayan breeds.