Exotic shorthair cats are often called “lazy people's Persians.” These animals are quite capricious, but quite unpretentious in food. A little care and a balanced diet is all an exotic cat needs to stay healthy and in good spirits.

Exotics are very sensitive to food. An adult pet should be fed three times a day, calculating the volume of food so that 1 kg of body weight accounts for 30-60 g of food.

Important! There should always be clean water in the bowl. It should be changed 2-3 times a day.

The best ready-made food for exotic cats

Exotic shorthair cats should be fed only premium and super premium food. They are designed specifically for animals, based on their daily needs for vitamins, minerals, nutrients and trace elements.

Important! Cheap food from a nearby supermarket is not suitable for feeding exotic animals. They contain too much salt and seasonings, which have a detrimental effect on the lifespan of cats.

Among the best dry food for exotic cats are:

1. Innova Evo.
2. Hill's Nature's Best.
3. Eukanuba Adult Hairball Indoor.
4. Bosch Sanabelle Adult Ostrich.
5. Cat Chow.

Before purchasing any product for your pet, you need to know what they are. We have prepared a description of each food for you.

1.Innova Evo

This is a high-quality product that is manufactured in America in compliance with all standards and technologies. This food belongs to the holistic class, that is, it is an absolutely balanced food that can be used as an independent diet. It can be considered a protein food. The carbohydrate content is minimal, making it very filling.

Innova grain-free dry food includes exclusively selected meat, dairy products based on lactose-free milk, and fiber in the form of vegetable extracts.

This product is a powerful prevention of urolithiasis, cardiovascular diseases and kidney diseases.

2.Hill's Nature's Best

This is a natural food intended for feeding cats aged 1 to 7 years. The product is gentle on the digestive system, helps support immunity and is suitable for feeding sterilized cats.

Made only from natural ingredients with a precise balance of nutrients.

3.Eukanuba Adult Hairball Indoor

This is a complete dry food intended for domestic cats from 1 year of age. The food is good for removing hairballs from the stomach due to its fiber content.

The product supports the immune system, urinary tract health, strong teeth and optimal digestion. Long-term use of this product will help maintain healthy skin and make the coat shiny.

4.Bosch Sanabelle Adult Ostrich

This product will provide complete balanced nutrition. The food is based on ostrich and chicken meat. In addition, it contains all the necessary microelements and vitamins, thanks to which the cat’s health will be maintained at the proper level. As a result of regular consumption of food, the exotic's coat will become more shiny and silky.

5. Cat Chow

This is a little-known food that certainly deserves attention. The product has a soft structure, which makes it easy to digest and completely absorbed. The food also contains fine coarse fibers that perfectly clean the surface of the fangs.

Cat Chow has an excellent effect on a cat's appetite: after introducing it into the diet, skinny cats gained weight, while plump ones, on the contrary, lost weight. This effect is achieved thanks to the powerful protein component. The composition of the food is completely natural. No flavors or dyes.

How to feed an exotic kitten

No matter how much you would like it, the kitten should be left next to its mother for 2-3 months so that it can properly grow stronger on its mother’s milk.

Important! Exotic kittens need a balanced diet. It is strictly forbidden to feed them food from the master's table.

The first complementary feeding can be started at 2 months with special dry food, more details.

The product should first be soaked in water to make it easier for the kitten to chew. Otherwise, microcracks may form in the stomach and intestines. This can be recognized by droplets of blood in the stool.

The following ready-made foods are perfect for feeding small exotics:

1. Eukanuba Kitten (wet food for kittens aged 1 to 12 months), Eukanuba Kitten Healthy Start Chicken & Liver (dry food).
2. Bosch Sanabelle Kitten (dry food).
3. Hill's Science Plan Healthy Development (wet food), Hill's Science Plan Healthy Development (mousse).

Nutrition and disease

Like their Persian relatives, exotics can suffer from hereditary diseases. One such disease is polycystic kidney disease. It cannot be cured, but the progression of the disease can be slowed down with therapy and special diets. It is necessary to include special dietary foods in your pet's diet. For example, the Innova Evo product is perfect.

Very often, exotic animals are exposed to dental diseases. You can prevent them by including any premium dry food in your diet.

In addition, exotic cats are often susceptible to obesity. Since the animals themselves have rounded shapes, owners often do not even notice that the exotic animal has gained excess weight. In this case, it is necessary to develop the correct feeding regimen. You can add Cat Chow food to the menu, which promotes dynamic weight loss.

Feeding the cat

The domestic cat is a typical predator. And the Persian cat, strange as it may sound, is also a predator. In nature, the ancestor of the wild cat ate small rodents and birds, stole eggs from their nests, and did not even disdain reptiles and insects. The Persian with her short nose and cat-and-mitten temperament can no longer cope with the calm house mouse. And many owners will not be able or will not want to give their cat “live food”. Therefore, the owner is obliged to choose food for the cat that will not only be tasty, but also healthy. The food a cat eats must contain proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins.

I would like to advise cat owners when choosing a diet for your pet that they need to take into account the nutritional content of the food, its energy value, digestibility and taste. Food that fully satisfies the cat's body's nutritional and energy needs is called balanced. In this case, the animal will make up with food the loss of nutrients and energy necessary for its life. Only a balanced diet allows you to keep a cat in excellent condition from birth to old age.

Products from our table, for example, sweets, marinades, smoked foods, spicy, salty and fried foods, are harmful to cats! It is also undesirable to feed your cat any one product, for example, only meat or only fish. Cat owners who think that when choosing food a cat is guided by a wise natural instinct are mistaken. Cats, like people, given the opportunity to choose, may give preference to tasty rather than healthy food.

Properly creating a balanced diet for your cat is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. This can only be done by a feeding specialist or an experienced breeder. An unbalanced diet contributes to the development of diseases, sometimes severe and even fatal. Modern cat breeds are the result of artificial selection and targeted breeding, and they suffer especially hard from violations of feeding rules.

Fortunately, nowadays the problem of rational feeding is easily solved: pet stores have excellent ready-made balanced food for cats. But there is such a variety of them! Colorful, bright packaging, promising inscriptions, attractive advertising - it is difficult for a non-specialist to navigate.

Next, I will tell you how you can navigate the variety of ready-made foods that fill the shelves of pet stores.
All dry food can be divided into three groups:
- economic feed;
- commercial feed;
- highest class food, such as "premium" and "superpremium"

Economy class food
These are not complete foods, that is, they do not contain all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals a cat needs in the required proportions. Economical feeds do not have high taste qualities and their digestibility by the animal’s body is low - no more than 70%. The technology for producing economical feed is quite simple; the most inexpensive ingredients are used to prepare such feed. For example, instead of valuable animal protein, plant-based soy protein is used.

Economical food does not contain additional flavoring additives or dyes. The goal of the producers of such food is to produce the cheapest possible food for a very unpretentious animal. Typically, economic feed is given as a supplement to homemade food. Feeding cheap feed, especially young animals, requires the mandatory additional introduction of vitamin and mineral supplements.

Commercial feed
They are attractive not only to cats, but also have a positive psychological effect on their owners. The food is produced in bright, catchy, elegant packaging. Croquettes of various shapes and colors look very appetizing. The packaging usually has an attractive inscription: with chicken, turkey, salmon, shrimp, vegetables, etc. It seems that these foods are very diverse.

At the same time, if you carefully read the label, you will notice that food of the same brand has exactly the same composition. They differ only in different flavoring additives, and the amount of chicken, turkey, salmon, shrimp or, for example, vegetables in them is absolutely the same. Feeds that have a slightly higher price have a small percentage of the declared ingredient added.

Commercial feeds contain a significant percentage of plant proteins and have low digestibility - no more than 75%. Commercial feeds are more expensive than economical ones, since the main share of the costs of commercial feed manufacturers is the cost of advertising and beautiful packaging. Commercial feed is purchased by owners attracted by advertising. To give commercial feeds an appetizing smell and appearance, they are usually added with attractive flavoring agents and dyes.

Premium food
This is the best you can offer your pet. These are complete specialized foods that meet all the nutritional needs of cats, vitamins and minerals. When using top-class food, the animal does not require any additional additives, and not only the nutritional needs of cats are taken into account, but also the characteristics of their digestion, metabolism and physiology.

These are feeds with very high digestibility - at least 85%, they contain a large percentage of high-value animal protein and do not contain soy protein. Properly selected premium food will provide your cat with excellent health, magnificent appearance and a long life. When preparing top-class feed, the most advanced technology is used, and the most expensive, high-value ingredients are selected.

Feed recipes are developed by nutrition specialists in the research centers of manufacturing companies and tested on hundreds of animals before sale. Top-class food never contains dyes or artificial flavors (they have the color of dried meat), but they are very tasty and cats eat them with great pleasure, because they contain a sufficient amount of valuable animal protein. High-end food, as a rule, is not packaged in bright, catchy boxes.

High-end food cannot be cheap, but those who feed expensive food to their pets do not throw money away. Besides the fact that they get great satisfaction from watching their beloved pet in excellent shape, eating the most delicious food with appetite. This is very important for the Persian cat, since its “rich” coat very quickly loses its appearance due to a lack of vitamins and minerals.

They say that feeding dry ready-made food causes indigestion, metabolic disorders and even urolithiasis in cats. Here again we should return to the conversation about expensive and cheap food. Cheap cat foods contain a low percentage of animal protein and fat, but they are high in carbohydrates and starch. Cats digest animal proteins and fats well, but do not tolerate starch well. High starch content in feed can cause digestive upset in some animals. As already mentioned, cheap food is not balanced, so it can only be fed to very unpretentious animals, which the Persian is not. When feeding cheap food, you must add vitamins to your cat’s diet.

Feeding the animal with properly selected specialized food of the highest class cannot cause any health problems for the animal! In addition, a number of premium foods slightly acidify the cat’s urine, that is, they help prevent urolithiasis. In other words, by using premium cat food, you take care of the health of your pets. Veterinary pharmacies sell special dietary foods that remove salts and destroy stones in the urinary tract. They can be purchased with a veterinarian's prescription. There is no need to give special highly acidifying food to all cats in a row.

Whether to feed dry or canned food is up to you to decide. Many people use combined feeding (dry food with canned food), but food manufacturers do not approve of this option. Dry food is convenient on the road or in the summer: it does not spoil, does not attract insects and does not stain the snub-nosed Persian face. Canned food is good for small kittens and old animals that have weak teeth. The only thing you need to remember is to always keep clean water for drinking next to the food bowl.

Exotic Shorthair cats are one of the most popular breeds due to their appearance, friendly nature and love of play. They evoke tenderness in everyone: huge surprised eyes, flattened nose, plush fur and easy-going character make the animal look like a charming living toy. However, these cats have some health problems, so you need to be very careful about their well-being.

History of exotics

The first representatives of cats, similar to today's Exotic Shorthair, appeared as a result of a not entirely successful experiment to improve the American Shorthair breed in the 50s of the last century.

These teddy bear-like cats were the result of an experiment gone wrong.

It seemed to breeders that to expand the colors and make the bones a little heavier, they could cross American Shorthair and Persian cats. As a result, kittens were born that were completely different from the original breed, but at the same time incredibly charming. Although the result was unexpected, it was decided to continue working on breeding these cute cats.

The Persian cat was taken to improve the qualities of the American Shorthair

Crossbreeding work was carried out without permission from the CFA Board of Directors, and the resulting kittens were very different in appearance from the standards of the American Shorthair cat. In 1966, Jane Martink, on behalf of breeders, made a proposal to separate hybrid kittens into a separate breed.

The American Shorthair was directly involved in the emergence of the new breed

This is how a new breed of exotic shorthair cats appeared with beauty standards that almost completely repeated the standards of the Persian cat, with the exception of plush wool.

However, Persian breeders suddenly began to refuse to give up their cats for exotic breeding. It seemed to them that these works directly harmed Persian cats, and the purity of the breed could be lost as a result of such crossing. However, a very small group of breeders noted the beauty and charm of plush cats. They became participants in the improvement of the new species.

In 1973, the standards for exotic shorthair cats moved closer to the Persians; the combination “with a stop” was added, meaning a rather sharp transition from the forehead to the nose. At this time, crossing Persians with any short-haired breeds was still allowed, but already in 1975 crossing became possible exclusively with Persians and the American Shorthair cat, and since 1980 - only with the Persian breed. Since 1990, the standards have established absolutely identical requirements for Persians and exotics; the only difference between these two breeds is wool. Soon the exotic breed was prohibited from crossing with any other breeds, including the Persian.

Exotics differ from Persians only in their fur.

Today, exotic litters can produce both short-haired and long-haired kittens. In the CFA (American Cat Fanciers' Association), exotics with long hair are considered a by-product and can take part in competitions where only placings are played, without assigning titles. In all other felinological organizations they are classified as Persian or exotic longhaired cats without any restrictions on participation in competitions. Crossbreeding between longhaired and shorthaired exotic cats is permitted everywhere except the CFA.

Description of the breed

The Exotic Shorthair cannot be confused with any other breed. The animals have a unique appearance, giving the impression of a well-balanced cat with strong bones and rounded body lines. The standards even include a special “sweet expression.” The exotic has round, large and widely spaced eyes, plush, thick fur, emphasizing the roundness of the animal’s body.

Appearance

The exotic skull is large and wide, the head is round, proportional, massive, located on a short, strong neck. The nose is wide and short with a neat stop, the cheeks are full, the jaws and chin are strong.

Exotics - large and round cats

Exotic ears are small, rounded, set wide and low. The eyes are round, large and expressive. It is the brilliant bright eyes that give the cat the sweet expression of its face.

The body is massive, stocky, with well-developed muscles, the chest is wide. The limbs are short, strong, muscular, the paws are rounded, it is desirable that there are tufts of hair between the toes. The tail is short, proportional to the length of the body, bushy and rounded at the end.

The fur of an exotic cat resembles plush

The exotic fur is thick, soft, and resembles plush. It is more of a medium length, that is, slightly longer than the coat of regular shorthair cats. But at the same time, it cannot be so long as to lie on the body. Any colors are allowed, except fawn (light beige) and cinnamon (reddish brown, cinnamon).

For the colors white, harlequin, van, bicolor, different eye colors are allowed, for example, one is blue, the other is yellow.

Exotic character

Representatives of the Exotic Shorthair breed are distinguished by a very friendly character and the ability to get along with any family member. However, these animals take time to accept new people or animals into their lives. Once in the family, the exotic will initially watch the owners. And then he will choose the main person for himself, to whom he will demonstrate almost dog-like devotion and loyalty. He will love everyone, but he will give the palm only to the one he chooses.

Exotic cats love games, but they cannot be called too active. They can run after a ball, but they will enjoy quieter activities, like lazily tossing a paper ball with their paw. As children they will be much more active.

Ecotic cats don't like to move too much

An exotic pet, if there are other animals in the house, will easily find a common language with them, but will always be able to stand up for itself. If another pet shows aggression towards a stuffed cat, the latter will most likely simply stop communicating with the unpleasant neighbor. But the cat will respond to a friendly attitude in the same way.

The exotic has a rather quiet voice, and at the same time these cats are quieter than other breeds. As a rule, an exotic cat will not bother its owner with loud demands for food or simple attention. Rather, the pet will simply sit and stare at the person until the person looks back and understands what the pet wants.

But sometimes these cute plush cats can be persistent, begging for food or attention. It will manifest itself in gentle stroking with a paw or rubbing against all parts of the owner’s body that are within reach. If these actions are not noticed, the animal will move on to a more active influence and may gently lick its hands or face, sometimes gently and affectionately biting its fingers.

This cat can stare at its owner for hours

The main feature of the exotic cat’s character is its dislike of loneliness. This pet is ready to go anywhere, as long as his beloved owner is nearby. These cats easily get used to new places if they are with a person to whom they are attached. At the same time, cats are more inclined to communicate than cats.

Experts agree that exotics are very friendly and never show aggression. However, from the experience of communicating with my neighbor’s exotic cat, I can confidently say that there are clear exceptions to the rules if you buy the animal not from a breeder, but on the street. The neighbor's cat, having chosen my neighbors' daughter as its owner, felt a tangible hostility towards all other representatives of the human race, which it demonstrated by sudden attacks on the legs and arms of all family members, except for its beloved owner. Attempts to re-educate the cat were unsuccessful, and a consultation with a breeder of Persians and exotics confirmed that unscrupulous breeders do not pay attention to the character of the animals when choosing partners for mating.

Purchasing a kitten

If you want to purchase an exotic shorthair kitten, you first need to study the characteristics of the breed, perhaps visit specialized exhibitions, communicate with breeders and simply fans of the breed.

How to choose a kitten

An exotic kitten should be purchased exclusively from a trusted, conscientious breeder with a good reputation. Since exotics, like Persians, are an artificially bred breed, they may experience some health problems. Conscientious breeders will never sell a problem or sick animal, as they care not only about their own reputation, but also about the health of their pets.

Selection criteria

When choosing an exotic, you need to pay attention to the proportionality of the baby. These breed characteristics become visible already at the age of 3 months:

Kitten age

Experts and breeders strongly recommend purchasing exotic shorthair kittens no earlier than 3.5 months of age. At this point, little exotics are fully vaccinated, can eat on their own, and are litter box trained. At the same time, you can already see whether the short-haired exotic baby in front of you or a representative of the breed with long hair.

It is best to purchase an exotic baby at the age of 3.5 months

Keeping an Exotic Shorthair

Exotic cats are not too difficult to keep, but there are some nuances that you should know about in advance.

Nutrition

The exotic shorthair cat is unpretentious in food and has a very good appetite. However, you should not feed it too often, as representatives of this breed are prone to overeating. Due to their wide muzzle, exotics often get dirty when eating and drinking, so bowls for water and food should be high, with slightly curved edges inward, this will at least slightly protect the animal’s fur from contamination.

Quantity and composition of food

Preference should be given to super-premium dry industrial food (Yams, Hills, Royal Canin, Pro Plan) with the required content of all necessary substances.

It is allowed to supplement the dry diet with canned meat from the same manufacturer as the dry food. The amount of food in the first and second options must correspond to the weight of the animal and be consistent with the recommendations indicated on the food packaging.

Exotics have an excellent appetite, so it is important not to overfeed them.

If the owner prefers natural nutrition for the pet, then the diet must be balanced and agreed with the veterinarian. The menu must include:

• frozen raw beef;
• boiled chicken;
• fermented milk products, usually fermented baked milk;
• quail - less often chicken - eggs;
• steamed oatmeal or buckwheat;
• boiled vegetables.

You should not give fatty meat, sausages and smoked meats. The presence of fish and milk in the diet is not recommended. Fish, especially river fish, in an animal’s diet can lead to urolithiasis, and milk can cause digestive problems.

You should choose your pet's diet carefully

When feeding naturally, it is necessary to additionally give the animal special vitamins containing the necessary substances, since it is often impossible to obtain them in full. When feeding with ready-made industrial feeds, the inclusion of vitamins is not required; they are already there in the required quantities.

How many times a day should you feed your pet?

The recommended number of meals for an adult exotic cat is 2 times a day, morning and evening. Kittens up to 3 months eat 6 times a day, up to 6 months - 4 times, from 9 months they switch to two meals a day. Your cat should have access to clean drinking water around the clock.

The role of a balanced diet in cat health

Proper nutrition and the presence of all necessary vitamins and minerals are the key to good health and appearance of an exotic cat. A visible sign of an animal's unbalanced diet is poor coat condition and problems with stool.

With a normal, well-balanced diet, the animal has a minimal chance of getting diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. If the owner feeds the pet with premium ready-made food, as a rule, no problems arise. With natural nutrition, the best solution to the problem may be to consult an experienced veterinarian who will calculate the daily intake of proteins, fats, carbohydrates for a particular animal, taking into account its age and weight.

Appearance care

Daily care is necessary for all cats, but for exotic cats it has its own characteristics.

Behind the beauty of the exotic is the work of the owner

Brushing and bathing

Exotic cats are usually bathed once every 2–4 months, or when soiled, using special cat shampoos, preferably containing extracts of seaweed or medicinal herbs. However, exotics are first washed using a degreasing dishwashing detergent. Without lathering twice with this product, the shampoo simply will not penetrate the thick undercoat, and dish soap degreases the fur. Then the product is thoroughly rinsed, the cat is washed with shampoo and rinsed with conditioner. When bathing, pay special attention to the areas of greatest contamination: the front paws, chin, and tail.

After washing, it is necessary to dry the animal’s fur with a hairdryer, since exotic animals’ fur, although not very long, is very dense, so natural drying may take longer. After drying with a hairdryer, it is recommended to use a special grooming powder purchased at a pet store. It removes remaining moisture and makes the fur silky.

Plush wool requires special attention and care

Exotics are brushed quite often, 3-4 times a week, helping them get rid of dying hair. In this case, only the sides and stomach are combed along the fur, and all other parts of the body are combed against.

Eye care

Exotics have large, wide-open and slightly protruding eyes, so they require daily care. Lack of daily procedures can lead to inflammatory processes. The eyes are washed with a special lotion (purchased at a pet store or veterinary pharmacy) and dried with a cotton napkin. Afterwards, a special powder is applied to the area under the eyes using a brush or a cotton swab, especially carefully to the places where yellowness has appeared from tear tracks. The antibiotic contained in the powder reduces discharge from the eyes and prevents inflammation.

Ear care

An exotic cat's ears need cleaning every 7-10 days and after every bath. For cleaning, special lotions are used to help remove dirt. It is applied to a cotton pad and gently wiped from the inside of the pet's ear. After this, dry with a clean, dry cotton pad and treat with antiseptic powder. This powder not only gets rid of residual dirt, but also helps remove dead hairs inside the ear canal.

Nail trimming

This procedure is an integral part of caring for your pet, but your cat should be accustomed to it from childhood. Usually the claws are trimmed once every two weeks, cutting off only the very tip with special nail clippers.

These scissors are used for trimming nails

Oral care

Brushing your teeth is also a necessary procedure for exotics, as they are prone to gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and the formation of tartar. Cleaning is done at least once a week using a special cat or soft children's toothbrush. At first, during the training process, the brush should be moistened with water, then tooth powder, which does not contain fragrances or fragrances, is used.

A kitten should be taught to brush its teeth from an early age.

Necessary purchases

Before an exotic kitten comes into your home, you should purchase the following things for the baby:

1. A tray where the baby will go to the toilet. Exotic kittens love to row, so a tray with bars is not suitable for them. The most suitable filler for this breed is pressed sawdust. Exotic breeders do not recommend clumping litter, since the baby can accidentally swallow it, and if the filler gets into the stomach, death is almost inevitable.

   These compressed sawdust are suitable as a filler for exotics

   
2. Toys provide good entertainment for exotics. These can be small balls, soft mice and special toys on a stick with a string or elastic band.
3. Exotic cats do not need walking; keeping them at home is enough for them. But if the owner wants the pet to accompany him during walks, then he should be taught to walk on a leash. This should also be done from a young age.

Breed defects

Since exotics have Persians in their pedigree, the propensity for certain diseases in these two breeds is similar.

Exotic diseases

Exotic cats may experience the following diseases:

To avoid health problems, you should visit your veterinarian regularly. An examination by a cat ENT doctor with a detailed examination of the pet’s nose is required.

To prevent kidney disease, veterinarians recommend taking a urine test once every 4-6 months if there are no complaints about the animal’s well-being.

Cardiomyopathy is diagnosed at an early age; it is a genetic disease and kittens with this pathology are usually not offered for sale.

Deworming and vaccination of exotic cats is carried out according to a schedule, exactly the same as for cats of any other breeds.

Defects in appearance

Thanks to the painstaking work of breeders, exotic cats have fewer and fewer defects in appearance, however, felinologists have identified features that lead to the disqualification of an animal at exhibitions:

• bends or creases in the tail;
• incorrect number of toes on the paws (there should be five toes on the front, four on the back);
• deformation of the spine or skull (asymmetry of the head or muzzle);
• strabismus.

Exotic breeding

It should be noted that to breed a breed you must not only love animals, but also have the right to engage in such activities. If the owner has decided that his pet should have offspring, he needs to approach the issue of choosing a partner very carefully.

To breed such beauties, you need to carefully choose partners.

Criteria for choosing a partner and breeding features

There are several features that are important when preparing to breed cats:

1. When choosing a partner for an exotic cat, it is important to find out from its owner what the colors of the kittens were when mating his litter: this will help determine the color of the babies that the cat will give birth to.
2. Often a breeding exotic cat is chosen depending on its pedigree: how many champions and grand champions were among its ancestors.
3. Usually the female is brought to the chosen male. For mating, it is necessary to find a cat that is characterized not only by a good family tree, but also by health; it should not have missed vaccination dates against dangerous diseases, which are carried out annually.
4. As a rule, breeders ensure that breeding cats are in excellent physical shape. In order not to subject them to unnecessary overloads, the number of matings is limited.
5. Breeding with a cat should not be allowed if the breeder or owner of the cat has doubts about the health of the cat, so as not to expose the cat to the risk of contracting any disease during mating.
6. It is advisable that the cat’s owner be present during mating and be able to calm the animal in case of a sharp aggressive reaction of the female to the mating process.
7. There are cases when a cat brought into a male cat's house stops estrus. This is a possible reaction to moving or staying in an unfamiliar place, i.e. a peculiar manifestation of a stressful state.
8. The cat should not be immediately allowed in with the cat; it must be given the opportunity to get acquainted with the new place and its smells, as well as the smell of the future partner, and then with him himself.
9. If the cat's behavior is too aggressive, the cat's owner may postpone mating until next time. In case of aggression or even a fight with a partner, experienced breeders recommend throwing a blanket over the cat or resorting to a tool such as a brush.
10. Acquaintance, courtship and finally mating usually take 4–5 days. How easy the coating process will be depends on the individual characteristics of the animals.
11. A washable mat is placed as a support for the pair, which will help stabilize the cat’s hind legs during covering and prevent slipping.

At what age does the first mating take place?

Typically, exotic cats become sexually mature at the age of 6–8 months, males at 8–10 months. However, purebred animals are allowed to mate at approximately 12–20 months.

How often can a cat give birth?

In order to preserve the health of the mother cat and give birth to strong, healthy offspring, a purebred cat can give birth no more than 2 times a year, but the optimal number is usually considered to be three births over 2 years.

How to determine whether exotic kittens were born with long or short fur

In newborn kittens, it is impossible to immediately determine how long the fur will be. If you examine the babies immediately after they have dried, the waviness of the fur may give away the future long-haired kitten. At the same time, a short-haired cat has a slightly coarser coat than a long-haired cat.

At 2-3 weeks, long-haired exotics may have a tail that resembles a whisk, while short-haired exotics will not have hairs sticking out in all directions. The final length of the coat becomes visible at 8–9 weeks. Long-haired representatives will be more neat and cute, while plush exotics will look awkward and disheveled.

Castration and sterilization

If the cat is not intended for breeding, it is better to spay or sterilize the animal. During castration, the reproductive organs are removed, in whole or in part. A cat's testicles are removed; in a cat with partial castration, only the ovaries; in a complete castration, the uterus is removed. However, recently, partial castration has been offered less and less due to the risk of developing pathologies in the uterus that began before castration. During sterilization, nothing is removed, but the spermatic cords of the cat or the ducts of the cat are ligated.

In this case, the animals retain the ability to mate without producing offspring. Typically, sterilization is practiced in nurseries.

This procedure is sometimes necessary for professional felinologists and owners of purebred catteries in their breeding work. Cats are capable of giving birth several times a year, and male cats are capable of demanding and mating with virtually no breaks. Therefore, to solve such problems, sometimes a sterilized cat is kept in the cat group. But owners of ordinary domestic cats and male cats do not need sterilization, and their pets need to be castrated.

Maria Epifanova

Caring for your pet after surgery

Caring for a cat or exotic breed cat is no different from caring for animals of other breeds. On the first day after surgery, it is necessary to monitor the pet’s condition, provide it with warmth, peace and absence of contact with other animals, if any.

During the postoperative period, the animal experiences:

1. Dry eyes. When anesthesia is administered, cats' eyes do not close; they remain open. During the operation, the veterinarian closes the animal's eyelids from time to time so that the conjunctiva is moistened with tears. Until the cat recovers from anesthesia, the owner will have to do this. In order to properly care for your pet's eyes, you need to buy tetracycline eye ointment or antiseptic drops. After the pet has recovered from anesthesia, there is no need to close his eyes; he will do this on his own. There are times when an animal lies for a long time with its eyes open, then it is necessary to drip saline solution into the eyes, this will save them from dryness.
2. Low body temperature. The usual cat temperature is 37.5 – 39.0 degrees Celsius. In the postoperative period, the temperature can drop to 36.5 - 37.0 degrees. The cat should be placed on a warm bedding and covered with a warm blanket. In extreme cases, you can warm it with a heating pad. To normalize blood circulation, you need to rub the ears and paws.
3. Unsteady gait. This is due to the relaxation of muscles during the application of anesthesia. On the first day, you should better monitor your pet so that he does not climb to any height, otherwise he may not be able to hold on and fall.
4. At first, the cat needs painkillers. If your pet is silent, this does not mean that he does not feel pain. Most animals silently endure pain. They completely refuse food and are in a motionless position. Their pupils, as a rule, are dilated and concentrated. The gaze is fixed on one point.

The owner's actions in the postoperative period:

• Every day it is necessary to examine the groin area and check for bleeding;
• In order for the sutures to heal better, they are treated with hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green twice a day; you can also lubricate the suture area with Levomekol ointment;
• During the rehabilitation period, the cat must be wearing a collar that will prevent the animal from licking the wound, as this can lead to the sutures coming apart and, accordingly, infection;
• The rehabilitation period is easier in the winter; if the operation was performed in the summer, then a five-day course of antibiotic therapy may be needed - it is better to play it safe than to treat the resulting infection later.

Table: pros and cons of the breed

Video: exotic shorthair cat

Although exotic shorthair cats are considered quite unpretentious in food, for good health and good appearance, the owner must constantly monitor the diet of his pet and provide him with only high-quality products. What should you feed exotic animals - “natural” or ready-made diets?

Like any other kittens, an exotic baby should be near its mother for the first 2-3 months of its life. On her milk he will get stronger and receive everything he needs for development and growth. The first feeding is allowed when the kitten is at least 2 months old. If he actively feeds on mother's milk and gains weight well, complementary feeding can be postponed until 3 months.

The best product in this case will be special dry food. Of course, it will be quite difficult for a cat to chew such food on his own, because he is just learning to do it. Therefore, veterinarians recommend pre-soaking dry food.

If the food is too hard, then cracks and small erosions appear in the animal’s digestive tract. Their appearance may be indicated by small spots of blood in the kitten’s stool. The number of meals directly depends on the age of the animal:

• 2-3 months – 7 times a day;
• 3-4 months – 6 times;
• 5 months – 5 times;
• 5-9 months – 4 times a day.

Kittens from 9 months and adults should eat 2 times a day. It is advisable to maintain the same amount of time between meals and a stable eating schedule.

The animal’s diet should not be monotonous; you can combine both natural products and ready-made dry food or special canned food. However, in no case is it allowed to feed exotic animals with food and dishes “from the master’s table”. Otherwise, the cat will have indigestion.

Regardless of the age of the cat and what diet the owner has chosen for him, an exotic cat should always have access to a bowl of fresh water.

Finished Products

Analyzing ready-made food products for pets, which are leading the market today, veterinarians have compiled their TOP 5 most suitable options for exotic shorthair cats:

Homemade food

When you decide to feed your furry friend natural products, you should focus primarily on the needs of the cat himself, but also not forget about the generally accepted rules:

The components listed above can be mixed together (except for dairy products) to prepare a warm dish for your pet. The maximum temperature of the finished dish cannot exceed 40℃, otherwise the animal may get burned.

No matter how hard the owner tries to please his pet, homemade food should be periodically supplemented with mineral and vitamin complexes prescribed by veterinarians.

Calorie nutrition

For exotic shorthair cats, optimal calorie calculation is extremely important. One meal per 1 kg of pet’s weight should not exceed 60 kcal. The maximum daily intake is 400 kcal. If we correctly distribute these calories between foods, then we get the following ideal nutrition plan:

• meat – 50-100 g per day;
• cereals – no more than 10 g;
• sour milk – 30-45 g;
• vegetables – up to 40 g.

What not to feed

Although many owners experiment with their exotic four-legged friends and allow them to eat “their” foods, veterinarians point out a number of food products that can significantly harm the cat’s health:

Exotics are big food lovers. You should not give in to their request, because overfeeding will not bring any benefit. If it is difficult to create a diet for an animal on your own, you should entrust this matter to a veterinarian.

I was given an exotic cat for my birthday. She looks like a short-haired Persian, but she is not a Persian. Her color is blue. The legs are short and plump. The cat is incredibly beautiful. just what to feed her. instructions are not included with it)). you just look at this extraordinary creature and don’t know what you can give her for food and what you can’t.

19.02.2013 18:19

Anikeev Helpful answer? |

It seems to me that the fact that a cat is exotic does not have much significance for its nutrition. Like other cats, it needs to be fed with fresh natural food, vitamins and fish oil added in winter. In addition to boiled meat and fish, dairy products should be included in the diet, as well as porridge and boiled vegetables without potatoes. Cats are not allowed potatoes.

10.03.2013 15:11

zero Helpful answer? |

You need to feed your exotic cat only natural products, for example, fish, cleaned of bones, or tripe, finely chopped, mixed with bread! Also feed various cereals that you eat yourself! You can also feed with special food, which is sold in stores. Be sure to give grated carrots - good for the coat!

10.03.2013 08:31

Shurik1212 Helpful answer? |

Exotic cats by their nature are not very different from other purebred cats. The main thing is that the cat’s diet must be balanced and contain enough vitamins, proteins and minerals. High-class food (such as “premium” and “super-premium”) is suitable for this; this food is quickly digested and has most of the components that you will not find in economy-class food. When choosing food, also pay attention to your cat’s individual tastes - it can be fish, various meat or vegetable tastes, or a combination.

08.03.2013 05:13

Semen111 Helpful answer? |

Judging by the description, your cat looks like a munchkin breed, or something similar. In general, both exotic and regular cats can be fed according to two schemes: natural food or specialized food. You can periodically replace one with the other. From natural products, give preference to light dietary meat, after boiling it. Among specialized feeds, you should pay attention to expensive brands, for example, Royal Canin. Accordingly, under no circumstances should a cat be given chicken or fish bones; sweet; pork and lamb.

04.03.2013 19:32

Lizochka Helpful answer? |

Choosing the right diet for an exotic cat is quite difficult. This can only be done by an experienced breeder or veterinarian. It is very important that the cat receives the required amount of nutrients from food, since exotic cats are very active. It is best to choose ready-made wet or dry food for your pet in consultation with specialists. Now there is a large selection of food, including premium ones. They are well balanced and full of vitamins and minerals that cats need to stay healthy.

06.03.2013 21:41

alex1965 Helpful answer? |

The easiest way to feed your cat is with ready-made industrial food. But exclusively with premium food, and this is not a cheap pleasure. You can cook your cat's food yourself, it will cost a little less. The diet should consist mainly of lean meat. You can boil it a little beforehand or at least scald it with boiling water. It is not advisable to give fish. For variety, you can give low-fat cottage cheese, boiled eggs and vegetables.

14.03.2013 04:51

SlavaRosin Helpful answer? |

There is no particularly big difference between the nutrition of exotic cats and the nutrition of cats of other breeds. You cannot feed your cat food from your table. They should not be given smoked meats or sweets. Buy high quality food. They are more expensive, of course, but much healthier for the cat. Experienced cat lovers advise giving cats half of their diet as dry food and the other half as meat.

16.03.2013 11:53

SemenKovrin Helpful answer? |