Exotic Shorthair vs Burmese - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

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.

A dark brown cat together with Dr Joseph C. Thompson made their way from Burma to the United States in 1930. Cat fanciers believed that it was a dark-colored Siamese.

Dr. Thompson along with other breeders decided to breed the cat and she was the start of the Burmese breed.

Hybrids however, began appearing in the show hall in 1947. This was considered a violation of the show rules of the Cat Fanciers' Association and recognition of the Burmese was withdrawn until 1953. The Burmese Cat Society of America then had to give assurance to the registries that this type of thing would not happen again.

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 Burmese is a medium-sized cat - fairly stocky and solid and weighs between 3 and 5kg.

The dense, short coat of the Burmese comes in a variety of colors such as chocolate, cream, sable, red, tortoishell and solid colors too. The color you are most likely to see is sable.

It’s a low shedding cat so his grooming needs are low. The eyes, often a beautiful yellow shade, can be in different shades of yellow really.

Temperament:

Your gorgeous Burmese cat is a curious cat and finds exploring new places a huge adventure. They’re prepared to get on with some other pets in the home, but they may not be happy to welcome all cat breeds. The Burmese don't particularly like sharing their home and his human family with other cats in the home and love to get all the attention for themselves.

Once these cats mature, they do tend to settle down quite a bit and become placid, being a spectator to fun activities rather than a participant.

Still, they love their humans and are more than happy to find a place in the sun and to watch everyone from there.

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.

The Burmese cat loves to climb and survey his world from a high perch so don’t forget to invest in some kind of climbing apparatus or cat tree for him.

He tends to become a bit inactive as he gets older and this can be a problem and lead to obesity. Encourage your Burmese cat to come out and play to make sure he gets enough exercise.

He loves being noticed by his human family and will thrive on being petted and noticed, and of course, you’ll want to, as a Burmese has got a whole love of loving to give you too.

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.

These cats are a healthy breed and if you take good care of your Burmese he can live to up to 13, 14 or 15 years of age.

But you have to be aware of diabetes mellitus as well as something known as hypokalaemic polymyopathy – muscle weakness because of low blood potassium levels.

You’ve also got to look out for obesity as these are sturdy, stocky cats and overeating can lead to obesity and a host of health issues such as painful joints and diabetes.

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.

Burmese cats are naturally good climbers and you will need to provide these cats with some kind of climbing tree or something else where they can climb and perch.

While adult Burmese cats tend to be fairly placid cats, they still love to play and love the interaction between themselves and their humans. As he gets older, don’t forget to keep up a regular playtime with him.

Shedding is minimal with the Burmese cat and weekly brushing will be a good bonding session and also keep your Burmese cat’s coat healthy and shiny by removing dust and loose hair.

Diet:

Your fur child requires the best – a balanced cat food packed with protein to support him in all his activities and to ensure he maintains a good weight.

There are many excellent commercially manufactured cat foods on the market so learn to understand the ingredients and what nutrients are required.

Certainly, your Burmese kitten will require a complete and balanced kitten food with all the right nutrients to ensure good bone and coat growth. Then it is time to choose a kitten food which will later change to adult food as your kitten matures.

There are excellent cat foods for every stage and season of your cat’s life and from top brands – people who know the needs of cats.