Exotic Shorthair Shedding And Grooming Requirements

The Exotic Shorthair was created to be a shorthair version of the Persian. People who fall in love with the Persian personality, but are not able to dedicate the time to caring for their long hair, lean towards the Exotic Shorthair. The Exotic Shorthair has a shorter coat than a Persian, but it is equally plush. It is double layered – it has a fleecy undercoat and a typical topcoat.

Contents

• Is this a high shedding breed?
• Are they a good match for cat allergy sufferers?
• How often should they be groomed?
• What are the best brushes and combs?

When you’re considering owning an Exotic Shorthair shedding can be a top concern. But with proper grooming, this beautiful breed is easily maintained.

Exotic Shorthair Shedding

For the most part, Exotic Shorthair coats are easily managed. They are able to handle their own grooming for the most part. That being said, the plushness of their double-layered fur means that they still shed more than other shorthair cats.

The Exotic Shorthair undercoat does blow out seasonally, which will require more work. They’ll need frequent brushing to remove the dead hair before it ends up as a mess in your house, or hairballs in their throat.

Are Exotic Shorthair Cats Hypoallergenic?

People with allergies often look for hypoallergenic cats. It’s common to think that cats who have shorter coats, or even no coats at all, help keep allergy issues from flaring up. Unfortunately, that’s not quite the case. The truth of the matter is, there is no truly hypoallergenic cat. Cat allergies stem from protein in their saliva. This protein is transferred when they groom and becomes part of the dander they release into the air.

Luckily, there are breeds of cats that are more allergy friendly than others. Certain breeds have less of the offending protein or less hair, which creates less dander. Unfortunately, the Exotic Shorthair breed is not one of them. Their dense coats can create a lot of dander.

Exotic Shorthair Grooming

Despite the multiple layers, Exotic Shorthair coats aren’t hard to maintain. Normally, the dense Exotic coat only has to be brushed once to twice a week to keep their undercoat from tangling and matting.

Once their coat begins the seasonal blowout, you will need to increase the amount of brushing to once every day or two.

Cleaning Their Faces

It’s also important to make sure their face is kept clean, as their face shape makes it difficult to keep clean naturally. Wipe away tears and mess from their eyes with a damp cloth to keep their fur from staining.

Their flat nose also needs to be cleaned, since it can be a source of breathing problems if debris is allowed to build up.

Best Tools For Grooming

When it comes to grooming tools for cats, there are a large number of brushes to choose from. Of course, some tools work better for a dual-layered coat than others.

Two tools that work well for an Exotic Shorthair are a slicker brush and a metal comb. While a slicker brush is normally used for longhaired cats, it is also very useful to curb Exotic Shorthair shedding.

Slicker brushes are used to remove debris and hair from thick coats. They also distribute natural oils through the coat, which helps keep the fur in a healthy condition.

A metal comb will remove the loose hair from the Exotic Shorthair shedding undercoat, and is the perfect tool to take care of excess fur after brushing.

Exotic Shorthair Shedding Is Managable

If you’re looking for the appearance and personality of a Persian cat, but aren’t ready to commit to the work they need, then an Exotic Shorthair may be just right for you.