Exotic Shorthair Cats: An Interview with Fancy Cat
Not everyone has a fabulous feline journalist, but at CatHealth.com, we have Fancy. She sleeps a lot, but when she's awake, she does product reviews and interviews for us. She's been working on meeting with representatives of America's most popular cat breeds, to get us some general information about each one.
Today, we're presenting Fancy's interview with Oliver, a member of the exotic shorthair breed.
Fancy: Hi, Oliver! Thanks for coming. I hope your trip was easy.
Oliver: Yes, it was quite comfortable; I usually don't have any problem traveling. It's kind of fun, actually, because I know I'll meet new people and pets at the end of the trip. I love new people and pets.
Fancy: Wow! Not very many cats can say that; is that a common breed characteristic for exotic shorthair cats?
Oliver: Yes, we tend to be quite easy-going and loving. In fact, sitting in laps is my favorite thing to do, and I know that's the case for lots of my relations.
Fancy: Really? That's great information; you guys tend to be a little, um, lazy then?
Oliver: Hee-hee! I guess you could say that. We do play, but it takes a little more enticement to get us to chase and swat at things than it does some other breeds. We can usually be found following our human around, waiting for a lap to appear. We are very quiet and usually only make tiny little noises.
Fancy: I noticed that you have some striking facial features.
Oliver: Yes, we are brachycephalic cats, so our faces are pretty flat. Actually, we have a lot in common with Persian cats, who we're related to. We've been called "the poor man's Persian" because we have a similar look and personality but shorter, easier to care for coats.
Fancy: Do exotic shorthairs have similar health concerns as those that are common in Persians, too?
Oliver: Some of them, yes. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD), which causes fluid-filled sacs to form on our kidneys, potentially leading to kidney failure, is more common in both of our breeds. Breathing problems are common for both of us, too, because, with flatter faces, we're more likely to have malformations of our nasal passages and problems with our tongues and palates. We also may have more dental problems than other cats because of our flattened faces, which can lead to malocclusions.
Fancy: What about daily care? Do the humans have to do a lot of maintenance to keep you healthy?
Oliver: We need the same medical and preventative care that all cats do. We also need brushing and claw trimming, usually weekly will do. We have a tendency to develop waxy ears, so they might need to be cleaned weekly, and we can have excessive tearing due to our short faces, so it may be necessary to wash our faces daily.
Fancy: You have been so sweet and easy to talk with, Oliver; thanks for doing this interview. Would you like to have a game of "chase the laser light" with me now?
Oliver: Hmmm. Maybe. Could you show me how it goes while I sit here and watch you for a bit? Actually, this interview chair is kind of hard; is there a human with a lap around for me to watch from instead?
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