Exotic Shorthair Care Calendar: Eyes, Breathing and Weight

An Exotic Shorthair is a Persian in a short coat, so the flat face sets the rules: eyes that need wiping daily, a nose that cannot take a hot afternoon, and a body that gains on very little food. The year is built around those three.

The year at a glance

Period	Face and coat	Body and vet
January-February	Daily eye wipe; comb 3-4 times a week	Monthly weigh-in; humidifier if the heating dries the air
March-May	Comb every other day during the shed; bathe every 3-4 weeks	Weigh-in; dental check; kidney screen from age 3
June-August	Wipe folds twice a day in humidity; keep the coat short around the rear	Room under 26 C; watch resting breaths
September-October	Comb 3-4 times a week; check the nose crease for crust	Autumn weigh-in; nails every 3 weeks
November-December	Daily eye wipe; bathe before the dry indoor season	Year-end weight, vaccines, parasite dose

Eyes: two minutes, twice a day

Tear overflow is structural, not a hygiene failure: the flattened face shortens the drainage ducts, so tears spill onto the fur and turn it brown within days. Wipe morning and night with a soft pad wrung out in warm water or saline, from the inner corner outward, then dry the skin. A cloth reused for three days spreads bacteria.

What matters is the change, not the staining. An eye that is suddenly wetter on one side, squinting, or carrying a cloudy or blue-grey spot is a corneal ulcer until proven otherwise, and an ulcer in a bulging eye can deepen in 24-48 hours. No steroid drops from an old bottle.

Facial folds and the nose crease

Clean the fold above the nose and the crease beside the mouth every second day with a vet-approved wipe, then dry thoroughly. Moisture trapped in a fold grows yeast and turns the skin raw. A red, weeping fold with a dark smear needs a vet look within two or three days; medicated wipes are prescription items for a reason.

Check the nostrils at the same time. Pinched openings, a whistle at rest, or a cat that sleeps with its head stretched out are signs of brachycephalic airway syndrome, not "just how the breed sounds".

Breathing: the heat and humidity limits

A flat-faced cat cools itself by panting badly, so warm humid air is the danger. Keep the room at 20-26 C and summer humidity under 60 percent; a meter costs less than one emergency visit. Between 11 am and 4 pm in July and August, close the curtains on the sunny side and move air with a fan aimed at the wall.

Same-day signs: open-mouth breathing at rest, a sleeping rate above 40, grey or blue gums, or collapse after ten minutes of play. Do not drive an hour in a hot car to a distant clinic; call the nearest one first.

Weight: small meals, monthly numbers

Adults run 3.2-6 kg, and this is one of the easiest breeds to overfeed: low activity, real interest in food, and a face that looks sad at the bowl. Feed two measured meals, never free-feed, and weigh on the first of the month. On a 4 kg cat, 300 g is 7.5 percent of body weight.

Use wet food for at least half the ration, because these cats drink little and a wet diet covers the gap. A shallow, wide bowl helps: the flat muzzle makes deep bowls awkward and encourages gulping air, which shows up as burping and vomiting right after a meal. Treats stay under 10 percent of daily calories.

PKD and the kidney baseline

Polycystic kidney disease is inherited and common enough that a PKD1 DNA test is standard in responsible breeding; ask for the result on both parents before buying. Ultrasound can show cysts from about 10 months, and a cat that tested clear does not need repeated scans.

From age 3, an annual panel with SDMA and a urine concentration check gives a baseline. Water intake above 45 ml per kg per day, or a cat that starts drinking from the tap, is a reason to book. Early kidney disease hides behind a quiet, sedentary routine.

Teeth in a short jaw

The shortened jaw crowds the teeth, so tartar and gingivitis arrive early. Brush three times a week from kittenhood with a soft brush, and book a professional scale every 12 months from age 2. A cat that drops food, chews on one side or has breath that carries across the room is already past the brushing stage.

Coat and skin folds

Use a steel comb three or four times a week, covering the ruff, the armpits and the area behind the ears. Bathe every three to four weeks and dry every fold, or the skin stays damp and turns raw. A slicker is fine on the body, not on the tail.

Play at floor level

Ten or fifteen minutes of gentle play a day is realistic. Drag a wand along the floor rather than lifting it high, use a food puzzle for one meal, and put a scratching post by the bed. Low steps to the sofa help; a cat that must launch onto a 60 cm surface stops climbing, and the weight follows. More in indoor enrichment.

Mistakes that cost the most

• Wiping the eyes once a week and calling the staining an infection.
• Leaving the cat in a hot room because it "seems fine" until it pants.
• Free-feeding a breed that gains on 200 kcal a day.
• Using a deep bowl that the flat muzzle cannot reach comfortably.
• Skipping the PKD1 result when buying, then scanning the cat for years.

When to call the vet the same day

Open-mouth breathing, a sleeping rate above 40, blue gums, a cloudy eye or one held shut, or no food for 24 hours. Book within two or three days for a smelly fold, a blocked crusted nose, sneezing with discharge, or a 300 g weight change in a month.

Four habits carry the year: wipe the eyes twice daily, dry every fold, keep the room under 26 C in summer, and weigh on the first of the month. Nothing on this list needs special equipment beyond a soft pad and a kitchen scale.

Frequently asked