Crossing the Persian and the Domestic Shorthair or the British Shorthair was not an uncommon practice. The English made this cross with their British Shorthairs to gain back a type they had lost when their breeding programs had been disrupted by the war. They then set the type and bred like to like once again, producing the British Shorthair - a separate breed. The American Shorthair was accepted breed with its devoted breeders. However, in the early days of the fancy it was obvious that the Persian was the winner at shows and even the lovely Siamese had trouble defeating this cat. So, some American Shorthair breeders began introducing the Perisan to their stock to gain a more Persian-looking American Shorthair. The result was a cat that was not American Shorthair and this did not set well with those who were breeding true. In effect, a new breed had been createed that was somewhere between the two breeds. The problem was obvious. The American Shorthair people wanted their breed kept ture to its standard by know there existed an animal called an American Shorthair that no longer met the standard for that breed.
The exotic is a cat that loves people, children and other cats, and is bright and alert, but also quiet and gentle. It is not timid and loves to play, but will not be destructive. It is described as sweet and loving and very even-tempered. It is a responsive and intelligent animal. It seems that the combination of Persian -a quiet, loving, docile animal - and the American Shorthair - a highly intelligent and responsive cat - is perfect for this cat, giving it a personality that is not extreme, this making it a wonderful pet.
EXOTIC
Posted October 25, 2000
