- Cat breeds
- Medium cat
- Short, plush coat
- Origin: United States
The Exotic Shorthair is often called the lazy man’s Persian: it has the Persian’s round face and cobby body, but a short, plush coat that is far easier to care for. Here is how big Exotic Shorthairs get, a kitten growth chart, health issues to watch for and what their care involves.
How big do Exotic Shorthairs get?
According to Purina, adult male Exotic Shorthairs weigh 7–14 lb (3.2–6.4 kg) and females 6–10 lb (2.7–4.5 kg). That makes the Exotic Shorthair a medium cat on our size scale. Body type: medium to large and cobby, with short legs and the Persian's round head and flat face.| Exotic Shorthair | Weight |
|---|
PetMD gives about 10–12 lb and a height of 10–12 in at the shoulder.
Weight alone does not tell you whether a cat is healthy. A body condition score of 4–5 out of 9 (ribs easy to feel, a visible waist) matters more than the number on the scale.
Exotic Shorthair growth chart: kitten weight by age
Exotic Shorthair kitten weight chart (lb and kg)
| Age | Male kitten | Female kitten |
|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | 1.8 lb0.8 kg | 1.8 lb0.8 kg |
| 10 weeks | 2.3 lb1 kg | 2.2 lb1 kg |
| 3 months | 3.2 lb1.5 kg | 3.1 lb1.4 kg |
| 4 months | 4.5 lb2 kg | 4.1 lb1.9 kg |
| 5 months | 5.8 lb2.6 kg | 5.1 lb2.3 kg |
| 6 months | 6.9 lb3.1 kg | 5.9 lb2.7 kg |
| 9 months | 8.8 lb4 kg | 6.8 lb3.1 kg |
| 12 months | 9.8 lb4.4 kg | 7.2 lb3.3 kg |
| Adult (12–18 months) | 10.5 lb4.8 kg | 8 lb3.6 kg |
When is an Exotic Shorthair full grown?
Like most cats, Exotic Shorthairs grow fastest in the first six months and reach about 90% of their adult weight by their first birthday, then fill out until about 18 months. At 1 year a typical male is around 9.8 lb and a female around 7.2 lb, about 93% and 90% of their adult weight.How we calculate this: each figure is the midpoint of the breed’s adult weight range multiplied by the share of adult weight a kitten of that sex typically reaches at that age. The shares come from the WALTHAM kitten growth data (Salt et al., 2022; healthy domestic shorthair kittens). Kittens that are spayed or neutered early often grow a little faster and end up heavier.
Exotic Shorthair kitten size calculator
Enter your kitten’s age and current weight to estimate how big your Exotic Shorthair will be as an adult. The calculator is preset for the breed.Kitten Size Calculator
How big will my kitten get? Estimated adult weight from its current age and weight.
Most reliable from about 8 weeks to 12 months.
A kitchen or baby scale works best for small kittens.
Large breeds such as the Maine Coon, Ragdoll or Siberian keep growing for years.
Males usually end up heavier and keep growing a little longer.
| Age milestone | Projected weight |
|---|
Cat breed weight chart (lb & kg) by size
| Size | Typical adult weight | Example breeds |
|---|---|---|
| Small | under 8 lb / 3.6 kg | Singapura, Devon Rex, Cornish Rex |
| Medium | 8–12 lb / 3.6–5.4 kg | Most domestic cats, Abyssinian, Russian Blue, Persian |
| Large | 12 lb+ / 5.4 kg+ | Maine Coon, Ragdoll, Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian |
Breed figures vary between sources; see each breed page for its own range and sources.
How it works: kittens reach a predictable share of their adult weight at each age. The tool divides your kitten's current weight by that share, using growth data from thousands of healthy kittens, and shows the result as a range. For slow-maturing breeds the same curve is stretched over the breed's longer growth period (our estimate).
Disclaimer: estimates for planning only, not veterinary advice. Growth varies with genetics, sex, diet and neutering (kittens neutered early often grow faster and end up heavier). Weigh your kitten regularly and talk to your vet.
Sources: Salt et al., PLOS ONE 2022 (WALTHAM kitten growth standards) · KGC1 dataset (CC BY 3.0)
Exotic Shorthair personality and temperament
Exotics are sweet, loyal and quiet, much like the Persian, but they are often a little more playful thanks to their American Shorthair ancestry. They like to be near their owners and enjoy short bursts of play with toys. CFA notes that they often communicate by purring and rarely meow.-
Activity level2/5
-
Affection4/5
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Talkativeness1/5
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Good with children4/5
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Good with other pets4/5
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Shedding3/5
Ratings are BarnCalc’s own 1–5 scale, based on the breed descriptions of the registries and the sources cited below. Individual cats vary.
History and origin
The breed began in the 1950s, when American breeders crossed Persians with American Shorthairs. CFA recognized the result in 1966 as the Exotic Shorthair, and the breed was later called simply the Exotic in CFA. Exotics have been bred back to Persians ever since, so they share the Persian’s breed standard except for the coat.Exotic Shorthair lifespan and health
Most Exotic Shorthairs live 8–15 years. Curious how old that is in human terms? Try our cat age in human years calculator.Health conditions documented in the breed
- Breathing problems from the flat face (brachycephalic airway syndrome)
- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
- Calcium oxalate stones in the urinary tract
- Hydrocephalus in kittens with extremely flat faces
- Heat sensitivity
- Obesity, which worsens breathing problems
Health tests to ask a breeder for
Ask to see the results for both parents before you reserve a kitten:- DNA test for polycystic kidney disease (PKD1)
- DNA test for Persian progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-pd)
This is general information, not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own cat.
Grooming and care
| Coat | Dense, plush coat of medium length that stands off the body thanks to a thick undercoat |
| Colors | The same colors as the Persian, including solids, silver and golden, smoke, tabby, bi-color, calico and colorpoint |
| Grooming | Comb once a week, with extra combing and an occasional bath in shedding season; wipe the eyes daily |
| Shedding and allergies | Not hypoallergenic; moderate shedding, heavier in season than the Persian |
| Play and exercise | Low to moderate; plays enthusiastically with toys in short bursts |
| Indoor living | Excellent indoor cat; keep the home cool in summer because of the flat face |
How much should an Exotic Shorthair eat?
A healthy adult Exotic Shorthair that is spayed or neutered needs roughly 180–335 kcal a day at the breed’s typical weight of 6–14 lb. Intact and very active cats need more; indoor cats that gain weight easily need less. The table below shows the full range for different adult weights.| Adult weight | Spayed / neutered (kcal/day) | Intact (kcal/day) | Dry food only* | Wet food only* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 lb2.7 kg | 180–210 | 210–235 | 45–52 g | 180–210 g |
| 10 lb4.5 kg | 260–305 | 305–350 | 65–76 g | 260–305 g |
| 14 lb6.4 kg | 335–390 | 390–450 | 84–98 g | 335–390 g |
Daily calories = 70 × body weight in kg0.75 × 1.2–1.4 for spayed/neutered adults or 1.4–1.6 for intact adults (AAHA 2021). *Example amounts for a dry food with 4 kcal per gram and a wet food with 1 kcal per gram; foods vary, so always check the calories on your food’s label and split the total into at least two meals. Kittens need much more energy per pound than adults: feed a kitten food until about 12 months.
Breeding and pregnancy
Like all cats, a pregnant Exotic Shorthair carries her kittens for about 63–65 days (around nine weeks).Is an Exotic Shorthair right for you?
A great fit for
People who love the Persian look but don’t have time for daily grooming, calm households, and apartment living.Think twice if
You live somewhere hot without air conditioning, you want a very active cat, or you’re not prepared for vet costs linked to the flat face.Exotic Shorthair FAQ
When is an Exotic Shorthair full grown?
How big do Exotic Shorthairs get?
How much should a 6-month-old Exotic Shorthair kitten weigh?
How long do Exotic Shorthairs live?
Do Exotic Shorthairs shed?
Is the flat face a health problem in Exotics?
More cat calculators and guides
- Cat weight calculatorIs my cat overweight?
- Cat age in human yearsCalculator and age chart
- Cat gestation calculatorDue date and pregnancy timeline
- How long are cats pregnant?Signs and stages week by week
- All cat guidesBreeds, calculators and charts
Sources
- Purina breed profile
- CFA breed standard
- Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA)
- PetMD
- UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory
- UC Davis VGL: Persian PRA test
- Salt C. et al. (2022), growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in intact domestic shorthair kittens, PLOS ONE
- Kitten growth dataset (KGC1), University of Liverpool DataCat, CC BY 3.0
- PetMD: cat pregnancy, signs, stages and care (gestation 63–65 days)
- AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines (2021): energy requirement calculations
Main photo: Dmitry Brant, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Reviewed by grupo barncalc.com on November 11, 2026. Estimates are for planning only and are not veterinary advice.