Exotic Shorthair — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD1)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
An autosomal dominant mutation causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys from early in life, usually progressing to renal failure in mid-to-later adulthood. Exotic Shorthair carries the same PKD1 mutation as the Persian through shared ancestry — UC Davis notes the historic carrier rate in Persian-type cats was over a third before screening became routine.
Ask to see: PKD1 DNA test on both parents
UC Davis VGL — Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD1) (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pkd1-cat)
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-pd)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
A Persian-derived recessive mutation in AIPL1 causes early, rapid retinal degeneration: photoreceptor loss begins around 5 weeks of age and is usually severe by 16 weeks. Two copies of the mutation cause blindness; UC Davis lists Exotic Shorthair directly among the breeds this test applies to.
Ask to see: PRA-pd (Persian-derived progressive retinal atrophy) DNA test on both parents
UC Davis VGL — PRA-pd (Persian) (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/pra-pd)
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
A thickening of the heart muscle that can cause sudden cardiac death; Cornell's Feline Health Center lists Persian among the breeds in which HCM is more prevalent than in the general cat population. No specific causal DNA mutation has been established for Persian-type HCM, unlike the discrete mutations known in Maine Coon and Ragdoll, so a clear DNA test cannot rule it out.
Ask to see: Cardiologist echocardiogram of both parents (no validated breed-specific DNA marker exists)
Cornell Feline Health Center — Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy)
Brachycephalic conformation (BOAS and related effects)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
The flattened Persian-type face narrows the nasal passages and airway (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which can cause severe breathing difficulty), and shortens the tear ducts and deforms the eyelids, leading to chronic eye discharge and corneal exposure, plus dental crowding from the shortened jaw. Severity scales directly with how extreme the flattening is bred, and it cannot be removed while keeping the flat face itself.
Ask to see: No DNA test exists — assess the parents' own breathing and facial conformation in person, or ask for a vet's airway assessment
International Cat Care — Persian cats and brachycephaly (https://icatcare.org/articles/persian-cats-and-brachycephaly)