Is there any health advantage the exotic short hair has over a full persian? I love the breed and have had one of each but both had problems. The exotic had liver shunt. Unfortunately, we recently had to put him down. We tried everything to prevent him from having those episodes and nothing helped him. It broke my heart. I know there are healthy persians and at some point I may want to have another but what can I do to find a healthy baby?

Since no one else has responded to your question- I guess I will. I'm sure others will soon follow...
To my knowledge, Exotics are no more healthy than Persians. They are basically Persian Hybrids. The trick is to find a GOOD breeder. Some diseases can be tested for- like PKD- but others cannot- like heart problems- so it is essential to find a reputable breeder who has breeding long enough to know their lines and breeds away from potentially fatal recessive traits that are in the pedigree. Try looking for a breeder that offers a health guarantee and ask questions beforehand about the health issues that concern you. It's always a good idea to do your research so you can be an educated buyer and realize that the best breeder may not be the one closest to where you live. You shouldn't be afraid to have the kitty shipped if you can't find someone nearby. The additional cost in shipping will be worth it. Where are you located?

I will definitely ask for a health guarantee when I find another cat. My little exotic was fine when he was shipped but not long after he arrived he started having problems because of the liver shunt. We spent a lot of money for tests, special food, medication etc. and still didn't have him for even a year.
I live in Utah.
Thank you for your help.

I'm really sorry that happened to you. If this gives you any perspective, I've been breeding for over 20 yrs and have never encountered a liver shunt problem with any of my cats. I'm sure someone would have mentioned it. Maybe it is a fairly rare condition in Persians. I usually have a genetic guarantee on my cats for at least 1 yr, but would be willing to work with someone if something weird like this came up as long as it was well documented by their vet. This isn't the sort of thing that can be anticipated on the part of the breeder, but it certainly isn't the pet buyer's fault either. Did your breeder offer any compensation/replacement?

I sent the breeder an email when he was first diagnosed and never heard anything from her. I know it wasn't something she knew would happen so I chalked it up to a learning experience for me. I will never again get a cat without a health guarantee? As you know, it's traumatic to bury a much loved pet. I don't want to go through that again.

Where are you located?

I'm in Texas, but I ship cats all over the country. In fact, most of the pets I place are shipped. You are welcome to visit my website-

Let me chirp up here -- if you can get one of Tracy's cats, do!!! They are wonderful