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Exotic Shorthair vs Ragdoll
A medium, plush, flat-faced lap cat against a large, semi-longhaired, docile cat with fewer health flags and more family appeal.
Verdict
Both are calm and affectionate, and size and health decide it. The Exotic Shorthair is a medium, plush cat with a flat face, so it needs face care and regular vet checks for breathing, kidney and eye problems. The Ragdoll is Large at 8 to 20 lb, has a semi-long coat that needs combing about twice a week, and rates top marks with children and other pets. Its profile names only heart disease as a watch-list item. Choose the Exotic for a smaller, short-coated lap cat, and the Ragdoll for a large, docile family cat.
Choose the Exotic Shorthair if
- You want a medium cat with a short, plush coat.
- You live in a small home, where the Exotic rates top marks.
- You are ready for face cleaning and vet checks.
- You keep a cool home.
Choose the Ragdoll if
- You want a large, placid cat that relaxes when held.
- You have children or other pets.
- You will comb the coat twice a week.
- You will ask the breeder about heart disease.
Where they are alike
Both are quiet, low-energy indoor cats, and both are well-known breeds that are easy to find. Both are CFA championship breeds and both score well for affection.
Side by side
| Exotic Shorthair | Ragdoll | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Shorthair | Longhair and semi-longhair |
| Origin | United States | Riverside, California, United States |
| Size | Medium | Large |
| Typical weight | 8-15 lb (3.6-6.8 kg); males are larger | Females 8-15 lb (3.6-6.8 kg); males 12-20 lb (5.4-9.1 kg) or more |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years | Recent UK data put the median near 12 to 13 years |
| Coat length | Short | Long |
| Coat | Dense, plush, soft coat that stands out from the body | Soft, silky, semi-long coat made mostly of guard hairs, with little undercoat |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1967 | Championship breed since 2000 |
| How common | Common | Very common |
| Affection | 4 | 5 |
| Energy | 2 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 3 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 1 | 1 |
| Grooming needed | 3 | 3 |
| Shedding | 3 | 3 |
| Good with children | 4 | 5 |
| Good with other pets | 4 | 5 |
| Happy alone | 3 | 2 |
| Trainability | 3 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 5 | 4 |
| Allergies | No breed is hypoallergenic. The dense coat sheds steadily and people who react to cats are likely to react to this one. | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Ragdoll's coat has little undercoat and sheds moderately, but people who react to cats usually react to this breed too. |
| Suits | A calm indoor home that wants a quiet, affectionate lap cat and is ready to pay for regular vet checks. | A family or a household with other pets that wants a large, placid, affectionate indoor cat and will comb the coat twice a week. |
| Less suited to | A hot or humid home, a household with no time for face cleaning, or anyone worried about flat-faced cat welfare. | Anyone who wants an active, climbing cat, a cat that copes with long hours alone, or a breed with no known heart risk. |
| Registries that recognise it |
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| Health conditions to watch |
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Facts come from each breed's profile. Scores run from 1 (low) to 5 (high) and describe a breed in general. Every cat is an individual, so meet the cat before you decide.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026