Mon Chéri Cattery

Understanding Colors of Exotic Shorthair Kittens

Understanding colors of Exotic Shorthair kittens and Persian Kittens (Or Exotic Longhair kittens) can be confusing. What is a dilute, van? Is a red really red? What are lilac, blue and cream? We have added photos to help clear the fog. 

What Does Van Mean?

A van means that white is the most dominant of its color or colors. Below is an example of a lilac van Exotic Shorthair kitten. They have two colors but white is the dominant color.

Texarkana, Texas Lilac Van Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Dorothy Young with Mon Chéri Mia, a Lilac bicolor van Exotic Shorthair Kitten. Read her review on our reviews page.
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What Does Tabby Mean?

Tabby is a reference to pattern of darker stripes on coat on the kitten or cat. See the darker stripes on the photo of the kitten below and on her side? This makes her a tabby.

Chocolate Tabby Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Sally's on Broadway is a Chocolate Tabby Exotic Shorthair Kitten
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What is a Calico Exotic Shorthair Kitten or Calico Exotic Longhair Kitten?

A calico is a tri-colored cat with white, black, and orange patches. They typically have white faces, chests, and legs. Calicos usually have black or orange foreheads, ears, and backs. Their legs may be either white or colored. Their spots may be more one color than the other, but they must have some combination of the two. The calico Exotic Shorthair kittens and calico Exotic Longhair kittens we breed can come in the following variations: calico, calico van, dilute calico and dilute calico van! A van calico simply means that white is the most dominant of its three colors. See our calico Exotic Shorthair gallery for more examples of both calicos and dilute calicos or see images below.

Calico Exotic Longhair Kitten For Sale
Calico Van Exotic Shorthair Kittens
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What is a Dilute Calico Exotic Shorthair or Dilute Calico Longhair Kitten?

A dilute calico has the same coloring as calico cats, but “diluted,” meaning dilute calicos are calico cats with less intense color hues. The dilute calico Exotic Shorthair kittens and dilute calico Exotic Longhair kittens we breed can come in the following variations: dilute calico and dilute calico van! A van calico simply means that white is the most dominant of its three colors. See our calico Exotic Shorthair gallery for more examples of both calicos and dilute calicos or see images below.

Dilute Calico Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Dilute Calico Exotic Shorthair Kitten has the three colors but they are lighter or diluted
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What is a Tortoiseshell Exotic Shorthair Kitten?

Tortoiseshell kittens are named for their bicolored coats that look like the shell of a tortoise. Affectionately referred to as “torties,” The tortoiseshell Exotic Shorthair kittens and tortoiseshell Exotic Longhair kittens we breed can come in the following variations: tortoiseshell and chocolate tortoiseshell and light chocolate tortoiseshell. See our tortoiseshell Exotic Shorthair kitten gallery for more examples.

Chocolate Tortoiseshell Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Tortoiseshell Exotic Shorthair Kitten
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What is a Lilac or Blue Exotic Shorthair or Exotic Longhair Kitten?

A lilac Exotic Shorthair or a lilac Exotic Longhair kitten visually looks LIGHT gray. They may also be referred to as silver. According to CFA* standards they are called lilac.  A blue Exotic Shorthair or a blue Exotic Longhair kitten visually looks DARK gray. According to CFA* standards they are called gray. The lilac and blue Exotic Shorthair kittens and lilac and blue Exotic Longhair kittens we breed can come in the following variations:  lilac bicolor, lilac bicolor van, blue bicolor, and blue bicolor van. Lilac bicolor means that the kitten has two colors, lilac and white. Lilac van also means that the kitten has two colors, lilac and white, but that white is more dominant. See our blue and lilac Exotic Shorthair and Exotic Longhair Kitten gallery for more examples or see photos below.

Lilac Bicolor Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Lilac Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Blue Bicolor Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Blue Bicolor Van Exotic Shorthair Kitten
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Chocolate Exotic Shorthair & Exotic Longhair Kitten Color Variations

A chocolate is visually a rich brown and can vary from light to dark. The chocolate Exotic Shorthair kittens and chocolate Exotic Shorthair kittens we breed can come in the beautiful variations such as light chocolate, chocolate and chocolate bicolor, chocolate smoke, and chocolate bicolor van. Chocolate smoke is when the kitten’s undercoat is white, deeply tipped with chocolate. The kitten appears appears chocolate in a still photo. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face, legs and tail, chocolate with narrow bands of white at base of hairs next to the skin which may only be seen when hair is parted. Chocolate bicolor means that the kitten has two colors, chocolate and white. Chocolate van also means that the kitten has two colors, chocolate and white, but that white is more dominant. See our gallery of chocolate Exotic Shorthair kittens for more examples or view photo below.

Solid Chocolate Exotic Longhair Kittens
Solid Chocolate Exotic Shorthair Kittens
Solid Chocolate Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Frenchie is a light chocolate Exotic Shorthair kitten
Chocolate Smoke Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Marlon Brando is a rare chocolate smoke Exotic Shorthair kitten. Can you see the smokey gray in his coat?
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What is a Red Exotic Shorthair or Red Exotic Longhair?

A red Exotic Shorthair or red Exotic Longhair actually visually looks orange. However according to CFA color standards, it is a red and so this how breeders refer to them. The red Exotic Shorthair kittens and red Exotic Longhair kittens we breed can come in beautiful variations such as red, red bicolor, red bicolor van and red tabby. Red bicolor means that the kitten has two colors, red and white. Red van also means that the kitten has two colors, red and white, but that white is more dominant. A red tabby has darkened stripes on its face. See more examples in our gallery of red Exotic Shorthair kittens or see photo below.

Solid Red Tabby Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Male Red Tabby Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Red Bicolor Van Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Red Bicolor Van Exotic Shorthair Kitten
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What is a Cream Exotic Shorthair or Cream Exotic Longhair Kitten?

A cream Exotic Shorthair or cream Exotic Shorthair actually visually look like a light shade of orange or peach. However according to CFA color standards, it is a cream and so this how breeders refer to them. The cream Exotic Shorthair kittens and cream Exotic Longhair kittens we breed can come in beautiful variations such as cream, cream bicolor and cream bicolor van. Cream bicolor means that the kitten has two colors, cream and white. Cream van also means that the kitten has two colors, cream and white, but that white is more dominant. A cream tabby has darkened stripes on its face. See examples in our cream Exotic Shorthair kitten gallery or see photo below.

Cream Bicolor Exotic Longhair Kitten
Cream Bicolor Exotic Longhair Kitten
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What is a Colorpoint Exotic Shorthair or Exotic Longhair Kitten?

A colorpoint Exotic Shorthair or Exotic Longhair is a kitten that has a light-colored coat with darker-colored ears, face, feet, and tailThe colorpoint Exotic Shorthair kittens and colorpoint Exotic Longhair kittens we breed can come in the many beautiful variations such as blue point, blue point bicolor, lilac point, seal point, seal point bicolor, chocolate point, cream point, flame point, chocolate tortie point, and tortie point. See more examples in our colorpoint Exotic Shorthair kitten gallery or see examples below.

Chocolate Tortie Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Chocolate Tortie Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Seal Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Seal Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Cream Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Cream Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Chocolate Tortie Point Bicolor Persian Cat
Tortie Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten
Blue-eyed Chocolate Colorpoint Exotic Shorthair kitten
Chocolate Point Exotic Shorthair Kitten
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What are color variations for Black Exotic Shorthair kittens?

The black Exotic Shorthair kittens and black Exotic Shorthair kittens we breed can come in the beautiful variations such as solid black, black bicolor, black van, black tabby, and black smoke. Black smoke is when the kitten’s undercoat is white, deeply tipped with black. The kitten appears appears black in a still photo. In motion the white undercoat is clearly apparent. Face, legs and tail, black with narrow bands of white at base of hairs next to the skin which may only be seen when hair is parted. Black bicolor means that the kitten has two colors, black and white. Black van also means that the kitten has two colors, black and white, but that white is more dominant. See our gallery of black Exotic Shorthair kittens for more examples or view photo below.

Solid Black Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Solid Black Exotic Shorthair Kitten (Cher)
Black Smoke Exotic Longhair Kitten For Sale
Black Smoke Exotic Longhair Kitten (Storm) Can you see the white in its undercoat near belly and legs?
Black Bicolor Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Black Bicolor Exotic Shorthair Kitten (Kitty Soft Paws)
Black Bicolor Van Exotic Longhair Kitten For Sale
Black Bicolor Van Exotic Longhair Kitten (Bows) White is this kitten's dominant color making it a van.
Black Mackerel Tabby Exotic Shorthair Kitten For Sale
Black Mackerel Tabby Exotic Shorthair Kitten (Miss Pepper)
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Arkansas Exotic Shorthair Kitten Breeder

Mon Chéri Cattery is an Arkansas small boutique breeder of Exotic Shorthair kittens for sale and Exotic Longhair kittens for sale and both a CFA Cattery of Excellence and a TICA Outstanding Cattery. For over 20 years we have bred pet and show-quality Exotic Shorthair kittens and Exotic Longhair kittens that are healthy, beautiful, well-socialized and smart. 

Our Exotic Shorthair kittens for sale and Exotic Longhair kittens for sale are of outstanding pedigrees, including champions, which trace to Kings and Queens from Russia, Germany, European imports, and carefully chosen domestic bloodlines. Our Exotic Shorthair kittens for sale are available in the most desired shades of chocolate, calico, lilac, red, cream, bicolor, solid, tabby, colorpoint, black smoke, and the rare tortoiseshell. 

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