The Persian cat is gentle, quiet, docile, and one of the most popular cat breeds in North America, if not the whole world. Her long silky, and glamorous coat exemplifies the temperaments of this lovely feline.
As one of the oldest cat breeds, she has continued to be one of the best companions that any family would desire to have- Consequently, the Persian is a cat who gives affection and demands for it in tenfolds. Other than that, the Persian cat is never quick to trust any stranger; it will take time.
Besides her excellent attributes, the Persian cat breed is a high-maintenance breed. She is a cat who needs constant grooming to make her look good.
History of The Persian Cat
The history of the Persian cat is clouded. However, what is known is that the Persian is one of the oldest cat breeds, with its origin tracing back to the 1600s.
The Persian cat originated from Mesopotamia, later called Persia, and now Iran.
An Italian explore called Pietro Della Valle introduced this magnificent breed into Europe. The popularity of this cat rose during Queen Victoria’s reign, who was fond of this cat breed.
With her striking features and personality, the Persian has overthrown other domestic cat breeds like the Maine coon cat to be one of the best-adored cat breeds.
| Weight | 7-12 pounds |
| Height | 10-15 inches |
| Eye Color | Copper, deep blue, green, sometimes both copper and blue – Eye color depends on coat color |
| Lifespan | 10-18 years |
| Social/Attention Needs | Moderate |
| Tendency to Shed | High |
| Coat Length | Long |
| Coat Characteristics | Long silky double coat |
| Coat Colors | White, black, blue, cream, chocolate, cameo (red), smoke tortoiseshell, and blue-cream smoke |
| Coat Pattern | Solid color, bi-color, calico / tri-color, tabby, tortoiseshell |
| Less Allergenic | No |
| Overall Grooming Needs | High |
| Cat Association Recognition | CFA, ACFA, FIFe, TICA |
The Persian Cat Breed Appearance
The Persian cat is a medium-sized cat with a weight range of 7-12 pounds. This cat is heavily boned and well masculine. Additionally, the Persian cat has a round head, chubby cheeks, stubby nose, and sweet, expressive round eyes. The ears are round-tipped and set wide apart on the head of this cat.
The Persian cat appears with a long and thick fur that tends to be longer around the neck as one distinctive feature. This coat is soft and fine to touch if well maintained.
Additionally, the coat comes in a wide array of colors and patterns.
Here are some of the coat patterns you can expect to see from a Persian cat: silver series, solid, tabby tortoise, and color point.
Additionally, the Persian cat appears in two forms, the traditional or doll face type and the show Persians.
The traditional Persians have less exaggerated features, and they resemble the original Persians.
Show Persians, also known as peke-face (as they resemble the Pekingese dog breed), have a flat face, small and round-tipped ears, thicker coats, and large ears than traditional Persians. Even with their distinctive features, these two Persians’ forms don’t differ in their personality and grooming needs. They all need and deserve the same affection and care.
Persian Cats Temperaments and Personality
The Persian cat is a sweet, docile, and gentle cat that will settle quickly in any family unless her needs are unmet.
You will never find the Persian scaling high heights- often attributed to her physicality. She is happy to survey and rule her kingdom on the floor or in the comfort of a couch. Also, this cat will love napping on your lap once she sees an opportunity.
Consequently, she is not hot-tempered and will rarely attack. However, she will not hesitate to express herself when you irritate or disrespect her.
The Persian cat doesn’t love notorious children who will pull her ears or pull her around. She loves children who will respect and treat her with dignity.
The Persian is also discriminative when it comes to sharing her love. She will tend to love a particular family member who seems trustworthy. Strangers and visitors will need time before they savor the love of this glamorous cat.
Also, the Persian is a cat of consistency. Consistent diet, exercise, and feeding time will work well for this cat breed.
Exercise and Training Persian Cats
The Persian will have a sudden burst of energy like a kitten and then have long cat naps. She will love playing alone and will be glad anytime you join.
Also, this cat takes time to learn new tricks; she will need constant reminder lessons for them to stick. However, such an attribute should not deter you from owning this cat breed.
Persian Cat Grooming and Care
Even though the Persian has a nice glamorous coat, it needs constant maintenance to retain its shiny and good-looking appearance.
Poor maintenance of the coat will encourage matting and tangling of the fur, which can be painful for the cat. Thus don’t let it reach that point. Invest in the proper combing and brushing tools to maintain your cat’s looks.
Use a fine-toothed comb to detangle all mats and reduce the shedding rate. Combing the coat regularly is preferred. Also, ensure you have bathed the cat once a month to ensure your cat has no foul smell. Use a vet-approved cat shampoo that will not bring up pH imbalance on the cat’s skin. Also, start bathing this cat when she is still a kitten. Start early, and she will not become a bothersome cat when she becomes an adult.
If an adult Persian is not comfortable getting regular baths, use a moist cloth to clean areas that may collect dirt.
This cat is also prone to eye tearing. Thus ensure you clean the corner of the eyes every day using a clean piece of cloth. To avoid transferring bacteria from one eye to the other, ensure that you have used a different cloth for each eye.
Also, don’t forget to trim the nails using a cat-friendly nail clipper. Follow all these, and your cat will look and feel good.
Diet of Persian Cats
Does the Persian cat require a special diet? No, the Persian requires no exceptional food. However, she may become a picky eater who will only prefer certain foods she presumes to fit her. Don’t allow such to happen.
Ensure your cat gets the right portion of proteins, fiber, and a low concentration of fats and carbohydrates. Also, avoid giving your Persian cat table scrapings, as it can promote picky eating and bring tummy issues like cat flatulence to your cat. If you have to give your cat human food, only do it once in a while.
You can give your cat food according to her age, size, energy levels, and health. Couch potato cats will need fewer portions of foods as compared to high-energy Persians.
Conversely, kittens will need different feeding guidelines compared to their seniors.
You can either use wet, proceed, or dry food for your cat. Talk to your vet if you want a structured feeding guideline for your cat.
Persian Cat Health Problems
As a pedigree cat, the Persian is susceptible to a host of diseases. These diseases can be life-threatening if not diagnosed earlier.
Here are some of the health issues your Persian may have;
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Also known as PKD, polycystic kidney disease is a hereditary disease that causes cysts to develop in the Persian’s kidney tissues.
PKD affects how the kidneys function and the cat may start presenting with symptoms similar to other kidney diseases.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs when there is a thickening of the heart muscles. And With the thickening of these muscles, the heart loses its way of functioning. Also known as HCM, this condition can be passed from one generation to the other.
The symptoms of this disease will start appearing when the cat is seven years. And one of the symptoms of this disease is sudden death.
With such a hereditary disease, cat owners are always advised to buy their kittens from reputable breeders aware of such a disease. Ensure you buy your cat from a breeder who will show you all the health documents of the cat and its parents.
Breathing Issues
Such a condition occurs because of the face structure of this cat. Cats with this face feature, especially the peke-face type, have difficulty breathing because of constricted nasal passage.
Entropion
The condition occurs when the eyelid rolls inward, and such causes much discomfort.
Pros and Cons of The Persian Cat Breed
Pros
- Beautiful smooth coat
- Affectionate and loyal cat
Cons
- Susceptible to a host of diseases
- Slow to learn
- Requires regular grooming
Where To Find a Persian Cat Breed
Ethical Breeder
Look for ethical breeders in your locality if you want to own this cat breed. How do you know an ethical breeder? Ethical breeders will give you a health clearance certificate of the kitten. The breeding area is clean and not congested. A reputable breeder will not push you to buy a particular kitten; he will look for a kitten that suits your needs. Run and don’t look back if any breeder doesn’t disclose any information you require or the breeding center looks congested and filthy.
Check here for reputable Persian cat breeders.
Rescue Centers
Look at any rescue center if you want a Persian cat breed. Rescue centers will charge you a small adoption fee, and often these cats are dewormed and vaccinated.
How Much Does A Persian Cat Cost
A Persian cat breed can cost between 500-2000 dollars.
Is a Persian Cat Hypoallergenic
The Persian cat breed is not hypoallergenic. This cat is not suitable for people suffering from cat allergies as it produces enough Feld 1 proteins that will trigger allergic reactions.
Persian Cat summary
Hoping we have given you all the information you needed to know about the Persian cat breed. Give this cat affection and attention, and she will be glad to give it back to you.
Now, on to you, do you have this cat breed, or are you planning to have one?
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