Persian
Persian History
- Among the oldest of cat breeds, the popular Persian is depicted in hieroglyphic references dating back to 1684 B.C.
- Persians are believed to be developed from longhairs from Persia (now Iran), Burma (now Myanmar), China, and Russia.
- Introduced into Europe in the 14th Century from Iran.
- Admired at the first modern cat show at London's Crystal Palace in 1871, the Persian continues to rank as the most popular American cat breed.
- Accepted as a breed by the Cat Fanciers Association in 19=871, the year it first kept records.
- Available in a wide array of colors, Persians are divided into seven color divisions for cat show competition.
Persian Behavior Concerns
- Prefer to commandeer laps than show off their leaping abilities.
- Crave quiet homes, and set routines.
- Love to love and display a gentle nature.
- Playful but polite - never overly demanding.
- Tend to be well-behaved and not prone to climbing curtains or scaling high shelves.
- Not chatty, but when they vocalize, they do so with melodic chirps.
- Not fond of surprises, especially noisy houseguests or unruly children.
Look of Persians
- Trademark long, flowing thick coats.
- Sweet, round face with full cheeks and large expressive eyes contrasted by itty-bitty, round-tipped ears.
- Persian eyes can be blue, amber or odd-eyed. Blue-eyed Persians are prone to deafness.
- Genetically bred snub nose that makes this breed at risk for Brachycephalic issues.
- Heavy-boned legs support medium to large cobby-style bodies.
- Toes are heavily tufted.
- Its short tail is lofted without a curve and at an angle lower than the back.
Grooming Persian Cats
- Sport two kinds of coats, a silky topcoat and a cottony undercoat.
- Its high-maintenance coat requires daily combing to prevent tangles and matts from forming.
- Brush the coat backwards to evenly distribute its natural oils.
- Come in any color or markings, including white, blue, tabby, pointed, tortoiseshell and more. Tipped varieties are known as Chinchilla and point varieties are referred to as Himalayan in the United States.
- Needs monthly baths, so it is important to introduce bathing when the Persian is a kitten. It is important to thoroughly dry and brush the coat after bathing.
Suggested Nutritional Needs for Persian
- Prone to obesity so measure food portions and control caloric intake.
Fun Facts of Persians
- Originally named Longhairs until the early 1960s in the United States. Persians are still referred to as Longhairs or Persian Longhairs in Great Britain.
- Two Persians played the role of Mr. Tinkles in the animated movie, Cats & Dogs (2001) with the voice by actor Sean Hayes of the television show, Will & Grace.
