The soft Persian cat is among the favorite breeds. It is surprising that this cat, known in Persian as Gore-ye irony (Iranian cat), belongs to the oldest breeds of cats, as well as the fact that the Persian cat we know today does not come from the East.
Index
Aspect
Character
Origin
Bless you
Care and eating
Aspect
The Persian cat stands out for its long and soft fur, with a dense lower mantle. But not all long-haired cats are Persian; in fact these cats have to meet numerous additional requirements to meet breed standards.
The appearance of Persian cats is defined by 3 different breeder associations, which prioritize different characteristics. As a rule, a Persian cat must have a medium to large size. Males weigh up to 7 kg and females weigh up to 6 kg. The weight of the body is supported by short and sturdy legs. The tufts of hair between the fingers of the round legs are a specially sought after quality.
Apart from the long hair, the face of Persian cats is typical of this breed. The round and wide head has round ears, ideally with locks of hair, and a very short nose. The bridge of the nose should end between the eyes; this famous stop should not be located above the upper eyelid or below the lower eyelid. This gives Persian cats a very characteristic appearance, although it can lead to known health problems and has led to strong criticism from the most extremist Persian breeders, which we will discuss later. Therefore, certain breeders prefer the old breeding standard, with a long nose, but which no longer matches the current standard.
The Persian cat can be found in virtually all known colors. The unicolor can be: black, white, red, blue, chocolate, lilac or cream. Bicolor and tricolors (tortoise shell) are among the favorites, as are Persian cats of the exotic color smoke: a large part of the fur of these specimens is colored, while the tips are silvery white. In case they only have color on the tips of the hair and most of its fur is silvery gray, we are looking at the variety shaded.
Persian cats share the breed standard of exotic cats with short hair and color point. They differ only in length, texture and hair color. In 1933, one of the European associations of breed cats recognized the short-haired exotics. Their physical constitution and character correspond to that of Persian cats, but they have a short fur like stuffed. The color points, also defined as "hyalayos", come from the cross between Siamese and Persian cats. These animals comprise the standards of the breed of the Persians, although they have the coloration point of the Siamese. Any color of the fur can appear as a color point. The most common are black and red, with its blue and cream dilutions, and chocolate and cinnamon colors, with its lilac and fawn dilutions.
Character
Persian cats are very quiet and ideal to have them as the only animal at home because their need for freedom is little developed. These little cats love pampering and snuggling up to their owners; are very attached animals.
However, although Persian cats are very balanced animals, in the background they are still predators. Therefore, cats calm and with little interest in games should be given the opportunity to discover, climb and play. The interior of a house must be adapted to the needs of the cats that live in it in order to keep them mentally fit and happy, even if they do not perform acrobatic exercises themselves.
Each house must have at least one scraper because, although cats do not show much interest in the various options for climbing, scratching is part of their natural behavior. The minions must scratch to free themselves from the dead nail layers. In addition, they mark their territory through signs of scratches and spread a "smell of well-being" through the odoriferous glands of their legs, being this imperceptible to humans.
Cats that do not have a scraper, a pole or a scratching board, sooner or later will end up making use of the corners of the rooms or the furniture to develop this instinct. But scrapers not only cover the need for scratching, but also offer climbing options and a fantastic platform from which to observe what's going on around.
Cats love to contemplate the world from above, so you can also place a hammock for the window or radiator.
Origin
Until now, the Persian cat was considered to have descended from long-haired cats in the East. In the 17th century, long-haired cats were introduced for the first time in Europe.
These came from the then-existing Persia, currently Iran, and should have been the basis for the breeding of Persian cats. However, this breed, as we know it today, has little in common with its origin. This is not surprising because, according to the latest scientific knowledge, the ancestors of the Persian cats we know come from Russia. A genetic analysis of the genome of these felines reflects that this breed descends from Russian long-haired domestic cats, and that it does not be related to the Asian line.
The name "Persian" was only established with the founding of the first breeders' association in the early twentieth century. Until that time, the term "Angora cat" was mainly used for long-haired cats. Since then the breeding standard for Persian cats has changed on more than one occasion. Over time, more importance has been attached to a rounder forehead and a shorter-shaped skull, while the fur has become increasingly dense and with a more abundant lower mantle, which has given it that plush appearance.
This has also been a disadvantage for the breed because, as its popularity increased, the Persians began to breed en masse, especially in the US.
The U.S. where they were paired without considering the harms to their health and thus consolidated an increasingly extreme model of the breed. The lowered nose, watery eyes and tendency to inflammations in the nose and throat, as well as problems with the assimilation of food and to breathe, have given them the reputation of "tortured race". But what does this really mean and is it right to continue to use this term for 21st-century Persian cats?
Bless you
In 1999, a number of experts delivered an advisory opinion on this subject. The result is a 148-page document that analyses in detail each form of breeding of dogs, cats, rabbits and birds, as well as their consequences for animal health. Apart from the breeding of hairless cats or breeds of animals with ears folded forward or backward, with the short tail or the absence of it, the deafness of white cats and dwarfism, also appeared the brachycephaly (brachis short and cephalus head) , a shortening of the shape of the head by a flat nose. While health should take precedence, there is still no regulation on the prohibition of the rearing of these animals at European level.
Thanks to the work of serious breeders who prioritize the health of their animals, the breeding of Persian cats has moved away from the mass breeding model of the 70s.
Despite the problematic history of their breeding, Persian cats are relatively healthy, as long as they have a responsible owner who eats them healthily and takes them to the vet regularly. However, there is some exception: the breed has a tendency to polycystic kidney disease and progressive retinal atrophy, a curvature of the retina that can lead to complete blindness. Persians may also develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which affects numerous cats.
All these diseases are hereditary and highlight how important the intelligent selection of breeding is. Professional breeders test their animals and their descendants regularly and at an early age to detect possible inherited diseases so that they can be excluded from breeding.
This applies especially to kidney cysts. Symptoms only manifest at an advanced age and, until then, many cats have already transmitted the dominant gene to their offspring. Luckily, an ultrasound can detect polycystic kidney disease from the tenth week of life. In this way, responsible breeders can exclude from early on sick animals from breeding and prevent them from having offspring because a cat with cysts will always transmit them to their young.
To diagnose hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the best option is to perform an ultrasound of the heart. This disease has no cure but an early diagnosis offers the possibility of treatments so that affected cats can enjoy a long life.
As you can see, cats used for breeding should regularly pass veterinary checks to exclude inherited diseases and their transmission to offspring. If you wish to acquire a cat from a breeder, you should be able to consult the corresponding tests that have been submitted to its parents. Try to avoid non-professional breeders who offer cheap, undocumented cats. As a general rule, these breeders do not care about the health of their animals or adequately care for or feed them. This can cost you in the long run if it turns out that your cat suffers from a variety of inherited diseases.
Choose a breeder who is a member of a breeder's association, who exercises constant control of the cat's living conditions, matches its specimens sensibly, and tries to exclude genetic diseases. Obviously, all this comes at a cost: a Persian cat can be worth up to 800 euros, but those from hatcheries can cost 1500 euros. But with this money you pay not only the cat, but also the commitment and knowledge of the breeder. He invests time in giving kittens the time to develop a balanced character and to learn everything important about his mother and siblings before they move into a new home, which at the earliest will be at 12 weeks of life.
Care and eating
Although the soft fur of the Persians arouses the interest of many cat lovers, it should not be forgotten that long-haired cats require special care. To avoid hair knots, Persian cats should comb their hair thoroughly every day. Once the hair of these cats becomes tangled, it may only be able to be solved by a veterinarian. But don't worry because, if necessary, shaved hair will grow back very soon.
During the hair sheds, Persian cats lose an immense amount of their fur even if they are combed or brushed regularly. Malt paste and crawler grass contribute to naturally expelling ingested hairs and preventing blockages.
Because of its short nose, It is common for Persian cats to need help cleaning their eye and nasal area. Usually, a wet handkerchief is enough, as chamomile tea or similar products can further irritate the eye area. The flat face of Persian cats also requires a special food because they take food mainly with the tongue. Wet food with a more pasty consistency is often easier to ingest than that containing large pieces of meat.
Otherwise, as for choosing the right food for your Persian cat, you just have to keep in mind that the higher the quality, the better. Cats require a protein-rich diet, so meat should be the main ingredient in their food. Wet food is preferable to feed, not only because the composition is usually better but also because it has a higher moisture content. By nature, cats are "desert animals" and do not feel a great need to go to the drinking fountain, so they drink little water. Most of the fluids your body requires are ingested through wet food.
Persian cats are one of the favorite breeds in Europe. If you choose the breeder carefully and pay enough attention to the hygiene and feeding of the Persian cat, you can also enjoy these adorable animals. We wish you and your Persian cat all the best!