PERSIAN CATS

At first these cats were known simply as longhaired cats. Before long they were named Persian after their place of origin, Persia (now Iran and Turkey).

Description

Persian cats are medium in size, heavy boned, wide-bodied, with short legs. The head should also be of a heavy broad type. All Persians share large round eyes, short broad noses, and small rounded ears. However there is a distinction between two face types: The modern flat-faced Persian commonly seen in shows and the traditional doll-faced Persian. The traditional doll-faced persian has a more proportioned face, with the mouth and nose located well in front of the eyes, while retaining the basic broad, round, and flat look. Perhaps the most striking feature of the Persian cat is its full, long coat. This unique look is created by a combination of long undercoat and long topcoat. Persians come in a variety of coat colours. The seven colour divisions are: Solid Color: White, Black, Blue, Cream, Red, Chocolate, Lilac. Silver and Golden: Chinchilla Silver, Shaded

Silver, Chinchilla Golden, Shaded Golden Shaded and Smoke: Shell Cameo (Red Chinchilla), Shell Cream (Cream Chinchilla), Shell Tortoiseshell, Shell Blue-cream Tabby: Classic Tabby, Mackerel Tabby (such as brown), Red Tabby, Brown Tabby, Blue Tabby, Cream Tabby, Cameo Tabby, Cream Cameo Tabby, Silver Tabby, Blue Silver Tabby, Brown Patched Tabby, Blue Patched Tabby, Silver Patched Tabby, Blue Silver Patched Tabby Parti-color: Tortoiseshell, Blue-cream, Chocolate Tortoiseshell, Lilac-cream Calico and Bicolor (and Van): Calico, Dilute, Chocolate, Lilac, Bicolor, Smoke and White, Calico Smoke, Dilute Calico Smoke, Chocolate Smoke, Tabby and White Himalayan: Chocolate Point, Seal Point, Lilac Point, Blue Point, Flame (Red) Point, Cream Point, Tortie Point, Lilac-cream Point, as well as all Lynx Points. Undeniably beautiful, elegant and regal, the Persian is ideal if you want a cat that's sweet, devoted, docile, affectionate and laid-back.

Characteristics and Temperament

These cats make excellent pets and companions, having a loving nature. Persians are very affectionate, but relatively quiet.

An alert, gentle cat, Persians can be both playful and affectionate. They are more inclined to a sedate lifestyle and feel most comfortable in calm, quiet surroundings.

Special Needs

Being a longhair, Persian cats require daily combing, to prevent hairballs and matting, and an occasional bath. Because of the long coat and docile temperament, it's particularly important to keep Persian cats indoors. Reported health concerns include breathing difficulties, eye tearing, malocclusions, and birthing difficulties due to the head size and the foreshortened face. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a disease that can cause kidney failure, is also known to exist in some Persian lines.