Persian cat

History of the Persian cat breed

There are several versions of the origin of Persian cats.

According to one of them, the first long-haired animals were brought to Europe in the twenties of the XVII century by the Italian aristocrat Pietro della Valle from his trip to Turkey and Persia. In the city of Isfahan, he purchased several pairs of amazing and unusual animals for Europe at that time and sent them to Italy. Unfortunately, nothing is known about the fate of these animals. And who knows how the history of the Persians would have developed further if the French scientist Nicole-Claude Farby, who was in correspondence with della Valle, had not turned out to be a true lover of cats. Interested in the breed described by the Italian and never seen before in the Old World, he brought several cats to France turkish angora . Luxurious long-haired beauties conquered the hearts of the European aristocracy, including the all-powerful Cardinal Richelieu. With such patrons, the new breed has become one of the most elite. Having an oriental cat has become not only fashionable, but also prestigious. Depending on where they were imported from, fluffy pets were called Turkish, Asian, Russian, and even Chinese at that time. Bearing in mind that the Persians began their spread across Europe from France, for some time they were called French cats.

According to another version, long-haired animals originally appeared on the territory of Russia, where the presence of such a cover was due to harsh climatic conditions. It was from here that these strange animals came to the East, and only later, in the XVII century, Europeans first learned about them.

In the scientific literature of the late XVIII century, two main types of long-haired cats are described. The first is that the animals are light, graceful, with fine soft fur, a wedge–shaped head and pointed ears. The second is more massive round–headed and undersized individuals with long hair and the presence of a thick undercoat.

Soon a new breed came to England. British felinologists have found enough reasons to divide long-haired cats, depending on their type, into two breeds. The first began to be attributed to the Turkish Angora, and the second was called at first French, and then Persian cats. Interest in long-haired pets and their breeding was so great that in 1887 the Persians were registered. They were among the first among other domestic cats to gain official status. The breed was named "Persian longhair".

A new stage in the development of the breed began at the end of the XIX century, when the Persians came to the USA. American breeders have made a lot of efforts to change the classic British version of the cat's appearance, and they have succeeded a lot in this. A new "extreme" type appeared, which was characterized by an unusual appearance of the animal's muzzle: a maximally shortened nose with a high stop, an overhanging forehead, pronounced folds from the corners of the eyes to the mouth, widely spaced eyes. Such an unusual exterior attracted cat lovers, but it was also the cause of multiple animal health problems. Only hard work made it possible to minimize the negative results of breeding experiments. Extreme Persians are very popular today, and many consider them to be the real representatives of the breed. This is not entirely fair. There are a lot of Persian cat lovers' clubs in the world that prefer breeding of the classical type.

Video: Persian Cat

Appearance of a Persian cat

The size of the animal is from medium to large. Weight – from 3.5 to 7 kilograms.

Head

Large, with a domed convex skull. The cheekbones are powerful, the cheeks are thick, round. The stop is clearly expressed. The nose is very short and wide, often upturned. Persian cats of the "Pekingese" type have a small and depressed nose. The muzzle is wide and round. The jaws are well developed, the chin is weak.

Eyes

Large, round, as if open. Located widely. The eye color should correspond to a certain color. For chinchillas, silver and golden individuals – a green shade, a blue iris is characteristic of color points. The combination of light blue eyes + white color is very highly appreciated. Copper and orange tones correspond to the standard for a Persian of any color. White Persian cats can have multicolored eyes (one is light blue, the other is orange).

Ears

The ears of Persian cats are relatively small and widely spaced. The tips are rounded, the auricle inside is well pubescent.

Neck

Thick with well-developed muscles, short.

Body

Quite large, muscular, massive. The chest is deep and wide, the back is wide and short. The width of the shoulders and the croup is almost the same. The backbone is strong.

Legs

Short, powerful, well-muscled. The backbone is straight.

Paws

Strong, rounded shape, wide. There is a long fur between the fingers.

Tail

The tail of the Persian cat is proportionally short, thick with a rounded tip. Very well omitted.

Wool

Persian wool is long, up to 10 cm on the body and up to 20 cm on the "collar", soft and delicate to the touch. The undercoat is thick.

Color

The breed standard allows for any color option. The classic types of color include solid (without stripes and pattern); tortoiseshell (in cats); "smoke" when the extreme part of the hair is white (the ideal proportion is 1/3 – white, 2/3 – colored); two-tone, silver, golden, chinchilla, color point, seal point, layak-point, blue point, tabby (marbled, brindle or spotted).

Disadvantages of the breed

Elongated narrow head, sharp and close-set large ears, long nose. Small slanted eyes. Long body, legs and tail. Oval shape of paws and long fingers.

Disqualifying signs in Persian cats are a knobby tail, poorly developed and having pronounced jaw defects, "medallions" on the chest.

Persian cat photo

Character of the Persian cat

The Persian cat has a surprisingly calm, friendly and balanced character. The psychological peculiarity of the Persians is that they are very afraid of upsetting the owner: after all, these are purely domestic cats, very attached to a person and set up to give him joy and pleasure. Even if you accidentally offended a Persian cat, it will not "sulk" for a long time and will gladly accept all your apologies.

There is one caveat: the Persians are initially afraid to sit in a person's arms. Therefore, in no case do you need to hold them if they break out. The cat must get used to the person.

Representatives of this breed are inactive, even to some extent lazy. Persian cats hardly even meow; to attract attention, they just sit down next to each other and stare intently into the eyes of the object. They like to lie in one place for a long time, so the questions "where is the cat now and what is she doing" will not bother you. But if you offer your pet to play with a ball or chase an artificial mouse, he will never refuse.

The Persian, unlike other breeds, cannot be called a cat that walks by itself. They are big stay-at-home people who love their owner and appreciate comfort. They are not interested in walking outside, but lying on the windowsill and watching the outside world is a favorite activity, so if you live on high floors, consider precautions so that your pet does not reflexively jump after a bird flying by.

It is not difficult for a Persian cat to establish contact with dogs; pet parrots and canaries in the company of a Persian are completely safe – even outside the cage. The heart of the Persians is open to everyone. True, they are suspicious of strangers, but only at first, after a closer acquaintance, they will be as friendly as with the rest.

Mom cats are very caring and take great care of their kittens, while they are absolutely not jealous of them and do not show any aggression to others.

The Persian cat by its nature is ideal for both a single person and a large family, where there are not only small children, but also pets of other species.

Education

Persian cats are very intelligent and vulnerable creatures. When raising a kitten, do not show impatience or aggression in any case. Loud shouting and noise when communicating with a baby are also unacceptable. Methods of physical influence have a particularly painful effect on the psyche of a pet. It must be remembered that it is impossible to carry a Persian cat by lifting it by the withers. Paws must necessarily have a support.

One of the main requirements that a young Persian needs to learn is to fulfill your ban on certain actions (aggressive behavior towards a person, damage to property). You can use the usual dog commands "Fu!" or "No!", which, for greater persuasiveness, it makes sense to accompany with a loud clap of hands. The execution of the command should be immediately encouraged, and disobedience should be immediately followed by punishment. You can't beat a cat, it's enough to throw a newspaper at it or spray it with water.

Talk to your pet more often. And do it expressively, and the baby will soon learn to distinguish by your voice whether you are happy with it or not.

Don't forget to play with the kitten. Persian cats do not like loneliness very much and easily get depressed.

When building your relationship with a new friend, remember that the best results can be achieved only with the help of love and patience.

Care and Maintenance

The Persian cat is an elite breed. The maintenance of such an animal will require a lot of attention from the owner and considerable financial costs. You are unlikely to find any other cat that would depend on a person as much as a Persian. In order for the pet to always be beautiful and healthy, you will have to provide him with proper care, balanced feeding and proper support from an experienced veterinarian.

As for the living space, everything is more or less clear here. Persian cats are very calm and pliable, they like to spend a lot of time either in the hands of the owner, or in a cozy, comfortable place assigned to them. They will easily get used to both the conditions of a city apartment and a large country house. The main thing is that family members do not forget about the animal.

Owners of private houses should not worry about the fact that the cat, going out for a walk, is not lost. Persian cats are exceptional stay–at-home people, and outdoor walks are not among their favorite activities.

There are no hunters from these cats. Due to their phlegmatic nature, they get along well with other pets, not excluding birds and rodents.

The Persian cat appreciates comfort and coziness very much. If possible, purchase a special sleeping place for your pet – a house or a couch. Your concern will definitely be appreciated. An upholstered chair or sofa will be an acceptable alternative for the animal. In this case, you should be careful and attentive, especially with a kitten. Inadvertently, you can injure your baby if he sleeps in your bed or likes to lie in an armchair, sitting in which you are used to reading newspapers or watching TV.

Persian cats are very impressionable creatures. Never force a pet out of its home outside. If the cat is resting, do not touch it. Wait until your beauty wants to go outside herself, in extreme cases, lure her with her favorite treat or interest her in a toy.

If the cat's house is not equipped with a scratching post, take care to purchase it additionally. Ask the breeder what type of accessory the kitten is familiar with, and buy a similar product. To teach a little Persian to sharpen his claws in one place, use catnip. Noticing the animal's desire to get a manicure, immediately take it to a certain place. Persian cats are very intelligent creatures and will quickly figure out what you want to achieve from them.

Like any cat, a representative of the breed is very clean and will definitely try to bury the products of his vital activity. Persians can dig in the tray for a very long time before going to the toilet. In order not to be annoyed by the filler scattered on the sides, purchase a large tray with a high (at least 10 cm side). Prefer granulated wood filler with a high absorption capacity. Immediately buy a tray designed for an adult animal. It will be convenient for the kitten to do his business in it, and when he grows up, he will not have to spend money on a new one. The toilet can be placed on a larger rubberized mat. This will make it much easier for you to clean up after your pet.

An important accessory is a special carrying bag. You will need it both for a visit to the veterinarian, and for a trip to the exhibition, and when moving from a city apartment to a dacha. The accessory should fit the pet in size so that the animal feels comfortable enough inside.

Thanks to its thick long coat, the Persian cat tolerates the cold well, but it is still worth taking some preventive measures to avoid colds. Do not place a cat house or a cot near the entrance doors, windows and other places where drafts are possible. And if your pet prefers to spend time lying on the windowsill, lay a soft warm cloth for him.

In matters of nutrition, almost all breeders, without exception, recommend choosing ready-made feeds of the highest quality category. Precisely calculated and well-balanced daily allowances will provide your cat with everything necessary even without adding natural products to the diet. Mixed or natural feeding is more troublesome, since there is sometimes not enough time to prepare food for a cat separately, and the human menu does not suit her by definition. Seasonings, sugar, salt in excess quantities can cause serious harm to the cat's body. Be sure to introduce in the right proportions (1 tablet with calcium + 3 tablets with algae extract or vice versa – depends on the color) into the cat's diet special vitamin supplements with a complex of seaweed (for any type of feeding). The availability of free access to clean water is not even discussed.

Persian cats are prone to overeating, so you need to control their nutrition and in no case feed them from your table and from your hands.

The special pride of the Persian cat is its fur. Taking care of her is an art. You will need various tools – a rare comb with rounded teeth, a brush made of natural bristles, ordinary scissors for cutting hair. During the period of seasonal molting, a special spray for forcing wool can be useful.

The structure of the fur coat of animals is such that without systematic care, tangles are formed very quickly, which can only be eliminated in a radical way. In order to avoid such troubles, some owners comb the animal daily and rarely bathe, others – on the contrary – often use water procedures followed by laying the wool. You can choose your path only experimentally. The main thing is systematic and constant adherence to the chosen procedure.

For the purpose of prevention, it is recommended to sprinkle the fur with a special grooming powder purchased at a pet store. Baby powders are not suitable: they contain starch, which harms the cat's body, and the cat will definitely swallow it, licking itself.

Do not use a pukhoderka when caring for the fur of a Persian cat – the hairs of the undercoat of this breed are very slowly restored. Do not comb your pet's tail unless absolutely necessary.

The care of the Persian cat's ears and teeth is standard, but the animal's eyes require a little more attention. They need to be cleaned daily, but not with cotton wool, but with a clean soft cloth moistened with special drops or distilled water. It is forbidden to use any wet wipes!

The animal should be bathed in warm water (depth no more than 10-12 cm) with the use of special shampoos, avoiding getting the head wet. As a precaution, drip the eyes of the Persian cat with special drops, and put cotton swabs in the ears.

Considering the natural laziness of Persian cats, it is necessary to play with them to keep fit: with kids – 3-4, with adults — 1-2 times a day.

Health and diseases of the Persian cat

The Persian cat is in good health, but there are a number of diseases, the predisposition to which the Persians are quite high.

Almost fifty percent of Persian cats are at risk of a very dangerous disease – polycystic kidney disease. The first symptoms of the appearance of the disease can be considered loss of appetite, depressed state of the beast, frequent urination. The appearance of these signs requires immediate contact with a veterinarian. In the absence of the necessary treatment, by the age of 7-9, the cat is likely to develop kidney failure, which can lead to the death of the animal.

A dangerous genetic disease is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is symptomatically expressed in palpitations, periodic fainting. The complexity of the diagnosis lies in the fact that in 40% of cases this symptom does not manifest itself in any way before the onset of a sudden fatal outcome. Statistics show that cats suffer from this disease more often than cats.

Retinal atrophy can cause your pet a lot of trouble, which usually begins at an early age and progresses rapidly – a kitten can go completely blind by four months.

Teeth are another weak point of the Persian cat. A change in the color of the enamel, an unpleasant smell from the mouth should be the reason for a visit to the clinic. The result of your inattention may be the development of gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and tooth loss.

As with all long-haired cats, skin diseases can occur in Persians with improper hygienic care. Do not forget to bathe your pet in a timely manner and comb the long hair daily with special soft brushes.

The special structure of the animal's muzzle caused increased tearfulness. The glandular ducts of the Persian cat are almost completely blocked, which causes the lacrimal fluid to flow out. Your fluffy "chronic crybaby" requires daily hygienic eye and muzzle care.

Almost all Persian cats snore or snore during sleep. The reason for this is a shortened nasal septum. It is almost impossible to fix the defect. It remains only to treat it as a cute flaw. Moreover, this does not affect the general condition of the beast in any way.

This breed does not really like to wash, but they need to be bathed more often.

Often licking themselves, neat Persians swallow part of the wool, and it accumulates in the stomach. To avoid health problems, you should give the cat special pills or paste that will help to get rid of wool lumps painlessly.

Practice shows that with proper care, timely vaccination, professionally provided veterinary care, if necessary, it is possible to significantly reduce the risks of various diseases or ease their course.

With good owners, the Persian cat is quite capable of living happily for about 15-17 years, and some live up to 20 years.

How to choose a kitten

So, you have answered positively to yourself the questions: do you want to get a cat, will it be a Persian one and will you have enough time to provide your pet with decent care.

It's time to choose and purchase a kitten. It is best to solve the issue of buying a thoroughbred Persian through specialized clubs. Experts will help with the choice, and you are guaranteed to buy a healthy high-born baby.

If there is no such club in your city, we recommend that you follow the following tips:

• take the animal only from the mother cat. So you can evaluate the appearance of the parent, see if she is healthy, in what conditions she is kept with her kittens. You can ask the owners if the kids are accustomed to the tray, what kind of diet they are used to. Serious breeders must provide you with registration documents (metric or pedigree) both parents and kittens;
• it is possible to take a crumb only after it reaches two months. At this age, he already knows how to eat on his own and will more easily tolerate separation from his mother. If you plan to use your Persian cat in the future for breeding and participating in exhibitions, wait until the kitten is three or four months old. At this age, it is already possible to more specifically assess its compliance with the breed standard;
• examine your chosen one. The eyes and ears should be clean, the tummy should be soft. The fur around the anus is clean and dry. There should be no traces of combing and bald spots on the baby's body. Also make sure that there is no unpleasant smell from the mouth;
• it is better to buy kittens of breed or show classes together with an expert. He will professionally assess the condition of the animal for compliance with the standard, the absence of signs of genetic diseases. You can not do without the help of a specialist when choosing a Persian kitten of complex color;

of course, all kittens offered to you must be vaccinated and have documentary evidence of this.

Photos of Persian kittens

How much does a Persian cat cost

If we compare the prices for Persian kittens of classic and extreme types, they are quite comparable.

In the case when you just want to have a Persian at home "for the soul", then a kitten without a pedigree from unregistered parents will cost about $20. A pet-class kitten bought from a breeder will ease your wallet already in the amount of about $70. The price for breed animals that have the appropriate documents and are suitable for breeding work will start from $150, and representatives of the show class from champion producers can cost in the range of $250-$300.

In each case, the cost of a kitten will be determined individually. The final amount is influenced by many factors, namely:

• rating of the nursery;
• the level of exhibition achievements of parents;
• compliance of the kitten with breed standards.

The price will also include a certain amount to repay the costs associated with breeding and raising a kitten (vaccinations, veterinarian services, club fees).

Among the subjective factors affecting the price of an animal, it is possible to distinguish the color and quality of wool. Kittens of rare colors are more appreciated, and if we talk about classics, then a white Persian cat will cost more.

The sex of the animal also affects the final price. Girls are in great demand.

It is better to buy Persian kittens from breeders or in specialized nurseries. A trip to the bird market is unlikely to bring you the expected results in terms of pedigree and purebred Persian acquired.