The Persian Cat
History
Unknown to many, among the rare spices and jewels which were transported by basket laden camels from Persia a long time ago, secreted amongst those treasures, was a far more precious cargo – the long haired cat now called the Persian, after the country of their origin.
These cats were relatively unknown in Europe until approximately in 1520 but there have been hieroglyphic references to them from as early as 1684BC. In the 17th century, an Italian traveler, Pietro della Valle, brought an example of a Persian cat from Persia to Italy, where because the breed was considered extraordinary and precious, its was jealously guarded and cared for.
A century later, another explorer, a Frenchman known as Nicholas de Pereisc brought new specimens from Turkey. In the 1st half of the 19th century, some of the Persians raised in Italy were secretly brought to France and England where they were crossed with Persians from Turkish descent, thus marking the birth of the modern Persian.
In 1871, a breeding program was organized by English breeders, where in its initial stages, it involved crosses with Angora cats, which improved the quality of the coat. At the same time, systematic work began on expanding the range of possible colors and coat patterns. The Persians, with their long flowing coats and open pansy like faces have is present time become the world’s favorite pedigree cat.
Persian Qualities
As we already know, there are many different cat breeds out there and they each come with different personalities. It is important to observe and be similar with this fact, as the personality of the cat must always complement that of the owner. The Persian is an intelligent animal- analytical and prudent. Although the Persian often appears naughty, aloof and indifferent as if nothing were worthy of its attention, there is very little truth in this.
They tend to be serene and laid-back, and are also commonly described as being quiet, dignified, and not too vocal. In its motionless silence, the cat carefully studies its surroundings and through its continuous inspection, it slowly familiarizes itself with its environment. Only once it understands its surroundings does it begin to display the other half of its personality – graciousness, sweetness and controlled cheerfulness. In its affection, the Persian is loyal, pure and tenacious without ever losing its aristocratic aplomb – a companion that would be ever truthful over the years.
The Persians’ sweet and gentle, personalities blend into most households once they feel secure in their new environment, Creatures of habit, they are most at home in an atmosphere of security and serenity but with love and reassurance, they can still easily adapt to the most boisterous of households. Persians are tremendously responsive and become a constant source of joy and delight to their owners.
Persians have quiet, melodious voices, which are pleasant and non-abrasive although they communicate delightfully with their large expressive eyes and make charming pets for all ages. Pleasurable as an unexpected sunbeam, their companionship is close and enduring.
Appearance
Persians without a doubt are beautiful cats, but their coats require good bit of maintenance. It is said that no breed has a coat comparable to the Persian. This is a question of taste of course, but no one can fail to recognize that the qualitative characteristics of the Persian cat are quite unequalled today.
The coat can reach lengths of between 6 to 8 inches. The Persian had 3 layers of a thick, rich coat, which are fully developed and equally long. The hairs are strong and regular in structure. Also prominent is the abundant ruff (also called the collar or frill) and the bushy tail. The full tail is carried without a curve and at an angle lower then the back.
They have short heavily boned legs to support their broad, short bodies. They like to have their feet firmly planted and are not given to high jumping and climbing. Playful but never demanding, they love to pose and will drape themselves in a favorite window or chair, enhancing the décor in much the same way as a treasured painting.
The long flowing coat of a Persian requires an indoor, protected environment. Proper maintenance requires a daily run-through with a metal comb to eliminate the potential drawbacks of tangles and hairballs. The dangers of flea infestation increases exponentially if the Persian were to keep romping around in the garden and the care of the coat would become a complex enterprise. An occasional bath, will also keep the coat clean, healthy and beautiful. It is wise to establish the routine of the bath when they are young.
Color divisions
While the white Persian seems to be more common, Persians come in an astonishing number of colors, which are divided into 7 color divisions for purposes of competition. These divisions are established on the basis of the color pattern.
The Solid Division
The Whites come in 3 different eye colors. Some have brilliant copper or deep blue eyes, others have he surprising combination of one blue and one copper eye of equal intensity. The other solid colors like black, red, cream and blue have brilliant copper eyes. Blues, once the apex of the breed, have been interbred with the other colors to produce a more uniform type. Their male silver blue coats are more beautiful when viewed in natural lighting.
The Silver and Gold Division
This division consists of the chinchilla (a sparkling white cat with black tipping scattered like stardust ever so lightly on the face, legs, tail and body) and the shaded silver and gold. The exquisite silvers are considered the most ethereal of all Persians whereas the golden have a rich, warm cream color tipped with black. Both the silvers and golden have a green or blue green eyes rimmed with black, black paw pads and brick red nose leather.
The Shaded and Smoke Division
First given a breed class at a British cat show in 1893, today’s Smoke Persian is known as “the cat of contrasts” and though it is rare, this Persian breed is an excellent longhair type. There are six separate colors – blue, black, cream, cameo (red), smoke tortoiseshell and blue-cream smoke – which have the characteristic white ruff and ear tufts. In response the smoke appears to be a solid color but in motion, the coat will break open, giving glimpses of a starting white undercoat.
The Tabby Division
The Classic Tabby division sometimes referred to as the “marbled” or “blotched” displays precise dense markings, which are clear, defined and broad. In Britain, the Tabby Persian is shown in 3 color varieties – silver, brown and red whereas the American Show rings exhibit a wider range of colors. The tabbies are the extroverts of the Persian breed. Often referred to as the fun cat, tabbies can be outgoing and demonstrative. Their facial markings give them a zesty appeal. Recognized colors are silver, blue-silver, red, brown, blue, cream, cameo and cream-cameo.
The Particolor Division
This division consists of tortoiseshell, blue-cream, chocolate tortoiseshell and lilac-cream. The tortoiseshell is a black cat dispersed with great patches of red. The blue-cream, a delightfully study in pastel is a solid blue cat patched with cream.
The Bicolor Division
The bicolor Persian may be of any solid color with white, black and white, blue and white, red and white and also cream and white, the patches of color should be clear and evenly distributed with not more than 2/3 of the coat being colored and more than one half of the coat being white. The face must also be patched with color and with white.
Ideal Weight
Persians ideally weigh between 7-12lbs, but a vet can help you determine what your cat should weigh based on his or her bone size. Because of their long and thick hair, Persians tend to be heavier than other breeds.
Life Span
According to vets, cats usually live 10-18 years. Typically the life span of a well-maintained Persian is 15 years and up. But there have been rare cases that Persians have been lived past 20.
Average Litter Size
A Persian litter size can be anywhere from 1 – 14 kittens. However, the average size is 3-5 kittens.
Grooming
Persian hair care definitely can be troublesome. An owner should brush his Persian ideally once a day with a metal comb and bath them occasionally. A neglected coat results in knots. If the knots are in the beginning stages, you should be able to work them out with a metal comb and some detangling solutions.
If your cat’s knots are really severe, they will probably need to be cut or even shaved off. This might however leaving unattractive bald spots depending on the location of the knots. Either make an appointment with a local groomer to have the knots shaved, or you can attempt to cut them out yourself of they are not close to the skin.
Bath your Persian regularly – once or twice a month. Fill a basin or tub with lukewarm water. Using cat shampoo, work up lather all over the fur. Be careful around the eyes and ears. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry. Be sure to run a comb through the coat to prevent matting. Let the cat dry in a warm environment – some people even blow-dry their cats.
Climatic Problems
In a warm climate like Malaysia’s, prolonged exposure to the sun can damage the quality and color of the coat. The effects of this are disastrous for solids and more noticeable in varieties with more colors. The Persian’s thick coat makes it intolerant of overly hot environments but at the same time, this same thick coat is not enough to protect the cat from catching a chill caused by sudden changes in temperature.
Health Issue
When it comes to Persians, there are plenty of health risks to be aware of. The females are subject to uterine infections that if left untreated can lead minimally to infertility and in worse cases to death. Also, twisted uterus is a condition that can happen acutely towards the end of pregnancy. If not detected immediately, it is fatal to the queen and the kittens. Also take note that Persians often have a high rate for C-sections.
Unfortunately, Persians can also have jaw and teeth problems. Some would say that such problems are mainly a result of Persian breeders striving to shorten the nose and retain the strong, deep jaw. Crooked teeth might play havoc with a Persian’s mouth. However, straight adult teeth may later replace sometimes-crooked baby teeth.
Another potential problem in Persians is a protruding lower jaw. In other words, the bottom teeth are set further out than the top teeth. Yet another issue could be a twisted bottom jaw (the bottom jaw is not even against the top jaw). Such twisting can cause teeth to either protrude past the lips or poke into the gums or roof of the mouth.
Eye Drainage
“Eye gunk” is just another problem that Persians typically encounter. Due to the shape of the face and head, Persians often develop sinus problems such as eye drainage; this is actually more of an annoyance to the cat than anything. If the cat cannot clean off all of the substance, it falls upon the owner to do so. Just wipe a warm washcloth without soap around the cat’s eyes once in the morning and once at night.
Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
Polycystic Kidney Disease is a genetic problem that is carried in lines of Persian. It can be passed on to the kittens even if only 1 parent carries the gene. PKD is known to kill at 2-6 years of age by filling the kidneys with cysts, thus destroying the healthy kidney function.
Breed Standard
General
The ideal Persian should present an impression of a heavily boned, well-balanced cat with a sweet expression and soft, round lines. The large round eyes set wide apart in a large round head contribute to the overall look and expression. The long thick coat softens the lines of the cat and accentuates the roundness in appearance.
Head
Its head should be round and massive, with a broad skull. A round face with round underlying bone structure is an outstanding feature. The head should be well set on a short, thick neck. Deformity of the skull resulting in an asymmetrical face or head will be disqualified. A Persian should also have full cheeks with powerful jaws.
Nose
The Persian’s nose should ideally be short. It is a broad snub with a “break” centered between the eyes.
Chin
Reflecting a proper bite, the chin should be full, well developed and firmly rounded.
Ears
Set far apart, and low on the head, the ears should fit into the rounded contour of the head without any distortion. The ears are small; round tipped, tilted forward and should be unduly open at the base.
Eyes
Set level and far apart the Persians’ eyes are well known for giving a sweet expression to the breed’s face. The eyes should be brilliant in color, large, round and full. Crossed eyes will be disqualified.
Body
Large or medium sized Persians are acceptable. Quality is the determining consideration rather than size. The Persian has a Cobby type body, low on the legs, broad and deep through the chest and equally massive across the shoulders and rump, with a well-rounded mid-section and level back. The body should have good muscle tone with no evidence of obesity.
Legs
Only Persians with short, thick and strong legs will be considered. The forelegs should be straight while the hind legs are straight when viewed from behind. Any apparent weakness in the hindquarters will be disqualified.
Paws
Large, round and firm paws are a must. Toes are carried close, 5 in front and 4 behind.
Tail
Carried without curve and at an angle lower than the back, the tail should be short but in proportion to the body length. Kinked or abnormal tails will be disqualified.
Coat
The most important part of a Persian cat, the coat should always be maintained long ad thick, standing off from the body. It has to have fine texture, glossy and full of life. The coat must remain long all over the body, including the shoulders while the immense ruff should continue in a deep frill between the front legs.
