Persian cat: Breed Personality, Behavior Facts and Characteristics, Health Care Info

The Persian cat is an aristocratic, elegant, quiet cat. A large breed of long hair, has wide variation of colors, although blue is the most recognized. It is a cat of competitions between races and is very recognized worldwide.

Images of Persian cats

In the next gallery you will appreciate different photos of Persian cats

What is a Persian cat?

The Persian cat is a breed of cat distinguished by having a broad and flat face and abundant fur of various colors, very elegant, aristocratic and sociable. It is easily confused with the exotic cat, from which it differs mainly by the length of its coat

Different types of Persian cats

The three most popular types of Persian cats are Chinchilla, Himalayo and Blue

Where do Persian cats come from?

Persian cats appeared for the first time in what is now Iran, ancient Persia. Although we do not have an exact data of when long-haired cats appeared, it is estimated that it was around the year 1620. The Italian Pietro Della Valle, brought several cats with long fur to Italy

Years later, Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, naturalist and scholar, brought long-haired cats from Ankara Turkey, formerly known as Angora to France. However, it has not been determined that they were of the same race.

An orange tabby persian cat

Theories of its origin

The long fur of the animals corresponds to species that live in a cold climate. So why does a cat that has long fur live in countries that have a climate as warm as Iran? There are three theories about it:

  • One of the theories indicates that long-haired cats were originally from Siberia and were introduced to Asia and later to Western Europe.
  • The second theory mentions that long hair was the result of the mutation that occurred in shorthaired cats. The gene was maintained by the selection for the crossing of the cats
  • The third theory says that the features of round face, broad ears, robust body: They are related to the Pallas cat, a wild feline that lives in Central Asia that has many of these characteristics.

All the theories are different, however, all indicate that the places of origin are Asia. But the selection and breeding process did not begin there, if not in England, which is the second home of the Persian cat. Curiously, the Persian cat was differentiated from long-haired cats, with only the Blue Cats being called the Persian Cat. Each variation in the color of the cats corresponds to a different race.

Since they started their breeding until now, they have around 150 variations. Many of the breeders of the United States, have been dedicated to select pups with more rounded head, wider face, robust and flatter snout. Although veterinarians believe that these characteristics can cause breathing problems.

What are the most common characteristics of the Persian cat?

The Persian cats and their characteristics, have wide face, flat nose, protruding cheeks and rounded ears, wags its tail very particularly by which it is recognized.

How much does a Persian cat weigh? Persian cats weigh between 3.5 to 7 kilograms. How much does a Persian cat measure and grow? It measures approximately 50 centimeters. It has short legs, which makes it look slow, Its fur is very thick and needs a lot of care. There are Persian cats of different types of colors that by the brightness in their fur were considered the princes of this species.

According to the CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) a Persian cat shows these characteristics:

Head

The head should be rounded, wide skull, smooth and smooth structure, too exaggerated. Round face, short and wide neck, in profile view, chin, nose and forehead would appear to be in vertical alignment.

Chin

The chin should be well developed, rounded and full.

Cheeks

The cheeks should be stuffed, with the nose well fitted between them.

eyes

The eyes are large, bright, round, widely separated and level

Ears

Their ears should be small, the rounded tip of base not very wide, inclined forward, very separated from each other and of low position

Size

The body is robust, well muscled, chest wide and deep, with short legs

Jaws

The jaws are large and wide.

Pins

The legs are short and wide, the front ones are straight

Tail

The tail is short and well proportioned

Claws

Claws large, firm and round, fingers together, five front and four back

Fur

Its coat is long and thick, it covers the whole body and even its tail, with a fine and shiny texture.

CFA disqualifications of the Persian cat

The CFA mentions that it will not be a Persian cat if it presents:

  • Some type of deformity
  • Small spots or spots
  • Squinting eyes
  • Weakness in the hindquarters
  • Not having the right amount of fingers

CFA rating of the Persian cat

  • Head – 30 points
  • Body – 20 points
  • Mantle – 10 points
  • Balance – 5 points
  • Refinement – 5 points
  • Coat color – 20 points
  • Eye color – 10 points

How is the behavior of a Persian cat?

Persian cats have behavior, personality or felinity, noble and sweet. They are of good character and are sociable with other cats and dogs. They like to be quiet, lying on the most comfortable sofa and observing from there around them is a common practice. They love playing in their own home and sunbathing. Little goes out to look for other cats or hunt, they have no instinct for it, so they turn out to be a good company for a department.

If they are consented, they will not hesitate to make you their favorite human, they love being observed. They are very good to receive compliments. They are very intelligent cats and they love games where their skills are tested, this is always when your caresses reward them.

How much does a Persian cat live?

A Persian cat has a life expectancy of around between 15 to 20 years, it will be your companion all that time. Always going to want to walk behind you and occasionally lie down next to you.

Can you know the sex of a Persian cat?

Yes, it is possible to determine the sex of a cat, for which we have two simple methods for this.

Determine sex through the physical characteristics of the cat

Approach the cat or kitten with care.

Examine the genital area. A male cat has an anus, a scrotum and a penis, while a cat will have only one anus and one opening of the urinary tract.

Determine sex through other differences

Observe its color. Cats of three colors or similar to the color of a turtle shell, are likely to be females. Orange or reddish cats, it is likely that they are males. Although it is not an exact way to know the sex of a feline.

Observe the behavior of cats. Male cats tend to be more aggressive and mark their territory with urine, females are calmer and are less likely to spray their territory with urine.

Observe the zeal of a female.

For more information, we invite you to review the sex determination of a cat

How can you get the confidence of a Persian cat?

Persian cats being very intelligent, they know well who cares for them, coming to love that person very much, asking for pampering and caresses. If they start to feel uncomfortable, they will let you know, when they feel harassed, they throw their ears back and even scratch and bite. It is very important that you let them be calm and be they who come to us. So treat this cat well and do not harass him.

How to care for a Persian cat?

The coat of a Persian cat is one of the parts that requires our greatest attention. How to comb a Persian cat? It is necessary to take care of it with an adequate daily brushing, to avoid annoying knots that can damage your skin.

You must accustom him to bathe him from a very young age, you can use dry shampoo that will give softness to his coat. It is very important that you make this moment something nice for your cat and not something traumatic. Do not pull on his fur, so he will gladly wait for you to brush it.

In addition to daily brushing it is advisable to take it to a pet hairdresser at least once every six months. Make sure your cat feels comfortable with where you are taking it.

The eyes of these cats tend to tear from the shape of their face. It is important that you clean them every day, in this way you will prevent their coat from getting dirty and it will be uncomfortable.

For the type of coat they have, as in their tail, you should use an anti flea on a frequent basis, to prevent fleas from making their home. Fleas generate allergies and are very annoying.

Cats are very curious, so do not leave toxic plants like lilies at your fingertips. Do not forget that there are foods that are very delicious for us, but they are not for cats, causing diarrhea and even tachycardia. Do not feed them with everything you eat

How to clean a Persian cat?

Hygiene is required to keep it always clean

Hygiene

Hair

Having long hair, it will be necessary to be brushed with a card that is a comb type, to remove dead hair. Brush it at least once a day in cold months, in warm months it is recommended between 2 to 4 times a day. This way we will avoid leaving hairs everywhere, in addition to keeping it fresh.

eyes

The eyes of Persian cats should be cleaned daily, as they tend to show lacrima and tearing. For this it is recommended to use feminine make-up cotton moistened with warm water. The eyes will be cleaned with extreme care and dried with another piece of dry cotton.

Ears

The auditory pavilions will be cleaned with special towels found in veterinaries or pet stores. It will have to be passed only by the external part, never inside.

We will clean them once a day with special wipes that you will find in the veterinary clinics or in the pet shops. It will have to be passed only through the auditory pavilion, that is, through the outer part of the ear; never inside.

Can you bathe a Persian cat?

Of course, however, the ideal is to get used to the cat from a young age, so it will be easier to get used to taking baths.

How to prepare a Persian cat to take a bath?

So that bathing a cat is nice for him, there are some tips to follow, such as placing a tray of medium height with warm water. We will encourage the cat to approach with a bit of food that he likes, in addition to giving him pampering and his food when he approaches the tray. When the cat gets used to the water tray, we can do this for about 7 days without even getting it wet.

Already on the 8 day we can pour a little water on it, it is likely to be strange or frightened. If he stays in the same place, let him get used to it and when he has achieved it, reward him with caresses and his favorite food.

The 9 day we can put the cat in the bathtub, let’s see his reaction to see if he is comfortable in the water.

How to bathe it?

Before bathing the cat, let’s get ready what we need: the shampoo, the conditioner for cats, the towel, the dryer and then fill the bathtub with warm water with 2 to 4 centimeters high

We wet the cat well, except for its face, holding firmly by its back, soft and without hurting it.

We apply the shampoo all over your body and massaging it until the foam forms.

Rinse removing the remains.

Apply the conditioner, like the shampoo to let it act a few minutes.

Rinse again and place the cat on a towel to dry it.

To dry it we will use a hair dryer, it can be done by yourself or someone else holds the cat, while another is responsible for drying the hair. We must be careful with the temperature of the dryer so that we do not damage the hair of the cat, nor the cat itself.

After drying it, we must comb the cat, starting with its neck, going through the nape and its body, and thus reaching the back

How to clean your cat’s waste box?

It is very important to have good habits to provide good care of cats. Proper care includes keeping litter boxes to keep your cat happy and your house clean.

Clean the dirty areas of the sandbox every day

Use different types of sanitary sands, find out from the previous owner what type of sanitary sand was used and offer the cat the same sand. Some cats are very special when it comes to using their sand. Many things should not be changed for the new member of the household. Let the kitten adapt and get used to the location of the box in the house.

You or your cat may look like a certain type of sanitary arena

Sanitary sand safe for kittens, made with large and thick ingredients.

Types of sanitary sand

Sanitary sand for cats, absorbent or binder. They are good for reducing odor, facilitates cleaning and requires a less hard change than other types, plus most cats prefer it

The non-agglomerating sanitary sand It is less expensive, good for eliminating odors. It is easily soaked with urine, so full changes of the sand may be necessary

As well sanitary sand based on crystals or silicon gel. It is totally absorbent, absorbs all moisture, urine and bad smell. When the crystals have completely absorbed, they must be changed in their entirety

Sanitary soil based on plants or biodegradable. It is a great option for cats with respiratory problems, because it does not generate as much dust or traces as in other sands, composed of granules of pine, wheat or corn.

Cleaning the sandbox

Collect all the masses, using a metal catcher or resistant plastic, remove all the masses of urine and feces.

Keeping the litter box clean and free of debris will prevent bad odors, which will encourage your cat to use it.

If you have several cats, clean once a day.

Make sure you eliminate all waste.

Clean the collector to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Put waste in bags to ensure hygiene and then throw it away.

If you use sand that can be discarded in the toilet, then throw it there.

Always wash your hands after cleaning, or you can also use plastic gloves.

Keep the amount of sanitary sand level, after cleaning make sure you fill the box with sanitary sand. The recommended height is 5 centimeters, since most cats prefer it. For long-haired cats, they prefer a shallower depth.

Change the sanitary arena completely.

Remove all the used sand and place a new one, changing it according to the number of cats you have. Change the sand at least twice a week. For non-agglomerating sand and up to twice every three weeks for binder sand. If you notice an unpleasant smell, change it sooner.

You should always wash the sanitary box after changing it. Use a little detergent and warm water. You can also use liners to perform better cleaning, however. Some cats do not like the lining, so they tend to destroy it or not use the box

You must maintain a pleasant environment around the box. You can buy a covered sandbox, you can also use a carpet for the box, which will help you retain all the sand that the cats could throw to the ground. You can buy it in a pet store or use pieces of towels or rags in disuse.

Where should the waste box be located?

Keep the sandbox in a quiet place, private and away from busy places in your house, as cats. Just as we require tranquility and privacy at the time of evacuation, try not to interrupt your cat when you use it, as you can stop using it.

What do Persian cats eat?

You can give your Persian cat three types of cat food: dry, moist and natural.

Persian cat tabby eating

Dry food for cats

It is the type of food that is sold the most, because it is more practical when it comes to feeding them. There are many brands and different varieties that appear every day, this will then depend on the money we can spend on them. It is advisable to buy a dry cat food containing at least one 70% meat and the rest of the vegetables. This will help cats stay healthy, with soft, shiny fur, healthy and strong teeth.

Wet food for cats.

The wet food is the one that has a minimum humidity of 80%, it is very comfortable, because you just have to open and serve. The drawback is that you can not leave served all day because it would attract flies and other insects, and that they are a bit more expensive. Normally they are to reward our cats, it is recommended to buy those that have a high content of meat, so that our cat is healthy throughout its life

Natural food

This type of food is the most recommended for all animals, including our beloved Persian cats. Offer meat from chicken thighs and other meats, always boneless, liver, heart, fish (without bones) and vegetables such as parsley and thyme. Before offering food, place it in a pot until the water starts to boil to clean them thoroughly. Natural food may be more expensive because of the time we spend preparing food, but you will save on veterinary expenses. Natural food is much healthier than giving them natural food.

A blue Persian cat eating

How to educate a Persian cat?

Many people are convinced that a cat can not be trained, and even many of its owners think so. So what steps do you have to follow to train a Persian cat? If it is true that the cat is very intelligent and has a hard head, it is possible to train a cat.

Being very smart, with a couple of appropriate techniques and prizes, we can teach them some tricks.

Training my Persian cat

How to give orders to your Persian cat?

Orders like “come here” can be very useful because we know that cats like to hide. To accustom him to pay attention to the call of his name and to approach us, we have to repeat his name many times when we are giving him pampering and caresses, giving them food and even scolding them. At first you may ignore and resist, because we start making noise with the food package you like to attract it while we pronounce your name and reward it when you do.

We know that cats like our plants, whether to play or purge, which is not funny to us and could even be toxic to them. An order such as Do not touch the plants, a No in an energetic way, when trying to go to the plants and if it was not enough. You can sprinkle it with a little water and little by little you will understand that you should not go near your plants.

What to do with the nightly meows of your Persian cat?

The nocturnal meows are a very frequent problem that all of us who have a cat deal with. If we want to sleep without this problem, we will have to feed it in stages or acquire an automatic food dispenser. I may also howl just because of boredom. What we will have to do is play with the cat before going to sleep and leave toys for him to play without noise at night. Little by little, she will get used to this routine and the kitten will be able to sleep at the same time we do.

How to avoid the scratches of the Persian cat?

Scratches on our furniture are a very recurring problem too, a good method is to buy an accessory with which you can use your claws and encourage him to use it. We must be vigilant for when we try to scratch our furniture, we can spray it as we did for the plants.

Does not your Persian cat use his litter box?

In some rare cases you may have your cat urinating out of its sandbox. This can be for several reasons, among the main ones:

Stress of the cat, for new environments

Changes in the location of your sandbox

That you have changed the type of sand

Have your litter box close to your bed and / or your food tray

The litter box is dirty

Sandbox in a high traffic place

If these situations happened you should correct them as soon as possible, changing the location of your sandbox. If there is competition with another cat or other pet such as a dog, show more love, company and affection, or if you are simply marking your territory. Use a hormone disperser, or otherwise sterilize it.

What disease can Persian cats have?

Persian expenses have diseases of their own breed, their breeding and selection have been responsible for a number of problems that may affect them. We will see what are the symptoms in the Persian cat.

What are the problems associated with the shape of the Persian cat’s face?

For having flat face, with the nose pressed. Your tear glands continuously secrete, staining the skin under your eyes. It can cause skin ulcers. Lashes and hair can easily rub your eyes, and your small nose can make breathing difficult and cause problems.

Bad bite or malocclusion, is very recurrent in these cats

At the time of giving birth, the cats have many difficulties for childbirth, because of the shape of the head altered in their offspring.

What genetic problems does the Persian cat have?

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

This condition causes the left side of the heart to increase, causing an unexpected death of the animal in an 10% of Persian cats

Oily seborrhoea

Fatty and scaly skin is present

Oculocutaneous Albinism

Or Chediak-Higashi syndrome. It is caused by a recessive gene that causes the hair to be lighter than normal, which causes photophobia (fear of light) and tendency to bleed

Overflow of the tear duct

Cause the cat does not stop crying, because the tear duct overflowed.

Ankylosphene congenital

It is common in blue Persian cats, there is union in the two lower and upper eyelids by a membrane.

Urinary stones

They are very common in Persian cats, more so if they are obese, they should be removed with surgeries.

Hip dysplasia

It is a problem that presents itself to walk, caused because the joint leaves the socket.

Polycystic kidney disease

It is the appearance of multiple cysts in the kidneys, which cause an increase in them, affecting more than a third of Persian cats.

Ball joint dislocation

If this happens it can cause lameness.

Skin fold dermatitis of the face

Caused by the overflow of the tear duct, it is usual to have dermatitis.

What to do before the hair balls in the Persian cat?

Persian cats have long hair, so they should be brushed very often to avoid swallowing their hair. They cause many problems such as constipation, nausea and vomiting

How to keep a Persian cat healthy?

Above all, you must feed your Persian cat very well, maintaining its cleanliness and hygiene is a great step so that you can keep it healthy.

However, you must vaccinate to prevent some diseases

Persian attended in veterinary

Vaccines of the Persian cat

It is extremely important that you have the following vaccines administered to strengthen your immune system and deal with possible infections.

At three months: feline trivalent, which protects against viral rhinotracheitis, panleucopenia and calcivirus.

For the 4 months: feline leukemia vaccine, and a second dose of trivalent.

In the month 5: third and last dose of the trivalent vaccine.

Month 6: rabies vaccine.

Then each year you will have to vaccinate against rabies.

Before vaccination remember that your cat must be dewormed.

How to keep your Persian cat wormed?

Several ways of deworming a cat are known, such as: with pills, pipettes, sprays or natural remedies.

The pills: eliminate internal, intestinal or external parasites. If it is to fight worms, they should be administered every three months; if they are external like fleas and / or ticks, once a month.

Pipettes: effective against insects, apply it on the back of the neck, right in the center, once a month.

The sprays: you can apply them by spraying on the cat as many times a month as you want, being very careful not to affect the eyes, ears or mouth

The natural remedies: with water baths with lemon, give a spoonful of brewer’s yeast in your food, you will keep away the parasites of your kitten

How much does it cost to buy a Persian cat?

A Persian cat has a price that varies a lot, in a pet store. You can offer it from about 200 dollars, however, do not sell it with a pedigree or with a certificate that confirms the purity of the breed. Some individuals also offer it at those prices, but it is convenient to think about where you want to buy it from.

The breeders of Persian cats will ask you between 700 to 900 dollars. It is a little expensive, but this way you assure yourself that you will have a Persian cat, healthy and with pedigree papers and some tests that have been done and even know the parents.

Where to buy Persian cats?

Nowadays you can find advertisements selling Persian cats, on internet sites, a thousand ads, breeding sites and forums. But then where can I buy Persian cats? How can I be sure that it is reliable?

cute persian cat puppy

So where can I buy a Persian cat? If it is this medium where you are looking for, you must take into account the following recommendations:

The person who offers you a Persian cat, should send you all the possible information, both the cat and his contact information, a phone number, an email, postal address.

As well as the buyer, you have the right to request as many photos and videos as you want, if you notice some distrust on the part of the seller, look for another one.

If you are in too much of a hurry to sell the cat, remember that the kitten must stay with his mother at least 8 weeks, if it tells you that it is less time, distrust.

Pet Shop

A pet store, usually, have animals of various breeds and if they do not have it then they will order it for you, but unfortunately the animals they sell in those places, come from an intensive breeding, where the mothers are usually caged, they are destined to the reproduction, the kittens that arrive alive until the store tend to have many short and medium health problems, if you go to an animal shop, because it asks the exact place of the origin of the cat.

Persian cats: Professional hatcheries

In a cattery of Persian cats, it is very likely that you have one nearby, however, it is not necessary to visit several breeding sites for Persian cats, check that the hatcheries are clean, in good condition, feeders and drinking troughs clean and with water and food, trays hygienic without bad odors, that the cats are well cared and healthy, with desire to play and bright coat, of course the breeder will solve all your doubts.

When you decide to buy a cat, it will provide you with your pedigree certification, that is, you will be buying a Persian cat with pedigree. With the owner’s transfer sheet.

In a particular, what does not happen very often, whose cat has raised and decides to sell you a baby, is a good way to acquire a Persian cat, as long as it allows you to visit the house where you live with your cat, check your state, your coat, the conditions in which you live, especially do not buy a cat that is less than two months old.

If you see any warning of Persian cats or Persian cats being given for adoption, take advantage and adopt one.

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