Introducing...
The Luxurious Persian Cats...

Persian cats are so popular that every long haired cats is called Persian by common people (I mean, non-cat fanciers) in my country, where no long hair would occur naturally. Definitely, these cats are the most famous of them all amongst long haired breeds.

I still have that weird taste in my mouth, saying my Maine Coon is a Persian just to simplify things.

This is a long haired breed so popular it has given rise to other breeds. Said to originate in Turkey and Persia (now Iran), the long haired cats were different from the normal shorthaired ones and more valuable.

A wide range of colors on that beautiful long coat make the Persian cats a perennial favorite in the cat world. They gave birth to the Himalayan. The Persian is available in solid, silver and golden, shaded and smoke, tabby, parti-color, calico and bicolor offering truly something for every color preference. Because of their popularity each of these subsections is a division.

They have a short body with large eyes and a distinctly flat nose. Short legs with heavy bone carry a cat ideally 7-12 pounds. This is normally a laid back, gentle cat that likes people. Beautiful, luxurious, they are often obtained as a compliment to the interior design of their homes.

Although they are very placid, tease them with feathers and they will surprise you by their speed and agility. Given their very short face, they can catch and dispatch prey with surprising ease.

I love it when you put a them on the table and they will just stay there. This breed is very quiet that sometimes their owner overlooked them. But they are a very interested observer of whatever you are doing.

One of the setbacks is the vigorous grooming that you need to do daily. Their coat can easily mat and the face can get tear stained if you missed one too many grooming sessions.

Persian cats is definitely not a breed for the casual owner or breeder. If you have more than one you must be dedicated to grooming. It is simply not fair to allow them to get matted and dirty due to lack of care.

Breed History

It is said that the first documented ancestors were imported from Persia to Italy in 1620. Yes, this is a very old, original breed. But after the selective breeding the Persians nowadays does not look like their early ancestors.

The most dramatic change is the face. I never really understand why people are so besotted by the scrunched up face, but hey, I'm just not one of the thousands fans of Ewoks.

Their early ancestors were less compact, with short, not flat, faces. However, American breeders prefers the 'ultra-type' look. Some of them go to the extreme to achieve 'Peke-faced' look that is no longer desirable due to the narrowed nostrils and tear ducts.

Breed Standard

What I'm going to post here is a CFA general breed standard. It can vary among different governing bodies.

Persian cats standard of perfection awards 30 points to their distinctive head and 20 each to body type and color. Coat and eye color are 10 points each while 5 points each go to balance and refinement. This is a breed that should be balanced. Not too tall, too long, too anything! Large, round brilliantly colored eyes observe everything you do.

• Eyes are large, round, and widely spaced.

• Ears are small, round-tipped, and set low on head.

• Nose is short and broad with definite stop.

• Neck is short, thick, and sturdy.

• Body is large and cobby, with good muscling.

• Coat is long and thick, soft and not wooly.

• Tail has long bushy hair, is full and short, but not disproportionate to body.

• Paws are large and rounded, preferably tufted.

Another thorough rinsing follows and some recommend then a rinse with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in water applied to the coat, then rinse with clear water gain. Some then dilute a small amount of fabric softener in water to remove static and rinse some more.

If you read back over that last two paragraphs and notices how many times rinsing the coat is mentioned, and remember this is a cat, it starts to show the amount of work involved in preparing these cats for show!