Persian Cat

History

The Persian cat gets its name from the longhaired cats brought to Europe from the Iranian plateau (formerly Persia) by traders in the 17th century. However, other longhaired cats called Angoras were brought from Turkey, and it is likely that there was some interbreeding with these and domestic longhairs. How much similarity there is between the Persian cats as we know it today and those first cat breeds brought to Europe by travellers, is unknown.

It is well known that Persians were the favorite pampered feline pet of European royalty. They are now consistently the most popular breed of cat in the USA.

Appearance

Even non-cat lovers can usually recognize the long-haired Persian, probably the best known of cat breeds. Most people think of white cats with thick, luxurious long hair when they hear the word ‘Persian’ but the coat comes in many colors including blue, silver, smoke, black, red, tortoiseshell and tabby. Color-pointed Persians resulting from a Siamese cross in the ancestry are known as Himalayans in the USA and form a separate breed. Cat breeds with a tipped coat are Chinchillas. The bushy tail may be almost as wide as the body.

The Persian cat is heavily built with solid bones, a broad back and short legs. The long hair gives the effect of an even larger body, but most cats are surprisingly agile, provided they are not allowed to become overweight.

The head is wide with the ears set far apart. Eyes are large and round, and come in many colors depending on the coat color. The muzzle is foreshortened, giving the face a pansy-like or pug-like appearance. Cats with almost non-existent muzzles are prized by some people but inbreeding has led to health problems, especially in the respiratory system. Many breeders are now moving toward producing less extreme examples. Cats with a more pronounced muzzle are known as Doll-faced Persians or Traditional Persians.

Temperament And Care

The Persian is known as a placid cat, with a quiet, pleasant voice. Owners consider them to be very communicative. They make great lap cats and are happy to live indoors. They prefer a quiet, secure environment and it may take them some time to feel settled and safe in a new home. Once established they are very affectionate and make marvelous companions.

Persian cats must be given a thorough brushing every day and bathed regularly to maintain their coats. This is not just for appearance but to prevent hairballs and other problems. It gives owners a chance to spend quality time with their pets. Eyes must be checked regularly and may need cleaning. It can be a large commitment to own a Persian cat but they are also very easy to fall in love with!

I just found this video on MySpace, and it cracked me up. It illustrates a cat’s penchant for ignoring things so they’ll just go away. Just don’t look at it, right? When you turn your head back… Well, it’s gone, isn’t it? Check this out. You’ll howl.

Stoopid Kitt-ah

One thing many people don’t consider when getting a cat is the lifespan of the pet and the fact that they need to be responsible for the health and well-being of the cat for between 15 and 20 years.

There are additional factors that need to be taken into consideration and one of the most important factors is the expense of owning a cat.

Obviously you’re going to need to spend money on food and good nutrition but there can be additional expenses such as vaccinations and other veterinarian costs that need to be considered. And if you pick a kitten from one of the exotic cat breeds, you’ll have the added expense of grooming.

As with people, the personalities of cats are many and varied.

Ideally you will find the cat breed and that special cat whose personality is matched to your own.

There are many excellent books available at libraries and bookstores that will give you a good description of the type of personality to be expected from the various different breeds of cats.

Some cat breeds require a lot more attention than others and particularly those cats that tend to live inside more often than other breeds that are happy to run around outside and keep themselves occupied.

Cats with longer fur will tend to shed had a lot more fur about the house which will require more cleaning and they will also require more grooming which means you will have to spend more time looking after them.

Cats are a lot more independent than dogs and are more difficult to train, and this is something that you need to realize and accept.

If you like to travel a lot or you are away from the house a lot of the time, you will need to arrange some other person or service that can mind your cat and ensure that it gets fed regularly.

It is always worth considering where you’re living and if the environment is suitable for owning a cat.

And one thing that surprisingly many people don’t consider before getting a cat is whether any person in the family is allergic to cats as there are quite a large number of people who are allergic to cats.

Bombay cats became one of the captivating cat breeds in Louisville, Kentucky in the mid-20th century. Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery began the breed by crossing a black American Shorthair with a sable Burmese. Her selective breeding created a distinct and consistent breed that sports the deep black color of the American Shorthair, but with the long body type of the Burmese. Cat Fanciers Assn. made the Bombay one of the championship cat breeds in 1976.

Horner’s aim was to create a ‘baby panther’ cat breed to resemble a small version of the black leopard or black panther, a species found in India. The modern city of Mumbai was termed “Bombay,” until recently, and so the cat breed got its name.

The professional breeding associations still allow the gene pool to be enhanced by mixing pedigree black American Shorthairs with sable Burmese cats, but most Bombays these days are bred from within the breed.

Though sable kittens still crop up in certain litters, they aren’t considered to be acceptable as show cats. And because of the cross-breeding, some of the black kittens in the litter will not mature into show cats, for one reason or another. No matter. They are all great pets.

Cat breeds in the United Kingdom include the Bombay, but it is not the same as the American Bombay cat.

Bombay cats may appear to be smaller than average, but they are very agile and very strong. Because they are so muscular, they often weigh more than expected.

Unlike some black cats, the Bombay’s coat is black to the roots and lies tight to the body. The glossy sheen is often referred to as a patent leather glow. Because the Bombay is a short-haired cat, there isn’t much grooming required.

Bombays usually exhibit big golden or copper-colored eyes. The copper eyes are highly prized and are very striking when contrasted with the cat breed’s jet black coat. Eyes are round and set wide in a wide face. The muzzle is short and tapered. The Bombay’s ears are medium-sized and slightly rounded, and the nose and paw pads are as black as the cat’s coat.

People love Bombay cats for their intelligence and affectionate nature, and they can be trained to fetch or walk on a leash. They’re also full of antics. Their agility and alertness makes them very delightful.

Bombay cats love to be held and carried around, and have an affectionate disposition with comes from the blend of both cat breeds. The American Shorthair and the Burmese are loving and enjoy being with people. Even strangers don’t upset them. They don’t run away to hide when someone unfamiliar arrives, as many other cat breeds do. Bombays also like kids and even dogs.

When it comes to attractive cat breeds, the Bombay is just stunning. This jet black pedigree pet is a favorite of many.

I have been a cat lover for many years, and have raised and lost many. Some were overly loving and some aloof, but they all had my heart and always my interest. I find them not only intelligent, but each with a personality of its own with just as many quirks and requirements when compared to each of us humans.

In this blog, I’d like to write about cat breeds — some rare, some not so rare, but each with interesting histories, looks and behaviors that make them worth study.

If you’ll notice my avatar, you’ll see that I adore Russian Blue cats. Of all cat breeds, I’d say it’s my favorite. Though little is known about its history, the Russian Blue is thought to have arrived in England from the Archangel Isles of northern Russia in the late 19th century. Their distinctive slivery blue coat is dense and soft and just a pleasure to pet. It’s no wonder that Queen Victoria favored this cat breed.

I’ll be writing more about Russian Blues and many other cat breeds here over time. I hope that I can claim your cat-loving attention. No cat breed is unworthy, of course — not to a true cat lover. And I want to learn and write about as many here as I can. I hope I can invite you to learn with me.