Persian Cat

Domestic cats or house cats, known as “felis Catus” scientifically, have been allied with human beings for at least 9,500 years. These are the small carnivorous species of crepuscular mammals. Among the cats, Persian cats are the oldest breed. It is called Longhair or Persian Longhair. The Persian cat that does not have establishment and registration in pedigree is classified as domestic longhair cat.

Persian cats originated from Iran. They were brought first to Europe in the 16th century. However, the appearance of the Persian cat of the olden times differs greatly from the appearance of the Persian cat today. The size of the cat has changed drastically. The muzzle of the cat has become shorter in size. Since African wildcats, who are supposed to be the ancestors of all domestic cats do not have the kind of fur that Persian cats have, it can’t be said with any amount of certainty from where the Persian cats appeared for the first time. Some people claim that hybridization with Pallas cats is responsible for the kind of the fur it has. But, recent researches refute this theory.

Persian cats have an extremely long and thick coat of fur; it has short legs and the ears are set far apart from its wide head. It has large eyes and a fore-shortened muzzle. Originally, the breed had a short muzzle, which is almost non-existent now, especially in North-America. These cats suffer from a number of health problems caused by their brachycephalic head. The cats have colors or marking on their body like pointed, tortoiseshell, blue and tabby. There is a tipped variety found among the Persian cats, which is called Chinchilla. The cats of the pointed variety are called Himalayan in the U.S.  The eye colors are generally orange or blue. The blue colored types are prone to deafness.

Persian cats need special kind of care and grooming since their fur is very dense and long and it is difficult for them to maintain it by themselves. These cats have to be bathed then dried and brushed properly in order to maintain their fur in its best condition. Their eyes also need special care, since they suffer from various eye problems. These cats have a special genetic disease which is called Polycystic Kidney Disease, which causes failure of kidney. The life expectancy of a Persian cat is 10 to 18 years. 

Like all other pets, Persian cats also need healthy food to survive. They need a diet which can maintain their long and dense fur. They need food rich with vitamins, minerals and protein. There are foods available in the market specially made for Persian cats, like ‘royal canin Persian 30’ and ‘kitten Persian 32’. A Persian cat needs 30.0% Crude Protein, 22.0% Crude Fat, 7.6% Crude Fiber, 9.0% Moisture, 0.09% Magnesium, 0.28% Taurine, 600 mg/kg Vitamin E, 300 mg/kg Vitamin C, 5.35% Omega 6, 0.85% Omega 3 in its food. Among these, vitamin C, Omega 3 and Omega 6 are not the essential material always. If your pet gets good diet, it can survive more than its average longevity.