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In general, Persians are quiet and gentle, but playful. They enjoy human company, and usually get on very well with other cats in a household. Although large in size, they are agile enough to get around and run up and down a staircase or jump through windows.
They are ideal pets for someone who cannot cope with an overactive or demanding breed of cat. While they enjoy the freedom of a safe enclosed garden, Persians will adapt quite happily to living in a flat or as ‘an indoor’ pet, provided they have a companion cat or human around.
Angel eyes
Known for their exceptional beauty, Persians have show-stopper looks. Their expressive angel eyes, flat faces and puffed-up bodies make them one of the most admired breeds at any cat show.
The Persian’s breed standard prescribes a rather large head, with rounded forehead and a very broad skull. The cheeks should be full and prominent, and the jaw broad and powerful. The nose should be short to very short, with a well-marked break between the eyes.
Ears should be small, round-tipped and well tufted. They should be set very wide apart and rather low on the head. The eyes should be round and large, with an open expression, and set wide apart. Most Persian cats have orange or copper coloured eyes. White Persians could also have bright blue eyes, while the silver and tabby varieties have eyes ranging from green to hazel.
Solid and heavily boned
Underneath the soft coat, should be a well-proportioned and solid body, medium to large in size. Although compact, Persians are broad in the body and have to have good muscle tone. Their backs should be short and level, with well-rounded midsections.
Shoulders and hips should be the same size. The cat’s legs should be short, thick and heavily boned, and its feet large, round and firm, with the toes close together. The tail should be short, but in proportion to the body length, and carried at an angle lower than the back.
Glossy coat
The crowning glory of this breed is, of course, the coat. A top quality specimen has a long, glossy coat with a full undercoat, which makes it seem to stand away from the body. The tail is bushy, covered with long and flowing fur, and the cat also has a full ruff around its neck, nicely framing the round face.
Victorian times
The Persian cats of today are very different from those admired by people at the cat shows of the 1800s. During Victorian times, Persians had much shorter coats and longer, pointed faces with bigger ears.
They were called Angoras and Chinese, and even Russians in the early days. The Persian, as a breed, is in fact far older than any detailed records indicate. Some Middle Eastern writings refer to the Angora cats joining the rest of the treasure caravans in the 16th century. It’s now widely accepted that Persian cats did, in fact, come from Persia (nowadays Iran). The Persian took Europe and Britain by storm in the 19th century, when royalty, such as Queen Victoria, started showing Blue Persians.
New look
These cats gradually changed shape through the decades, as breeders and judges alike selected sturdier individuals with rounder heads and eyes. The Persian we know today evolved over the last forty years, and much controversy resulted, as many specimens developed problems related to the shortened muzzle and nose. Fortunately, these were resolved, and even the top show quality cats have very short, high set noses with no breathing problems.
Colours
Apart from the popular blue, much cherished in days gone by, today’s Persians come in wide variety of colours. They can be found in almost every colour of the rainbow! Besides the ‘normal’ feline colours, these cats can be parti-coloured with white, all the tabby variations, with or without white patches. The Silvers gained immense popularity in the early years, and are still top favourites. Related to them are the Smokes and Cameos.
Daily grooming
Persians need regular grooming and maintenance, but are fairly easy to groom, as most of them enjoy being handled. Daily brushing, to stop their thick coats from matting and minimise the formation of hairballs, is a prerequisite. Their eyes need to be cleaned and wiped regularly to keep their faces clean and eyes dry.
Health matters
During the development of the modern Persian, some cats experienced breathing problems as a result of the shortened face, but through strict selection, the incidence of such problems has now been reduced. The well-bred and selected Persians of today should not have breathing problems.
Persians are one of the breeds that are prone to Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), but responsible breeders regularly test and select to eliminate such conditions.
Health matters are also dealt with by a number of cat food companies which have developed premium diets, specially formulated for Persians. Ask your veterinarian for more information.
The Persian Fact File
Origin: Great Britain
Colours: All self and tortie, smoke, shaded, tipped, classic tabby, silver tabby and bi-colours
Weight: 3.5 to 7 kg
Temperament: Relaxed observer
Grooming: Daily brushing, daily eye care
Text: Karen Pepler and Johann Theron
Photography: Johann Theron
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