Persian (cat)

From ArticleWorld

Reputed to originate in Iran (Persia), the Persian is one of the oldest breeds of cat, however, interbreeding with British domestic longhairs in the 19th century makes the true origin of the breed unclear.

Types

Persians come in a wide variety of colors and markings. Called Colourpoint Persians in Europe, and Himalayans in the U.S., Persians with ‘’points’’ resemble a longhaired Siamese cat. There have been attempts to establish new, separate breeds from Persians. Silver coated Persians were introduced, and were to be called Sterlings, but were not accepted in the U.S. as a separate breed. In South Africa, they will register these silver Persians, calling them Chinchilla Longhairs, if they have five generations of purebred history. These ‘’tipped’’ cats have translucent hair with black on the ends. The Chinchilla also has a slightly longer nose, resulting in fewer problems with breathing and less eye tearing.

If not registered with an established pedigree, the cat is classified as a domestic longhair, and not considered eligible to compete in cat shows.

Characteristics

The most notable feature of the Persian is the extremely short muzzle. Persians are known for health problems related to this feature, including respiratory and eye disorders. Persians also have a very long coat that most are unable to care for themselves. They require frequent bathing, thorough drying, and daily brushing. Show quality cats have very short legs, a wide head, large eyes and ears set far apart. They may have sinus problems if their muzzle is extremely short, and some require their eyes to be cleaned regularly, and many are unable to keep them clean themselves, due to excessive tearing.