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Choosing a Persian ?
                     
The most popular cat on the planet, the
Persian, is a hairstylist’s dream - or nightmare - depending upon your
enthusiasm for fussing with a cat’s locks. Undeniably beautiful, elegant and
regal, the Persian is ideal if you want a cat that’s sweet, devoted, docile,
affectionate and laid-back.
Personality
Persians are known as the couch potatoes of the cat world. They are perfect
companions if you like trusting, gentle, sweet-tempered cats that would rather
lounge by your side than sprint around the room. Don’t count on using your
Persian as a furry paperweight, however. They enjoy short periods of play
between long periods of regal resting.
Persians crave affection and human interaction. They become devoted companions
if given the proper love and attention. They love to be petted and cuddled, but
won’t demand attention the way some breeds will. Sweet, gentle, and responsive
to your moods, Persians have soft, pleasant voices they rarely use. Persians
often have soothing influences on their human companions.
Grooming
Those exquisitely coiffed locks of show Persians are produced by long hours of
grooming. If you neglect a Persian’s grooming, you’ll end up with a tangled,
matted, miserable cat that needs to be professionally shaved to remove the
tight, painful mats. Not only is a Persian’s fur longer than any other breed’s
(up to 8 inches in length), they also have a long, full undercoat. The
undercoat, made up of fine down and awn hairs, is almost as long as the outer
coat, made up of stiff, protective guard hairs. This gives the Persian her plush
look, but that baby-soft down hair mats easily.
A 10- to 15-minute grooming session each day and a thorough one-hour grooming
session once a week is recommended. Additional grooming may be necessary during
the shedding months - spring when they shed their longer, heavier winter coats,
and fall when they shed their summer coats.
Bathing is also often needed to remove oil buildup. Some breeders recommend a
bath every 3 to 4 weeks, although some Persians can go longer. Daily face
washing is necessary if tear staining is a problem, which it often is.
Some Persian fanciers keep at least part of the coat clipped, particularly the
hindquarters and around the anus to avoid accumulation of feces. This should be
done, though, only if the cat will not be shown.
Special Notes
Because of the long coat and docile temperament, it’s particularly important to
keep Persians indoors. The long coat sweeps up debris and easily snags on
bushes, trees and fences, creating safety hazards. Also, their trusting nature,
popularity and value can make them targets for pet thieves, a growing concern.
Reported health concerns include breathing difficulties, eye tearing,
malocclusions, and birthing difficulties due to the head size and the
foreshortened face. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a disease that can cause
kidney failure, is also known to exist in some Persian lines.
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