Persian (thing)

Persians are the most popular of the long haired, pedigree cats. They're considered charming and lovable by most owners. Aristocratic by nature and highly decorative in appearance, these cats are actually the most common among longhairs and they are thought to have been the first longhairs introduced to Europe. Their exact place and time of origin are unknown, however hieroglyphics dated at around 1684 B.C. give some insight as to their ancientness.

Persians, known also as Longhairs or Persian Longhairs, were developed in the UK, by breeding Angoras and longhaired gray cats from Persia together, in the 1800s. Although the first breeding standard called for these cats to be black with blue eyes, Persians are now bred in a wide variety of coat colors and patterns, with orange or copper eyes being the most favored. The original blue-eyed cats were susceptible to deafness and today there are cats with bi-colored eyes, blue and orange or copper. These are prone to being deaf in the ear on the blue-eyed side of the face.

The long hairs give persians a large appearance, which in fact is not at all deceiving. They are powerfully built and their body is positioned lower than usual on their comparatively short, stocky legs. Massive, sometimes tufted, paws support the legs. They have large rounded heads with proportionally small rounded ears and large, wide set eyes, which contribute to their relaxed beauty. At the other end, they have tails that are shorter than average but appear large because the hairs there are just as long as on the rest of the body.

The characteristically silky soft coat is what makes this cat highly prized and also high maintenance. Even the most self-conscious self-cleaning cats require daily care. Because their hair is so long it tangles easily so daily brushing and combing is a must. Also they tend to tear so the owner should wash its face daily.

Aside from routine cleaning, Persians are not that demanding. Although it is commonly recommended that they be kept indoors, Persians are adaptable to, and some favor, the outdoors. They are most naturally at home in a quiet and passive environment, however given a little time they will adapt to almost any home. They are usually loving to their owners, behave well with children, and are tolerable of other cats.