The Persian cat has become the favorite of many not only because of its extremely cute appearance, but because of its character. The animal is very faithful, peaceful, delicate. His silent voice shows the cat rarely, but to attract attention just looks into the eyes of the owner with a significant look. His main credo is to please and not upset. Persians are very easy to learn and obedient.
Persian cats - description of the breed
The description of the Persian cat often begins with remarks about their small snub nose. Indeed, this detail is very remarkable and is a visiting card of the breed, its distinctive characteristic. Moreover, the spout can be quite tiny and upturned - this is the type of cats called "extreme" (they are bred mainly in the USA), and also - to be longer and too upturned - these cats are spoken of as "classical" Persians (divorced in Europe) .
Persian cat - the origin of the breed
The first Persian cat found itself in Europe in the 16th century. She was brought from the Persian province by a traveler of Italian descent Pietro Della Valle. But then she was little like the modern Persian, but rather like a Turkish Angora or Vans. The breed fell into the taste of Europeans and quickly spread across European territory. Cats were called differently - Asian cat, Indian, Chinese. Basically - in the area, from where they were imported. Its modern name of the breed was not based on a specific country of origin, but thanks to a harmonious combination of words.
The origin of the Persian cats, which we know today, became possible thanks to the work of British and German breeders who wanted to breed a low-growth and squat breed with a massive and well-fed body and a straight profile. And only in the last century for their active breeding, they also took part in the United States. Americans shortened their hair and flattened their nose. After that, for similar experiments with appearance, breeders all over the world took up. After such a change, the Persian renewed cat gained unprecedented popularity, compared to the cult.
Persian cat - breed standard
The main characteristics that determine the breed are:
- a large and squat body, short paws, broad and muscular shoulders and chest;
- massive and round head of proportional shape;
- short or medium neck, strong and reliable to support a large head;
- small ears, widely planted, located low, with rounded tips and insignificant fluffiness;
- long and silky coat, very thick, there is a noticeable "collar" on the neck, and bunches of wool between the fingers;
- medium-long tail, very fluffy, with a rounded tip;
- round, large, wide-open eyes, making the expression of the muzzle surprised;
- wide and strong jaws;
- flattened face, with flattened forehead and nose, strong chin, full cheeks;
- The color of Persian cats can be monophonic, two- or three-color.
Persian cat - character
Persian cat sometimes resembles a dog by its behavior - it always follows the owner, is very curious, likes to explore everything and loves to play. The breed is ideal for families with children, since the Persians never release claws, are not afraid of children, are very calm and trustful. They are devoted to their masters, devote their entire lives to man, while maintaining their individuality and personal traits.
Classical Persian breed of cats is distinguished by high intelligence. They quickly learn and even succumb to a little training . The main aspect of their nature is unwillingness and even fear to get the host's disapproval for their behavior. Therefore, they are doing their best to please and delight the owner, showing him endlessly his love and affection, which, by the way, appears hardly and not from the first minutes of acquaintance.
Species of Persian cats
There are three varieties of Persians - classical (aristocrats), modern (short-legged) and extreme. In color, the species of Persian cats are numbered in dozens. They just have a record number of color options. The Persian cat is red, the Persian cat is gray, the Persian cat is of peach color and others are monophonic animals. Multicolor same color indicates that the cat belongs to a separate species - color-point. The color of the eyes can also differ from dark orange and copper to green and blue. The color of the coat corresponds to the color of the eyes:
- The first group of Persians in color is cats, whose wool is evenly colored over the entire length. These include white, purple, black, cream, chocolate and red. White Persian cat has a blue, orange or different eye color. The rest of the flowers are orange.
- The second group differs shaded color: silver and golden chinchilla, white with interspersed red (cameo). Their eyes are orange, the silver chinchilla has green eyes, and the golden one has green to brown.
- The third group is smoky Persians. It includes the Persian blue cat, Persian cat black, cream, lilac, cameo, tortoiseshell, chocolate. They have a white undercoat, and on the main length of the main coat there are dense patches of color, which gives the impression of smokiness. The eyes of this group are mostly orange with a light frame around the muzzle.
- The fourth group is striped Persians with cream, brown, red, blue, purple, chocolate, silvery color or striped cameo and torby stripes with spots. Their eyes are orange.
- The fifth group is very rare. This refers to the Persian tortoiseshell. The pattern is formed by uneven spots of two colors. It can be blue and cream, chocolate and cream, lilac and cream, red with black and cream. The eyes of such a cat are orange.
- The sixth group is two-color. Here are the Persian Calico: white with red and black spots, purple, blue, chocolate with the addition of white. Their eyes vary from copper to orange.
- The seventh group, the most modern, is the Himalayan version of the Persians. It includes Persian color-points: blue point, lilac point, chocolate point, force point, red point, torty point, link-point. They all have blue eyes. They are obtained by crossing Persians with Siamese cats.
Long-haired cats of Persian breed
Classical Persian cat is famous for its long and thick coat, which sometimes reaches 12-15 cm. This breed is the most common among long-haired. For people who are not ready for daily combing and regular care for their pet's hair, such Persians are undesirable. They often and abundantly molt, leaving their hair in all corners of the apartment. With due care this problem is not so acute, and the time spent combing is more than compensated by the pleasant character of the animal.
Persian half-pussy cat
A Persian cat with an average length of fur, obtained after crossing short-haired and long-haired, was not officially recognized as a separate breed. If you have a classic Persian, you can shorten the long hair of your pet yourself during the summer heat or strong molt. When asked if you need to cut a Persian cat, you can respond positively in case you do not have time for daily combing. There are several types of haircuts for Persian cats:
- "For a lion cub";
- classical "puma";
- "Herringbone" or "Iroquois".
Persian shorthair cat
Smooth-haired Persian cat, the so-called exot - is a descendant of the classical Persian, bred in the US about 60 years ago. For this, such breeds as Persian and American Shorthair were crossed. The purpose of the selection was to improve the coat and color palette of American cats. Over time, after experiments with the addition of Russian blue and Burmese cats to the selection process, the goal was achieved.
The modern short-haired Persian exotic cat is a stocky, heavy-boned animal with a round head, thick and smooth hair resembling a plush, with huge wide-set eyes and a short snub nose. They are often called Persians for the lazy, because they, with all their external resemblance to them, require far less effort in caring for the fur.
Persian cat - care and content
In general, this breed is healthy, but there are also diseases. The main diseases of Persian cats:
- polycystic kidney disease, leading to renal failure ;
- inherited progressive retinal atrophy (blindness);
- excessive tearfulness and trouble with breathing;
- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is inherited and is the cause of the sudden death of the animal.
How to care for a Persian cat?
Care for the fur of Persian cats is the main problem of their maintenance. To the hair and undercoat Persian did not fall into a lump, it must be combed every day. To do this, you need a special comb, soft and hard brushes, special talc. You can only bathe animals with special shampoos and conditioners. To begin the procedure of combing you need a comb with sparse and rounded teeth, moving from head to back and tail. Then you can go to the brush with natural bristles. After this, it is desirable to spray on the wool air conditioner-spray from a distance of 20 cm.
Care for Persian kittens
Since the very early days of some Persian kittens, the defect of the nasal septum and the overlap of the lacrimal glands are being overcome, which is why their eyes are watering and snoring. Therefore, in addition to caring for the hair, the Persian cat and kittens require regular cleaning of the eyes. To do this, use a soft cloth and paper napkins. It is desirable to periodically treat the eyes of a Persian with a weak solution of boric acid or a special preparation called "Optic Gel". Regular cleaning requires the ears of a cat. To do this, use cotton swabs and a wetting liquid or vaseline oil.
Persian cat food
Like other cats, Persians can feed dry and damp industrial feeds or cook for them natural food. Or it can be mixed feeding. Choose food for Persian cats, given their characteristics. It should contain a lot of protein, and still should be present cereals and root vegetables. The feeding should be divided into 3-4 meals per day.