Persian Cats : The Persian Remnant

Cats have been around for about 9,000 to 10,000 years today. They are one of the most common pets with over 600 million homes in the whole world having at least one cat. They are a valued companion for a lot of people and despite sleeping for most of the day, domesticated cats can also be very helpful around the house. This is because domesticated cats are valued even more for their ability to hunt down and eliminate common household pests which includes snakes, rats or mice and other such vermin. Until 2007, the first civilization to domesticate the cat was believed to have been Egyptians but this was changed due to a study which found the cat as part of self domesticating cats in Africa since 8000 BC. Today, one of the oldest and sought after breeds came from the country formerly known as Persia.

The Persian cat is also known as the longhair cat is a very old breed. They have long, thick coats which are silky in texture and not wool like which vary in colour; from white, red, tortoise, gold and even bicoloured coats. They have a round, doll face before and due to the quest for the perfect face they now have a flat or snub face. Their head is well balanced with rounded foreheads and full cheeks which gives them their sophisticated look. Their chins are powerful, jaws are broad and they have a nice expression. Their ears are tufted and small with a rounded tip. Their ears are ideally low on the head and are widely separated. Their eyes are also separated and are large and wide. The colour of the eyes is solid and brilliant and usually complements the Persian cat’s coat. Their neck is short and strong and is connected to massive shoulders, broad chest and well built. Their tail is short and bushy just like their body and their legs are also short and strong.

These Persian cats need constant, regular grooming as they cannot clean themselves thoroughly due to having a dense coat. Their bush should be brushed every day, given a bath and dried carefully. They are a beautiful breed however they require a bit of high maintenance. They are also known to grow crusty like substances in their eyes which need to be cleaned regularly. They are also prone to different genetically inherited diseases such as kidney failure and other kidney related diseases. Then, a blue eyed Persian cat is prone to blindness.

The Persian cat was first imported to England and France at about the same time in 1620. They do not look like any African Wild Cat which is believed to be the ancestors of domesticated cats. Today, they have come a long way and looks rather differently from their original counterparts due to selective breeding. They are magnificent looking pets and give out a very sophisticated and elegant look. This is the cat of choice for those who are looking for a beautiful cat and afford its maintenance.