PersianCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

The Persian's first ancestors may have been brought from Khorasan (today north-eastern Iran and western Afghanistan) to Italy around 1620 by the traveller Pietro della Valle, but this is not proven. At about the same time, Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc brought longhaired cats from Damascus to France. Firmer evidence shows longhaired cats being exported from Afghanistan and Iran from the nineteenth century onwards.

A Persian cat was shown at the first cat show in history, organised by Harrison Weir at the Crystal Palace in London in 1871. FIFe recognised the breed when it was founded, in 1949. Genetic studies show that today's Persians are closer to Western European breeds, such as the British Shorthair, the Chartreux and the American Shorthair, than to the cats of the Near East.

How the breed developed

• Around 1620 – the first longhaired cats may have reached Italy and France from Khorasan and Damascus.
• Nineteenth century – longhaired cats are exported from Afghanistan and Iran.
• 1871 – a Persian at the first cat show, at the Crystal Palace.
• 1949 – recognised by FIFe when it is founded.
• After 1945 – North American breeders accentuate the flat face.

• Apartments. It is quiet and adapts well to indoor life.
• People with time for daily brushing. The long coat tangles easily.
• Calm families. It likes to stay next to its person, on the sofa or in bed.
• Choose a face that is not too flat. Persians with very short noses have health problems more often.

The FIFe profile describes it with a short, cobby body, short thick legs, round paws, a broad chest and a short tail with a rounded tip. French Wikipedia gives 2.3–6.8 kg.

General appearance

The head is broad and round, with ears set wide apart and large, round eyes. The nose is short and broad; in profile, the forehead, nose and chin are in line. Wikipedia shows that the short muzzle has, over time, become very exaggerated, especially in North America; the traditional type has a small but not flattened nose.

The FIFe profile says the long, dense, silky coat comes in over 400 colours and patterns, with brilliant copper, green or blue eyes. There are solid, silver and golden (including chinchilla), smoke, tabby, tortie, bicolour and point (Himalayan) varieties.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Exotic Shorthair is the shorthaired Persian and shares the same FIFe standard. The Himalayan is the pointed Persian, considered by some associations a variety of the Persian. The British Shorthair also has a round face, but a longer nose and a short coat.

The FIFe profile describes it as sociable and adaptable, with “a heart of gold” and a gentle nature: it is happiest next to its person, whether you are cooking or sleeping. In one study, Persian owners rated their cats higher than non-pedigree cats for closeness and affection towards the owner, friendliness to strangers and cleanliness.

Wikipedia describes it as a quiet, placid cat that adapts well to apartment life.

Socialisation

It is friendly with strangers too, which makes it a good show cat.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

It is a quiet cat with low exercise needs. French Wikipedia says that sometimes it feels like running in the garden and can climb trees.

Tips for a balanced life

• Keep it away from great heat: it breathes with more difficulty.
• Wipe the corners of its eyes every day.
• Play with it in short sessions.

Coat care

It is one of the breeds that need the most grooming: the long coat tangles and mats quickly, so it must be brushed every day. Tears run down the face easily because of deformed tear ducts, so the eyes need frequent cleaning.

Common health problems

The flat face (brachycephaly) can cause breathing difficulties, skin and eye problems and difficult births. Persians can have misaligned teeth, which makes eating harder. The Persian is prone to entropion and corneal sequestrum. Polycystic kidney disease, caused by a dominant mutation of the PKD1 gene, occurs in 36–49% of Persians.

Recommended genetic tests

There is a genetic test for polycystic kidney disease (the PKD1 gene); the disease can also be seen by ultrasound from 10 months. Ask for the parents' results.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

French Wikipedia says it puts on weight easily, so its food should be watched. Because the flat face makes it harder to pick up food, some manufacturers make specially shaped kibble for Persians.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, a FIFe member).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Ask for the parents' PKD1 genetic test.
• Choose a kitten with open nostrils and quiet breathing, without heavy tearing.
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• At the first show in history. A Persian was shown at the first cat show, in 1871.
• More European than it looks. Genetically, today's Persians are closer to Western European cats than to those of the East.
• Special kibble. There is dry food in a special shape, easy for flat-faced cats to pick up.
• Over 400 colours. FIFe says it comes in over 400 colours and patterns.

In painting

Persian cats have often been painted; one example is “Two White Persian Cats Looking into a Goldfish Bowl”, by the cat painter Arthur Heyer.

On stamps

The Persian cat has appeared on stamps from many countries around the world.

How often does it need brushing?

Every day; the long coat tangles and mats quickly.

Can it live in an apartment?

Yes, it is quiet and adapts well to indoor life.

Does it have breathing problems?

Cats with very flat faces can; the traditional type, with a longer nose, breathes more easily.

What diseases does the breed have?

Mainly polycystic kidney disease and problems linked to the flat face (breathing, eyes, teeth).

How long does it live?

French Wikipedia gives 12–17 years; a British study found an average of 10.9 years.