Persian ~ Black
Persian ~ Tortoiseshell
Persian ~ ShadedSilver
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Persian ~ Black
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Persian ~ Tortoiseshell
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Persian ~ ShadedSilver
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| The world's most famous breed Longhaired cats were unknown in Europe until around the mid-16th century. The Persian's first ancestors were imported from Persia (now Iran) to Italy in the 17th century by Pietro della Valle. Later, Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, an advisor to the Parliament of Aix - en - Provence, brought two cats to France from Turkey (perhaps they were Angora in type). These cats were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Louis XV had a white angora Persian. In the first half of the 19th century, some "Persians" bred in Italy and brought to France and England were crossed with "Persians" of Turkish origin. The first specimens were shown in London's Crystal Palace in 1871. At that time, British breeders organized a selective breeding program. Crosses were made with Angoras to improve the coat. In addition, a systematic effort aimed at increasing the range of colors and patterns was begun, leading to over 200 varieties today. Thus, the smoke Persian, the product of black, white, and blue Persians, was shown in Brighton in 1872. A cat named Silver was the first chinchilla Persian shown in London in 1888. Colorpoint Persians, called Himalayans in the United States and considered a separate breed by T.I.C.A. and Kmehr (or Kmer) in Germany, appeared around 1920. Tabby Persians, which appeared over a century ago, were shown in Paris in 1927 as "tigers." Also in the 19th century, British breeders selected the roundest, most massive cats. Around 1930, American breeders obtained an extremely short-limbed type called the "Peke face" (after the Pekingese dog). Possibly the world's most famous feline breed, the Persian was probably used to create the Birman and the British Shorthair. |
| Well mannered and quiet. Melodious voice. Excellent companion, loves attention. When picked up, it will often wrap its paws around owner's neck, nudging and butting with its head amid thunderous purrs of appreciation. Some develop endearing quality of sitting up on heavier, stocky body and short, sturdy legs. Playful but not demanding. |
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Head
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Head : Round, massive, domed. Very broad, round skull. Rounded forehead. Round, full cheeks. Strong, prominent cheekbones. Short, broad nose, sometimes slightly turned up. Marked break between the eyes. Short, broad muzzle. Strong, full, well-developed chin. Broad, powerful jaws. |
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Eyes
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Brilliant in color, large, round, and full. Set level and far apart, giving a sweet expression to the face. |
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Ears
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Small, round tipped, tilted forward, and not unduly open at the base. Set far apart, and low on the head, fitting into (without distorting) the rounded contour of the head. |
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Nose
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Short, snub, and broad, with "break" centered between the eyes. |
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Neck
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Short, strong, very muscular. |
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Body
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Of cobby type, low on the legs, broad and deep through the chest, equally massive across the shoulders and rump, with a well-rounded mid-section and level back. Good muscle tone with no evidence of obesity. Large or medium in size. Quality the determining consideration rather than size. |
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Paw
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Short, strong, straight. Powerful bones, well-developed muscles. Broad, round, strong paws. Long tufts of hair between the toes. |
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Tail
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Short, in proportion to the body, well-furnished with very long hairs forming a plume. Carried fairly low. |
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Coat
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Long and thick, standing off from the body. Of fine texture, glossy and full of life. Long all over the body, including the shoulders. The ruff immense and continuing in a deep frill between the front legs. Ear and toe tufts long. Brush very full. |
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Fault
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Long or narrow head. Long nose, narrow muzzle, obvious underbite. Large, pointed ears that are too close together. Small, slanted eyes too pale in color. Narrow, slender, long, high-standing body. Tail too long. Oval paws, long toes. Disqualify: lockets or buttons; kink in the tail, serious jaw deformity |
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Disqualify
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Locket or button. Kinked or abnormal tail. Incorrect number of toes. Any apparent weakness in the hind quarters. Any apparent deformity of the spine. Deformity of the skull resulting in an asymmetrical face and/or head. Crossed eyes. For pointed cats, also disqualify for white toes, eye color other than blue. |
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Character
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The placid, calm, phlegmatic, sedentary Persian is perfectly suited to apartment life. Sociable, peaceful, never aggressive, gentle, and very affectionate, he is very attached to his owner. Persians get along well with other cats, dogs, and children. They are more distant toward strangers. For their well-being, they need a tranquil life. They can tolerate solitude. They rarely use their soft voice. Persians reach maturity at the age of two. They enter puberty late (at approximately 12 months). The breed is not very prolific, and birthing is difficult. Grooming (brushing, combing, and cleaning) is a considerable undertaking. The Persian's long hair is prone to the rapid formation of knots and tufts. It is therefore essential to untangle the coat every day. Persians shed in spring and summer. Their eyes, which produce tears constantly, must be cleaned regularly. |
| Generally healthy. Some white cats, including Persians, are born deaf. This usually occurs in cats with blue or odd eyes; odd-eyed cats may be deaf only on blue-eyed side. Deaf cats should be kept indoors at all times for their protection. Certain lines with very flat faces may have breathing problems or difficulty with clogged tear ducts. Possible entropion cataracts are very rare. |
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Varieties
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Markings
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Coat
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Eyes
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| White | Orange | ||
| Odd-eyed White | Orange and blue | ||
| Black | Orange | ||
| Cream | Copper | ||
| Red Self | Copper | ||
| Blue | Copper | ||
| Blue-cream | Deep copper/Orange | ||
| Chinchilla | Emerald/Blue-green | ||
| Red Shell Cameo | Short red tips | Copper | |
| Red Shaded Cameo | Longer red tips | Copper | |
| Red Smoke Cameo | Longest red tips | Copper | |
| Cream Shell Cameo | Short cream tips | Copper | |
| Cream Shaded Cameo | Longer cream tips | Copper | |
| Cream Smoke Cameo | Longest cream tips | Copper | |
| Cameo Tortie | Black, red, cream tips | Copper | |
| Cameo Tabby | Cream, red tips | Copper | |
| Smoke | Orange | ||
| Bicolour | Brilliant copper | ||
| Red Tabby | Rich copper marked in red | Copper/orange | |
| Brown tabby | Tawny brown marked in black | Copper/orange | |
| Silver Tabby | Silver-ivory marked in slate-blue | Green/Hazel | |
| Blue Tabby | Bluish-ivory marked in slate-blue | Copper | |
| Cream tabby | Pale cream marked in rich cream | Copper | |
| Tortoiseshell | Copper/orange | ||
| Tortoiseshell-and-White | Copper/orange | ||
| Pewter | Copper/orange | ||
| Chocolate and Lilac | Copper/orange | ||
| Lilac-cream | Pinkish-grey and cream | Copper | |
| Chocolate-Tortoiseshell | Chocolate, red and cream patches | Deep orange/Copper | |
| Chinchilla Golden | Light seal-brown tips on rich cream | Green | |
| Shaded Golden | Heavy seal-brown tis on rich cream | Green |