Persian

src:wikipedia. White Persian. notice the extreme face

Extremely docile and laid-back, Persians love to be pampered as much as people love pampering them.

Sometimes called “the well-rounded breed” because of their large, round eyes, round head, and round muzzles, Persians have the ability to take your breath away simply by their beauty.

One of the most desirable of all the cat breeds, Persian cats aren’t a low-maintenance breed of cat. With their long, silky hair and downy undercoat, matting is common. The down of their coat, if not cared for properly will matt easily.

The extreme-faced Persians require not only daily brushing, but drops in their eyes, cream under their eyes and attention to their sinuses that can easily become plugged.

Persians come in many colors and patterns. They possess three types of hair in their coat.

Persians are people-oriented and should always be kept indoors. Most Persians are highly intelligent.

One kitten I had the opportunity to care for had a large trac ball toy. He would push the toy off the carpet with his nose, onto the tile floor.  Then, he would back away a short distance, consider the space, run full-tilt toward the toy leap unto the cardboard scratcher in the middle of the toy and stop. The toy would slide across the tile with him aboard. We called him our “Cowabunga Kitty!”

No one knows for sure where this breed of cat originated from.  Several theories are afloat about their beginnings but no documents have been located to substantiate these stories.

Many people believe that Persians are of royal blood.

Mary Anne Miller is a free lance writer, website content provider and member of The Cat Writers’ Association.