THE BREED
The Persian with orange eyes probably descends from the Manul, the
wild cat living in Central Asia. Recent studies underlined that in China
in the year one thousand - during the Song period - a cat very simiilar
to the Persian was already being selected. Some merchants took some specimens
to Anatolia and the Italian explorer Pietro della Valle brought two of
them to Italy during the XVI century. The two long-haired cats were very
appreciated, particularly because in Europe only short-haired cats existed.In
France and England the Persian became the object of long researches that
lead to the official recognition of the Persian breed.
Character
Besides its lofty mien, the Persian has a very modern character. Its
temper is quiet, docile; it perfectly lives in a little flat as well as
in a big house with a large garden. Its squat and compact body makes it
less agile than other cat breeds. The function of its tail, that is to
say to balance its body when it jumps, is reduced because the tail itself
is too short and hairy. Furthermore the little ears don't enable a perfect
auditory power. Anyway the Persian is one of the best companion cats for
anyone. Sometimes when the females are in heat they don't even make any
noise.
Kittens
Generally the females are good mothers. However at the first delivery
they may not understand exactly what to do. It is therefore advisable to
help them and free the kittens of the placenta and cut off the umbilical
cord with sterilized scissors. If necessary the kittens must be massaged
to activate blood circulation. Usually at the second delivery the females
doesn't need any help anymore. In the first days the kittens have short
hair, which becomes long only after six weeks.
Care and grooming
The cat must be combed gently every day. Don't pull if the hair is
ina tangle: if some hair is tugged, the cat would not accept being combed
anymore. The long hair needs to be continuously combed to avoid knots.
At first use a steel comb with very large teeth, insisting on the chest
and under the armpits. Then use a comb with thin teeth raising the hair
towards the collar. When the moulting period comes a spoonful of vaseline
or a sardine in oil must be given the cat every week to help it expel the
dead hair it swallowed by licking its coat. The eyes are very delicate.
They must be cleaned daily with a cotton waste imbued with warm water or
camomille. A drop of eye lotion can help when those beautiful eyes are
inflamed.
Whom it is suitable for
It is suitable for any kind of people as it has no particular
need. Anyway its keeper must have some spare time to devote to the care
of its coat. Some differences in character can be noticed according to
the various colours of the coat. Some females are loath and fear strangers.
The red males are very friendly, but may become domineering when grown-up.
The black Persians are the most affectionate. Among the various breeds,
the Persian is the most popular cat in Europe. The length of the hair doesn't
represent the quality of the cat. What really counts is the typical body
structure the Persians have: stump body, big and round head, little ears,
almost inexistent nose and stop, round forehead, round eyes.
Texts: Mrs. Marialba Arpa