Persian
History
The Persian cat owes its origin to the Iranian plateau, a vast region, which lies between the Hindukush Mountains and Mesopotamia (“Persia”) in the West. The Persian cat was first imported to Europe by Pietro Della Valle, an Italian traveler.
Appearance
The Persian cat possesses a heavily boned body and a round and massive face with great breadth of skull. The cat’s big round eyes convey an extremely charming expression and it has a distinctive short, snub, broad nose; full cheeks; broad and strong jaws that are full, well developed; firmly rounded chin; and small, round tipped, ears, which are tilted forward. The Persian cat has a long, heavy coat, which accentuates its round appearance; short, heavy, and powerful legs; massive, round, and firm paws; and a short tail. The cat has a long and thick coat of fine, glossy texture, which covers the entire body, including the shoulders.
Personality
Persian cats are usually very quiet, gentle, composed and laid-back in temperament. They have a distinctively melodious voice and large, emotive eyes. Persian cats generally crave for affection and like to be petted and pampered. They can adapt well to any place or environment, and make excellent pets.
Health Concerns
Some of the major health problems and diseases that affect Persian cats are Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia, Chedial-Higashi syndrome (ocular and cutaneous albinism), Dermatophytosis, Facial fold pyoderma, Idiopathic facial dermatitis, Idiopathic periocular crusting, Multiple epitrichial cysts, Seborrhea, Systemic lupus erythematosus, Congenital polycystic liver disease, Congenital portosystemic shunt, Basal cell tumor, Sebaceous gland tumor and various others.