ABOUT PERSIANS
Persian, popular breed of
longhaired cat. More Persians are registered with the Cat Fanciers' Association,
the largest feline registering body in the United States, than any other breed
of cat. Persians are aristocratic but by no means delicate, with long, plush
coats and heavy bones. They have broad, massive skulls with round faces and a
domed forehead; small rounded ears; and broad, snub noses with a decided break.
The coat is long from head to tail, with an immense ruff and frills between the
front legs.
Persians probably originated in Asia Minor; they were introduced
to Europe in the 1700s, where they were called French cats or Angoras. When
short, stocky longhaired cats from Iran (formerly known as Persia) were
incorporated into the gene pool, the breed became known as Persians. They became
popular in Britain during Queen Victoria's reign; she and other members of the
royal family kept blue Persians. They have been exhibited in cat shows as a
recognized breed for more than a hundred years; the first cat show in Britain,
in 1871, included black, blue, and white Persians. The Persian has changed
significantly since then; early Persians had much longer bodies, larger ears,
smaller eyes, and longer faces than today's short-faced, round-eyed Persians.
This is because the longer, more slender Angora type gradually went out of favor
after the compact, sturdy Iranian type was introduced.
More interesting reading:
Physiology of the Cat
Senses
Breed Standards
Care of Cats
Neutering or Spaying
Indoors v/s Outdoors
*Information obtained from Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia |