10 Reasons to Get a Persian Cat

So, you’re thinking of getting a Persian. In this article, we’ll look at the ten best reasons to get a Persian cat. Hopefully, these reasons will give you enough information to decide whether or not a Persian cat is a good fit for you.

1. Status Symbol

Persians are one of the oldest cat breeds. Persian cats date back to ancient Egypt, but it’s believed that the breed originated in Persia or, as it’s known today, Iran.

They were known as the Shirazi cat in the Middle East. In Britain, they were called the Persian Longhair.

Persians were imported into Western Europe around 1620 and then brought into England in 1871. They were the first breed of cat to be registered. Back then, they were considered highly valuable and rare. Nobles, at the time, were the only ones who could afford them. So, they were known as royal cats.

So, there you are. Not only can you claim you have one of the oldest cat breeds in the world, but you can also say you have a royal cat of high value and rarity. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Another way you can claim status with your Persian is to show your friends and family the Persians in movies and TV shows. 

The Persian cat that most people know best is the one James Bond villain Blofeld holds in his lap in certain scenes. If you don’t know the James Bond villain, you may know Austin Power’s villain and his white Persian in the first movie, The Spy Who Shagged Me. Persian cats have been in Columbo, Hart to Hart, Police Squad, My Three Sons, and Murder She Wrote (These are old shows). Several other Persians played in movies such as Mr. Tinkles, Cats & Dogs (2001), Snowbell, Stuart Little (1999), Duchess, Babe (1995). 

With these examples, you should be able to impress friends and family with your Persian. They are in good company with some photogenic kitties. 

2. Gorgeous Looks

Persian cats are one of the most well-known breeds in the UK and the USA. The reason is that they are amazing, affectionate pets. In addition, people love these cats for their calm, beautiful nature.

Their flat noses, chubby cheeks, and long, fluffy hair make the Persian an exquisite breed. They’re quiet, affectionate, and love to be held, making them the perfect lap warmer and purring partner.

Persians can be high-maintenance with their need to have a daily grooming and a weekly bath.

There are two types of Persian cats.

• Show

Show Persians or Peke-face (because they resemble Pekingese dogs) have flat faces, small ears, large eyes, and thick coats.

• Traditional

The traditional or Doll-face Persian cats have less prominent features, including a longer face and more oversized ears. They resemble the first recorded images of the Persian breed. These are also more available to those who would like a Persian for a pet.

Persian cats weigh up to twelve pounds.

If you choose a Persian, you can look forward to having a warm, fluffy lap blanket. 

3. Luxurious Coat

The Persian coat is beautiful and luxurious. It’s thick, soft, and silky to the touch. If you decide to get a Persian, you should know that your cat needs regular bathing and grooming. Brushing your cat every day will help with shedding. Some owners opt to have their Persians trimmed into a lion cut. Their bodies, legs, and most of their tail are shaved short, but the tip of the tail, feet, and head and shoulder areas are left fluffy. They look excellent this way. Opting for the lion cut is a personal preference, so you shouldn’t worry that you absolutely should get your Persian trimmed in this way. 

Persian fur can collect dirt and litter easier. It’s a good idea to trim your cat’s hair around their paws and backside to help keep the soil, cat litter, and even poo from collecting in their fur. It also helps to be sure and clean their cat boxes at least daily.

4. Their Many Colors

These cats come in many beautiful colors, divided into seven color divisions and sixty-one colors. These divisions are for use in competitions or shows. However, we’ll go over them here so that you know what colors Persian cats come in and can make an informed decision about what color you might like. Also, be aware that some colors can make a Persian more expensive.

• Solid Division

The solid classification Persians sport a single uniform coat color. Solid white Persians can have three different eye colors: copper, blue, or one of each. The other solid colors have copper eyes. Whites, blues, and blacks are common colors, with chocolate and lilac being much rarer. Mixing solids with Himalayan colors produced these last two colors.

• Silver and Gold Division

Some of the most gorgeous Persians are those in the silver and gold division. They come in chinchilla and shaded varieties. Shaded Persians have black shading over their darker parts. Chinchilla-colored Persians are brilliant white with black tipping. Their eyes of silver are green or blue-green with black rims. 

• Smoke and Shaded Division

Smoke Persians coats appear solid-colored while the cat sits still. Once they move, the coat moves as they do, displaying their bright white undercoat. Cameo, shell, and shaded Persians have multi-colored hairs with tips that contrast the undercoat.

• Tabby Division

There are three recognized patterns in the tabby division: classic tabbies, bull’s eye markings or swirls on their sides, and mackerel tabbies with narrow pencil-like stripes that run over their bodies and patched tabbies who can have mackerel or classic markings with red patches. Finally, silver tabbies can have green, hazel, or copper eyes.

• Particolor Division

Tortoiseshells Persians are black with large red patches. This coloring is quite vibrant. Cream varieties are muted in color, making them appear soft. All particolor Persians have copper eyes.

• Bicolor Division

Bicolor patterns are Van, Classic, and Calico. Van Persians have white coats with up to two spots of color limited to the head, limbs, and tail. Classic Persians are true bicolored with the color usually on top and the white on their bellies and legs. Calico Persians have red and black patches spread over a white base coat.  

• Himalayan Division

Himalayan Persians came about by crossing Persians with Siamese cats. After a time, they were accepted as a color division of their own. Thus, the Himalayan division was born. This division is one of the largest, most diverse. Their coloring ranges from a white to fawn base coat with their coloring at their points only. Points being ears, feet, tail, and nose.

5. Loving Personality

Persian cats are calm and loving toward their owners and often towards strangers too. These cats love to be picked up and held. Sometimes they’ll often sneak onto a guest’s lap. This aspect of the Persian personality endears them to people perhaps more than anything else. It may ensure that owners are happy to put up with the constant grooming and care that owning a Persian requires. Persians trust and assume that because they love people, everyone will love them back. Usually, that’s the truth. They are happy and content to sit quietly with their owners.

Some Persian cats hardly meow, but others can be pretty vocal. Most Persians have soft voices and use them only when necessary. But, again, there are exceptions to the rule. For example, Persian cats love to purr. Some call them purring machines.

Persians aren’t demanding cats. They won’t meow at you for their food. In return for their love, all they need is love back, food, water, and a warm, comfy place to sleep. So they sit quietly or curl up and sleep the day away. Most of the time, they won’t fuss about being groomed, which is good because Persians must be grooming daily.

Persians are a laid-back breed. Laying around and relaxing is second nature to them. Some Persians enjoy going outside, but they are also won’t object to living indoors. Most Persians don’t like a lot of noise, so if you have a noisy household, you will want to have a private area for your Persian to get away from the noise. Persians can also be playful, but usually not overly so.

Persian cats tend to be less intelligent than some other breeds. Some Persians seem to have trouble learning things such as using the cat flap. It takes longer for them to catch on to the concept. 

6. Lifespan and Health

Persian cats live from twelve to twenty years. The average age is around fourteen years. How long your Persian lives comes down to several factors, such as where they stay. If they are indoor-only cats, they will most likely live longer than if they were outdoor cats, genetics also play a role in longevity. Some cats have strong genes that let them live a long life. On the whole Persian cats are quite healthy and robust. 

7. Ideal Housecats

Persians make the ideal housecats. They have that long, luxurious fur that needs daily attention, and living inside helps keep that coat in good shape. They also love to lay around, so they make fantastic living decor for your home as well. Persians, for the most part, are quiet, which is ideal in a housecat. So if you want a furry, living piece of furniture, a Persian is for you.

8. Care

We talked about the Persian’s fur above and mentioned their health and longevity. Besides giving them a home, litter box, food, and water, what about caring for your Persian?

Persians need your help to keep themselves groomed. Daily brushing should be on your to-do list. Their fur is thick and silky. Your goal should be to make sure your Persian doesn’t have knots or tangles and keep it that way. Brushing your cat every day will also help prevent hairballs. Bathing is also part of the grooming process and should be done every month to six weeks.

Persian cats tend to have teary eyes. It would be best if you cleaned their eyes with a soft, damp cloth. There are products on the market to remove any staining that may occur. The primary purpose is to keep the tears from crusting and building up.

You should also make sure to keep their ears clean as well. Once a week, with a damp cloth or paper towel, you should wipe their ears out. This action prevents fungus and bacteria from having a chance to grow in your cat’s ears.

Trim your Persian’s claws every two weeks or as needed. This procedure keeps their claws from snagging and hurting them, but it also helps keep your furniture safe.

Your Persian cat’s diet is essential as well. Since Persian cats are more sedentary, they gain weight more than other breeds of cats. Therefore, their food should be healthy but help control their weight. Another great way to keep them from gaining too much weight is to play with them daily and make sure they exercise.

9. Perfect for Retired or Hands-on People

These are the perfect cats for retired people or those who will make a great deal of effort to care for their Persian. These cats love attention and spending time with their person. If you have a job outside the home, they will appreciate attention and love when you are home. Your Persian will adapt to you, your home, and your family no matter what.

10. A Lifetime Friend 

Persians are a popular breed, driving their value up, making them an expensive pet to acquire. Some breeders sell some of their cats as pets and some of their cats as show cats. Show cats will sell for more because they have the perfect qualities they look for at competitions. Pet quality cats are just as good, but some of their traits don’t show the qualities looked for by competitions. The color of their fur is also a factor in price as well. Some of the more exotic colors, of course, will cost more. Pure white Persian can go for up to $5000. The costs for Persians range from $1300 to $1500 for kittens and $600 to $1800 for adults. Females are more expensive than males. There may be a contract to sign either stating that your cat will be spayed or neutered on delivery, but others may be willing for a price to allow breeding if you are interested. You can adopt a Persian from a Persian rescue or possibly your local rescue. You never know when someone has given up their cat or had to relinquish them. So, whether you buy your Persian from a breeder or adopt from a rescue, you get a best friend for life. 

Conclusion

I hope this article helps you make an informed decision on whether a Persian cat is for you. Finally, I’ve covered what I thought was important, based on my own experiences of owning a Persian cat for over six years at the writing of this post. To summarize, Persian’s are fluffy, cute, bundles of love, and are perfect companions, especially for quiet houses. However, they are also quite adaptable if you have a place for them to go when things get too loud. Is there something I missed that you’d like to know? Leave a comment below. We’d love to hear from you.