Persian cats are a wonderful breed with fluffy, luxurious coats and round flat faces. They bring immense pleasure and joy to our lives with their endearing personalities.
At some point in every Persian cat owner’s mind, a certain question regarding a Persian cat’s life expectancy will cross your mind. It’s something we all dread to think about. I know before I bought my Persian cat, it was something I looked at as any budding cat owner considers before purchasing a specific cat breed.
Persian cat life expectancy is 12-17 years, with a median age of 14. However, some Persian cats surpass this, reaching twenty years. In this post, I hope to shed some light on this question and hopefully provide a research-backed answer. There are many variables to the solution, which we will look at in this post.
Persian Cat Lifespan Factors
A Persian cat’s lifespan depends on several factors mentioned above. We’ll look closely at what they are below.
Indoor or outdoor Persian cat
I’ll start with the most obvious factor: where your cat is kept. If your Persian cat is an outdoor cat, their life expectancy will significantly reduce. The average lifespan of an outdoor cat can be anywhere from 2-5 years old as they’re exposed to many dangers.
I know most Persian cat owners do tend to keep their cats inside as it’s easier to maintain their fur, and Persians, in general, are better suited to a mainly indoor lifestyle. That’s not to say a Persian can’t be a great outdoor cat as they can, but they will need their fur brushed even more than an indoor cat.
Breeding Heritage and Genetic Makeup
As with humans, genetics play a massive part in life expectancy. Persian cats suffer heredity health issues such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD), breathing issues, excessive tearing, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). Some of these health issues can be bred out of the Persian cat. Often, reputable breeders prove that their kittens are clear of the above diseases and don’t run in the family bloodline.
Preventative breeding is one way to ensure you get a Persian cat with a higher chance of never developing any of the above diseases and issues. Still, there isn’t, unfortunately, any way to guarantee this as such. You could buy a Persian kitten from a pedigree show winner and proven clear bloodline and still develop the known diseases as Persians are prone to these issues. There can be traces in the lineage from many generations before that are difficult to trace.
Shelter cats and cats that have been rescued tend to suffer more from the above diseases as it’s very difficult to find any information regarding their DNA. It’s important to note that this isn’t the case in every instance.
Food and Diet
Your Persian cat’s diet plays a vital role in health and well-being. Feeding a well-balanced wet and dry diet will ensure your cat has all the minerals needed to keep them healthy and vitalized.
Buying the most expensive cat food perceived as the “best” won’t necessarily prolong your cat’s life but will contribute towards a healthier cat overall.
I wrote a post on the best Persian cat food be sure to check it out for more information.
Water Intake
Water intake is critical to every living being, and cats are no different. They require a constant supply of fresh, clean water. Some cats drink more water than others, but there is a distinct correlation between cat health and water intake.
The average Persian cat needs 1 ounce/28ml of water per pound of body weight.
Check out my article on cat water fountains– These are a great way to get your cat to drink more.
Eye care
Most Persian cats tend to suffer from eye issues. My Persian cat Milo has runny eyes that require daily cleaning. However, this isn’t critical to a Persian cat’s life expectancy. All these factors do compound if they’re not taken care of.
I wrote an article on the procedure I follow with my Persian cat, Milo. How to clean your Persian cat’s eyes.
Grooming
Grooming your Persian cat might not seem like it would have much of an effect on your Persian cat’s life expectancy, but you’d be surprised. Persians are a long-haired breed that requires lots of brushing to avoid hairballs. Over time, hairballs can become dangerous if lodged in your cat’s stomach.
Check out our Persian cat grooming guide here.
General Healthcare
Keeping your Persian in tip-top condition will go a long way to ensuring a long and healthy life. Cleaning your cat’s teeth and eyes and grooming them are all excellent practices I recommend.
Yearly vaccinations are also essential to protect your cat from any potential diseases. That is especially true if your Persian cat ventures outdoors.
Spaying/Neutering
Spaying and neutering your cat is quite a subjective topic that often produces mixed opinions. One thing is certain: Cats spayed or neutered tend to live longer and are safe from testicular or ovarian cancer prevalent in cats that haven’t been spayed/neutered.
Persian Cat Life Expectancy
Looking at some of the research, it’s hard to put an exact lifespan on a Persian cat, but a consensus is 12-17 years, with a median of 14 years.
This information was taken from pet insurance data from Sweden and veterinary clinic data from England.
In the Swedish study of the Persian group (Persians, Chinchilla, Himalayan, and Exotic), 76% lived for ten years or more, and 52% lived for 12.5 years or more.
Similarly, the study in England found that Persians typically lived for 12-17 years, with an average of 14.1 years.
There are cases of Persians living to 20 years (this isn’t uncommon) and, of course, sad cases of Persians living substantially less and dying before their 10th birthday.
From the studies above, we can conclude that 12-17 years is a good rough guide, with 14-15 years looking like more of an accurate average.
My cat passes away just 2 months before 12th birthday spent a lot of time outdoors,,do you think his live was long for a outdoors cat
12 years is quite old for an outdoor cat. Was he a Persian cat as most Persians are kept indoors?
Just a few days ago we had to put our little Gizzybones down after 18 years, for her kidneys had shut down, plus a few other medical issues as well. But we had saved her thru our local humane society years ago and glad we did…she definitely had a good indoor life and we will miss her very much…all cats go to heaven as they say.
My wonderful Persian passed away in her twenty-first year. We all miss her.
Sorry to hear that she passed away. 21 years is a long time for a Persian. RIP.
I have a male and female Himalayans were littermates born in February 2001. My sweet Julie passed away this past June. I was concerned my male, Romeo, would grieve for her and I was so anxious and gave him alot of attention. Now he sleeps with me on his side of the bed and when he wants my attention he reaches over with his paw and meows softly in my ear, I am so happy that we have more time to love each other.
Hi Ann,
Sorry to hear about the passing of Julie, glad your other Himalayan, Romeo is doing well. It sounds as though you’ve really helped him though this difficult period and long may it continue.
My blue just passed today. She was a rescue from the S.p.c.a. because she was abandoned because of her inbreeding effects. She was 8. She stopped really eating about 2 weeks ago. 7 days ago I thought she would pass. She had 7 days of pain, suffering, and misery. 8 years old! Kitty Politti changed my life. Her insides just shut down.
Hi Eric, please accept my condolences at this difficult time. She sounded like an amazing Persian. At least she’s not in pain anymore. If you would like to share some pictures or a short story about her on the blog feel free to drop me an email at info AT persiancatcorner.com RIP Kitty Politti
Why in the heck would you not take your poor cat to your vet clinic to be put to sleep days before if she was not going to pull through with any treatments, instead of waiting for her to die on her own???? It doesn’t make any sense at all. She should have been put down earlier. Pets rarely die on their own. Palliative people get iv fluids, very strong pain killers and such near the end. Why why why was she not put down????
Yes, seven days of pain and misery…terrible.
You are seriously going to condemn someone because they didn’t do what “you“ think is right? Yes, the cat was in pain. This individual was in pain as well knowing they were going to lose their beloved pet. You don’t always make the right choices when you are grieving. Don’t cast stones iunless you have walked in their shoes. How dare you!
Dude, I will ALWAYS condemn someone who chooses to let an animal suffer. Some things aren’t up for debate.
I said goodbye to my beloved Blue Persian Samson, just five days ago. He was 15 years, 7 months. Although there are Persian’s that live much longer, I’m thankful for every year and day that we cherished!
Hi Heidi, so sorry for your loss. 15 years is a good age for a Persian and a testament to how well you looked after him.
Donna….reading these replies to Shaun made me think – What is wrong with these people? I have lost a pet and it is very painful. Who needs negative comments. Thank you for setting them straight. At least she had had a few years of a life with someone who loved and cared for her.
Except for lacking any reference to palliative care, I can accept his decision to keep the cat alive and feel for the owner. Hope he finds piece somehow, and learn about palliative care. I’ve lost my little love recently and would go above and beyond to reduce her suffering, anything except putting her to sleep. At least not if I could provide for her care, even at the expenses of my own.
And yes, Donna, I would expect those horrible trolls judging the owner so dreadfully and cowardly as being pathetic people. I can picture those ridiculous people as morally impaired and morbidly obese losers with an IQ as desirable as rotten food in a trash can.
You do know some ppl have had horrific euthanasia experiences. Like your dog literally screaming and flipping around, trying to get up and gasping for air. So don’t you DARE come for ppl that choose not to do euthanasia. You don’t know their story and it’s not your animal.
I just put my cat down. It was a very peaceful experience for her. Not for me.,,my heart is broken I miss her so much. But I could not watch her suffer at all. Her last 2 hours were laying in the sun with the breeze on her face. She was an inside cat but I sometimes would sit with her outside while she laid in the grass.
Hi Charlene, I’m terribly sorry for you loss and can’t imagine the pain you must be feeling right now. At least she is now free of pain and she will be watching down from the rainbow garden. Cherish the memories you had together.
My beloved white Persian cat pass away yesterday on 18 May and he had 19 years 4 months and 3 days (born 15 January 2000 in Romania)
Hi Laura, I’m sorry for your loss, I’m sure he had a long and happy life with you. May he RIP.
My Persian Marble is 19 years 5 months and 9 days. She went to subq fluids and had an epileptic seizure for the first time right after in the vet office. I was in the car as for corona virus protocol in Ontario. Now she is weak so I am syringe feeding her but I believe she will pull through this rough time.
Hi Charlotte, I hope Marble pulls through. Keep us updated how she gets on.
Hi Laura,
So sorry for the loss of your fur baby. My Blue turned 19 yrs last December. She is struggling with hyperthyroidism , allergic to the meds and down to 5lbs. 🙁 I’m feeding her a prescription diet which she loved at first but all she does is sleep lately so I fear she isn’t long for this world. If you don’t mind my asking…was you kitty sick before he/she passed at all? I’ve always had dogs but inherited Abby so I’m at a loss to know what if anything to do next. Thanks in advance for your response. Be safe out there. xxoocc
Hi Cindy, sorry to hear of the health issues with blue. If she’s not eating and losing a lot of weight and sleeping lots I think you need to get her to a vet as soon as you can. Stay safe, Shaun.
Our Persian- Gizmo is 17. He has been such a fun and precocious boy. He and his brother, Dusty were raised with our Lab and Lhasa Apso. Both cats learned verbal commands. Gizmo was on the Ellen show – she called him a grumpy cat. Quite the opposite. He has been my love since 2002. He is starting to cut back on eating and drinking. We will take him in soon. But the pint is – Persians are wonderful fur babies. I adore out boy. We lost Dusty 5 years ago to sudden cardiomyopathy. I was concerned about Gizmo, but he has never had that issue. So yes, I think the 12-17 longevity is accurate. And we have enjoyed them so much.
Hi Shauna, what a beautiful story, Gizmo sounds a wonderful cat and fingers crossed he has many years left in him. I’ve heard of some Persians living over 20 years. If you would like to have some of his images used on the site feel free to email some over to info@persiancatcorner.com.
Hi Shauna. My Siamese just passed away less than two weeks ago to sudden cardiomyopathy as well. There were no signs. She just had a clean bill of health with perfect blood work a month before. We got her through 2 weeks with extensive care, diagnosis and 4 heart meds but she never got any better. She got a little better but then went downhill a bit again. She was only 10 yrs old and I thought that was young as the breed generally lives 16 to 21 yrs. She was my precious baby girl. After doing so much research, ALL my favourite breeds are pre disposed to this horrible disease that you cannot catch in time to treat. 🙁
Hi Samantha, really sorry for your loss, my thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time. I cant imagine how difficult it must be and as you say 10 years old is quite young. RIP.
I have 9 Persian cats the mother and father and their children the mother is now 11 years old and the father is around 14 years old both still doing very well the kids she are from 9 years to 6 years
9 Persians wow that’s amazing. You must be pros at grooming! And great to hear your Persians are doing well, yours could easily live to be 20+ years old. I’d love to see some pictures!
Where would I send the pics
info@persiancatcorner.com
Our persian cat, Ariel, just died last night. He was an outdoor cat and we didn’t really know what killed him. There were no signs of blood all over his body. Maybe he ate something poisonous. He was just a year and a half year old. If only I could go back in time, I’d change this one. 🙁
Hi Angelie, I’m terribly sorry for your loss. Did you take him to the vets to find out the cause of death, they should be able to tell you. He will have crossed over the rainbow bridge and will be in a nice place. My thoughts go out to you. If you would like to share pictures of him on the site in memory I’d be more than happy to do that. RIP poor baby.
I just had to put my loving girl, Madison, to sleep on November 18th, 2019. She was a Persian doll face tortoiseshell that I purchased for 100 USD in 1999. Born on June 2, 1999, Madison never had any medical issues, aside from some dental problems in her geriatric years and minor renal dysfunction starting around 18 years old. Muscle atrophy and skeletal degeneration was ultimately her undoing. I miss her so much. A little more than twenty years of sweet kindness and companionship from a beautiful cat.
I’m really sorry for your loss, please accept my condolences. It sounds like Madison had an amazing life over those 20 years. My Persian Milo was born on the 3rd June. She will have crossed over the rainbow bridge. RIP Madison.
Hello im from turkey and my cat name is hamza. Hamza 12 years old. But maybe not, because When I claimed it, they said he was 2 years old. perhaps he is now 14-15 years old. lost a lot of weight in the last week. very run-down. He was receiving treatment at the vet, but I opposed him staying in the clinic and being unhappy. I brought her home. a cat that hates being somewhere else. waiting for your prayers for his recovery
My thoughts and prayers are with yourself and Hamza. I would strictly follow your vets advice though, even though your Persian may hate staying in hospital, it may be best for him to get well.
He was angel this morning
I’m so sorry for the loss of your beautiful Hamza.
I had a beautiful white persian boy called Simba, he sadly had to be put to sleep last week due to a blood clot caused by an undiagnosed heart condition, he was only 2 and a half and the most loving cat! I miss him so much.
Hi Nancy, I’m terribly sorry for your loss, it’s such a tragedy when any cat dies never mind one at such a young age. He will have crossed over the rainbow bridge and will be in a happy place watching down. Treasure those precious memories forever. RIP Simba.
MY MARSHALL DILLON PASSED AWAY AN HOUR AGO WE ALSO HAVE MISS KITTY WHO IS 16 ON APRIL FIRST DILLON JULY 4TH HE ALMOST MADE IT TO SIXTEEN
Hi Peggy, I’m so sorry for your loss, please accept my condolences. Wishing miss kitty an happy up coming birthday.
My cat’s name is Lao-Chao, she’s an indoor,neat and clean healthy cat, she’s just 4 years old, she’s very cute and always happy, I count her as a family member, she’s like a daughter to my mother, everybody loves her, Every night I think why cats tendt to have a shorter life span and tears come out of my eyes, I don’t want that day come ever in my life!
Hi Ahmed,
She’s only a young cat, enjoy her and think positively, she’s going to be with you for many many years to come 🙂
Hi Shaun, I have a 3 year old male persian called Hector and is a very much loved bundle of joy. I also had 2 other moggie cats which sadly recently passed away. I’m looking to get another Persian cat but wanted an adult instead of getting another kitten as think Hector would bully the kitchen. I’m based in Bristol and struggling to find anywhere that I may be able to get one from. Just wondering if you had any suggestions. Kind regards Sally
Hi Sally,
Sorry to hear about the passing of your 2 cats. I will drop you an email with a few suggestions. Thanks Shaun
My beautiful boy “Kukutu” passed away yesterday morning . I adopted him when he was 3 years and lived with us only 3 1/2 years . He had no underlying health conditions but was very anemic . But , his symptoms appeared so sudden and he had two blood transfusions. His red blood cell count dropped to 8% within 24 hours from the first blood transfusion and 11% within 36 hours from the second blood transfusion. And it continued to dropped and the VETs were unable to find reasons for his condition. He was the sweetest pet I ever had in my 38years of living . I miss touching his beautiful, soft while coat which I used to brushing every morning, his warmth interaction and talkative eyes.
Terribly sorry for your loss, it sounds like you gave him a brilliant life. RIP Kukutu.
Hi Shaun,
I have blue cream Persian named Bonnie Blue. She will be 18 January 2021. She is hanging in there.
She is alot of maintenance with her fur but I love her and do not mind.
Sometimes I am surprised that she is still here with me. She has had a great indoor life with me all these years. I have a Tortie cat too who is 16 and I have read that they only live to 15. Funny thing her name is Clyde but she is girl.
I thought since I had Bonnie it would be cute to name her Clyde.
I also have 2 outdoor cats that are 12 and 13.
I just wanted to share.
Hi Karen,
Many thanks for sharing this information, 18 is a brilliant age and it’s a testament to the care and love you’ve given Bonnie Blue, I’m sure she has many years to come with you. Same with your other cat, Clyde.
We had a Tortie that lived to 23!
Our Persian Monty is 14 when he was a kitten we took him in after an accident at home when something fell on him and he was concussed
When they did xrays they established a genetic condition that had caused two of his organs to be ‘attached’ for want of a better description it was a rare condition. The vet suggested Surgery. I went with my gut feel on this and opted for him not to have surgery. He has been fine throughout without any further Unnecessary trips to vet (touches wood)
The point here is sometimes it is best to challenge or get second opinions. This would have been major surgery with lots of scarring tissue and surgery he could have died from. A similar thing happened with myself when I discovered I had cancer, the first hospital wanted to do surgery, chemo and radiotherapy I went and sort second opinion and proceeded without surgery. Life can throw tough things at you always get at least two opinions on big decisions. Monty is in good shape and is mainly an indoor cat venturing out in back garden in spring/summer
We have to be careful now with urban foxes
He usually rules the roost but as he is getting older he is more vulnerable and foxes will and do take out older Or sick cats
Hi Terence, totally agree a second opinion in many cases is vital. And wow 23 is very old for any cat, that is a testament to how you looked after your tortie.
My cats have all died on their own after a long life. If people die naturally for whatever reason, so can animals. I believe in hospice for animals as well as for people. I shall not sob over taking my cat to a vet to be “put down” die. Anyway, thank you writer for the article on Persians life expectancy. I am all the more better for it.
Thank you for your kind comments Jeni.
Hello, my Beautiful Apricot & Cream Persian Cat Wallender passed away on Friday. when I bought him from Preloved he was Sneezing & had Gingivitis already at around 9 months old. I took him to a local Homeopathic Vet who prescribed him Remedies and he got so much better but as the Vet said he would probably have to be on Homeopathy for the rest of his life. I got a Homeopathic book for Cats & started to study it for both my Birman (Girl) & Himself. He was very thin & active but I am a Dancer so whenever I went to the Vets & they said but he’s so tiny, as an Indoor Cat & watching me exercise intensely I don’t think he was ever going to be big & decided it was really Important for Him & for Me not to worry or bother too much about this, that other Cats were supposedly always so much bigger! – So I worried less & took care more, then just this yr he has gone downhill & got much too thin, I continued to treat him, made sure he always had water & eventually this wk took him to the Vets where he got fluids also & tests. As an active Cat indoors he was always jumping up to get to taps or adventurous places with a deep passion for water, there was no stopping him but in the end he started to fall & I stayed home to look after him. We shut ourselves in the Hallway so there was no-where to leap & I manually fed him after he’d come back from the Vets this wk. I’ll never know if it was the Vets visit & the sadness of being apart that hurt us both during this period when they were surrounded by emergencies & very tired from working during a Pandemic & whether it would have been better for me to just to continue to treat him here right now, at this point in time but he was so thin & I needed outside help so I got Fluids & Advice. He stopped eating after a good meal last Friday 9th & I stayed close to him, waking often during the night to keep up him Fluids & treat him Homeopathically but he was very, very weak & passed away in my arms on Friday. He was dearly Loved & the Sweetest, Sweetest Boy with a Gorgeous Huge Personality – He lived for 11.5 yrs with the help of Love, Care, Exercise & Medicines, in the end it was showed to be his Kidneys that had hurt him & that I in my treatment of ailments had been already prescribing the right Medicines to aid this problem without realising & that’s why he had lived a bit longer than anticipated but obtaining extra Information about fluids from the Vets was very helpful although I doubt very much whether his wonderfully Stubborn Nature would’ve ever taken kindly to the Special Diet Food.
Hi Becks, very sorry for your loss, it sounds like you Wallender had an amazing fulfilling life with you. Unfortunately, Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is quite common in Persians, a lot of breeders will test and try breed this out of cats but it stills occurs a lot in the breed sadly.
I bought my exotic shorthaired persian female cat from a well known breeder in Dec. 0f 2007. Her parents were show cats. I loved that she had the short hair. She was born Nov. 2007. I am so sad that I had to have her put down 12/17/2020. She always had regular checkups with the vet. She started going down hill a week ago fast, the vet said that her renal failure was severely worse. I tried medicines to get her to eat and she would not. She was the most loving and good cat I have ever had. She traveled in our 5th wheel with us a lot. She was always indoors. I fed her Royal Canin persian dry food all her life. I had a long hair persian before and she lived 17 yrs. and I had bought her from a pet store and she was the runt of the litter, yet she lived longer.
Hi Judy, I’m so sorry for your loss, please accept my sincere condolences at this difficult time. It sounds like she had a great time travelling around with you in your 5th wheel.
Shaun
Hi Judy,
I am so saddened to hear of the loss of your beautiful short-haired Persian cat. You mentioned your cat was born in November 2007 and was purchased in December 2007. Did your kitty remain with its mother for at least three months before going home with you? The reason I ask is when it comes to kittens, especially Persians and Himalayans, it is important that they remain with their mothers for at least 12 weeks or longer. If a kitten is taken from its mother and sent to a new home too soon, there can be some serious health consequences. The first few weeks of a kitten’s life are essential for its health and body development. The colostrum and nutrients in the mother’s milk are responsible for strong bone development, eye health, and full organ development, so if a kitten is weaned too soon, you could be increasing the risk of your cat developing more health issues later on. A kitten removed from its mother too soon may need nutritional supplementation and other veterinary care early on in life.
Ideally, kittens should go to their new home around 12 weeks of age. While some kittens can go home earlier, the closer you wait until 12 or 13 weeks, the better off the kitten will be. Your cat’s chances of being healthy, well-socialized, and properly developed are dramatically increased by allowing it to spend extra time with its mother and littermates.
My cat “Babe” just passed away tonight around 11.45 GMT+5, She was 4 years 2 months old. She was my first baby and I miss her. I buried her in front my house with a yellow flower on her grave. I hope we will meet again.
Hi Adil, very sorry for your loss. 4 years is young, did she have an underlying health condition?
2 wonderful Persian came into our life born April 15 2013. Sasha is still with us he is a male and is very health sometimes in the morning after his breakfast he will run back and forth through the house. Our other precious baby was named Mo Mo he died on December 29 2020 and it broke my heart. He had kidney failure. He lived 17 years 8 months and 14 days.
Very sorry for your loss. 17 years is a good age for a Persian and a testament to your care and love over the years.
Hi my Persian Cat just passed away on 8th February 2021, just a month after my mom passed away, still grieving my mom and he left us. He was going to turn 13 in May 2021, he had heart disease and was on medication from past 3-4 months, pass 1 day he did not have food, I was worried then he woke up went to toilet , had water then had little food, and walking towards me where he suddenly collapsed with his hind legs completely not moving, I rushed him to hospital in 10 minutes they did the test, the heart was very weak completely in water, though the vet punctured to remove the fluid but he succumbed, the only best thing was he was in my arms while going to sleep forever, I could my face in his eyes, I wanted him to know that I am with him all the time in his final moments too, we as a family really miss him a lot, do you think he was affected by my mom’s death so he followed her?
Hi Rocky, I’m terribly sorry for both your loss of your mom and your Persian cat, please accept my condolences at this extremely difficult time. Unfortunately, heart disease is far too common disease in our breed, but it sounds like he had a great life prior to getting diagnosed. 12 going on 13 is a good age for a Persian and is a reflection of the love and attention you gave him. With regards to him following your mom, it could have been a contributory factor and certainly wouldn’t have helped with the shock of the passing. Especially if he had spent all his life around your mom. I know it’s still early but things will get better and just keep reflecting on the good times you had together and know that he lived a full and healthy life during your care.
Shaun.
Dear Shawn Thanks for replying on my post I really appreciate, with time passes the wounds will be healed, yes he was close to my mom as she use to play with him and all the time clean his mouth after drinking water, I live in a Tropical climate country with very less winter weather, so the local vets told me that almost 13 years is a good age, I did a proper cremation and immersed the ashes in river made a photo of him with his hair inside the frame as you said just cherish the memories spent together and time will heal.
I have two amazing doll-faced persians. Minkie came to me at 4 weeks old as he was in a house where an elderly woman who had 100 cats passed away. The animal warden was sending all the cats to shelters so, I took him in. Milo came to me at 2 weeks old after his mother died. I obviously had to bottle-feed both my boys around the clock for many weeks and we are incredibly bonded as a result. Minkie is now 13 years, 4 months and Milo is now 13 years, 2 months and neither has ever stepped outside. They are both still very healthy and agile, but showing some signs of slowing down. I love them both dearly and will be positively devastated when their time comes 🙂 Thanks to all my fellow animal lovers out there.
We lost our beloved Theodore Blue-White Persian at 10 weeks. We had already fallen in love and one day he was breathing really fast! Took him to vet and he had a diaphragmatic hernia, it’s was genetic. Transferred him to a surgeon and he died in surgery. This was in January. We were completely devastated. We’re getting anew one in 6 weeks. My daughter thinks we’re ready. We’re naming this ones middle name after our Theo. God Bless his little soul.
Hi Melanie, really sorry for you loss. Hope everything goes well with your new kitten.
My Persian Ozzy just passed away yesterday unexpectedly. He was the love of my life and I’m heartbroken. He was 13 yrs and 2 mos. I adopted him from a Persian cat rescue in Nor Cal when he was 3. He had no symptoms. I had just gotten home and cut up a little chicken as a treat. He didn’t eat it but that’s nothing new as he is super picky. He was still sitting in the kitchen when I went in my room to change. When I came back he was laying on his side in his favorite sunny spot in the kitchen. I went to pet him and saw his tongue hanging out. When I pet him but he was unresponsive. I called the vet immediately and they helped me confirm that he had passed. I feel so guilty. I had just taken him to the groomers 4 days before. He had an ingrown claw which bled so I made the first available vet appt I could find for a week later. I had to call around because his vet was booked out two weeks. He seemed fine with no symptoms of pain or anything else. He had his usual spunkier than normal behavior after getting a lion cut. I think it felt freeing for him to get rid of all that fur a few times a year. I watched him carefully in case I needed to take him to the ER. He was his usual self, no sign of anything. I wish I would have taken him to the ER vet right away. Maybe they would have found what was wrong with him? I will regret this forever. All I can do is hope that he was not in pain. Thank you all for listening. I’m sobsorry for the loss of all your fur babies.
Hi Lisa,
I’m terribly sorry for your loss, please don’t blame yourself for Ozzy’s death, it just sounds like an unfortunate set of events and clearly not your fault at all. You gave him a wonderful life and should be proud of yourself for the love and care you provided him over the years you had him.
RIP Ozzy.
We lost our beautiful Chinchilla last week. He was 13 years and 4 months old and has been with me since he was a baby.
We took him to the vet every year for a full check-up since he was around 7 and otherwise took him to the vet for regular examinations probably every 2 months or so.
2 weeks ago, we noticed he was lethargic so we took him to the vet after observing him for 2 days. The x-rays showed he had fluid in his lungs, so we scheduled an appointment for a procedure that week. His vet was visibly upset (he had been his vet for nearly 10 years and loved him very much) after the procedure and told us that the fluid they drew out did not look good and the ultrasound showed a few lumps in his abdomen. His only chance was to undergo surgery and our vet told us that the procedure would be risky (due to his age and the condition). After careful consideration, we decided he underwent surgery because he would have suffered otherwise (as the fluid would start filling his lung again). His vet called us mid-surgery to tell us it was worse than he thought and that there were tumors pretty much everywhere. They did what they could and our boy woke up from anaesthesia (to everyone’s surprise, because the surgery was quite critical) but his heart couldn’t take it and he passed away in a few hours. We held a small ceremony to bury him the next day.
For 13 years, I was obsessed with the thought of my cat dying and dreaded the day I would lose him. I can’t believe he is gone and don’t think I’ll ever get used his absence.
I am grateful that he did not suffer and that we had 13 wonderful years together, but words can’t describe how devastated I am. He was an amazing cat and I loved him with all my heart, and more than anything. I just hope we meet again someday, somehow.
Hi Caren, Thank you for sharing this, I’m terribly sorry for your loss, I can’t imagine how difficult it must be but just know you did your upmost best in caring for him. The fact he lived so long is a testiment to how well you cared for him. RIP.
I have my Persian beauty for the 4 years. She is extremely happy babe but I have a little concern which worries me a lot these days. I tried almost all sort of food but she doesn’t even taste, she just lives on her Royal Canin dry (First Age Mother & Baby) food. Can anyone suggest any trick to lure her for some other food as I am scared that she might have shorter life if she doesn’t eat any other food or even doesn’t like milk either?
Have you taken her to the vets just to rule out any potential health issues? Some Persians are fussy eaters but you can normally find a staple dry and wet food they like with a bit of trial and error. There’s no hard and fast rule, other than buying the small samples and seeing if she likes them or you could cook some meat or try some raw food. Let me know how you get on.
Thanks Shaun, I did try almost everything possible including the vets. The doctors are pretty sure that the cat is perfectly alright. Upon my insistence, the doctor did her ultrasound and other blood tests but nothing is abnormal. Few months back she tasted KFC chicken couple of times but now she doesn’t like that too. She is perfectly healthy and active. My question is, will she live normal life span with only just one food?
Yes, she should do. plenty of Persians just eat a dry food only diet and do just fine. I still think it’s best to feed a mix of wet and dry food though, however, if your cat is perfectly healthy and doesn’t like wet food then you should be fine with just dry food only. I would still keep trying to wean her onto wet food though over time. All the best.
Thanks dear and I am trying with no success but will keep trying. Thanks again for your nice and encouraging words.