Persian cat lion cut is a term cat groomers use to describe a shaved grooming style that removes most of a Persian cat’s fur. Professional cat groomers use specialized clippers to shave the fur very short across the Persian cat’s body.
The Persian cat’s neck ruff is left untouched, thus resembling a lion.
Groomers leave a small pom-pom fur-tipped tail.
Persian cats are known for their friendly, gentle nature and luscious, thick fur.
While their thick coat is advantageous during winter, many Persian cats visibly struggle when the temperature rises, leading owners to dabble with the idea of the Persian cat Lion Cut.
What Is A Lion Cut?
The Persian cat lion cut is a very drastic cat grooming style. This grooming style often sparks heated conversations amongst Persian cat owners and lovers. While many owners proudly share photographs of their Persian cat lion cut, others chastise them for shaving their cats. Critics claim the practice is cruel, unnatural, and ugly.
The lion cut involves shaving large parts of the Persian cat’s fur in specific places. Groomers often leave a large ruff of fur around the Persian cat’s neckline, which is meant to resemble a lion’s mane. Some owners also leave fur around the cat’s paws, which look like fur boots.
The tail can be shaved or not but is often trimmed short with a tuft of hair left at the tip, which resembles a lion’s tail. The lion cut aims to make the cat look like a lion. Lion cuts will vary depending on the owner’s preference.
However, the Persian cat’s entire body is shaved, so there is a clear line between the hair on its head and neck and the rest of its body.
The lion cut and how it’s done.
Body: The cat’s thick fur is shaved off, leaving a peach skin layer of fur. Some owners opt for a teddy bear cut, which leaves the fur on the Persian cat’s body longer, ¼ to ½ inch or 0.6 to 1.2 cm.
Neck: Fur isn’t shaved from around the Persian cat’s neck. The fur in this region remains long and looks like a lion’s mane.
Paws: The Persian cat’s paws are left alone or can be trimmed.
Legs: The fur on the legs can be shaved and the paws trimmed, or some fur can be left to look like the Persian cat is wearing boots.
Tail: The tail can be shaved, leaving the lion tuft at the end or with most of the fur on.
Reasons For And Against The Lion Cut
Many issues make this kind of haircut on your Persian cat worth doing, but also other problems that make it less than appealing. We’ll go through these with explanations to better help you understand and decide whether to have a lion cut done on your Persian cat or not.
Matting
Persian cats have long, thick, luxurious fur but can have terrible matting issues if not appropriately groomed. That is not only stressful for their parents but for them as well. Some climates can make this issue even worse. Many Persian cat owners give their cat a Persian cat lion cut to keep matted fur at bay.
Weather
The climate varies dramatically worldwide, and Persian cat cats are not naturally suited to living everywhere. Persian cats are prone to breathing problems, and living where it’s hot can worsen this. Plus, their thick fur makes it hard for them to stay cool. A lion cut is a perfect way to help your Persian cat remain cool in hot climates. Many cat parents plan on having their Persian cat get a lion cut at the beginning of the hot season and allow their coats to grow out to have long fur for the winter months.
Looks
The lion cut is cute and entirely up to your personal preference. If you like it and your cat adjusts to this style well without undue stress, then go for it.
Grooming
Persian cat cats require regular brushing to prevent their fur from becoming matted or tangled. That is true, especially for those Persian cats allowed outside, as they can pick up a lot of residue on their fur. If you don’t want to deal with grooming them after a day out, then a lion cut may be your answer. It’ll cut down on the amount of grooming you have to do.
Hairballs
All cats, including your Persian cat, groom themselves. That can lead to hairballs, especially with a long-haired cat like the Persian. They will inevitably end up with hairballs. That can be a mess as they will regurgitate these masses of hair, and you must clean up a wet, yucky mess. There’s a chance that your cat can get their stomach clogged with that mass of hair. A lion cut can cut down on those chances and allow you to live without stepping on a cold, wet hairball in the middle of the night.
Shedding
Every Persian cat is different, so some will shed hair far more than others. All Persian cats shed as Spring approaches since this is nature’s way of shedding their thick Winter coat. If you do not like their hair-shedding tendencies, you may have considered the Persian cat lion cut. Alternatively, I recommend you groom them with a de-shedding tool that can reduce their hair shedding by up to ninety percent.
Age
Health issues such as stiff joints are likely to develop as cats age, making self-grooming harder for a cat to complete. To assist the older cat, a Persian cat lion cut is ideal and helps a cat keep their fur looking well maintained.
Stress
Cats are tidy and love being groomed. However, there are exceptions. Some cats don’t groom themselves or can’t groom themselves, and a lion cut can come to the rescue to help keep their coat clean and tidy. That keeps your cat from stressing out about not being able to groom.
On the other hand, your Persian cat may stress out about going to the groomer or not getting used to the new cut, which makes the lion cut a bad idea for this particular cat. If your cat is one of these, perhaps a lion cut isn’t for you or your Persian cat.
Sunburn
If you get your Persian cat a lion cut, you must realize they can get sunburned since their fur is so short. So, if your Persian cat goes outside, you should ensure they have a shaded area to hang out in. This way, you can prevent sunburn.
How To Do A Lion Cut
The best way to give your Persian cat a lion cut is for a professional groomer qualified to give your Persian this cut.
You can do a lion cut yourself, but you should learn how before trying it on your cat. It takes some skill to do this.
Mastering an electric clipper can take some time, your cat’s skin is delicate, and you may catch their skin in the blades, nicking them and leaving a wound.
How Much Does a Lion Cut Cost?
The Persian cat lion cut is not a cheap grooming option, so think carefully before you ask a groomer to take their clippers out and shave all of your Persian cat’s beautiful fur coat off.
Groomers charge anywhere from $30 to $70 in the U.S.; in the U.K., they charge £70 to £79.
Before getting your cat trimmed, check your local groomer’s websites for details since some professional groomers only provide lion cuts to cats with severely matted fur.
How Long Will It Take For My Persian Fur to Grow Back?
Think carefully before shaving your Persian cat’s fur because once cut, your Persian cat will look different. It can take six weeks for your cat’s fur to grow back. A long-haired cat can take six months to regain total growth.
Conclusion
Persian cats are renowned for having fabulous long, luxurious hair. Their thick fur is a crucial attribute that makes the Persian cat breed attractive. The lion cut for Persian cats is a controversial grooming option. The fact is that this isn’t a cruel or harmful thing. It can be more stressful for your Persian cat because they use clippers to shave your cat’s body. Some think this cut is cute because your cat can run around looking like a miniature lion. Plus, the fact is that this cut can help with grooming and environmental problems such as matting or the summer heat.
In the end, the lion cut is the owner’s preference. If you like it and your cat is okay with it, go for it. If you don’t like it, that’s okay, too. Please don’t get it done, but it’s best not to put down those with a favorable opinion.
What do you think? Would you get your Persian cat a lion cut? If you have had your Persian groomed with this cut, how did you like it? How did your Persian like it? Would you do it again? Let us know in the comments below. We want to hear from you.