Persian Cat: Breed Profile, Characteristics & Care

The Persian cat has been cherished for hundreds—if not thousands—of years, tracing their origins to the deserts of Persia and Iran. The Persian cat is a medium- to large-sized breed, easily identifiable by their round, flat face and long, flowing coats that come in almost every color. Persian cats are gentle, loving companions even if their face makes them look a little grumpy.

Learn more about the characteristics, care, and history of the Persian cat.

Characteristics of the Persian Cat

The Persian cat is known and loved for their very sweet, gentle, calm disposition. Though Persian cats are quite friendly, they require gentle handling, which means no roughhousing or grabbing from young children. They get along great with kind, respectful kids, but would rather be stroked and admired than engage in strenuous activities. Persians also enjoy the company of other cats and gentle dogs if they are introduced properly.

Persians love to sprawl out in their favorite spot in the home with good vantage points to keep an eye on the goings-on in the household, be it a plush chair or atop a cat tree. Persians are homebodies. It’s best to keep them indoors to prevent overheating or tangling up their profuse, long coats. Persian cats love their human families, but they don’t mind being left alone for short periods of time as long as they are in their own homes where they feel comfortable and safe. 

History of the Persian Cat

The earliest written history of the Persian cat dates back to the early 1500s, but some breed fanciers believe the Persian might be even older. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, ancient hieroglyphs found in the region show longhaired cats that may have been the ancestors of what became the Persian cat breed. The earliest examples of what eventually became the Persian cat were exhibited at the very first cat show, which took place in London in 1871.

Queen Victoria became enamored with the breed and owned several Persian cats, which made the breed popular with other royals and the British upper class. The breed found their way to the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As in England, the Persian won over the American people.

The Persian was recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) in 1906 as one of the foundation breeds. The International Cat Association recognizes the Himalayan, which has a light-colored body and darker “points” of color on the face, ears, legs, and tail, as a separate breed within the Persian breed group. In the CFA, cats with Himalayan coloration are judged with the rest of the Persian colorations.

Persian Cat Care 

Persians are fairly easy to care for in terms of exercise and mental stimulation (a few play sessions a day will do just fine), but their coat requires extensive care and is not for the faint of heart. If not properly cared for, the Persian's coat can form mats, which are extremely painful for cats.

Grooming

The Persian cat’s luxurious, flowing coat requires a lot of grooming—perhaps the most in all of the cat kingdom. To prevent mats from forming, a Persian cat needs daily combing with a wide-toothed metal comb, followed by daily brushing with a soft slicker brush. When combing, Persian cat owners must take care to part the hair and ensure they are combing all the way down to the skin, or mats will sneakily form underneath the long hair.

Regular bathing is necessary to keep the coat clean. After a bath, the coat should be carefully dried with a pet hair dryer that runs cooler than a human hair dryer so you don’t burn your cat’s sensitive skin or cause them to overheat. Persian cats also need their faces washed daily (the large, round eyes are prone to tearing), their nails trimmed weekly or every other week, and their ears checked and cleaned if they become dirty.

Due to the difficulty of upkeep, some Persian cat owners opt to have their cats professionally groomed. The groomer can shave a Persian cat’s belly to take off some bulk and eliminate the issue of mats forming on the stomach and under the armpits. Another option is a lion trim: the body of the cat is shaved short, leaving fluffy hair on the head, legs, and tail.  

Exercise

Persians are fairly sedate cats, though they enjoy playing with feather wands or other teaser toys. Engaging your Persian cat in play sessions a few times a day can provide a bit of exercise to keep your cat physically and mentally stimulated.

Scratching is another physically engaging activity that cats naturally want to do. Encourage scratching in the right places by setting up approved scratching areas in your house. Be sure to use both vertical scratchers (such as tall posts or cat trees) and horizontal scratchers (such as cardboard or sisal scratchers that lie flat on the ground), because these can provide an outlet for your cat to scratch in different ways.

Common Health Problems

Persian cats are genetically predisposed to the following conditions:

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A heart condition that inhibits blood flow and can cause health issues throughout the body
• Progressive retinal atrophy and trichiasis: These eye conditions can lead to sight issues or blindness
• Polycystic kidney disease: A disease that causes cysts to form on the tissue of the kidney and can lead to kidney failure if untreated
• Respiratory problems: Because of the shape of their heads, Persian cats tend to have narrowed airways that can cause breathing issues from snoring to respiratory distress.

Reputable Persian cat breeders have their adult cats screened for these problems prior to breeding to keep from passing unwanted health traits to the next generation. 

Appearance

The Persian is a medium-to-large-sized cat with short, muscular legs, a short back, sturdy body, and a deep chest. The Persian cat is immediately recognizable by their flat face with full cheeks, large round eyes, a short muzzle and a short snub-nose, round cheeks, a firm chin, medium-sized ears, and large, round eyes, creating a sweet expression.

The Persian cat’s coat is extremely long with a dense undercoat that provides a lot of volume. The Persian cat comes in many different colors and patterns. 

Diet and Nutrition

Because the Persian cat is heavily built, the breed may become overweight if allowed to eat too much. For all cats, staying lean is healthier and can prevent obesity-related health issues like diabetes and heart disease.

To manage your Persian cat's food intake, feed measured meals twice a day instead of filling up the food bowl all the time (a practice called free feeding). Young kittens should eat three times a day. If you’re not sure what to feed or how much food your Persian needs daily, talk to your veterinarian or breeder for advice.

Where to Adopt or Buy a Persian Cat

The Cat Fanciers Association and The International Cat Association both list active Persian cat breeders on their respective websites. You can also find adult Persian cats in animal shelters and through cat rescue groups if you would rather rescue a cat. Local Persian cat breeders might also know of someone looking to re-home their adult Persian.

Breed Overview

Happiest when at home, the Persian cat is neither needy nor aloof, but a mixture of quiet affection and calm independence. Persians tend to be fairly quiet, but when they vocalize, they have sweet, musical voices. They love to cuddle or hang out next to you and will happily greet you at the door when you come home.

More Cat Breeds and Further Research

If you like the Persian cat, you might also like these cat breeds: 

• Exotic Shorthair
• Himalayan
• Ragdoll