The Persian is the most popular breed of cat in the United States. Its long coat was most likely a mutation which came about naturally to deal with cold weather. Originally called a Longhair the Persian first was noticed in Europe in the 1600's. It is thought that this was the first registered  and shown cat breed.   They were called Longhairs until the l960's in the U.S. In Britain the are still using the name Longhairs and each color variety is treated as a separate breed. The Persian cat of today is the result of crossing the Angora and the Maine Coon.

Medium to large in size is what to look for in a Persian cat.  The body is stocky and wide sitting low on its legs. The legs are heavily boned, short, heavy and straight.  The coat is very thick and can be as much a 6 inches long. It is double very heavy and lively. This cat requires a great deal of grooming. Daily combing or brushing with a metal toothed comb or a natural bristle brush or a brush with wires is necessary.  This cat sheds year round and dead hair must be combed or brushed out daily to avoid hairballs and matting.

The color varieties in Britain each have their own standards where as in the United States all Persians, regardless of color, must vie to the same exact standards. This makes breeding difficult in that producing a silver Persian with the same head type and ears as most of the other color varieties is not easy. Persians are divided by color and then separated again into divisions into which most of the colors appear.  The divisions incorporate the solid, shaded silvers, shaded goldens, cameos, and chinchillas.   Also seen are smoke's and tabby tortoiseshell and particular or bicolor.. There are also shaded versions of the solid colors.  Eyes must be copper with the exception of the silvers that have a blue green eye color and the goldens have green to hazel eyes.  The Himalayan is the newest division in most cat associations.  The Persian cats that are lilac point, blue point. chocolate point, seal point, red point, tortie point and lynx point are considered Himalayan. These all must have blue eyes.

The Persian cat is a very lovable animal who is calm, and gentle. He loves to be petted and shown a lot of attention.  But Persian also can take care of itself without too much entertaining by humans.

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