Popular physician and humanitarian, Albert Schweitzer, once said- “There are two refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats”, and we cannot agree more.
Known for their cuddles, Persian cats are perhaps one of the most friendly animals that people choose to keep as pets. While these little creatures may act lazy sometimes, they make sure that they brighten up their parents’ day by their cute mischievous acts. While it is an absolute pleasure to see these balls of fur roll around your house all day long, it is not at all simple to parent them.
To address this issue, we have written this guide for to-be Persian cat owners/parents. It consists of a few must-know things before you get a Persian cat.
So, let’s begin this journey:
1. Types of Persian Cats
When you are planning on buying a Persian cat, make sure what type of cat you want. There are several types of Persian cats available which include Peke-Face Persian cats, Doll Face Persian cats and Punch Face Persian cats. Along with this, Persian cats are also available in various colors including gray, white, cream, etc.
While some people may prefer getting a gray Persian cat, others may want a white one.
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2. Personality of Persian Cats
Persian cats are gentle and have a loving personality. They bring joy to every household by their gentle yet playful antics. Along with being a loving breed, Persian cats are also popular for being lazy. However, they are also playful, especially around people.
Persian cats are intelligent and they have the ability to learn your daily routine. These little creatures will greet you and will ask for cuddles daily. Unlike most other cats, Persian cats are not too demanding and make excellent family pets.
3. Grooming Your Cat
Persian cats have thick, luxurious coats which require daily grooming to prevent tangles. If cat parents do not focus on daily grooming, it could lead to painful mats in the ultra fine undercoat of their cats. Persian cats also have facial folds which require to be cleaned once or twice a day but this may vary depending on whether your kitty is prone to eye discharge or not.
Along with this, bathing your cat is an important aspect of your cat’s grooming routine and it varies with the kind of lifestyle your cat has. It is suggested that you do not bathe your cat too often but if you have to, make sure you avoid using water and use dry shampoo instead.
If your cat has fleas, you can add a flea treatment to the bath and help your little friend get rid of it. It is also recommended that, whenever you are washing your cat’s face, you put a cotton ball in your cat’s ear because if water enters the ear, it may cause ear infections.
Some things that you would need for your cat’s grooming routine include, but are not limited to, long haired cat brush or a comb, shampoo, and cat clippers, etc.
4. What Should You Feed Your Cat?
The haircoat of your cat is affected by the food you feed it. It is important that you offer your cat foods that have fatty oils – omega 3 and omega 6. These oils will benefit the body and coat of your cat.
Along with this, also remember that Persian cats have a tendency to become obese. So, try to offer them food that has low carbohydrate and high-protein content.
5. Common Health Issues in Persian Cats
There are various health problems that come with the flattened face of Persian cats and we think you should know about them before you bring one home. Since they belong to the brachycephalic breeds of cat, they are more prone to different kinds of allergies.
Some other health issues include dental diseases and malocclusion, eye injuries, kidney diseases, cancer, haircoat disorder, etc.
Kidney diseases and cancer are major causes of death in Persian cats.
6. Do Not Forget to Get Your Cat Vaccinated
Since you are planning on getting a Persian cat, you would know that getting your cat vaccinated is an essential part of the adoption process and it is now practiced by vets all across the world.
Vaccines are divided into two groups- core and non-core vaccines:
Core Vaccines
They protect cats against major and prevalent diseases like Rabies, Feline Calicivirus Infection, Feline Panleukopenia, etc., and they should be administered at any cost for cats to live a safe and healthy life.
Feline Vaccines Available In Pakistan
| Vaccine Name | Protection Against Diseases |
| Fel-O-Vax | Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Feline Calicivirus. |
| Biofel PCH | Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Feline Calicivirus. |
| Biofel PCHR | Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Rhinotracheitis, Feline Calicivirus and Rabies |
| Rabisin | Rabies |
Non-Core Vaccines
On the other hand, non-core vaccines provide immunity against diseases that are less prevalent. These vaccines are as important as core vaccines.
Vaccination Schedule for Kittens
Deworming is done when a kitten is 40 days old and after 10 days of deworming, the first shot of Fel-O-Vax or Biofel PCH is administered. After 3 weeks of the first shot, the second dose is administered. After a gap of 3 weeks, 2 shots of Rabies vaccine are administered with a gap of 3 weeks.
This protects your cat; however, you have to make sure that your cat gets an annual booster dose.
Vaccination Schedule for Adult Cats
If your cat is more than 4 months old, you can get Rabisin and Fel-O-Vax administered simultaneously. The second dose will be administered after 3 weeks and a yearly booster dose.
Note: Make sure you ask the breeder if the cat has been vaccinated or not.
7. Neuter or Spay Your Cat
Another important thing you should know before you get a cat is that once a cat is 4 months old, it will reach a stage where it can reproduce. Some people do not desire to have more cats or do not want to breed their cat and for this purpose they spay (females) or neuter (males) their cats.
It is a process of surgically removing the uterus (in females) and testes (in males) which not only prevents your cat from breeding but also prevents various health issues.
If you have a male cat, neutering will help you control its nuisance behavior. Unneutered male cats are likely to mark their area with a pungent spray and tend to fight a lot which creates a lot of nuisance.
Whereas, unspayed female cats get diseases like mammary tumors and other infectious diseases which they can pass on to their kittens.
Even though it is not mandatory, some people do and some do not prefer to get their cats neutered.
These are some of the tips that we thought would be helpful for people who are planning to bring a cat home. You can check out the cats that are available for adoption on OLX Pakistan.
Let us know in the comments below if these tips were of any help to you.
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