Persian
Temperament:
*An Interested Observer
*Easygoing
*Gentle
*Fond of Posing
*Undemanding
*Well Mannered
"Persians are well mannered, but they do love attention."
Queen Victoria's passion for blue Persians was known worldwide; famous hard-boiled
detective author Raymond Chandler called his black Persian, Taki, his
"secretary" because the cat would curl up on the manuscripts while he was
working. Florence Nightingale was so attached to her 60 Persians that she refused to
travel without them. This devotion is reciprocated by the Persians themselves. Gentle,
sweet tempered and loyal, they give as much joy in their companionships as they do with
their magnificent good looks. |
| Head: Large, broad, round; set on short neck; short stub nose with "break" |
| Eyes: Large, round, expressive |
| Ears: Small, round tipped, wide set |
| Body: Medium to large; cobby type; solid, low set; deep chest |
| Coat: Long, flowing, and thick; fine textured; stands out from the body; large ruff,
long ear tufts, toe tufts |
| Tail: Full, short, fluffy; carried low |
| Patterns: Solid colors- white, lilac, black, chocolate, blue, red, cream; also particolors,
pointed colors (some classify this separately as the Himalayan), shaded colors, smooke
colors, tabby colors |
Breed History: In ancient Persia, legend has it, a merchant came across a group of ruffians
beating and robbing a stranger. The merchant fought off the thieves, took the stranger to
an inn, paid for his room and board, and sat with him through the night. The next night,
the grateful stranger revealed that he was a magician and would grant any wish that the
merchant desired. The merchant, however, protested that he was content.
"I can ask for nothing more than to sit and watch the crackling fire, the smoke
swirling from the fire, and the stars above us," said the merchant.
"Then," said the magician, "I will give you a gift of just those
things." Taking a tongue of fire, a swirl of smoke and the light of two distant
stars, he created a cat with a fire-tipped tongue, soft gray fur and shining eyes- the
first Persian Cat.
This fanciful tale captures the true magic of the magnificent Persian. It is one of the
oldest breeds, yet no one is sure of its exact origins. In 1626 an Italian traveler named
Pietro della Valle returned from Persia with cats he called "infinitely more
beautiful" than the ordinary cats of Europe. Were any of these the ancestors of the
modern Persians? No one knows for sure. |
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