Animals

The Persian is a longhaired cat characterized by its round face and shortened muzzle. One of the oldest cat breeds, it takes its name from its place of origin: Persia (Iran). Recognized by the cat fancy since the late 19th century, it was developed first by the English, and then mainly by American breeders after the Second World War. In Britain, it is called the Longhair or Persian Longhair.

Persian Cats have been the most popular cat breed in the world for quite a long time.
The first documented ancestors of the Persian were imported from Persia into Italy in 1620 by Pietro della Valle, and from Turkey into France by Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc at around the same time. From France they soon reached Britain. The longhaired cats from Persia were interbred with Turkish Angoras. Their appearance then differed greatly from today’s standard. Hundreds of years of selective breeding made Persians cobbier cats with drastically shorter muzzle.

The Persian Cat is the most represented cat breed in the cat shows and the Persians are the ongoing leaders in annual ratings by CFA and European cat clubs and associations.

Persian Cats are of calm temperament. The Persian cat is an ideal breed for those who are looking for a pleasant, peaceful and loyal companion. The Persians is not a talkative breed – if the Persian wants your attention, it would sit before you and gaze loyaly into your eyes.