Persian Cat Rescue & Other Breeds

Persian Cat Rescue & Other Breeds

Maintenance

I have been involved with Persians for over 25 years and i love them to bits. These gentle sometimes comically imperious creatures can be beguiling, manipulative, emotionally demanding , never grow up and will play into a ripe old age – blossom is proof!(29 years young, still active) But Persians are high maintenance cats: be aware

  1. You cannot feed any old rubbish – it must be special leading brand vet food
  2. Because of the their very flat faces, many secrete waste matter and need eye wiping daily
  3. Grooming is vital on a daily basis to prevent “matting” – some cats have difficult coats and must be “stripped” by a professional groomer into a “poodle cut”. Bathing occasionally is recommended a few times a year to remove old skin, hair and to freshen up.
  4. Monthly application of flea control i.e.: frontline, etc is imperative to prevent flea infestation – Persians are a magnet for fleas because of their woolly coats (like a flokati carpet)
  5. They are prove to “sniffles” – cat equivalent of human flu and must be treated by a vet, as it is very contagious they must be isolated from other cats.
  6. Persian can also be susceptible to ring-worm(fungal) because of their long hair again they need to be isolated and treated by a vet
  7. Ear mites are also common and need to be treated by a vet
  8. They are highly social and usually love they company of other Persians in particular
  9. They crave human attention and affection
  10. PKD (polycystic kidney disease)This causes kidney failure in Persians. It was introduced into SA some 20 years ago by an imported Persian dam, since then it has become an epidemic – it is estimated that more than 50% of SA Persians have PKD. There is no cure. This is purely hereditary and not contagious.It can manifest at any time i.e kittens die of it as young as 8 weeks and a cat can live up to 15 but usually it seems to strike around 8-12 years. This disease only applies to Persians.

Any cats that i allow to be adopted are to my knowledge healthy and PKD free. Any cats with “problems” spend the rest of their lives with me.