Think again ...this exquisite little beauty is one the friendliest cats you'll ever encounter. As devoted as any dog, the Persian cat is one loyal, laid back lap-cat. But as much as they love our company, they like nothing more than to sleep - up to 20 hrs a day is normal for this breed. A playful cat this isn't, they are not mouse hunters and rarely jump up so rummaging around cupboards or knocking over plants won't be an issue. However, what they lack for in athletics, they more than make up for in love. They offer a closeness and affection unique to the breed and make to perfect pet for those of us living in a flat. These kitties just like hang to around indoors, enjoying a fuss and plenty of naps. And there's nothing wrong with that.

They really, really like people, even strangers and have an adorable way of communicating or "chatting" with their owners using a song-like meow unlike any other. They're even known for coming to you when called by their name, something any cat owner will tell you is pretty rare unless cat treats are involved. 

This is an icon of a cat. Famously owned by Florence Nightingale who had 60 cats in her life time, her favourite being the Persian. Marilyn Monroe had a pure white one called "Mitsou" and Raymond Chandler apparently read all of his first drafts to his most beloved critic, a black Persian called "Taki". These amazing cats were even the subject of the world's largest cat painting, "My Wife's Lovers" by Carl Kahler. Think 8.5 ft. by 6ft of perfect Persians and it fetched almost a million dollars too.

Although we'll never truly know how and when this Iranian beauty first made its way over to Europe, one popular story refers to an Italian nobleman called Pietro della Valle. This famous traveller journeyed extensively throughout the Middle East, the Holy land, North Africa and India. He passed through Persia in 1620 and came across beautiful long-haired grey cats in a bazaar. He was so taken by them that he bought four pairs and brought them back to Europe with him.

Fast forward a few years to 1871 and the world's first cat show at Crystal Palace - to say that they took London by storm wouldn't be an exaggeration and won best in show, gold! Incidentally this day long exhibition was also the first time the public saw a Scottish Wild Cat, a Siamese and Manx and it drew a crowd of 20,000 visitors. Soon after, Persians were exported to the States and in 1906 they became the first breed to be officially registered with the Cat Fancier's Association of America. To this day they remain one of the most popular cats there.

In the UK however, their popularity has somewhat dwindled since the early 1990's and the Persian has now lost out to the British Shorthair as top breed but to any enthusiast this kitty is second to none.

  

The original breed, also known as the "traditional" or "doll-faced" Persian looks a lot different to what most of us think of now. These have a much more pronounced muzzle, in fact that flat face (Peke-face) can be directly traced back to a litter of kittens from the 1950's. A genetic mutation caused them to be born with squished-up faces, breeders loved the unusual look and selectively bred their cats until the flat muzzle became the norm.

While most of us imagine Persians as white or silver, they in fact come in an array of colours, shades and patterns including toy and tea cup sizes. From calico and tortoiseshell to grey, orange and black and white.They've been cross-bred with so many different cats now it's hard to keep track but one of my personal favourites is the Himalayan which is a cross between a Persian and a Siamese.

As for maintenance, that luxurious fur won't comb itself and just like any other long-haired feline, a Persian needs to be brushed every day. Their coat is slightly greasy which means it knots easily especially behind their hind legs and under their armpits. Leave that a week or so and you'll certainly have some matted knots which may be easier to snip out then to comb out. They also need to be bathed on a regular basis. Unlike short-haired cats which can lick themselves clean, a Persian's thick under-coat and long hair is a lot to get through so a gentle bath once a week is the best way to keep their fur and skin healthy.