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Persian Cat Health Problems
Persian Cat Health Problems
The Persian cat consistently ranks as one of the most popular breeds of cat across the US and a number of other countries. With the chubby cheeks and cute short face, theirs is a memorable look and added to that the thick coat, Persians are unmistakable. Unfortunately, generations of breeding to achieve these and other particular looks has led the Persian to have more than the usual amount of health problems and this is something a potential cat owner should understand before adopting one. Here is a look at some of the main ones.
About the Persian
Persians have been known as a domestic cat breed since Victorian times and have always been popular. There are currently two types of Persian; traditional and show. The show Persian has a ruff around its head, small ears, a flat nose and big rounded eyes. It is sometimes referred to as the Peke-faced type of Persian and has a heavily boned but short body. The traditional Persian, or doll faced, has less extreme features with a normal length nose. Both types comes in a variety of coat colors and patterns and have the same gentle and loving personality.
Persians have been known as a domestic cat breed since Victorian times and have always been popular. There are currently two types of Persian; traditional and show. The show Persian has a ruff around its head, small ears, a flat nose and big rounded eyes. It is sometimes referred to as the Peke-faced type of Persian and has a heavily boned but short body. The traditional Persian, or doll faced, has less extreme features with a normal length nose. Both types comes in a variety of coat colors and patterns and have the same gentle and loving personality.
Grooming
The first thing any potential owner should know about the Persian is that this breed needs daily grooming to maintain its coat and health. Most breeders recommend a daily comb to get rid of mats and tangles in the fur and also to remove loose hair, which benefits the cat and also means less is shed all over the house. The color of the coat of a Persian can affect the type of fur it has varying from silky and shiny to soft and cottonlike. The latter tangles easier than the former and takes more time to groom properly.
The first thing any potential owner should know about the Persian is that this breed needs daily grooming to maintain its coat and health. Most breeders recommend a daily comb to get rid of mats and tangles in the fur and also to remove loose hair, which benefits the cat and also means less is shed all over the house. The color of the coat of a Persian can affect the type of fur it has varying from silky and shiny to soft and cottonlike. The latter tangles easier than the former and takes more time to groom properly.
In addition to the daily grooming, Persians should be bathed every week. This needs to start from the youngest age possible to avoid terror and fear and to teach them that bathing is a good thing and something you can do together. Some people blow dry their coat on the very lowest setting to avoid burning the skin and comb as you go.
Both types of Persians have a tendency towards weepy eyes. To prevent staining of the fur and discomfort, each day their eye area should be carefully bathed.
Health problems
There is nothing to say that any cat will or will not get a certain health condition though some breeds are more predisposed towards some conditions than others are. Always use a breeder who knows their cats and their genetic background but anyone that offers a 100% guarantee of health is not being honest.
There is nothing to say that any cat will or will not get a certain health condition though some breeds are more predisposed towards some conditions than others are. Always use a breeder who knows their cats and their genetic background but anyone that offers a 100% guarantee of health is not being honest.
The main health conditions that Persians are predisposed towards are:
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
• Bladder stones
• Cystitis (bladder infections)
• Liver shunts
• Polycystic kidney disease (PKD)
• Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
• Bladder stones
• Cystitis (bladder infections)
• Liver shunts
PKD is a hereditary condition that causes cysts to form in the kidneys and eventually leads to dysfunction of the organ. It can affect one or both of the kidneys and symptoms start to manifest at an age of 7-10 years, though it can appear earlier. There are tests to see if a cat is predisposed to the condition and many breeders are taking this to then remove the genetics from the breeding program with the long-term aim of removing the predisposition entirely.
PRA is also hereditary in Persians but manifests early in life, at around 4-8 weeks of age and rapidly progresses to complete blindness by the age of 15 weeks. Studies are currently underway to get more information about the condition.
HCM is the heart disease common to all types of cats where the thickening of the left heart chamber causes problems and sometimes leads to death. It generally affects male cats and from middle to older age. Tests need to be done regularly to check for it, as there is no genetic trait to show for it.
As well as genetic conditions, the peke faced type of Persian can often be prone to breathing difficulties due to the shape of their face and nose.
Combating problems
If your cat has a hidden genetic problem, then there is little you can do about it until it manifests but the majority of Persians live a full and healthy life. They are susceptible to heat due to their heavy coat and should be monitored for overheating as well as associated breathing problems. This means they should not be transported in the cargo bay of a plane, as the chance of respiratory distress is strong and can even lead to death in extreme conditions.
If your cat has a hidden genetic problem, then there is little you can do about it until it manifests but the majority of Persians live a full and healthy life. They are susceptible to heat due to their heavy coat and should be monitored for overheating as well as associated breathing problems. This means they should not be transported in the cargo bay of a plane, as the chance of respiratory distress is strong and can even lead to death in extreme conditions.
Finally, the best way to help your cat is to watch them and learn their personality and behavior. This will mean that if something is wrong, you have the best possible chance of spotting it quickly and getting them to your vet. Remember, animals instinctively hide illness so you need to be part detective and part cat psychologist to figure out problems before they worsen.
Conclusion
As a general rule, Persians are healthy cats with a laid back and loving personality. They make excellent pets and are very interactive and affectionate with their owners. Always remember that any pet is a commitment and with their grooming needs, a Persian is more so than other breeds. But they repay that attention with years of love and companionship.
As a general rule, Persians are healthy cats with a laid back and loving personality. They make excellent pets and are very interactive and affectionate with their owners. Always remember that any pet is a commitment and with their grooming needs, a Persian is more so than other breeds. But they repay that attention with years of love and companionship.
For more information about all things feline, check out http://www.twomeows.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Tempest
African Wildcat - Ancestor of the Domestic Cat?
African Wildcat - Ancestor of the Domestic Cat?
The African Wildcat is a species of wildcat that is found across Africa as well as on the edge of the Arabian Peninsula and the Caspian Sea. It split off from other similar species around 130,000 years ago with the first being domesticated around 10,000 year ago. This means the African wildcat is the ancestor of many of the breeds of domestic cat that we all share our homes with today.
Who is the African Wildcat?
The African Wildcat is a light sandy grey in color, though some animals are pale yellow or even of a reddish hue. Their ears are red to grey with long yellow hairs and the stripes around the face are colored from dark ochre right to black; there are two running horizontally over the cheek and four to six across the throat. They also have a dark stripe running along their back with lighter colored flanks and a whitish belly. There are often pale vertical stripes on their sides that dissolve into spots, much in the way some tabby cats do. They normally have two dark rings on their forelegs and stripes on the rear legs with feet that are dark brown or black.
The African wildcat is said to be different from the European wildcat by only a few physical characteristics and the two species are closely related. These include faint stripes around the nape and shoulders, a less sharply defined spinal stripe and a tail which is slender and less bushy than their European cousins. They also tend to have small tufts on the end of their ears and their fur is shorter. The European wildcat is larger than the African subspecies.
Generally, the male wildcats are 18-22 inches in length with females being around 20 inches in length. Both genders weigh a similar amount, from 7.1 to 9.9 lbs.
Where do they live?
As their name declares, the African wildcat is found across Africa. They are also found on the edges of the Arabian Peninsula and around the Caspian Sea. They live across Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and into Egypt then in the savannas of West African down to the Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan then down to South Africa. They live in a wide range of habitats including hilly and mountainous areas such as the Hoggar and even in the desert areas, though in much smaller numbers.
The life of an African wildcat
These cats are predators who live primarily on mice, rats and other small mammals but will also eat fish, birds, amphibians, insects and reptiles when they can catch them. they sneak up on prey and pounce when within a meter and are most active from twilight through the night. When confronted, they raise their hair to make themselves seem more impressive, just as many people will have seen with their domestic cats.
Male cats have a territory as do the females but each male will overlap a number of female territories. The male will defend the whole territory, particularly when the female is pregnant. These cats give birth in burrows or hollows in the ground after a pregnancy of 56-69 days. Kittens are born blind and usually in the wet season, when food is the most plentiful. They remain with their mother for 5-6 months and can breed themselves when they reach six months.
Conclusion
By looking at the African Wildcat, it is easy to see how it is related to many of our modern breeds of cat - it looks a lot like a normal brown tabby. However these are true wild animals and are not at all domesticated so should you ever come across one, resist the urge to stroke its head!
For more cat articles and all things cat, please check out my work at http://www.thebestcatlitterbox.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angela_Tempest
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