Temperament

Persians love human contact and companionship. They are calm and placid cats that love to play games. Because they are so docile it may be best to raise a Persian as an indoor cat. Persians are overall quiet cats that need lots of love and attention. They are a smart breed that enjoys games of fetch and playing with their owners. The breed adds a calm presence to any home.

Tear Staining

Tear duct infections of the eye are common in Persian cats as they have short muzzles. The short muzzles and tear ducts can cause tears to not flow properly in the eye. If an infected tear duct or eye is noted, then an antibiotic can usually solve the problem.

Some can get eye ulcers.

SMALL NOSTRILS

Some persians and Himalayans have very small nostrils which can cause whezzing and breathing problems when they get over stimulated. Some vets may suggest nasal surgery.

“Persian cats are subject to teeth and jaw problems. Since Exotic Shorthairs have much of the same genotype as the Persian and Himalayan Cat, they too will suffer from same teeth and jaw problems. These cats can have crocked teeth, sometimes the baby teeth are crooked but the adult teeth will grow in normal which is straight.

They also suffer from a condition where the lower jaw, the mandible protrudes, meaning that it is longer than the top jaw, the Maxilla, and thus sticks out. This condition is known as asymmetrical Jaw, meaning that the jaws are not identical; one is longer than the other. As a result the teeth that are set in the bone stick out farther as well. A twisted mandible happens because the two jaws do not touch each other and the teeth may protrude outside of the lips. This condition can also cause the teeth to penetrate the roof of the mouth or jab or poke the gums in different places.”

It seems that most times, when kittens are born with SLIGHTLY crooked teeth or offset jaws, they “self correct”. In fact, I have seen kittens with jaws that do not meet up, that may be considered “asymmetrical” that have turned out to be symmetrical as adults!

In most cases, if the nose isn’t also crooked, the jaw will often self correct. Also, having an OVER BITE as a young kitten is actually a GOOD thing as the bottom jaw continues to grow as the kitten grows, which means that as a grown cat, the teeth should even out. However, if a kitten has an UNDER BITE, chances are it will only get worse or stay the same.

Again, an asymmetrical jaw may sound “scary” but most times, it causes the kitten/cat no problems. If a tooth needs to be extracted, it really isn’t all that big of a deal. In particular when the kitten will already be going under anesthetic for their spay/neuter surgery as a tooth can be extracted at this time for practically nothing (at MOST vet clinics). Unless SEVERE it doesn’t tend to cause them any problems eating or any discomfort.

Some can get gingivitis.