Longhaired Persian Cats

These cats have been in Europe since the 16th century, but they have existed in other parts of the world for much longer.

Originally these cats were found in the Turkey region of the Ankara and became known as Angoras (not to be confused with the short hair Angora breed). There were other longhaired cats discovered in Persia (Iran) and as they had longer coats, they became more popular.

These early Persian cats looked different from those on show today. They had much longer faces and their coats were thinner. The earliest longhaired cat was a brown tabby cat in the mid 19th century. By the turn of the century there were more than 12 colours including the Chinchilla. Today there are more than sixty varieties and colours of the Persian cat.

Type and Standard of Points

Persian cats all have the same general standard of points. It's only the colour and patterns that are different.

Persian cats have long coats, brush like tails and a ruff around the neck; they are very beautiful cats but they need a lot of care to stay in top condition. Owners of a Persian cat need to give at least 15 mins a day to grooming their cat.

The standards need a small, elegant but stocky cat showing large eyes, a small nose and wide set ears. They eye colours will vary, but should compliment the colour of the coat. Even with colour variation their should still be the appearance of a Persian Cat.

Coat Colours - Black

One of the oldest and most popular of Persian cat varieties is the Black Persian. The adult fur should be jet black with copper eyes. Kittens often have a few lighter marks, but in an adult these are classed as faults. Any black cat will take time to develop their coat fully, and minor variations are fine up to the age of six months.

Coat Colours - Blue

Blue is one of the early Persian cat colours and is often believed to be the original colour. The coat should be pale blue-grey with no markings, and the eyes are copper or orange. The Persian Blue was Queen Victoria's favourite breed of cat.

Coat Colours - Chocolate

The chocolate colour is a new one, which has come about from Colourpoint breeding, so is the lilac variation. The coat is a solid medium chocolate-brown with copper eyes.

Coat Colours - Cream

The Cream Persian cat varieties have been around since the end of the 19th Century when they were not popular and were thought to be bad examples of Red. Today they are loved for their beautiful colour. The colour should be pale with copper eyes.

Coat Colours - Lilac

This colour came about from the Coloupoint breeding programme. The coat should be a solid pinkish-grey. They eyes should be copper.

Coat Colours - Red

The Red colour is also thought to be one of the older colours, but is very difficult to breed, the problem is producing a cat without the tabby markings. The coat should be a solid orange colour, the eyes copper.

Coat Colours - White

White was the original Angora colour, but has really only been preferred since the beginning of the 20th Century, but they no longer look like their Turkish ancestors. They are typical of the breed standard, but can be found with 3 different colours of eyes, orange, blue and odd. Remember with white Persian cats, they'll need extra bathing to keep the coat clean if aloud outside.

Coat Colours - Bi-Colour

These are two-tone cats which can be any colour mixed with white, the eyes should be copper. Bi-colours will need to be bathed occasionally to keep their coat clean.

Coat Colours - Blue-Cream

This is a form of Tortie and are normally female. Generally any males of this variety will be sterile. The Blue-Cream came from mating a Blue with a Cream. The UK standards require that the two colours are mingled without any patches of solid colour. In the USA they require clearly separated areas of colour. The eyes should be copper.

Coat Colours - Cameo

These are Persian cats with a tipped coat, related to the Chinchilla and Smoke. There are three densities of Cameo, shell, shaded and smoke. Shell cameos have a small amount of colour at the end of each hair; shadeds have colour further down the end of each hair, and smokes have a white under coat, which can be seen when the fur is separated. The acceptable colours are red, cream and tortie.

Coat Colours - Chinchilla

In the USA the Chinchilla meets the standards laid down for the Persian cat breed; in the UK the cat is allowed to be more finely boned, with a tendency to a longer muzzle than seen in most Persians. The Chinchilla is one of the most popular breeds. It has a white coat with the edges lightly tipped with black, which gives the cat a sparkly appearance. The coat should be evenly tipped with black on the head, back, legs, tail and flanks. The nose should be red outlined in black. The eyes should be green, and the eyelid outline should be black.

Coat Colours - Colourpoint

This is a genetically engineered breed, achieved by crossing a Blue Persian with a Siamese. Whatever colour the points, the type should be for a Persian, with the colour only on the face, ears, tail and legs. They eye colour is deep blue. Colourpoints are available in many colours: seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, tortie, tabby and tortie-tabby. These colours and the colours of the nose and paw pads, should be the same as the Siamese.

Coat Colours - Golden

The Chinchilla has a recessive gene, the red colour. This gives a Golden Persian Cats. The coat has the same amount of tipping as the Chinchilla, but the base colour must be a rich cream tipped with brown, with a lighter hue underneath. Just as a Shaded Silver can be produced from the Chinchilla, so can a Shaded Golden; this allows deeper tipping. They have vivid green eyes.

Coat Colours - Pewter

The Pewter is a result of breeding a Chinchilla with a self-coloured Persian. Like the Chinchilla it has a tipped coat, but the tipping is much heavier. It has deep copper eyes.

Coat Colours - Shaded Silver

This is a heavily tipped type of Chinchilla, although a lot do not recognized the breed. It has similar markings to the Chinchilla, with a red nose and eyes outlined in black.

Coat Colours - Smoke

This variety of the Persian cat has been around since the 19th Century. It was bred by crossing a Chinchilla with a Black Persian. The tipping is only on the base of the coat, and takes up most of the length of hair. Their are 10 colours of smokes. The eyes are copper or orange.

Coat Colours - Tabby

Brown tabbies are an old variety of Persian, but are now available in 10 colours: brown, silver, blue, chocolate, lilac, red and four colours of tortie-tabby. It is often difficult to see the tabby markings due to the long coat. Most have copper eyes, but in silver they have green or hazel.

Coat Colours - Tabby-and-White

Tabby-and-Whites are accepted in the same colours as Tabbies. They should display even, solid areas of white on their coats and the eye colour should be the same as for Tabbies.

Coat Colours - Tortoiseshell

Torties are generally only females. The colour is a patched selection of red, cream and black. It is possible to have Torties in colours of blue, chocolate and lilac. The eyes should be copper or orange.

Coat Colours - Tortie-and-White

The colours are the same as for the Tortoisehell, as is the eye colour. The only colour  difference is there are patches of white.

Exotic Shorthaired Persian Cats

The Exotic is a shorthaired version of the Persian, which is why it is in the Longhair category. It meets all the requirements for the Persian breed, the same temperament, and is available in all the same colours. The only difference is that is has short fur.