So you are thinking about binging a Persian into your home, or maybe you have already made that decision and you are looking for tips on how to care for him. If you have never had a Persian before you will learn that a few preventative measures really help in the long run.
Let’s begin with diet. This is certainly the most important first step. Many Persians have a delicate digestive system. For kittens this can mean that even though it carries many nutrients kitten chow can be too rich for them. A better choice would be to offer your little fur buddy a meal of adult cat chow, sprinkled with kitten chow for nutrition and flavor. I recommend a high quality food with fur ball prevention. A little moistened food for flavor is fine, but keep it to a minimum. A bout of diarrhea is not only miserable for Kitten, it’s disastrous for his beautiful flowing coat.
The litter box is another area that needs special attention for these pampered felines. Clumping litter is really handy for us, but for a little cat with lots of fur on it’s feet it’s a no no. I put my little guy in his litter box and he was great. Did his job, tidied it up, then jumped out onto the floor in little concrete boots. It took awhile to soak it all off. So until he’ is a little older stick with the plain old run of the mill kitty litter. If you change it frequently it will stay odor free.
Hopefully you have gone to a good cat breeder who has worked with your kitten since birth to learn his grooming routine. He will need daily grooming. Usually my cat needs his face washed twice a day and one gentle combing or brushing to keep him looking nice.
Persians have a tendency to have teary eyes and in the case of flat faced cats, runny noses. When tears hit the fur they turn a rust color and can stain. By washing his face frequently, I stay ahead of the stains and keep him sparkling clean.
The main reason for this daily grooming ritual is to catch and remove any matt’s or tangles that maybe hiding in his coat. Check carefully under his arms, between his legs and around his neck. Gently work mats out with your fingers. Trim them with scissors only if absolutely necessary.
OK some Persians have messy bottoms. It’s not their fault. It’s just that all that fur gets in the way of things. Take care of these little mishaps with a damp paper towel or a baby wipe. You can also trim your fur buddies hair back a little on his hind-end. if it gets too bothersome.
Check Kitties claws once a week. Keep them clipped very short. (Believe me you will thank me for this tip at bath time!) They have clippers made specially for cats to help you with this task. These prevent you from clipping too short and causing your cat distress.
Persians do need baths much more frequently than short haired cats.. For most, once a month is probably sufficient. Even if he seems clean, bathe him to keep him in the habit.
First gather up all of your supplies:
Hand held blow dryer
Wash cloth
3 or more warm towels
Cat or Kitten Shampoo
Decreasing dish soap
Several cotton swabs
I bathe my Persian in the kitchen sink. It’s easier on my back and has a sprayer that comes in very handy. Fill the sink with warm water before you put him in. Take a small amount of dish soap and rub it into any areas of the coat that look oily, behind his ears, around his tail, under his face, but never on his face or around his eyes.
Next pour warm water over your cat until his coat is thoroughly wet. Then use the shampoo to lather him up. Keep his face dry for now. Flat faced cats like mine, have a tendency to feel like they are drowning when the water runs over their faces, so you want to wash his face last and do it as quickly as possible.
Let the lather stay on his coat for now and clean the ears with a cotton swab. Never clean farther into the ear than you can see. Take care to wipe away any water that splashes into the ears.
Now just rinse. And rinse. And rinse. It takes a while to get the soap out of all that fur and you don’t want to leave any residue behind that might irritate tender skin. I skip conditioner. It has a tendency to make my Persians fur flatten down. He looks much prettier and cleaner without it.
Now you can wash his face. Take care not to wash too close to his eyes. Gently rub around his eyes and his nose with a wet cloth using water only. I normally just rinse my cats face with a damp cloth. It takes a bit longer but he doesn’t flounder around like he’s drowning that way.
Once he’s finished bathing gently squeeze the excess water from his fur. Try to work quickly because he is going to get cold. Wrap him in a warm towel. When it’s soaked wrap him in a fresh one. It is very important that he get thoroughly dry. Any dampness could turn into a hot spot and cause inflammation , pain,or even infection.
Blow dry him completely. This is very important. Be sure to keep the heat from the dryer on your hand so you can judge the temperature. Never blow dry your kitten with high heat!
There you have it. Easy steps to knowing and enjoying your Persian cat. Sound like a lot of work? Just ask any Persian owner and they will tell you it’s worth every minute you spend. Actually the only drawback to having a Persian is, then you want three!
