So, you have a purebred papered Persian, and you want to breed her? Before you jump into breeding Persians, there is quite a bit to consider. Some people want to breed just for the ‘fun’ of it, or because they think that the male and female that they have in mind will produce beautiful kittens. This are almost always the wrong reasons to breed Persians.
The first thing to note is that it takes years to become a respected Persian breeder. You must earn the respect of other breeders. Second, you need a pair of Persians that are worth breeding. These Persians will have been tested for genetic problems, and they will have to be purebred, with pedigrees. You must also know what you are doing in terms of matching mates, and in terms of caring for the kittens properly.
Before you start doing any breeding of Persians, it is a good idea to get another breeder to mentor you. The chances are good that you can even purchase your mating pair from the breeder that mentors you. This is the fastest way to get your foot in the door, but again, there is more to it.
First you must consider where your cats and kittens will be kept. Second, you will need to know just about everything that there is to know about Persians, including potential breeding problems, birthing problems, genetic problems, and health problems. Without doing the proper research, and providing the proper care, you are nothing more than a backyard breeder, which means first that you will not be respected by other breeders, and second, you cannot command a decent price for your kittens.
Then there is the aspect of finding homes for your Persian kittens. Most people won’t want to purchase from a breeder who is not well-known or respected by the Persian community, which means that you will most likely have trouble finding homes for your kittens – at any price.
Before you start breeding, make sure that you have taken the time to talk at length to numerous breeders, to ensure that you have a clear understanding of exactly what goes into breeding these fabulous animals. The truth is that as popular as Persians are, they are currently being over bred, and this makes finding suitable homes more and more difficult.
This also suggests that there isn’t as much money in breeding Persians as one might think. The most reputable breeders breed to improve the breed – not to make money from the kittens.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Houseplants That Can Kill Your Persian Cat
Your Persian will absolutely adore your houseplants – and the truth is that most are toxic to him. Many will cause him to become ill – and some will even be fatal – but none of this will prevent him from chewing them and digging in the soil.
There are three things that you can do to prevent your Persian from not only ruining your houseplants, but also prevent him from becoming ill. The first step is to prevent him from digging in the soil. This is easily done by covering the top of the soil with pebbles or rocks. Space between the rocks will still allow water and air to get to the soil, so this is usually not a problem for the plants.
The next thing you must do is prevent your Persian from chewing on the plant itself. This can be done with bitter apple. There are also many sprays that are safe for the plant, but act as a deterrent for the cat. Be sure to read the labels, and to follow the directions for use.
This will help to keep your Persian and your plants safe, but there are also plants that you’re Persian will greatly enjoy, which you should strongly consider providing strictly for him. Start with a long planter filled with various grasses. One of the best things to plant for your cats is cat grass, which can be purchased from your local nursery, and you can also actually plant bird seed, which produces a variety of benign grasses that are safe for cats.
Other plants that your cat will enjoy include catnip, basil, begonia, bamboo, alyssum, butterfly bush, catmint, chamomile, coriander, cress, dill, forget-me-not, hollyhock, impatiens, lavender, lettuce, lovage, marum, mint, parsley, rose, rosemary, spearmint, snapdragon, spider plant, sunflower, tarragon, thyme, and violet. Again, these are plants that the cat will like, so you should expect them to be chewed on, rolled on, and laid upon as well.
You should also consider a potted tree or two that your Persian will enjoy. Make sure that you purchase sturdy trees, and that you secure the container that they grow in so that the cat doesn’t continually knock the tree over.
If you have plants that your cats love, but you want left alone, again, cover the soil with rocks or gravel, and make sure that you treat the leaves, flowers, and stems with a product that works as a deterrent for cats. Your houseplants and your Persian can reside in the same house after all – in peace and harmony.
There are three things that you can do to prevent your Persian from not only ruining your houseplants, but also prevent him from becoming ill. The first step is to prevent him from digging in the soil. This is easily done by covering the top of the soil with pebbles or rocks. Space between the rocks will still allow water and air to get to the soil, so this is usually not a problem for the plants.
The next thing you must do is prevent your Persian from chewing on the plant itself. This can be done with bitter apple. There are also many sprays that are safe for the plant, but act as a deterrent for the cat. Be sure to read the labels, and to follow the directions for use.
This will help to keep your Persian and your plants safe, but there are also plants that you’re Persian will greatly enjoy, which you should strongly consider providing strictly for him. Start with a long planter filled with various grasses. One of the best things to plant for your cats is cat grass, which can be purchased from your local nursery, and you can also actually plant bird seed, which produces a variety of benign grasses that are safe for cats.
Other plants that your cat will enjoy include catnip, basil, begonia, bamboo, alyssum, butterfly bush, catmint, chamomile, coriander, cress, dill, forget-me-not, hollyhock, impatiens, lavender, lettuce, lovage, marum, mint, parsley, rose, rosemary, spearmint, snapdragon, spider plant, sunflower, tarragon, thyme, and violet. Again, these are plants that the cat will like, so you should expect them to be chewed on, rolled on, and laid upon as well.
You should also consider a potted tree or two that your Persian will enjoy. Make sure that you purchase sturdy trees, and that you secure the container that they grow in so that the cat doesn’t continually knock the tree over.
If you have plants that your cats love, but you want left alone, again, cover the soil with rocks or gravel, and make sure that you treat the leaves, flowers, and stems with a product that works as a deterrent for cats. Your houseplants and your Persian can reside in the same house after all – in peace and harmony.
Monday, August 2, 2010
History Of Persian Cats
Believe it or not, Persians are thought to be the oldest breed of cats, but at the same time, there are numerous different versions of where the Persian cat began. It is widely believed, however, in all versions that the Persian cat originated in the country that was once known as Persia, which is now modern day Iran.
The popular version of the Persian cat history is that Persians were introduced first to Italy, around 1620, by Pietro della Valle and that they were brought from Turkey to France by Nicholas Claude Fabri de Peiresc about the same time. These are documented instances, and again, they fit into all versions of the Persians history.
It is believed that Persians were introduced to Britain from France, and that before this time, they did not have the long hair that we see today. Instead, they were bred in Turkey with Turkish Angoras, which is where the long hair comes from. However, in other versions of the history, the cats were bred with African wildcats to obtain the longer hair.
There is no doubt, in any version, that Persians were always considered to be cats of high value. They were considered to be rare, and they were favored by royalty. In fact, there was a point in time where royalty were the only people who owned Persians – or at the very least that Persians were only owned by people of royalty and/or wealth.
Another version of the Persian history has today’s Persians as descendants of Felis Libyca, which is actually a cat that originates from Africa and Asia. This version also has the Persian being introduced to Europe much earlier than 1620. In fact, this version has the Persian being introduced in the 1500s by the Romans and Phoenicians. This version also states that Persians were considered to be of high trade value.
We can be certain about the time that these special cats were first introduced to the United States and Canada. This occurred in the early 1900s, and from that time on, the cats gained in popularity, quickly becoming the most popular breed of cat in the world, which is a distinction that the breed still holds today. In fact, Persians started out as symbols, and became pets, after which they were prized for their show quality.
Today, they are prized for their show and pet qualities, as many Persian owners never show their cats, while others are active exhibitors.
The popular version of the Persian cat history is that Persians were introduced first to Italy, around 1620, by Pietro della Valle and that they were brought from Turkey to France by Nicholas Claude Fabri de Peiresc about the same time. These are documented instances, and again, they fit into all versions of the Persians history.
It is believed that Persians were introduced to Britain from France, and that before this time, they did not have the long hair that we see today. Instead, they were bred in Turkey with Turkish Angoras, which is where the long hair comes from. However, in other versions of the history, the cats were bred with African wildcats to obtain the longer hair.
There is no doubt, in any version, that Persians were always considered to be cats of high value. They were considered to be rare, and they were favored by royalty. In fact, there was a point in time where royalty were the only people who owned Persians – or at the very least that Persians were only owned by people of royalty and/or wealth.
Another version of the Persian history has today’s Persians as descendants of Felis Libyca, which is actually a cat that originates from Africa and Asia. This version also has the Persian being introduced to Europe much earlier than 1620. In fact, this version has the Persian being introduced in the 1500s by the Romans and Phoenicians. This version also states that Persians were considered to be of high trade value.
We can be certain about the time that these special cats were first introduced to the United States and Canada. This occurred in the early 1900s, and from that time on, the cats gained in popularity, quickly becoming the most popular breed of cat in the world, which is a distinction that the breed still holds today. In fact, Persians started out as symbols, and became pets, after which they were prized for their show quality.
Today, they are prized for their show and pet qualities, as many Persian owners never show their cats, while others are active exhibitors.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
