Medium to large, cobby cat with distinctive flat face, long luxurious coat, and calm demeanor. One of the oldest and most popular breeds.
One of the oldest known breeds, originating in Persia (Iran). Popular with royalty since 1600s when brought to Europe. Modern flat-faced type developed primarily in the 20th century.
Typically 4-6.4 kg and 25-38 cm at the shoulder — published as one range rather than separately for males and females.
Generally described as affectionate, loyal, sedate, quiet, sweet, gentle and calm.
That is the breed in general, not a promise about one animal. Ask the breeder what their own line is like, and meet the parents before you decide.
The Persian gave rise to the Exotic Shorthair, a short-coated version bred from Persian lines, so the two share almost identical body structures, temperaments, and health profiles, including the same flat-faced (brachycephalic) breathing concerns and polycystic kidney disease. The fundamental difference is fur texture and grooming; the health risks below apply to both.
Breed reference from The Cat API.
Drawn from sources rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. The Cat API; UC Davis VGL — Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD1); FIFe breed standard. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
FIFe standard · Persian
As the FIFe standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording.
Long and dense, fine and silky texture (not woolly).
A full frill covers the shoulders and the chest.
Shortened from FIFe standard PER — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
Breed-level information from The Cat API. It describes the Persian in general; any individual animal can differ.
Known hereditary risks for the Persian breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
3 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)A recessive mutation in AIPL1 causes retinal thinning starting around 5 weeks of age, with severe loss by 16 weeks and eventual blindness.
What to ask for
UC Davis VGL PRA-pd DNA test on both parents.
In the flattest-faced show lines, narrowed nostrils, a long soft palate and cramped nasal passages restrict airflow, causing noisy breathing, exercise intolerance and recurrent respiratory infections; tear-duct malformation causing constant eye discharge is a related consequence of the same skull shape. Severity tracks directly with how extreme the face is — traditional 'doll-face' Persians are far less affected than modern extreme show type.
What to ask for
No DNA test — this is a conformational, not a single-gene, condition. Ask to see and hear both parents in person or on video, breathing at rest and after mild exertion; for a very flat-faced line, a vet's functional airway assessment is the relevant document.
A dominant mutation causes fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys that enlarge with age and can cause renal failure, often not obvious until middle age. This is the original and most prevalent PKD finding in cats, historically affecting an estimated third or more of Persians worldwide before widespread testing.
What to ask for
UC Davis VGL PKD1 DNA test on both parents.
Median age at death 12.5 years
Middle half of deaths between 6.1 and 15.4 years, from 80 recorded deaths. 12.5% of them were before age two.
Computed from United Kingdom veterinary records covering 7,936 deaths. This is an age at death, not a life expectancy: half the cats of this breed in the records died younger.
Dataset: O'Neill, D. & Teng, K.T. (2024), Figshare, doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.25006802, CC BY 4.0. Teng, K.T., Brodbelt, D.C., Church, D.B. & O'Neill, D.G. (2024) Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the United Kingdom. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 26(5).
This is where Persian owners’ own photographs will go, from the pet profiles they keep here. Nobody has added one to a public page yet.
A photograph in a pet profile stays private to its owner. We will not put one here unless they ask us to.
That is not the same as none existing. Publishing a litter is part of a breeder's subscription here, so a Persian breeder can have a litter and no listing — ask them directly.
See Persian breeders