Persian cat and kitten advice, tips, links, and FAQ’s
Persian Cat Care and Expert Advice from a Persian Cat Breeder with three decades of experience!!
As years have turned into decades, we have slowly become Persian feline specialists with tested and true advice for those of you, with various databases of questions regarding the needs and concerns of Persian and Himalayan cats.
This page features your questions, our answers, and the direct links to the products we use here at our cattery. We order most of our kitty items directly from Amazon or Chewy because we know it can be quite confusing when you get to the store, and many brands have similar-looking labels.
Question: What type of kitten food do you feed at your cattery?
Answer: We feed our kittens 50 % Royal Canin and 50% Iams hairball.
Cat-Man-Doo Extra Large Dried Bonito Flakes Cat Flakes
We sprinkle bonito flakes on our kitty’s dry food, which helps with shedding & hairballs.
Bonito Flakes contain Taurine, which is an essential dietary requirement for feline health.
The natural fish oils that are found in Bonito will keep your cat’s fur shiny and beautiful.
VetriScience Vetri-Lysine Plus Chicken Liver Flavored Soft Chews
Lysine is a vital part of all Persian’s respiratory health.
Always be sure to give your new kitty Lysine treats daily to keep their sinus passages clear and eyes bright & clean.
INABA Chura Lickable Puree Natural Cat Treats
These lip-smacking treats are high in moisture to help add healthy hydration to your pet’s diet.
Our cats and kittens gobble these up after a bath, therefore look forward to their spa day!
Halo Liv-A-Littles Protein Treats
We use these irresistible treats as a food topper for the babies as we transition them from mama’s milk to dry food.
They quickly become spoiled with these scrumptious treats and are hooked for life. Crumble them up on top of your kitty’s dry food and step back!!!!
Question: Is there any certain type of food dish your kitties prefer?
Answer: Necoichi Ceramic Elevated Cat Food Bowl, White Paw Print
Petkit Smart Pet Water Fountain
Everyone loves freshwater, including your pet. This 2-liter Petkit water fountain features a 3-stage carbon filtration system and a LED blue light reminder that automatically lights up when water thresholds dip below certain levels.
It’s engineered to remove noises because of splashing and has a smart function that automatically turns off when not in use to save energy.
Best of all, your pet can lop up clean, filtered water whenever the mood strikes.
Question: What type of kitty litter do you use?
Answer: We use Tidy Cats Instant Action Unscented Non-Clumping Clay Cat Litter. We have it delivered from Chewy.com
(Please do NOT change your kitten’s kitty litter for at least the first two months after bringing them home.)
Question: What type of litter pan do you use?
Answer: We have tried many different litter pans and found the basic Van Ness large litter box works best for kitties since we dump and bleach all our litter pans daily.
Our all-time favorite litter scooper!!!!!
Antimicrobial Litter Scooper!
Question: What is the most important thing to have in the kitty’s “home base room”?
Answer: When you bring your new kitten home, you should always have one room set up just for them, their “home base room”.
This room needs to have music playing at all times so they always hear human voices.
They need to stay in this room for at least the first 48 hours after arriving; then, you can open the door and allow them to explore your home, but always leave the door open to their “home base” in case they get startled.
The home base is where they will have their food, water, litter pan, and CATNIP! Lots of catnip and catnip toys!!
There’s nothing like catnip to help a kitty calm down and relax in its new environment.
Here are some of the all-time best catnip products on the market!;)
Question: What are the best scratching posts, carpet, or sisal rope types?
Answer: Well, we try to teach our cats NOT to scratch the rugs and carpet, so it is best to get the sisal scratcher posts; that way, you are not confusing your cat.
Our favorite is the SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post. Click the picture below to be directed to the page where you can purchase this exact cat scratcher post.
Question: How do you keep your cat’s coats looking so good?
Answer: Well, regardless if you have a long or shorthair Persian, there are a few grooming tools you need to invest in to keep them in tip-top shape and looking like the ones you see on our website.
If shedding is a concern, let go of that worry and get this amazing tool below.
It is our go-to gadget in the grooming salon to remove the undercoat, which is what creates the shedding issues.
We have had the same one for over five years!!
Les Poochs Finishing Brush – Small (Deshedder brush)
Question: Are there any products you suggest to help my new kitty cope with stress during the re-homing process?
Answer: Yes, there sure is. I know it is a lot for the kitties to understand as they transition from our home into yours, so addressing that stress is vital to their health.
We highly recommend the Feliway Calming Dispenser. (We keep ours plugged in and going year-round.)
Feliway Calming Diffuser
A drug-free solution for cats & kittens that helps reduce signs of stress, including scratching, urine spraying, hiding, and environmental changes.
Click here to purchase.
~Favorite Toys~
Question? What are some of their favorite cat toys they play with the most there in the nursery?
Answer: Well, lord knows we have tried almost every cat toy known to man, and some just come out of the box and lay there while others get played with until they fall apart and have to be replaced.
Here are some of the kitty’s absolute ALL-TIME favorite cat toys that really stand up to several years of playing from multiple cats.
This first one is called SmartKat Electronic Motion Hot Pursuit.
Many of you have seen it in several of our cat video clips and asked us what it was and where we got it.
The cats absolutely LOVE IT! We have actually to shut it off and put it away, or they will not stop playing with it!!! **haha**
Zenes Interactive Butterfly Rotating Cat Toy
Robotic Cat Toy, 360 Degree Self Rotating Ball, USB Charging, Spinning LED Light
Kitten Teether Sticks/ Natural Dental Chew Toy & Toothbrush Stick
Edible Catnip Balls
Question: How do I introduce a new kitten to my older cat?
Answer: We often get this question; believe it or not, it’s not as complicated as you think. Put the new kitten in a pet taxi/carrier and sit him or her in front of your older cat.
This way, they can see and smell one another without really being “in contact.”
Do this several times a day for the first couple of days, and then, when you sense they are ready for contact to, open the carrier and allow them to sniff one another.
You may still have a little arching of the older cat’s back and a hiss or two, but that will never fade. Soon they will snuggle up together, and you will wonder how they ever lived without each other.
Question: Do you have a favorite cat/kitten shampoo? How do you get their coats so beautiful?
Answer: EQyss Premier Pet Shampoo is the key to our beautiful kitty coats! Premium Persians deserve a premium shampoo; this is the best on the market!
Question: What is the best comb for Persians and Himalayans?
Answer: I think we have tried every pet comb and brush ever made, so we know a lot about grooming tools. Number one, a must-have for long-haired cats.
Glendan Kitten Slicker Brush – Best Kitten brush on the market!!!
Question: How do you always keep your cat’s eyes so clean, fresh, and bright looking?
Answer: Well, we specialize in Doll Face Persians, so they have much less eye cleaning than the peke face Persian, but nevertheless, all Persians do require some degree of eye cleaning from time to time. Listed below are our three favorite eye-cleaning products.
The first one is “SPA” by Tropiclean; this fantastic cleanser is a permanent fixture in our grooming salon!
Secondly, we ensure we never run out of Vetericyn Feline Antimicrobial Facial Therapy.
This is a must-have product for ALL Persian and Himalayan cat owners.
We use this daily for several of our kitties. Let’s face it: Persians have to have their faces cleaned, and we want the safest & best product on the market; this is it!
The Tropi-clean is great for deep cleaning, but this is the best for daily maintenance.
Vetericyn Plus Feline Antimicrobial Facial Therapy
And last but not least is Vetericyn Eye Wash. This is a must-have for any Persian cat owner. It cleans and flushes out discharge or debris, keeping the kitty’s eyes fresh & clean.
Remember…..ALWAYS give the kitty a few treats after a grooming session.
The type we use here and have had outstanding success with is “Temptations”.
We have never had one kitty not like this brand!!;)
Question: How can I help reduce the stress during the re-homing process on the actual transition day and the first few days after?
Answer: We offer several different products that have proven to work wonders on the transition day.
If you are purchasing a kitten and want to add one or more stress-reducing products to your kitten’s carrier, just let us know.
Question: Is there one thing that you recommend that EVERY kitty should have?
Answer: YES! Absolutely!!! EVERY SINGLE kitty should have a kitty tower, a place to call their own in your home.
One will work for multiple cats. It’s just that it is so important that they have one so they know it’s their own personal space to hang out and relax.
They love them so much and spend hours swinging around and being goofy on them.
We have linked to some towers we have in the nursery that many of you have asked about.
We also have several cat condos scattered around our home for the kitties they snuggle in.
They are so cozy and give the kitty a quiet place to take those much-needed cat naps.
Question: Where are you located?
Answer: We are in Unionville, Missouri.
Re-homing combo set
Re-homing is hard on kittens, so please help keep stress to a minimum. Please do not change their diet or type of litter for at least the first month after receiving them.
Keep plenty of cozy blankets in the pet carrier when transferring them anywhere. We offer a super cute fuzzy combo set with the scent of their litter mates and mama to help reduce anxiety.
This set will be inside your kitty’s pet carrier. (If purchased) It is machine washable and lasts forever.
This combo set is available for an additional $35.00. (Patterns vary)
Question: How do you train kittens not to claw furniture or stay off counters?
Answer: Well, that is a good question. Get yourself a clean, empty squirt bottle, fill it with plain water, and squirt the kitty’s bottom end when he or she attempts to display a behavior that is undesirable.
You can also use canned air, the type we use to clean our keyboards. Both methods work great. Kitty will learn after once or twice that behavior is a no-no.
Question: Do all kittens have blue eyes?
Answer: Yes, that is something that most people don’t seem to know, but yes, all kittens have blue eyes when they are babies.
Question: How do I know which ones will have different colored eyes by the time they are adults?
Answer: Below, we have created an eye color chart for you to view, which explains eye color. Please remember that the colors vary somewhat depending on each cat’s genetics.
Question: Are blue-eyed white Persians deaf?
Answer: 50% of blue-eyed white Persian cats are deaf, much like albino rabbits. Deaf kitties are the friendliest cats money can buy since the “fear factor” is absent. You call their name by your sheer presence rather than a verbal name, so they come running to you the moment they see you. Anyone owning a deaf kitty would never even consider owning a cat with its hearing in tack because of its intensely affectionate personality.
Question? Are any other types of white cats deaf?
Answer: A small percentage of copper-eyed white cats can be deaf. Some white cats with one copper eye and one blue eye may be deaf in the ear on the side of the blue eye.
Question? Are white cats blind?
Answer: No, there is absolutely no truth to this rumor. It is merely a hoax and nothing more.
What is a Himalayan?
Answer: We often get asked this question, so here we go…A Himalayan is a Persian but with eight color points.
Four paws
Two ears
The mask on the face and the tail.
The Himalayan acquired the color points from the Siamese; therefore, the Himalayans are a bit more vocal and energetic than the Persians.
Both are very sweet-tempered, intelligent, and very social. Like Persians, Himalayans are very devoted to their owners. They prefer to be near humans for ongoing companionship.
All Himalayans have blue eyes.
Persians and Himalayans are considered to be the same breed.
As with most long-haired cats, Himalayans must be brushed daily to keep their coats looking their best.
The body fur of a Himalayan is white or ivory, but the points come in many colors: seal (or black), blue, lilac, chocolate, red (flame), and cream. The points can also be tabby or tortoiseshell-patterned. Chocolate and lilac point Himalayans are the most difficult to produce because both parents must carry the gene for chocolate/lilac to produce a chocolate or lilac kitten, as the trait is autosomal recessive.
Like Persians, Himalayans are indoor cats only and should never be allowed outside.
They are not fighters nor streetwise as most feral cats.
Did you know that many Essential Oils are toxic to cats?
Many people don’t know this critical fact. Essential oils are showing up in more and more products these days so it is imperative to educate yourself on the dangers of them.
Here is a list of Essential Oils Toxic to Cats Learn more HERE
What should you know about bringing your kitten home the first 72 hours?