Morninglory Persians: Choosing a kitten So you want a Persian cat! - Firstly you need to decide if a Persian really is right for you. Yes it probably will need regular attention to the eyes Yes it will leave hair on your clothes and your furniture (and visitors) Yes a Persian is just as likely to wander off or kill birds as any other cat if left with unrestricted access to the outside - and it is more likely to be stolen. Yes it may claw your furniture Yes it does need a litter tray - and unpleasant bits which you will have to remove may sometimes be stuck to the coat - this is likely to happen more often than it will with a shorthair cat Yes it will need regular inoculations and the same level of veterinary care as any other cat Yes it may be quiter that some other breeds, but it can be just as mischievious as any other cat when it chooses to be No it is not necessarily more delicate - and it should not be less healthy than any other cat No it does not necessarily have a shorter life span - my Persians have regularly lived well into their teens - my old White lad celebrated his 18th birthday in May 2009 - health is most often a matter of good breeding and good care In short - a cat is a cat! - but a Persian is higher maintainence - it requires regular grooming and much more attention to its coat than the average shorthair cat. If you are not prepared for all this - then a Persian is not for you. If however you are prepared to invest the time then your Persian will reward you not only by being beautiful, but by being a loving companion for many years. A healthy Persian can be very long lived - characteristically living well into their teens. Generally speaking they are fairly robust animals and if well reared and well cared for they often need only routine veterinary treatment such as regular checkups, inoculations and dentals etc. You might also like to consider the possibility of adopting one of the many cats in resue centres - they desperately need a home - and yes these cats very often include pedigrees of a wide range of breeds. If it is actually a kitten you want - how do you go about finding and choosing your kitten?

How do I find a kitten? (or cat)
Remember that a large number of animals, including pedigree ones,  come into rescue societies each year. With a little extra attention and patience these make very special loving pets. Persians can live well into their teens so do not be put off by the fact that a cat is a bit older.)

Do I buy from a breeder or pet shop?
A dealer or pet shop will have little background information on the kitten and it may have been subjected to unnecessary stress or exposed to infection which it would not have encountered going straight from breeder to new home. A conscientious breeder would want to meet the new owner and would be highly unlikely to sell to an intermediary. The breeder could also be a valuable source of information and advice whereas the shop is less likely to take a long term interest in the kitten / cat.

How do I get in touch with a breeder?
Most governing bodies (organisations through which breeders register their kittens) should be able to provide you with a contact for a breed or area club and the Club Secretary should be able to give you a list of breeders in your area - (Morninglory Persians kitten inquiries). Your local veterinary surgeon might also be able to help.

What can I expect when I contact the breeder?
A good breeder doesn’t produce in large numbers, so you may have to wait for a kitten. Firstly remember a ‘cheap’ kitten is rarely a bargain. Rearing a litter can be quite costly not to mention the time invested in caring for, supervising and socialising a kitten and its litter mates. This will be reflected in the purchase price. A kitten which has not had the right care, food and love can ultimately be very expensive in terms of vet bills and social problems. Try to see at least one show quality litter before you buy. Once you have seen a good litter, you will make a better choice, because you will know the difference between these kittens and an ill-bred one. If possible go to a show and get some information about the breed. A caring reputable breeder will want to ensure that the kitten is going to a good and hopefully permanent home so be prepared for a few questions and possible conditions of purchase, e.g. an agreement that you will neuter the kitten if it has not been bought for breeding. Arrange to see the kitten(s) in their home environment.

The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) has laid down a breeders' code of ethics and recommends that a kitten should be a minimum of 14 weeks old and innoculated before it goes to its new home. The GCCF has also produced a breeding policy which should form the core of any breeding programme. This policy relates to all breeds. It covers aspects such as in-breeding (breeding between closely related animals) and avoiding breed specific faults such as extremely flat faces in Persians. The Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB) website also carries veterinary articles and research papers on problems associated with extreme type Persians. Most governing bodies, incuding the GCCF, have laid down guidelines as to the appearance and conformation of breeds in their standards of points. While you may not necessarily be looking for a show kitten it is important to be aware of the guidelines as some of these refer to health and the well-being of the cats, especially those withholding faults described in the 'List of Defects' which appears in the preface to GCCF standards. Some very important points with regard to Persians relate to the position of the teeth, nose and extremes of type. These include:

• excessively short nose, esp where the upper edge of the nose leather is higher than the lower eye lid
• exaggerated nose break, ,
• reduced nostril size,
• entropian or inturning eye lids,
• any depressions or protrusions of the skull,
• abnormal position of the canine teeth and/or a lower jaw that is noticeably overshot or undershot

The breeder should ask you a number of questions to ensure that you are the right person to have a kitten. In turn, you too must ask a lot of questions.

• When you ring to ask about a litter, ask as many questions as you can over the phone. If you don’t find the answers forthcoming, you know the breeder isn’t knowledgeable and you may feel that this is not the person you wish to buy from. If possible arrange to see several litters before buying. Look at the adults, as well as the kittens.
• Reputable breeders do not sell kittens under twelve weeks old. They must be free of parasites (check their coat, ears and bottoms) and should be kept clean and in hygienic surroundings. They should have been inoculated against Feline Infectious Enteritis and ideally Cat Flu. Do not pick up a kitten from filthy surroundings as this could be an indication of future health problems.
• See if your kitten is alert and active but not vicious. S/He should not have a runny nose nor should he have signs of diarrhoea.
• The kitten should be inquisitive and willing to be handled.
• If you select a quality Persian, it means that he conforms to the standard recognized by the GCCF. Ask the breeder to tell you the differences between show kittens and good pet quality kittens.

Understanding the breeder’s terminology: If you can’t understand typical jargon, communicating with your breeder will be very difficult. So, get the low-down on what he means when he says the following:

• Show potential: To be of show quality, your kitten should also have excellent breed type and that something extra that sets him off as different from all the other entrants. No cat is a ‘perfect’ example of the standard and no breeder can ‘guarantee’ you a champion, but the kitten should be free from major breed faults and any ‘defects’ as listed in the Standard of Points. A copy of the Standard of Points can be obtained from the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, TICA UK and Felis Britannica. It is however important to remember that while it is possible to exhibit at shows licenced by different registering bodies, the breed standards may differ from one to another and the GCCF is still the main registering body in the UK
• Breeding quality: These kittens, though essentially the same as the show type, rarely ever have that something extra that judges are looking for, but should not have major faults or defects as defined in the breed standard or list of defects. Any such faults will be passed on to the progeny and you will simply breed them into your kittens so get a copy of the Standard of Points and list of defects for the breed you are interested in.
• Pet quality: Healthy and beautiful, these kittens may have a small flaw in them which renders them unfit for breeding or showing, for instance, a bad bite, a colour or conformation fault, e.g. ears too large etc. These faults should not include health problems.

What questions do I ask the breeder ?- When you go to look at kittens, ask him the following questions:

• How long has s/he been breeding Persians?
• How many litters does s/he produce every year?
• Is s/he affiliated to any regional, national or breed cat clubs
• How much does s/he charge for his/her kittens?
• Does s/he offer a health guarantee? What happens if your kitten doesn’t turn out according to the guarantee? Can s/he be replaced or will your money be returned?
• Does the kitten or its parents suffer from any particular health problems or conditions such as, PKD, entropion etc.?
• What health tests have been done on BOTH parents of the litter, e.g. PKD testing?
• Which inoculations has the kitten been given? Is the inoculation certificate available?
• Has s/he been wormed / with what and when?
• What type of contract does the breeder have for pet or show kittens? (If you are buying a pet kitten a breeder may ask you to sign an agreement that the kitten will be neutered.)
• Does s/he have a pedigree for the kitten?
• Do his/her kittens come with GCCF registration?
• Is the transfer certificate available?
• Does s/he own the parents of this kitten or at least one of them?
• Are the sire and dam available for you to see?
• Where were the parents or mother bought?
• What does the kitten eat?

If you are looking for a kitten to show or breed from you should also ask:

• What goals does the breeder have with his/her breeding program and how does s/he go about achieving this?
• What does the breeder feel are the strengths and weaknesses in the breed and the breeder's program?
• How many champions has the breeder shown
• How many champions has s/he bred?
• Is either parent of the kitten a champion? Or its grandparents? If so, are there GCCF championship certificates or photographs to prove this?
• Does s/he test for PKD? This is a hereditary condition all too common in some lines of Persians. More information can be obtained from the Feline Advisory Bureau. The FAB site now has a section on information for breeders and is worth a visit.

What do I look for when choosing a kitten?

• size / weight: A good guide to weight is that a kitten should weigh about one pound for each month of age up to about 4 months. In other words: a 3 month old kitten should weigh about 3 pounds
• eyes: The area under and around a Persian's eyes may need to be wiped with dry cotton wool after it has eaten and this may be more so in a kitten which is teething. However, excessively runny or sore eyes are a sign of a problem. Any discharge should be minimal not thick or purulent. The eye rims should not appear sore. The kitten should have round open eyes.
• coat:The coat should be clean, soft and knot free. Check for signs of skin lesions (an indication of ringworm or mite) and fleas (The most common sign is black gritty bits in the coat, especially along the spine.).
• nature: The kitten should be willing to be handled and friendly. You might also like to ask to see how the kitten reacts when it is groomed, especially if it is an older kitten. Do, however, remember that you are a stranger and the kitten may feel more confident with someone it knows.
• tail: Check for signs of worms or diarrhea (a sore bottom)
• tummy: The tummy should not feel distended (although a particularly greedy kitten may try to pack in more that it should). Most particularly the baby should not have a big belly and a poorly covered frame.
• see mum: Does she look healthy ? (bearing in mind she has just reared a family)

How do I know if it is show quality?
A kitten with show potential should conform as closely as possible to the standard of points for the breed. It should have no outstanding faults, be healthy and of good sound physical condition and have the temperment to allow it to be handled by strangers at shows (that's what the judges and stewards will be in practical terms). If you want to breed, the cat should be as free from heredity and structural faults as possible (good mouth etc.) While there is NO SUCH THING as a guaranteed winner or a perfect example of the breed, some faults are more serious than others and more difficult to breed out so read all you can about the breed you are interested in and know the standard of points for the breed. In buying a kitten for show or breeding a novice must rely heavily on the breeder's integrity and experience so choose your breeder carefully.

Ask:

• to see the parents or at least the mother.
• to see the pedigree, but don't be overly impressed by counting titles
• about hereditary defects
• how many winners the dam, sire and mating have produced
• how many winners the breeder has produced, over what period of time and how recently
• what faults the kitten has (every kitten will have some and the breeder should be able both to recognise these and to tell you have important they are)
• what good & bad points the parents tend to show
• about the health record of the parents

Do not be misled into believing that a pedigree containing well-known lines is as good a buying those lines direct. A breeder who consistently produces winners will combine lines in a particular way to enhance the best qualities of the cats. Two beautiful people do not always produce beautiful children and equally two good cats may not necessarily produce top quality kittens. Buying a kitten with a well known prefix in the pedigree is not the same as buying from that prefix.

How do I make my home safe before I take the kitten home?:
To get your house ready for your new kitten, you're going to have things to do around the house. After all kittens are like toddlers and they want to explore everything. But how do you know your house is safe and ready for your Persian? Check for these:

What do I need to get before I take my kitten home?

Settling the new kitten in:

The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy also offers information on buying a kitten.

For more information on living with your Persian check out the Morninglory tips on caring for your Persian