Ahmischi Persians - Facts & FAQ

This page written & compiled by Tammy Swan, please do not copy in any way without written permission & credit.

We at Ahmischi care deeply where our kitties go, so we would like to make a few statements about what we expect,
along with a few tips on grooming, etc & a little about the Persian breed:

We do not allow our cats/kittens to be declawed, this procedure is very painful and can have very undesirable after-effects.
Did you know that when they declaw, they do not just remove the nail, they remove the first knuckle?! Some cats, after
they have been declawed, have temperament & behavioral issues/changes, as well as litter box issues.
All pets will be spayed/neutered prior to placement, or will come with a spay/neuter contract.
All cats/kittens placed require a signed contract to ensure their safety.
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Please do not contact us for a 'pet' quality cat, wanting to have 'just one litter.' There is much to learn about breeding/showing
Persians, and you must be prepared for the heartache that may follow, and the costs as well.
This is not a hobby you make money at, by no means. Lots of research is a must.
We are breeders because we love the Persian breed, and we do all that we can to improve & preserve the breed.
Here is an excellent article that explains why we place our kittens when they are at least 14-16 weeks old:

We are very honest about our cats, so we expect our buyers to be honest with us as well.
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We do not allow our cats to roam freely outdoors - they are strictly indoor cats. There are too many dangers lurking
outside that can be very harmful, such as wild animals, cars/traffic, diseases, and so on. Indoor cats live longer, more healthy
lives than outdoor cats for these reasons, and thus less trips to the vet for any 'accidents' from outside.
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Persians are very gentle, people loving cats. Personality can differ from cat to cat, but they are usually very loving, docile,
easy-going, somewhat active, playful lap-warmers. They tend to be a little lazy, but are also active & outgoing!
They are very laid-back and have wonderful temperaments.
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It is important to keep Persians groomed. Their coats are usually thick and cottony, or long and silky, but some tend to
have shorter, plush coats. We recommend combing their coat every day or every other day so they don't get knots.
A comb like this metal one is great:

It's good to bathe your Persian for routine, maybe every two weeks, once a month, or maybe every
other month - whatever works best for you. Bathing also helps reduce knotting of the fur, and helps new coat to grow.
Some Persians coats can tend to be a little greasy, so this will help determine how often you want to bathe your cat.
Never bathe a cat with knots, as this will only make them tighter. so make sure you give their coat a thorough comb-through.
If they have a knot(s), be sure to not pull roughly on them. You can help pull the knots apart by separating them with
your fingers. If they are tighter, you can use a small pair of round-ripped scissors to cut them out.
Always be careful so you don't snip their skin!

If you decide to shave your Persian, it's best to learn from watching someone do it first. You want to be
careful so as not to spook kitty with the clippers - when you first turn them on, turn them on away from the cat so they can get
used to the noise & also the vibrations. If clipping on the belly and around the legs/armpits, you must take extra precautionary
measures, as the skin is very loose in those areas and can easily become snagged in the clippers. If shaving is a must, I would
recommend having someone you know that is experienced with clippers do it/help, or take them to a groomer.

Shaving doesn't hurt the cat. Some people choose to have their cats shaved in the summer months to help keep them cooler,
and they look really cute in a 'lion cut'! We shave some of our Persians, particularly ones we are not showing. As an
interesting note, if you shave a Himalayan, often times their body will darken to their point colors (so if you shave a
Seal Point, the body may go from creamy white to a light to dark brown). Also, if you do decide to shave the tail, be sure
to leave a pom-pom on the end. Tail fur also takes a very long time to grow back.

Be sure to clip your kitties nails prior to bathing to prevent any scratches. You may want
to trim the kitties nails 2-3 days before, as they can sometimes be a little sharp after they are freshly cut.
We recommend you trim your cat's nails at least once a week or once every two weeks. Trimming nails is not painful, it is
just like cutting your own nails! Just be sure not to cut down to the quick, which is the 'live' part. If you go too long without
cutting the nails, they can grow into the paw pads! Do make sure you also have a couple of cat scratchers in your home so kitty can help clean his nails & has a place to scratch rather than on your sofa.

Our kittens get their first bath when they are about 6 weeks old. This helps them get used to being bathed, and as they
are bathed on a regular basis it makes their coats easier to maintain. Our show kitties are bathed on a regular basis
so they look the best for the shows. Blow drying them is a must. You don't want them to get chilled and catch cold.
Another option is to take your kitty to a groomer for maintenance baths/grooming.
A very nice dryer is one like below, an Oster dryer, and on the right, a Metro dryer:

Many people stereotype that Persians are not healthy cats, that they always have URI's, & have difficulty breathing.
This is NOT so!
Reputable breeders only breed the healthiest cats, and this is how it is done for generations - a stronger immune system
is built up and thus shows in the lineage.
Some Persians may have small nose nares, which is not the desired structure of the nares, but they are still healthy. Some
Persians may 'snore' too. Most Persians eyes also tear as well, some more than others. This is normal for the breed and
is easily cleaned by gently wiping with a warm, damp tissue.
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The dishes that you have your cats eat & drink from is important. Stay away from any plastic bowls, as this
can cause Acne on your cats chin or allergic reactions. You should only use metal/stainless steel or ceramic/marble dishes.
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PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) is an inheritable disease of the Persian breed. Much research has been done on this over the
years. PKD can severely effect the cat's health and may eventually cause death, but an affected cat will more than likely pass
due to old age or something other than PKD. All of our breeding cats were Ultrasound Scanned with a 10mHz machine
by Dr. Lane of Pennsylvania in 2000. She is well trained in this field.
In January of 2005, the U.C. Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory came out with the much anticipated PKD DNA test.
This was a major breakthrough for the Persian breed!
In 2005 we slowly began testing cats by the PKD DNA test, and we continue to do so.
All of the scans done by Dr. Lane matched the DNA results thus far, so we can attest to her superb skills & accuracy.

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You can read the Persian Breed Profile & Persian Standard here at the CFA website:
http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/persian.html
http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/standards/persian.html
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We would like to make note, that most people come to believe that the Himalayan is a different breed of cat.
The Himalayan is a Persian. The Himalayan pattern was created by breeding Siamese to Persians, and after years of
dedicated work by the pioneers of the Himalayan, they have had their efforts fulfilled. The Himalayan was first accepted
as a breed in CFA in the year of 1957. Eventually in 1984, they were merged into the Persian breed. Himalayans have the same
exact standard & facial features of all Persians.

White (Copper-Eyed)	White Persians are absent of color. They 'mask' a color, which tells us what color they would produce as. They are usually born with a color spot (on the top of the head), but sometimes the color spot is not present. This leads to a guessing game as to what color they mask. :) The color spot fades away around 1 year of age.
Black	Blue
Red	Cream

Brown Tabby

Blue Tabby

Red Tabby

Cream Tabby

Brown Patched Tabby

Blue Patched Tabby

No photo available
at this time!

Tortoiseshell

All Particolors & any cat that has the color combination of one color with red or cream, can only be female. Only on rare occasion
has there been male torties, calicos, etc. Often times males
in these colors are sterile.

Blue-cream

Black & White	Blue & White
Red & White	Cream & White
Calico	Dilute Calico
Red Tabby & White	We also produce what is known as the 'van pattern' in Bicolors. A van is only allowed to have 1 or 2 small body spots of color, and the rest of the cat is white. Vans are allowed color on their head, legs, and tail - which does not account towards the body color.

Seal Point	Blue Point
Seal Lynx Point	Blue Lynx Point
Flame Point	Cream Point
Flame Lynx Point No photo available at this time!	Cream Lynx Point No photo available at this time!
Tortie Point	Blue-cream Point
Tortie Lynx Point	Blue-cream Lynx Point

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The Persian breed has 2 tabby patterns, Mackerel and Classic.
With the Classic pattern, you will see a 'bulls-eye' on each side of the body, with
'butterfly wings' over the shoulders. The Classic Tabby pattern is recessive.
With the Mackerel Tabby pattern you will see thin pencil stripes going vertically on the
sides of the body. The Mackerel Tabby pattern is a dominant gene.
Below is an example of each pattern:

Cat shows....yes, they do exist!
No, we don't prance the cats around on a leash like at dog shows. ;o)
Instead, there is a section called the 'benching area', where exhibitors set up there
cages for the cats to stay each day, along with their grooming supplies, etc. There is usually
6-8 judging rings set up nearby. Each cat is judged in each ring, so throughout the day, 12-15 cats
or so get called up at a time to be judged in their appropriate breed. After judging is completed for each class
(Kittens, Championship, & Premiership), then the judge will call cats back to their 'final'. This is the most exciting part!
About the classes of judging:
Kittens - for kittens between the ages of 4 months - 8 months
Championship - for whole cats age 8 months and up
Premiership - for altered cats age 8 months and up
HHP (Household Pet) - for altered cats/kittens of non-pedigreed lineage
Veterans - for any pedigreed cat 7 years and older
And then there is the Agility ring. Cats here compete like in dog agility. It's very entertaining to watch!
The Feline Agility is not at every show, but it is picking up fast, as this is a fairly new addition to cat shows.
You can read more about it here: http://agility.cfa.org
Whether you are just a cat lover, are interested in learning more about the many breeds of cats, or if you are
considering starting your own cattery to breed & show cats, then visiting cat shows is for you!
While visiting a show, there are also many great vendors to check out too! You can usually find grooming/bathing supplies,
cat scratchers, toys galore, food/treats, clothing, jewelry, and so much more!

Well, that's it for now! We hope you find this informative & useful.
If you have any questions, feel free to email us!
Maybe we'll see you at a show soon!
Thanks!

This page written & compiled by Tammy Swan, please do not copy in any way without written permission & credit.
Some professional photos © Copyright Chanan Photography & all others by Tammy-Dawn Swan/Ahmischi.