From a health standpoint and from a human behaviour standpoint the contemporary, flat-faced Persian so beloved by Persian afficionados is an unmitigated disaster. The original Persian (traditional) is more attractive and healthier. For the Peke-faced Persian it isn’t just the cranium which has gone terribly wrong it is the unacceptable percentage (around 35%) of these cats with polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Someone tell me why this breed is not outlawed? There needs to be a complete revamp of the breed standard and breeding processes concerning this breed. And let’s think of the poor cats. Some kittens are euthanized because their brains are forced out of the back of their head. View Ben’s video please.
This is a well-documented health issue from the world of purebred cats. Yes, it concerns the flat-faced Persian which has been one of the most popular cat breeds for donkeys’ years although that popularity has fallen away in recent years because of numerous internet articles such as this one (there are many more on this website) which have opened the eyes of prospective contemporary Persian cat owners of which many persist in ignoring the horrendous health implications of extreme artificial selection by breeders in following a disastrously misguided cat association breed standard. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) also persists in keeping this deeply flawed breed standard which perpetuates the problem. Please bite the bullet and stop this form of selective breeding. You are on the wrong path and have been for decades. Time for radical change.
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Extreme flat-faced Persian cats are like humans suffering from coronal craniosynostosis
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Persian cat breed standard – critical appraisal and illustrated
Sad.
Yes, sad and mad. 😢 The cat associations have got this entirely wrong and have done for years. And it is at the expense of the suffering cats.