What one takes away from this 2019 study is that the modern (contemporary flat-faced) Persian cat’s health could and should be improved with a change to the breed standard to neutralise the extreme facial anatomy and normalise a skull and facial features which are nearer to what we expect of the domestic cat. This would suppress some of these health issues. The beginning and end of the study more or less sums up the position.
Here is a quote from the study’s summary at the beginning:
The most common specific disorders [in Persian cats] were haircoat disorders (12.7%), periodontal disease (11.3%), overgrown nails (7.2%), and ocular discharge (5.8%). The most common disorder groups were dermatological (17.9%), ophthalmological (15.3%) and dental (12.3%). Median longevity was 13.5 years (IQR 9.9–16.0). The most common grouped causes of death were renal disease (23.4%), neoplasia (8.5%) and mass-associated disorder (8.0%). Note: the numbers of cats have been removed to leave the percentages.
This study is really about the Persian breed standard which is a topic that has interested me for years and which is a bone of contention within and outside the cat fancy. It is claimed in the study that the round head and flat-face of the Persian combined with extreme breeding results in predictable health issues, three of which I have focused on in the infographic.
As you see I am not running a vendetta against the breed or the cat fancy as this is about hard facts. I want the breed and the cat fancy to succeed but not at the expense of the health of cats.
Note: On phones it is better to expand the infographic using the arrows lower-right.
Flat-faced Persian cat coat, eye and mouth problems. INFOGRAPHIC. by Michael BroadHere is a quote from the end of the study:
[The study] adds significantly to our understanding of the problems they may encounter, especially since it is already clear that these adverse effects increase with increasing severity of brachycephalia….The authors consider that it is better to work with all interested parties to educate breeders, veterinary surgeons, and the public about the health concerns from severe brachycephalia [rounded and shortened skull]. If Breed Standards for Persians are updated, breeders of cats with less pronounced brachycephalia will start winning at shows and will become the new norm.
The researchers (see below) want the cat fancy to adjust the contemporary Persian cat’s breed standard to reduce these health issues. But if they do not do this in a reasonable time say 5 five years, the report’s author suggests that it would be acceptable to force change with legislation. Those five years have elapsed and nothing has happened.
More: INFOGRAPHIC explains Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) in Persian cats in straightforward terms – noteworthy that the study referred to states that “The leading cause of mortality in Persians in the current study (at or after 5 years of age) was renal disease (23.4%)”
Study citation
O’Neill, D.G., Romans, C., Brodbelt, D.C. et al. Persian cats under first opinion veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders. Sci Rep 9, 12952 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-49317-4
