As at around 2008, there is precious little information about these cats (things do change however). I am not even sure that they are a distinct cat breed (but please read on). The best books on the cat breeds don’t refer to them. The top website on this cat as found by Google says almost nothing solid about Shirazi kittens or cats except to mention a health problem associated with this cat, namely PKD (PKD1 Polycystic Kidney Disease). The Persian, both traditional and extreme bred, is associated with PKD. Accordingly the Shirazi is associated with the Persian it seems to me as it looks like a Persian as well.
The Messybeast author Sarah Hartwell does not refer to them either. I have 104 cat breeds on this site and I have not referred to them. So what is going on?
They are for sale, online, for purchase in Dubai, the Middle East:
The kitten above costs 1,500 AED (United Arab Emirates Dirham) and looks like a traditional Persian. This is 331 Euros and $408 (USD).
Sabine Harding, in an article on the Shiraz Cat, writes that this cat is an Egyptian Mau – Persian mix. They are seen as semi-domestic, stray and feral cats in Egypt. Although these street cats won’t look like the selectively breed cats for sale in Dubai.
The Egyptian Mau is famous for its spotted tabby coat. However, the Shirazi has a wide range of coat types and patterns including the tabby coat.
The Shirazi is not a registered cat breed, Sabine writes. That actually confirms my original impression. However, in Dubai they are advertised as purebred. This does not mean they are a registered cat breed. The formal registration of cat breeds is something that takes place mainly in the West – Europe and North America. This is because there are no cat associations in the Middle East (wrong?) or for example TICA are not present in the Middle East. TICA are an international cat association and would probably have registered or accepted this breed if representations had been made to them. I would have thought that it would be beneficial to breeders and buyers to register this cat and make it a cat breed.
However, it may be that it is not distinct enough from the traditional Persian and in any case TICA recognise the extreme Persian (“forehead, nose and chin in straight line”) and not the doll face.
To summarize the Shirazi cat is:
- a long haired or semi-longhaired cat;
- not formally a cat breed but;
- is bred in the Middle East (and elsewhere?) and is therefore possibly or probably purebred but you can’t be sure;
- looks like a traditional doll face Persian and;
- has a wide range of coat types including tabbies. This is due to breeding as the native Shirazi is a tabby after the Egyptian Mau.
- a cat that is probably not available in Europe or North America but I am open to correction on that.
Here is another picture from a Dubai seller of a tabby Shirazi kitten for the same price as the grey kitten above:
Some other selected information about the appearance of the Shirazi from Sabine, who seems to know what she is talking about:
- Most Shirazi cats have the classic M tabby mark on their forehead.
- They are laid back – hints of Persian cat character and in contrast to the Egyptian Mau.
- Claimed to have a belly flap. This hints at the Egyptian Mau which is famous for a belly flap is said to help make the Mau the world’s fastest domestic cat.
“We are very disappointed. We expected far more from EMRO. It seems they are turning to fanciers and using same old ”conclusions” that require little thinking and no research, decorating them with exotic ”Persian” name.”
Hello, Mr. Broad,
In reference to your above statement regarding your disappointment with EMRO, please be advised that Ms. Harding is a friend, supporter, and admirer of EMRO, and not an employee, volunteers, etc. She was kind enough to contribute her piece on Shirazi’s as she saw fit, which I then posted to the web site (without my reading it) at the request of the EMRO Founder, Ms. Gloria Lauris.
Please do not believe that since Ms. Harding made a quick assumption regarding the Shirazi cats and, apparently, she did not go into great depth into her research, that this is EMRO’s position regarding the Shirazi “breed”.
My main reason for contacting you is that I have been asked by a gentleman, named Fabio Bense, who works for a pet magazine in Brazil called “Cães & Cia” (Dogs And Co., in English – http://www.caes-e-cia.com.br)to provide him with any and all information regarding the Shirazi cat. This is how I came across your web site.
At the moment, I am in my second day of research because in accumulating this information, I have come across contradictory data (just as you stated), misinformation, and unconfirmed assumptions. It will probably take me until this afternoon to finalize, compile the “accurate” data, and structure it cohesively in order to submit it to the EMRO Founder for approval.
If you have any additional information which you, yourself, have compiled since August 22, 2012 regarding the Shirazi cat, I would very much appreciate it if you can send me a copy of whatever (confirmed) information you may have on the Shirazi – if you wish to do so.
Thank you for the “tap on the shoulder” regarding the incorrect information on our web site, and, in future, do not hesitate to contact me if you come across any additional misinformation posted on the EMRO web pages.
Yours truly,
Aida Marina, WebMauster / Sponsorship Manager
EMRO – Egyptian Mau Rescue Organization
http://www.emaurescue.org
Webmauster@emaurescue.org
Casper says ‘Thank you Giselle ‘! Do inbox me any picture of your sisters kitty
Beautiful cat! She looks a lot like my sister’s all white “Siberian” as well.
Thank you for replying ☺️ the pet store claimed her to be a Turk . Doesn’t matter anyway . Wont make me love her any less .she is a wonderful cat . It got important for me to kno what breed she is so that i could take care of her needs better and find out what her normal weight should be .
Once again ! Really appreciate your time ☺️
Fatima we don’t know enough about the Shirazi to understand how it compares with the Turkish Angora. Also which Angora are you referring to? The one in the USA or the one in Turkey. They are very different.
Cat breeds are very complicated especially the ones we are discussing because the American TA is a creation of American breeders while the Turkish TA is the real thing.
I suppose the people who sold you the cat (beautiful cat by the way) did not provide you with any information. That would indicate non-purebred which means neither TA or Shirazi. Ask the store what breed she is!
Even if the store said she was a TA, how can they prove it? You can’t really identify cat breeds by photos.
Thanks for visiting and asking and apologies for delay in responding.
Hi Fatima. Give me about 12 hours to respond fully as it is late here (London, UK) right now. Thanks for visiting and asking.