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A Persian cat is a gentle, quiet and loving cat. It is not as independent as other breeds of cats as it relies on its owner's attention to give it love. The Persian seems to relish human attention and flourishes upon it.
If you're starting with a Persian kitten, get it vaccinated at 8 weeks, next for 2 consecutive months and then once yearly. To maintain your Persian shiny and healthy, you have to keep good housekeeping. A clean environment has less harmful bacteria. The owner and family's personal hygiene also affects the a Persian as handling transmits germs.
Remove your cat's leftovers and disinfect meal and water dishes regularly, at least weekly. Cat litter trays should be emptied and renewed as soon as necessary. The frequency depends on the size of your litter tray. Don't expose your Persian to toxic plants. Keep your pet away from the kitchen where cooking is done. Store away all chemicals and all wiring should be taped securely down as cats love to play with strings.
Watch out for symptoms of illnesses like diarrhea, runny eyes and nose, vomiting, loss of appetite, breathlessness and restlessness. Arrest illness with early treatment from your vet.
Your Persian has long hairs which may harbor dirt, outdoor objects like leaves and twigs, parasites and insects. Daily grooming ensures their removal and also gives you a chance to remove mats and check the condition of your cat's skin. Brush off dead hair and prevent them from sticking onto your furniture. If your Persian has outdoor play, its coat is bound to become dirty so you need to bathe it. Cats hate water so you need to close the bathroom door and wear long sleeves. Use cat shampoo and rinse your pet thoroughly to avoid it licking off shampoo remnants when it next grooms itself.
Your cat may scratch you in its attempts to escape the bath. No hard feelings, it just hates water. Towel dry and comb its hair slowly. Use a hair dryer in cold weather.
Clean eyes, ears and claws with wet cotton wool. Gently brush your cat's teeth for its dental health. As with all pets, you need to train your kitten to accept the fuss of grooming as its routine. Use this time to lavish attention on it. Play with your cat a little so that it enjoys its grooming time too. You can scratch or tickle your kitten on its belly and under its chin.
Cats need 4 times as much protein as dogs. It is best to feed your Persian commercial cat food which has all the right proportions of the necessary nutrients. When your Persian is healthy, you'll enjoy long hours of companionship and play with it.
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