Persian

The Persian cat, commonly known as the Persian longhair, is a long-haired breed with a round face and short snout. Around 1620, the first known forebears of Persian cats were transported into Italy from Persia. Persian cats, which have been well recognized by cat fanciers since the late nineteenth century, were initially accepted by the British, and then by American breeders following World War II. Some cat fancier groups classify the Himalayan and Exotic Shorthair as varieties of this breed, while others classify them as unique breeds.

Breeders' selective breeding has resulted in the development of a broad range of coat colors, but it has also resulted in the creation of more flat-faced Persian cats. This head form is popular with fanciers, but it can cause a lot of health issues. As with the Siamese breed, some breeders have worked to conserve the older form of cat, the traditional breed, which has a more prominent muzzle and is more popular with the general population. In certain nations, over half of the population suffers from hereditary polycystic kidney disease. In 2021, Persian cats were ranked as the fourth-most popular cat breed in the world according to the Cat Fanciers' Association, an American non-profit cat registry.