Pelaqita Persians
January 1, 2011
New Year 2011
Christmas is over, and the rushing around has stopped. We hope that you all had a great Holiday with your family and friends. We also wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.

We are going to start featuring a section that deals with some of the questions that we get from our website visitors. If you have a question, please email us and we will do our best to provide you with an answer.
Bathing a Persian Cat
Grooming a Persian cat is quite different than grooming other cat breeds. Persian cats need grooming on a daily basis, at least as far as combing or brushing goes. We use a wide-toothed metal, static free, comb. We do not use a brush unless it is for "fluffing" the coat of the cat after all mats have been removed. Of course, if combing your Persian is part of your daily grooming, your Persian cat will not have any mats. Pay special attention to behind your Persian's ears, under the armpits, and around the rump and legs as mats collect faster in these areas.

Here is a link to our recommended Supply List for Persians.

Mats

Before you bathe your Persian, make sure you get all the mats out. To do this, take a wide-toothed comb, and gently comb out the cat. Do NOT pull the mats out. If you come across a mat, gently pull (break) it apart using your fingers. If you pull the mat out with your comb, you will pull all the hair out right down to the skin and have a bald patch on your Persian. Worst case scenario, if the mats will not break up, you can use a dematting tool or cut it out with a pair of scissors. Again, whatever you do, please do not pull the mat out as it will not only ruin the coat but cause a lot of pain to your Persian cat.


First Vaccinations
When a kitten is born it receives colostrum (the first milk that the mother produces before her "real" milk comes in - the milk that will nourish the kittens throughout the next several weeks.). Colostrum which is ingested during the early hours after the birth of the kitten helps to protect the kitten against infectious disease until the kitten's own immune system matures. Most veterinarians and teaching veterinary hospitals recommend vaccinating kittens at 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age with a CORE vaccination of feline rhinotracheitis, calici-virus (herpes virus), and panleukopenia (distemper). Normally, vaccinating prior to 8 weeks of age will have no effect as the mother's maternal antibodies interfere with the vaccination prior to 8 weeks of age. However, some veterinarians may recommend vaccinating earlier if there are a large number of cats in the household and in shelter situations OR there is a rampant infection in the household.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: I have one all white male kitten with one blue and one green eye. And one silver tabby. They are sooooo sweet and cute; I would love to breed them, but they are from the same litter (brother and sister) - is that safe in Persian cats or should I try different cats? How would I go about studding out my male or female? Oh, she is so pretty!!!!

Answer: Unless you know positively (because you have bred the mom and dad, and further back in this line), it is NEVER advisable to breed a brother x sister, father x daughter, etc. You will get the worse of the worse and/or the best of the best. Also, if you have never bred on this line before you have no way of knowing with absolute certainty if there are horrible things (genetically speaking) that are hidden - if you breed this closely, you could end up with terrible things genetic wise. It is usually advisable to line breed (breeding cats with similar relatives, but not as close as in-breeding - father x daughter, sister x brother, etc.).

Before breeding any Persian, it should be genetically tested (via DNA) for the PKD (polycystic kidney disease) gene. If you do not do the test, you have no way of knowing if your breeding cats have the gene and could, therefore, pass it on to their kittens. If they have it the PKD gene they will pass it on; the kittens will end up dying from Polycystic Kidney Disease within 5-8 years. There is a lot more to breeding than just putting two nice looking cats together and having kittens. You have to know what traits the line may throw, and what is in the lines genetically (PKD, heart problems, etc.).

As for studding out your male. Most responsible breeders will not bring their female cats to an unknown male due to the possibility of disease and any other number of problems that could occur with sending out their female to an unknown male cat. Most responsible breeders keep their own male for breeding. Or they might know someone through the showing of their own cats that they trust implicitly to breed their female to. Persians can be asymptomatic (meaning they show no symptoms of ringworm but can spread it) carriers of ringworm, and the stress of sending them out to other homes for breeding is sometimes the impetus that the cat may need to get ringworm. Additionally, the stress of sending out the cat to another breeder for breeding can set off an upper respiratory infection of some kind, including the herpes virus - just because the cat is stressed by changing environments.

Responsible breeders spend years learning about their cats, their cat's lines (genetically and health wise), learning about breeding from someone that has been in the breed for a while (a mentor if you will) before they EVER breed their first litter. Additionally, most responsible breeders show their cats. It has always been my opinion/ethics, which if a breeder is not actively involved in some aspect of doing something with their dogs or cats (OTHER than breeding), then that person is no better than a puppy mill or backyard breeder. There is absolutely no reason to just put two cats or two dogs together just because one thinks that they are sweet or pretty and breed them. There is more involved with the responsible breeding of animals. One must also know the CFA (of if a dog - the AKC) standard for the breed BEFORE breeding. If the cat or dog does not possess ALL the attributes outlined in the breed standard, then WHY would anyone choose to breed those animals? No one ethical and responsible would. Breeding is the continuation of a line because the cat or dog has the characteristics of the breed standard and to IMPROVE on the existing dog or cat. It is not about just breeding.

In conclusion, having your cat or dog produce a litter of babies puts the dam (mother) at risk. She could die, and the babies could die because someone that has never bred before does not know how to recognize the danger signs inherent in birthing. Assisting at the delivery of the cat or dog is always a must - and one must know how to do this properly and have the correct medicines and instruments on hand for this process.
Did You Know?
A cat's hearing stops at 80 kilohertz (kHz), a dog's at 45 kHz, and a human's at a pathetic 20 kHz. While a kitten is born both blind and deaf, at about 10-14 days of age, they can hear things we can only imagine: bats in flight or a mouse in the brush up to 30 feet away. Truly amazing!

Cats want everything in the world to smell like they do, and spend most of their time trying to accomplish this feat. When cats rub up against people or furniture, they are depositing sebum (which are made by the cat's sebaceous glands near the cat's head) to spread their own trademark scent on whatever they are "bumping". That's the most "people approved" form of scent marking in cats.

In 2005, a 6 year old black cat named Colby graduated from Trinity Southern University with a master's degree in business administration and a GPA of 3.5. This was done at the instigation of the Pennsylvania prosecutor's office who was investigating two internet scammers who were selling bogus college degrees.

In Siam (today's Thailand), the cat was so revered that a cat always rode in a chariot at the head of a parade celebrating the new king.

In Norse mythology, Freya, the most renowned and desirable of the goddesses, traveled around in a chariot pulled by cats.

In 1994, archaeologists discovered the remains of a young cat buried with a person at a New Stone Age site (characterized by the development of agriculture and the making of polished stone implements) in Cyprus.

The Maine Coon is an American original. This hardy, longhaired breed developed as an all-purpose, all weather New England farm cat and companion. It holds the distinction of being the first breed to win the first major cat show in 1895 at Madison Square Garden. Her name was Cosie.

"Even overweight, cats instinctively know the cardinal rule: when fat, arrange yourself in slim poses." ~ John Weitz
Litter Box

We have kittens that are ready for their new homes. These kittens are the last litter CH Pelaqita Herman the Terminator will sire.

In retirement now, Herman is looking for an adopted "forever home" and is already neutered.

We will not be having any litters early next year. Family plans and the upcoming show season will be priorities for our cattery. We planned the current litters around the Holiday season and to allow for other scheduled events.

For more information, please visit our website . Review the pages under the Placement tab and if you would like to be considered for one of our Persian kittens, please fill out and submit the on-line Application.

Visit us on our Facebook page.
Cat O'Month
Susan -

Thank you so much for our precious Ortyn. He could not have been better on the trip home! He was completely relaxed and loved being held by Chase and Chloe. Below are a few photos from the journey home.

I have never seen a pet that is so well adjusted, comfortable, and healthy. I attribute this to his wonderful and thoughtful upbringing. It is obvious that you are truly passionate about the Persian breed.

Ortyn is incredibly playful and loving and immediately took to the litter box. He slept on the bed with Chloe and me last night and is busy at play already this morning. Here are a few shots of him this morning. We will spoil him rotten and send photos often.

You are the best! The cleanliness of your home and the kitty areas is unsurpassed. Your website is incredible and so informative. I will visit often to stay up to date on the latest news in caring for Persian cats. The entire adoption process was very professional, and I could not recommend you more highly. Please do share my letter and photos on your website. I want everyone to know about your incredible Persian cats and adoption program.

Thanks, again, for our precious baby.

Sincerely,
Michelle, Mike, Chase, and Chloe Neff

Pictured: Ortyn with Chase and Chloe
Date of Birth: 3/23/2008
Color: Cream and White
Breed: Persian
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10043 New Salem Road NE, Pleasantville, Ohio, 43148


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