Persian cats are among the many cat breeds in the world. This breed is famous not only in the United States but in the world as a whole. But are Persian cats smart? Persian cats are known for their beauty which comes from their long and soft fur, which has an extensive range of colors. Unfortunately, these adorable coats require a lot of attention and brushing, thus making Persian cats high-maintenance pets. However, to compensate for this, the Persians are loving and affectionate.
Unlike many cats with long smooth noses, Persian cats have small button noses and flat faces. In addition, their eyes are extra big and colored, and they possess triangular mouths. But, apart from all this beauty, the question remains, ‘are Persian cats smart?’ This article takes you through all you need to know about Persian cats as we investigate their intelligence.
Things You Need to Know About the Persian Cats
Before we get any further, there are several things you would love to know about Persian Cats.
There are seven divisions of Persian cat breeds. The divisions include;
- Solid division
- Silver and gold division
- Smoke and shaded division,
- Tabby division,
- Particular division,
- Bicolor division
Himalayan division. Persian cats have round bodies, small ears, big eyes, and small noses on smooshed-in faces, as stated above. Therefore, the breeders of Persian cats wanted to achieve a kitten face for these cats. However, the flat faces cause breathing problems, and this is probably why this breed is known to be less active. The cat’s flat face also causes eating problems when fed from deep bowls.
Persians have lacrimal tears. Lacrimal tears are a discharge found between the eyes and the nose. They are formed when tears run down and oxidize on the fold. The Persian cat’s fur does not brush itself, nor do they brush themselves like most other cats. Instead, it requires hours of touching and undoing the knots. This cat’s fur gets extended, and keeping it nice and clean should be your priority.
These cats are usually quiet and like curling up and napping most of the time. Animal experts say that they can spend up to twenty hours sleeping. But, unfortunately, this cat breed gets tired too quickly. This indicates why they are less active.
Persian cats get along with dogs and other cats in the house, but this holds only if the other animal doesn’t offer distractions.
Another thing to learn is that Persians live for around ten to fifteen years and are good family cats.
How Do You Determine the Intelligence of Your Cat?
Determining the intelligence in animals is quite complex, especially for cats compared to their counterparts.
People determine a cat’s intelligence by how social and active the cat is. Therefore, more vibrant and social cats are presumed to be more intelligent than less playful and friendly cats.
How quickly a cat learns a new trick or a command is another way to measure a cat’s intelligence. Different breed types will take time to learn the same control or trick. However, this is not a good way since most cats are naturally stubborn, and you can’t force them to do something they’re not interested in.
You can train your cat to pick on some new tricks, but the truth is that some cat breeds are naturally more brilliant than others. Thus, their learning capabilities are different.
Persians are naturally slow and lazy. However, they are also slow learners and will take a lot of time to pick up a new trick. This will range from knowing where to poop to learning how to use a cat’s door.
What More to Know About Persian Cats
You should also know that the Persian cat breed has low survival and hunting skills compared to most other species, like the Sphynx. There’s a joke that their hunting instincts are so minimal that a mouse can comfortably sleep next to a Persian cat. Ranking cats using their hunting instincts will therefore have the Persian cat trailing way behind.
A fact worth noting about cats is that cats aren’t parked animals, unlike dogs. They are self-reliant and, therefore, will naturally take less interest in making their owner happy. Several Persian cats will naturally enjoy chasing after a mouse or other creatures despite Persian owners providing them with enough food.
Persians are best kept indoors to protect them. If left outside, they will probably get lost, die of hunger, or become prey to more giant animals. If you have to let your Persian cat outdoors, you should ensure it’s on a leash.
How Intelligent Is a Persian Cat?
As some breeds of animals are more intelligent than others in general, there are some exceptions. This is because every species still has variations in every individual’s intelligence level.
Animal Planet conducted a recent ranking on the intelligence of cat breeds. The order was based on a scale of one to ten, with one being the lowest and ten being the highest. The highest-ranking breed attained a ten, with the lowest reaching a therapying the top achieving a ten, with the last being the Himalayan and exotic shorthair, earning a three.
You are probably wondering where the Persian cat is in the rating. The good news is it’s not at the bottom. However, it attained a mere four out of ten. You can’t call this beautiful breed dumb, but it’s not so bright. We can say they are pretty intelligent cat breeds.
Why Keep a Persian Cat?
Are Persian cats smart? No. They have low intelligence but are warm and affectionate, as noted earlier. This breed is the most loving of all the other species. They don’t hop on cabinets or rummage through closets and drawers. Their relaxed nature makes them the perfect pet.
You can still teach your Persian cat a bit of a trick. This will, however, require you to be patient and gentle and say kind, encouraging words to the cat. Then, repeat the trick as often as possible and watch your Persian become good at your favorite lure.
It’s also worth noting that Persian kittens are prone to many diseases and therefore require constant monitoring to ensure they are always in good health. If it’s your first time having one, you may consider getting classes on how to take care of it.
Conclusion
A Persian kitty is average-smart. However, they have other adorable qualities that make them one of the most popular pets worldwide. This is the perfect breed if you’re looking for a cat to keep you company and provide warmth and affection. Just be ready to handle its health issues with care and patience.
