Are Persian cats fussy eaters?

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Persian cats are cool pets to have. Knowing what and how to feed your cat is essential to the kind of life it will lead. These cats are fussy eaters, which means that they are quite selective in what they eat. A little change in the way food is served to them, and the type of bowl used can affect their appetite greatly.  The unique ‘flat face’ structure of a Persian’s nose and mouth area also means that Persians are sloppy eaters and some foods are difficult for them to grip into their mouths.  Hence, Persian cats are fussy eaters not only in terms of food tastes but also where the texture of the food is concerned due to their unique physiology.

 

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Cats have been around humans for many years. The earliest record of cats was more than 6000 years ago when a buried cat was found in a mummified cemetery. Ancient Egyptians believed that cats could ward off evil spirits and it was thought that it was good for them to be buried together with their owners. According to the current biological, genetic analysis, all species of cats evolved from the African wild cats, which include European wild cats, Asian wild cats, South African wild cats, and Chinese wild cats. 

Cats are the kind of animal that we prefer to keep in the family nowadays. You can also see free-moving cats outdoors. We often call them wild cats. Many cats just don’t need their owner’s company to come out and play by themselves.

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Cats are not like dogs, which are totally dependent on us when they are domesticated. Cats are more independent and can go out and hunt for food on their own. Many times they only use our home as their resting base. When an owner comes back home, cats will not jump on the owner like man’s best friend (dogs). In the eyes of cats, it is natural for humans to treat them well, and they deserve it.

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The Persian cat is the most famous breed in the world due to its elegant manner and a charming appearance. These cats are a breed that often appears in cat shows because of their beautiful fur. 

Persian cats are characterized by their beautiful, fluffy hair. White Persians are well known, but there are also black and blue colored ones. They have been a popular cat since the Victorian era. After years of breeding, there are more color varieties of Persian cats available now compared with the early days. Their appearance has undergone considerable changes. Long-haired Persian cats have a flatter, rounder face, smaller ears, and a denser fur. Persian cats were bred from the cross between Himalayan cats and Angora cats in the 16th century.

This cat is adorned with fluffy and gorgeous hair. Even though they may look muscular, they hate to exercise and love to sleep, so every cat owner must pay attention to what these cats eat.

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Since Persian cats are known to be fussy eaters, in this article, we will be looking at their peculiar feeding habits in a bid to learn more about the best way to keep them healthy.

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What is the Best Food for Persian cats?

There are three points to consider when deciding on the right meal for your Persian cats.

  • High protein and low carbohydrate

The primary source of energy for cats is animal protein. In order to maintain their muscular body, it is essential to choose a cat food that is rich in animal proteins, which is the primary energy source for cats.

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Also, it is said that taking in too many carbohydrates will result in the deterioration of their digestive function, thereby causing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and flatulence.

Therefore, considering the health of cats, high-protein, low-carbohydrate foods are ideal.

  • Use of low allergen ingredients

Persian cats are said to be susceptible to epiphora, which is otherwise known as ‘teary eyes’. Due to the structure of their skeleton, the nasolacrimal duct is easily clogged, but Persian cat food allergies can also increase the number of tears.

Therefore, choose a cat food that uses low-allergen meat and fish as its main ingredients.

  • Well-balanced dietary fibre

Persian cats are long-haired, and it is easy for them to swallow their hair when they are grooming themselves, which could result in hairball disease due to the accumulated coats in the stomach. Therefore, it is also recommended to choose a cat food that is well balanced in fibre for easy digestion. Hairball care cat food contains about twice as much dietary fibre as the regular foods.

There are two kinds of dietary fibre:  water-soluble dietary fibre and insoluble dietary fibre.

It is hugely important to choose a brand of good quality cat food containing both water-soluble and insoluble fibre in a well-balanced manner.

Insoluble dietary fibre, such as cellulose, is not digested by the stomach and has the tendency to swell when it contains water, which can increase the bulk of the stool and increase its size. Be careful with the amount of insoluble fibre you give your Persian, as taking in too much insoluble fibre can cause constipation in these cats. Insoluble dietary fibre absorbs water and increases the stool size for comfortable defecation. Furthermore, it eliminates harmful substances from the body and has a preventive effect on colorectal cancer.

Water-soluble dietary fiber.   It is easily dissolved in water, and when it is dissolved in water, it becomes a gel. It lowers the blood cholesterol levels, suppressing postprandial blood glucose spikes, and increasing the number of good bacteria in the intestines. 

Persian cat hair is quite dense and soft, so it is easy to get tangled, and when Persians get themselves into that state, they find it difficult to groom themselves.

Persian cats are easy to keep because they are relatively obedient and rarely squeal. When choosing food, it is important to choose one that can prevent diseases specific to Persian cats.

A genetic disorder in Persian cats is polycystic kidney disease; therefore, choose a diet to help prevent kidney disease.  Persians are also prone to gum inflammation; therefore, consider measures such as brushing their teeth.

Are Persian cats fussy eaters
Exotic Persian Cat ‘Dancer’ with short hair and Tortoiseshell Seal Point Persian Cat ‘Princess Babalina’ with long hair

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An appropriate amount of food for Persian cats?

Persian cats are often kept indoors, and due to the peculiar characteristics of their breed, the amount of activities they involve themselves in are relatively small compared to other cat breeds. Therefore, they must not be allowed to over-eat.

Persian cats often weigh about 3 to 6 kg for both males and females, and although female cats are slightly smaller, there is not much difference in their weight. 

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Persian cat Essentials

Cat food trays should be fixed for use and cannot be replaced casually. Persian cats are very sensitive to changing food trays and sometimes refuse to eat because of a new tray.  

● Keep the Persian cat food bowl or pan clean. Newspaper or plastic sheets can be placed under the food pan to prevent the screeching noise caused by the sliding food pan, and it also helps keep the tray clean. 

Every time the cat discards food as leftovers, take it away and mix it with fresh food that has been cooked for the next feeding session. Otherwise, the cat won’t eat it.

● Feeding should be at a fixed time. Once the cat’s biological clock for “feeding” is formed, it is relatively fixed and should not be changed at will. 

● The place where you put the cat food should be fixed. 

● If there are guests visiting, do not let the guests watch your cat while the cat is eating. The presence of strangers will greatly reduce cat Appetite.

● Food choices for Persian cats are very important. Good-quality cat food can make Persian cats healthier, so you should try to feed them with natural cat food. 

● If the canned cat food is not finished in one feeding session, it needs to be stored in the refrigerator to preserve it, and it must be heated before feeding the cat because Persian cats like warm food. A cold meal doesn’t only affect their appetite but also easily causes digestive disorders. 

● Also, pay attention to the cat’s appetite at all times. There are many factors that affect the appetite of a Persian cat, which may include the type of food, environment, and disease.

● Also, strong light, noise, the presence of strangers, or interference from other animals can affect the cats’ appetite. If these factors are corrected, and the cat’s appetite is still not improving, it may be that the cat is sick. At this time, please consult a veterinarian for treatment. Persian cats don’t like to eat around noise and strong light. 

● The digestive function of Persian cats is not good, which is another problem that pet owners are faced with. Usually, they should not be fed too much food as they are very prone to diarrhea, and they should not be given food to eat that is difficult to digest.

● When feeding your cat with cat food, use fresh warm milk or other milk to soak the cat food. If you don’t use cat food, you still need to give your cat warm and clean food. When they are glutinous, you must stop them in time, and also, they must not be allowed to eat raw and cold food because their fragile stomach cannot withstand it.

● Provide the Persian cat with clean drinking water every day. Although Persian cats don’t drink much water, you must prepare enough clean drinking water every day. As long as the cat’s drinking water is clean, it must be replaced with fresh water regularly. The drinking bowl is generally placed beside the cat’s food bowl, and the cat can drink at any time when it is thirsty.

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Human food for a Persian cat

Persian Cats are strict carnivores and have very specific nutritional requirements; for this reason, their diet should be primarily made up of protein, fat, as well as vitamins, fatty acids and minerals, among others. Even though some of these cats are able to eat cheese or rice without any problem, not all cats come to like new foods in their diet.

Persian cats are “finicky”; hence, they refuse to eat any other food they have not tried before, probably due to a lack of experimentation in the cat’s socialization stage. Due to this, in some cases, it can be very difficult to replace the croquettes or canned food that we usually offer our feline with other types of food.

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Homemade cat food

Are you aware that more people are feeding their cats with homemade recipes? Especially when they suffer from a pathological condition. Many people look for recipes for homemade food for sick cats, but there are also tutors who do it to ensure the quality of the food and avoid the possible problems associated with balanced food. This type of diet is usually very well accepted, although it will always depend on the food chosen and the palate of the cat.

If you haven’t experimented with homemade recipes yet, this can be a great opportunity. But how can we start? What homemade diets exist? You will learn about it as you read further:

Raw diet: this diet focuses on offering raw food to the feline, either chopped or passed through a grinder. It is important to bear in mind that it is necessary to freeze the food before offering it, to avoid possible parasites or pathogens. 

Cooked or semi-cooked homemade diets: precisely to prevent the cat from contracting any virus or parasite, some guardians choose to cook the meat or lightly mark it in the pan. As in the previous case, we can choose to cut the food into tiny cubes or crush  the food to facilitate eating. 

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Human cat food

Have you ever considered feeding your cats with cheese or rice? There are many regular human foods that your cat may easily feed on. However, this does not suggest that they are suitable for it’s body. Human food may end up leading to diarrhea or other digestive issues that cause discomfort.

If you do not have the raw materials and time to prepare homemade food for Persian cat or kitten recipes, you may be interested to know about  what human foods a cat can eat.

Mussels, Prawns, unsalted meat, unsalted fish, sliced ​​turkey, York ham slices, chicken slices, unsweetened skimmed yogurt, egg, lactose-free cheese.

Take into consideration that canned tuna is not recommended for cats. If you must feed the cat tuna, the food should be eated promptly since it usually contains preservatives, salt, or other chemical components that are not recommended for cats. The food suitable for a cat is based on recipes or commercial food and must be supervised by a vet, who will advise on the quality and suitability of the food.

Are you obsessed with your favorite Persian cat? How do you express this love and concern for this, your little friend? The amount of food and manner in which is ideal for feeding a Persian cat is determined by its metabolic rate and how much activity it is involved in daily. In the same way, humans are required to eat at a specific time; it is also necessary to fix the feeding time of your cat.

When making a homemade dry cat food using grains, animal protein such as chicken and veggies, you must take care to avoid overcooking the food.  Since some important nutrients, and the flavors will be lost in the process.

Persian cats may usually require some additional vitamins (such as Vitamin B) compared to other cats; hence, food supplements may be given to this fluffy pal.

A supplement rich diet may include pumpkin, milk, salmon oil, probiotics for total well-being, and Lysine powder to aid and improve visual, respiratory & tissue health.

If you are not able to provide a home-cooked diet, you can consult with the veterinarian for a quality Persian cat food brand. The type of food you feed your cat will determine the amount of immunity against diseases, stress, and aging. 

Following an example called food rotation. The system requires a change in diet, i.e., avoid feeding your cats with the same food every day. The benefits include the following, optimal nutrition because a no single diet can be relied on for a lifetime. Food allergies can also develop if your cat is fed the same protein for a long time. Your cat is less likely to prepare food because it is used in different flavors, proteins, and grains every day.

It is also very important to note that human food and leftovers should never be given to a pet regularly, leading to health complications and obesity in the cat. 

The right amount and sufficient quality of food will protect your cat from problems with digestion, diabetes, diseases, and obesity due to inactivity.

Persian cats need a lot of mental and physical training. You can offer interesting toys that stimulate and regulate their energy positively rather than destructively. Plastic drinking bowls, wrapping paper or napkins, and laser pointers can be of great importance to your furry friend.

Is Whiskas good for Persian cats?

Cat food from Whiskas is a great supplement for your Persian cat and should be offered in moderation to your cat as you follow other healthy diet tips.

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According to general recommendations, a healthy adult cat should be given 24-35 calories per day per its body weight. For your furry paw, prepare a diet rich in nutritional value by mixing dry, canned, or raw foods, which should always be accompanied by plenty of fresh water.

Persians with long hair need special grooming.  Click this affiliate link to order your grooming brush.

Conclusion

Persian cats live a sedentary lifestyle, which makes them prone to obesity. Furthermore, they are also prone to certain kinds of diseases and allergies. Therefore extra care should be taken when selecting the type of food for them.

Hazel Buckley
Hazel Buckley

About Hazel Buckley
Hazel is an animal enthusiast and educator who grew up on a farm which her parents owned in Ingogo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  The farm was situated right under the Majuba Mountains - the site where the Anglo-Boer War was fought. 

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information published on this website is accurate, the author and owners of this website take no responsibility  for any loss or damage suffered as a result of relience upon the information contained therein.  Furthermore the bulk of the information is derived from information in 2018 and use therefore is at your on risk. In addition you should consult professional advice if required.