New research into the health issues of the popular Persian has been conducted by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh. The study revealed haircoat disorders, dental disease, overgrown nails and eye discharge are the most common conditions diagnosed in the instantly recognisable breed.
Many of these health issues may be related to the long coat and flat face characteristic of the breed. With an estimated 100,000 Persians in the UK, these problems represent major welfare challenges needing to be considered by breeders and future owners. Results will help breeders to select which cats to breed from, veterinarians to spot diseases earlier and owners to ensure they take preventive measures for common conditions in the breed. This new information will also help the public understand more about the welfare challenges relating to owning and caring for Persian cats.
Key findings from the study include:
- 64.9% of Persian cats had at least one disorder recorded.
- The most common specific disorders were haircoat disorder (12.7%), dental disease (11.3%), overgrown nails (7.2%) and eye discharge (5.8%).
- Dental disease was more common in males, while claw/nail problems were more common in females.
- The most common causes of death were kidney disease (23.4%) and cancer (8.5%).
- The average adult bodyweight of a Persian cat was 3.9 kg.
- Male Persian cats (average 4.3kg,) were heavier than females (average 3.4 kg).
- The average lifespan of a Persian cat is 13.5 years.
The high levels of dental and eye problems seen in Persians are thought to result from the brachycephalic, commonly referred to as ‘flat- faced’, shaped heads of these cats. Previous research shows this abnormal head shape has been associated with various health problems in dogs, as well as cats. Meanwhile, the high levels of haircoat problems seen in this RVC study are associated with the thick and long coat of the Persian which is prone to tangling and matting.
The academics behind this study analysed the clinical records of 3,325 Persian cats using the RVC’s VetCompass™ programme, enabling them to identify health trends in the Persian cats treated under general veterinary care across the UK in 2013.
Dr Dan O’Neill, lead author and VetCompass veterinary epidemiologist at the RVC, says: “Welfare concerns over brachycephaly [flat faces) in dogs have been recognised for some years. Now, our new study of Persians provides evidence that cats with flattened faces are similarly predisposed to some unpleasant and debilitating conditions. Hopefully this evidence baseline will kick-start demands to reform the Persian breed’s health by breeding towards a less extreme body shape. Additionally, owners of Persians need to be especially alert to dental, eye and haircoat issues in their cats and seek treatment at the earliest signs of ill-health.”
The RVC’s VetCompass™ programme is a non profit initiative in collaboration with the University of Sydney, investigating the range and frequency of companion animal health problems. For more info, head to rvc.ac.uk/vetcompass/.