Feeding

Choose a premium dry cat food and, unless you detect problems, stick with it. Although there are lots of good food sources on the market, I’ve had the best luck with Eukanuba and Iams formulas with my own cats. Iams represents an especially attractive option these days inasmuch as it’s now available in grocery stores (as well as at Wal-Mart, etc.). Dry food provides all the nutrition a cat needs and also helps protect his/her teeth.

Here are some other relevant notes and suggestions: 

Contrary to popular myth, tuna (however appealingly odiferous to kitties) is not at all good for them.

 Dispensing cat treats and sharing people food with your kitty, however appreciated, are not good habits in the long-run. Just think of  them as equivalent to filling children up with junk food, a practice guaranteed to sabotage healthy diets.

Changing your cat to another food—occasionally, a necessary move-- demands a gradual introduction of the new product to protect your kitty from stomach upsets. The best method is to slowly mix the new food into the old, gradually increasing the ratio of new to old over time. One specialist has, in fact, recommended that you take at least 5 days to get a cat completely off one brand of food and onto another.

Serve the food in ceramic crocks or metal feeding bowls. Plastic bowls can harbor bacteria in areas that have been scratched (usually, imperceptibly). They’ve also been linked to skin problems and a variety of ulcers in Persians. 

Make sure you keep the bowls clean and that you leave plenty of cool, clean water for the cat. The water part is particularly easy if  your cat drinks from a water bottle (most of mine are already so trained). Water bottles not only eliminate problems with spills but also keep the water itself clean and the Persian’s ruff dry.

 Here are some tips for using bottles:

Choose one of those located in the small animal section of the pet store. Although I prefer the wide-mouthed plastic ones for hamsters, many friends swear by the glass varieties. I also like the small, 8-oz bottles because they can be so conveniently positioned on scratching posts (as described below).

 Most bottles come with devices for hanging them on cages. You don’t need a cage, however, if you simply purchase one of those inexpensive scratching posts (e.g. available at Wal-Mart for about 12.00) and a short (about 8”), sturdy elastic fastener for attaching it to the post. These can also be purchased at Wal-Mart or a hardware store. They’re probably shelved in a section near the automotive stuff: longer varieties of these are used for hauling materials on dollies and on hand- and luggage carts.. The two types I’ve used are called Mini-Bungees (these have ends that hook together) and 8” Ball Bungees (these have a loop at one end that fastens over a plastic ball on the other).  Sets of 4 sell for less than two dollars.

Just be sure that you fill the bottle to the very top with water before up-ending and attaching it to the post: otherwise, it’ll drip.

If your cat’s gotten lazy and has turned to the water bowl or has never gotten the bottle habit, you might smear a little chicken baby food on the nozzle to attract him

Grooming

Persians need to be kept indoors not only for their protection from cars, predators, and other hazards but also to protect their coats. The source of their beauty—all that glorious hair—can also be a source of discomfort for them and displeasure for you should it become gnarled with knots. In fact, stories abound of Persians whose coats had become so matted that they needed to be anaesthetized by veterinarians in order to relieve the problem. It goes without saying that you’ll want to keep your kitty and yourself happy by regular grooming. Doing a little bit regularly is much preferable to tackling a major job only once in awhile (sort of like keeping the oil changed in your car rather than facing a major meltdown somewhere down the line). Herewith are some suggestions for daily and periodic grooming.

 Daily Combing

 Basic supplies for this include a metal comb with medium- to large teeth (sort of like the comb you use on your own hair when it’s wet). Usually a comb is preferable to brushing insofar as brushes may break off the hair. Other items that might help are powder (e.g. baby powder, Clubman’s Talc from a beauty supplier such as Sally, or a dry pet shampoo from a pet shop). For real problems, you might need snub-nosed scissors to cut out knots when all else fails. 

A good combing simply involves gently running the comb down the coat in the direction of growth, being careful to reach the ruff area under the chin as well as the “trousers” (those clumps of hair on the backs of the rear legs). Also pay particular attention to the area 1) right behind and around the point where the kitty’s ears join his head and 2) at the juncture of the forelegs with his body (sort of the equivalent of our underarms): these are spots that are particularly oily and, in turn, vulnerable to knots. (Some guides recommend that you first move the comb in a direction that runs against the direction of the hair’s growth before smoothing it back in its normal direction. If you do this, be careful to avoid tearing the hairs should you hit some tangled spots.)

If you do find a knot, try powdering it a little and working it out gently with your fingers. The powder helps to absorb some of the coat’s oil (oil being the breeder of knots and mats) and, in turn, to loosen the knot. If it’s a very small knot, you may, of course, simply comb it out.(Powder, by the way, also helps with soiled kitty backsides—particularly if you haven’t time to shampoo. Just liberally powder the problem area and let it dry a bit before combing out the soil.)

 Daily Eye Care

As we might expect, those flat little Persian faces provide lots of opportunities for the collection of tears around the kitty’s eyes. To keep staining to a minimum and to diminish the chances of infection, you’ll need to wipe your cat’s eyes—very gently-- with a saline-dampened cotton square at least once a day (twice is even better).

Basic Supplies: cotton squares or circles (as are used for cosmetics, for removing nail polish) and a bottle of pure saline solution (such as is used by those who wear soft contact lenses).  Wal-Mart’s Equate brand is good; so, too, is the one I’ve got just now, CibaVision’s SoftWear Saline for Sensitive Eyes. Its label describes it as “sterile saline for rinsing and storing all types of soft contact lenses.” Warning: Be careful that the solution you pick up is NOT one of those  also used to disinfect lenses.

 Periodic Bathing

To keep your cat’s skin healthy and to diminish the incidence of knots (again, promoted by the natural accumulation of oil), it’s a good idea to bathe your Persian at least once a month.  Although few, if any, cats ever grow to love bathing, many will tolerate it peaceably and even show off their newly shampooed coats when you’re done. (I do start bathing my kittens early so they’ll at least be accustomed to the water, to the racket of the dryer, etc.)

Basic Supplies: 1) a gentle shampoo made for cats & dogs (many note that they’re fine for both) or for people, 2) a large bath towel, and 3) a hand-held hair dryer.  (Although a specially made grooming dryer’s terrific, a small travel dryer is fine as long as you keep it moving and don’t get it so close to the kitty’s skin that he is uncomfortable—particularly if you’ve got it on the highest heat setting. Keep testing it on your own skin and watch the cat’s reaction to it.)

Optional Supplies: Preparations for de-greasing the cat before using the shampoo. These include GOOP and Ivory dishwashing liquid. (Goop is a cream that resembles the original, solid Crisco and is described as a mechanic’s hand cleaner. You can find it in the automotive section at Wal-Mart, where a 16-oz. container—enough for one or two baths-- sells for about 2.00. Note: Although Goop is the product most widely used by the breeders & exhibitors I know, other similar degreasers have been identified as being either a) difficult to rinse out of coats or b) comprising harmful chemicals. Beware.)

Unless your cat’s awfully oily, however, the Ivory should be enough of a pre-wash.

Location & Fixtures: Thanks to my aching back, I prefer to use the kitchen sink, where I can keep the cat at waist level. Long before I got my hand-sprayer there fixed, I used one of those inexpensive hose/spray fixtures you attach to faucets (most hardware stores & other discounts stores carry them for under 5.00).  I have also bathed cats in my bathtub with the help of a long shower/hose attachment for rinsing the cat. To elevate the cat, you can place him in the tub on a plastic pet carrier (with the handle side down): this enables you to sit on the edge of the tub and lean over him.

General Guidelines:  For most baths, I’d recommend you 1) de-grease, as necessary, & rinse thoroughly in water that’s comfortably warm; 2) shampoo twice & rinse twice, and—if the ends of the hairs have seemed dry-- 3) apply a light conditioner & rinse thoroughly. (Diluting a ½ capful of conditioner in water simplifies application. As it does with shampoo.) Whatever you apply and however you apply it, do rinse and rinse and rinse with water until you’re convinced all residue is gone. 

Coping With Special Problems

Although you can spend a fortune trying to eliminate the inescapable hair-shedding and litter-box odor that come with owning a cat, you can also diminish these problems rather simply and inexpensively.

Getting Rid of  Cat Hair

Because few vacuum cleaners can pick up all the hair that quietly floats onto our hardwood floors, carpets, and upholstery, most long-time cat owners develop an uncommon appreciation for—of all things-- water. A dampened paper towel works wonders on furniture, and a dampened sponge mop, swept back and forth over a carpet, can pick up more hair than any Dirt Devil on the market. Other helpful tips and tools:

Those Swiffer Mops (& their imitators).

The dry pads are, as advertised, great for wood, tile, or linoleum floors.

As a variant for the wet versions (and for other kinds of mops), I like the pads you can buy at PetSmart that allow you to use  your own mopping solution. (I like to know what’s going onto my floors.) I think these are called Pet Mops. You can buy the pads separately or the whole kit. The latter contains a mop-like structure that’s nearly identical to the one made by the Swiffer people as well as a supply of  the pads.

Pet Hair Lifters

These yellow, brick-shaped items are wonderful (maybe even better than damp paper towels) for all kinds of upholstery and fabric. My favorite is called the Gonzo Pet-Hair Lifter.  They cost 5.00-6.00 and can be found at many cat speciality shops, hardware and fabric stores, etc.

Litter- Box Odor

Although I agree with vet and author Niels Pedersen that litter-box odor is a valuable signal, I’m also convinced no reasonable person will deliberately sustain the signal itself.  So, on those days in between changings, I’ve found that additions of 1) baking soda and 2) litter crystals make life more pleasant for everyone who lives at my house.

Baking Soda, etc. You can add the plain, cheap stuff found at the supermarket or the Arm & Hammer product (also found anywhere with pet supplies) to help absorb the odor. The latter has a pleasant scent and can be found for 1.99 to 2.99 at  grocery and discount stores.

Litter Crystals Mix  Although Tidy Cats makes a blend of clay litter and the silicon crystals, I prefer to mix my own with  light-colored clay litter (the Tidy Cats’ reminds me of potting soil). The mix is actually the idea of my friend Laura Whitman, who shares my respect for the odor-limiting properties of the crystals and a dislike for little trails of black soil strewn throughout the house.  You can tinker with the ratio of clay to crystal yourself: I use it at about 3:1. Thanks, Laura.

Protecting Your Cat From Harm

If you can envision your cat as a small toddler, you’re well on your way to kitty-proofing your home. Wouldn’t let a child crawl across a puddle of spilled detergent? Don’t let your cat do it. Wouldn’t let a child into your cleaning and automotive supplies? Don’t let your cat into them, either. Just remember: anything a cat steps into, he’s liable to get into his mouth because of his penchant for cleaning up. And, as do babies, a cat seems to think most elements in his environment—particularly the new additions-- warrant tasting. Beware.

            What follows is a list of basic items that should never be sampled by or played with by your cat. It’s a compilation of data borrowed from sources  too long ago to remember as well as from materials currently available for further study (viz. CatCraze.Com and the Cornell Book of Cats).  Certainly not exhaustive, it provides merely a hint of dangers lurking in most of our houses—for our pets as well as our children.  Should you suspect your cat’s ingested anything listed below, contact your vet immediately!

Common Sources of Serious Danger:           

Household staples (pins, paper clips, tacks, nails, broken glass, threads, string, rubber bands, ribbon, twine, yarn, dental floss, shoe dyes & cleaners, rubbing alcohol, chocolate, lead-based ceramics & paint, matches, lighter fluid, mothballs, nail polish and polish remover, many hair preparations, gasoline, insecticides, plastic bags)

Medications (e.g. aspirin & acetaminophen, diet pills, laxatives, sleeping aids)

Cleaning products (e.g. bleach, disinfectants, drain cleaners, furniture polish, soaps & detergents, pine-based cleaners & pine-oil products, solvents, stain removers, *phenol)   

Automotive supplies (e.g. antifreeze, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid)

Electrical outlets: cover these with child-guard devices.

 House & Garden Plants & Herbicides (e.g. Easter lily, most other lilies, mistletoe, oleander, azalea)

Clothes Dryers (always check & re-check before operating: better yet--never leave the door open)

Uncovered Toilets  (always put the top down: kittens have been known to drown)

 For Further Help & Research:

 http://catcraze.com/poison.htm

  National Animal Poison Control Center: 1 888 426 4435 (24-hour manned emergency number that’s a life-saver. $45.00 consultation charge. Worth it, obviously)

National Pet Recovery Hotline: 1 800 984 8638 (a 24-hour service committed to keeping your pet out of animal shelters and other undesirable situations)

Legal Hotline: 1 800 555 6517 (for help reporting bonafide abuse situations, help with landlord-tenant issues, vet problems, etc.)

Emergency Disaster Hotline: 1 800 478 7574 (for help preparing for such anticipated disasters  as earthquakes)

Pet Loss Support Hotline: 1 888 478 7574 (free  emotional support line for those having sustained or anticipating a loss  Staffed by veterinary students at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and funded by the Iams Company, in memory of Krista Rankin. Regular hours most weekdays to leave a message for a return call.)

Spay Helpline: 1 800 248 SPAY (an alternative to giving  pets to shelters owing to worries about the cost of  veterinary care, etc. Offers free or low cost services.)

Other Helpful Resources (for Information & Supplies)                                                                              

Pedersen, Niels C. Feline Husbandry: Diseases and Management in the Multiple-Cat Environment. St Louis: Mosby, 1991. 

 Spadafori, Gina, and Paul D. Pion. Cats for Dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG, 1997.

 The Cornel Book of Cats. Ed. Mordecai Siegal. 2^nd ed. New York: Villard, 1997.

                                                                             Online: For Information

 http://www.PandEcats.com : Magazine devoted to Persian & Exotic cats. Articles updated bimonthly. Much info available, even if you don't choose to subscribe.

 http://www.persianbc.org/: Official site that carries into on the breed, grooming, health, history, rescue, etc.

 http://www.cfainc.org/ :  Official site of Cat Fancier’s Association, world’s largest registry of pedigreed cats. Info on shows, breeds, care. 

                                                                       Online: For Purchasing Supplies

http://www.members.aol.com/maloron/index.htm: An excellent source of shampoos, other grooming supplies, pet tents, etc. They ship immediately and are pleasant to deal with.

 www.PetEdge.com:  Formerly New England Serum. Tends to favor dogs, but carries dryers, grooming equipment & tables for cat,too.

http://www.revivalanimal.com:  Revival Animal Health. (Not a religious organization as the name suggests…) Excellent all-around source of health, grooming supplies, etc.

 http://www.e-visionsinternational.com/  Also a good source of supplies, especially pet tents, and water bottle holders.

(P and E cats above also has an excellent directory of products and services.)