Do you have a Persian cat? I am a veterinarian and I will explain to you which diseases and symptoms to watch out for

One of the cat breeds most present in our homes is the Persian cat. In addition to the Maine Coon and the Siamese, in fact, in Italian homes there is no shortage of these brachycephalic (flat-faced) and long-haired cats. Like all other cat breeds, the Persian can also suffer from different conditions illnesseswhether acquired, congenital or hereditary.

The most common acquired diseases of the Persian cat

The Persian cat is a long-haired feline breed, characterized by having the crushed muzzle. As a breed, it can be particularly long-lived: its average lifespan varies from 12 to 17 years. This extreme variability probably also depends on the fact that the Persian can suffer from various diseases, both acquired and congenital. (READ also: Persian: everything you need to know about the brachycephalic cat before adopting one)

Without prejudice to the fact that some diseases can have both acquired and congenital causes (see for example rupture of the cruciate ligament or even renal failure), Persians can develop different acquired diseases. In addition to viral and parasitic infectious diseases such as FIV, FeLV, FIP, feline viral rhinotracheitis, Calicivirosis, feline viral panleukopenia, hemobarthonellosis, ascaridosis, just to name a few, we can often see in Persian cats:

The most frequent congenital diseases of the Persian cat

There is also no shortage of them in Persian cats congenital diseases (i.e. those present since birth) and hereditary ones (i.e. inherited from parents, grandparents…). In some cases these diseases can manifest themselves already after birth, while in others even months or years later (this is the case, for example, with polycystic disease).

For some of these diseases, they are also present genetic tests which can indicate whether a subject is healthy, a carrier of the disease (he has a healthy gene and a diseased one, which indicates that he will not develop the disease, but that he could transmit it to his offspring) or diseased. This is important to know to exclude sick or carrier subjects from breeding, so as not to continue giving birth to sick kittens.